Duck farming in Kerala plays a vital role in supporting the state’s agribusiness sector. However, duck farmers remain highly vulnerable to market risks which threaten the profitability of the sector. This study aims to analyze the major market risks they face and to propose policy strategies that can reduce their vulnerability. The primary data collected from 50 duck farmers through structured interviews. The findings of the study revealed that limited diversification, dependence on middlemen, inadequate value addition, lower adoption of technology, and weak cooperative structures are key risks constraining the growth of the sector. To address these challenges, the study recommends strengthening cooperatives, promoting value-added products, enhancing farmers’ digital literacy, and encouraging the adoption of modern technologies.

Abstract: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the family on the student's school life as a result of examining 26 studies covering the years 2020-2024 with the document analysis method. The data were collected from digital databases such as Google Scholar and YÖK Thesis Center and analyzed with content analysis. In the light of the findings obtained, it is seen that the studies examined were mostly conducted with the qualitative research method and the school administrator sample was used the most. In the themes created with the content analysis, school-family communication and collaboration processes are at the forefront. In the studies examined, it is emphasized that the effectiveness of school-family collaboration makes a positive contribution to the academic success of the students. However, it is striking that the participation of parents in school life is insufficient and the samples covering the students are limited. In this direction, it is recommended that education stakeholders be represented more balancedly in the studies, studies should be conducted for the effective participation of parents in school life, and diversity should be sought in the methods to be used.

The article focuses on examining the reception of the Middle Way (Madhyamaka) ideology from India to Vietnam, with the emphasis on the philosophical creation process in the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect. Based on the systematization of Nagarjuna's main arguments on "emptiness" and "leaving two extremes", the author argues that when transmitted to Dai Viet, the Middle Way ideology was adjusted to suit the social and cultural context of the Tran Dynasty. The article points out that Truc Lam philosophy not only accepted the core content of Madhyamaka but also integrated it with Confucianism and Taoism, forming a unique philosophy of engagement. From there, Truc Lam Yen Tu both preserved the universal value of Mahayana Buddhism and affirmed the independent identity of Vietnamese Buddhism. The research results emphasize the practical significance and lasting spiritual value of the Middle Way in national life.

This study presented a secondary analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) dataset, specifically focused on the 2018 eighth-grade NAEP Technology and Engineering assessment's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) category. The purpose was to examine the impact of non-school factors, problem-solving, and digital communication use on student technology scores. This study used a quantitative descriptive research design to analyze secondary data extracted from the 2018 NAEP data set. The findings indicate that students who reported spending time outside of school exploring something to see how it works or to solve a problem consistently scored significantly higher than those who did so less often. These findings may indicate an overall positive correlation between time spent working on or with digital technology outside of school for creative and problem-solving purposes and ICT literacy.

This article provides a critical review of the literature on psychosocial development in adolescence, a developmental period characterized by a complex interplay of biological, cognitive, and socio-relational transformations. Drawing on the clinical observations of Dr. Maria Anna Formisano, the essay explores the three pillars of adolescent development: identity construction, the renegotiation of social relationships with family and peers, and the architecture of protective factors that promote resilience. The analysis systematically integrates these observations with key theoretical models of developmental psychology, such as Erikson's epigenetic theory, Marcia's identity states, neurobiological models of risk-taking behavior, Bowlby's attachment theory, and Baumrind's typologies of parenting styles. Special attention is paid to the impact of the digital context on identity and relational construction. The final argument maintains that adolescence, despite being a phase of intrinsic vulnerability, represents a crucial opportunity for the development of lifelong skills, the outcome of which is modulated by the dynamic interaction between individual and contextual resources.

The systemic approach is a way of thinking popularly called Systemic Thinking. It is an interdisciplinary way of looking at problems to solve them. The systemic thinking approach attempts to understand parts of the whole system's behaviour. Thus, looking at the problem from a holistic perspective. The specific issues are looked at in relation to the whole to resolve them. To elucidate it, this paper begins with a metaphor of the digestive system and how it works about the whole. This is followed by types and elements of a system and how the understanding of systems contributes to a systemic thinking approach. In the second part of this paper, open schooling has been dealt with from the systemic perspective. The way the organisational structures are interdependent to pursue a common purpose makes Open Schooling a System. The systemic approach defines the human role in this system. The paper concludes by discussing the challenges of open schooling from systemic perspectives.

Due to urbanization, N'Djamena province is facing high demographic growth resulting into highest pressure on natural resources in general, and land resources in particular. For socioeconomic development, projects are multiplying, and land expropriations are becoming frequent. However, it must be noted that these expropriations are not always carried out according to established rules, which affects population that are not always involved in the process or poorly managed by the actors responsible for the management of expropriations. This study analyzes the effect of such practices on the quality of life of expropriated populations in the Province of N’Djamena. The qualitative methodology combines with documentary research, semi-structured interviews, and direct observation. The results show that land management institutions suffer from poor governance, and the impacts of expropriations are highly significant on the lives of the populations, causing enormous losses. This disruption in expropriation management institutions therefore exacerbates the impacts on the lives of the population and deserves particular attention from all stakeholders involved in the management of the expropriation process, in order to improve living conditions and strengthen the dynamics of participation for all in the sustainable development of the province.

This paper examines possible origins of reproductive disorders as determined by diagnosis in its primarily endogenous approach, without excluding that of so-called conventional medicine. This reflection dwells on the knowledge of Ngomalá ethnomedicine to show how health practitioners work to identify reproductive disorders in women and men. It reports on the typology of pathologies identified through diagnosis according to the healthcare systems in the Ngomalá ethnic society in Batoufam, with the aim of preparing each patient to receive treatments suited to their condition. Data were collected from 19 therapists and 19 patients identified through snowball sampling and purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews. It follows from this that reproductive disorders are grouped into two categories, including “apparent pathologies,” that is, those mainly treated with medication, and “non-apparent pathologies,” whose treatment requires the performance of endogenous magical-religious rituals before any medicinal treatment.

The Modern Alternative Dispute Resolution was introduced into the world, as a form of method that would aid in alleviating the hardships and disadvantages of courtroom litigation, However, upon careful scrutiny of the systems that employ this method of dispute resolution; it comes to ones focus that the institutions are one-sided in the types of cases they entertain. Cases in point, which this write-up will center on, are the Lagos MultiDoor courthouse. These are one of the current institutions through which Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms are being practiced. However, a major drawback characterized by these alternative courts is that their jurisdictions are limited to resolving civil cases. In essence, the other most important aspect of the legal system is neglected, which is the criminal justice system i.e criminal cases. Criminal cases are out rightly excluded from reaping the benefits of this valuable and beneficial concept. A further research by this write-up brings into limelight certain processes within the criminal justice system which are similar to the ADR processes themselves. This article aims at highlighting these criminal law methods which will aid in resolving criminal disputes amicably and agreeably, just like the ADR processes. The mechanisms in focus will be plea bargaining, restorative justice and compoundable offences. The similarities between these methods and these of the ADR processes. The three concepts mentioned above will also be conceptually analyzed by examining their workings and mechanics on points of their theory, practice and application. The write-up will then look into how these criminal law processes can be incorporated and employed into the multi-Door courthouses. In order that the MDCs will have concurrent jurisdictions of both civil and criminal cases.

1. Thomas S. Kuhn’s understanding of how scientific revolutions occur (In his The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962) is based on changing the fundamental assumptions, or “paradigms,” supporting a given scientific theory. Just as this occurred in the change from Newtonian to Einsteinian laws of motion, so can we achieve it by changing from our bureaucratic toward an evolutionary way of life. We can move away from our assumptions of narrow specialization, persisting hierarchy, and personal conformity, and toward interdisciplinary behavior, persisting equality, and personal autonomy. And we can chart our daily progress. Everyone can continue to evolve without any limit by learning an interdisciplinary science of human behavior. We can then help to solve our escalating societal problems, like the threat of nuclear war, climate change, and negative impacts of AI. This can be achieved by learning an interdisciplinary science of human behavior. We Follow Confucius: “It Is Man Who Can Make The Way Great, And Not The Way That Can Make Man Great.” 2. To acomplish this, one can begin by learning “EVOLUTIONARY HEART.” Whenever you perceive anything, you can become aware of yourself, the perceiver, as the most evolved entity throughout the entire known universe. By so doing, you can gain an ever more confident self-image, yielding ever greater emotional power to solve problems. Following Jonathan H. Turner’s book, On Human Nature (2021), we are “the most emotional animals on earth.” Phillips’ doctoral dissertation (1956) emphasized the power of self-image. Walt Whitman: “I Celebrate Myself, I Sing Myself.” 3. One can then employ the practice of “EVOLUTIONARY HEAD” to maintain one’s emphasis on evolutionary heart, continuing to gain awareness of one’s own situation as the very jewel of the universe. The result, over time, will be a new habit, eliminating one’s former outward orientation. This attention to oneself as well as others follows the interdisciplinary breadth of Francis Bacon (“I have taken all knowledge to be my province”) and C. Wright Mills, whose The Sociological Imagination (1959/2000) was rated by the International Sociological Association as the second most influential book for sociologists of the entire 20th century. We Also Follow John Dewey’s Vision Of Democracy As Requiring The Focus Of “All Political Institutions And Industrial Arrangements” On “The All-Around Growth Of Every Member Of Society” (Reconstruction In Philosophy, 1920/1948). 4. This new inward-outward orientation, based on both evolutionary heart and head, can focus on “EVOLUTIONARY HAND,” moving to fulfill our human potential by improving ever more of our personal situations. Following a scientific approach, just as George Kelly saw everyone as a scientist in his A Theory of Personality (1963), we can learn to record successful improvements in our lives in a brief phrase or sentence. For example, Phillips has recorded over 300 examples of his own very personal achievements—such as losing weight, eating more healthful foods, and learning to relax and smell the flowers—over a 10-day period. All human beings have this potential for continuing achievements or personal evolution. We Follow Jane Addams: “The Cure For The Ills Of Democracy Is More Democracy.” 5. This focus on the enormous power of the individual is central to our book, Creating Life Before Death: Before Disaster Strikes The Ship Of State, 2nd edition (2024). Chapters 1 and 2 center on head, 3 and 4 on heart, and 5 and 6 on hand. Chapter 7 sets the stage for over 20 new articles which continue to build on that book. Phillips in a sonnet he published (1954), in an article based on his doctoral dissertation (1956), and in two essays he was invited to present in Contemporary Sociology (2019 and 2020), pleaded with sociologists to recognize the power of the individual. We all can learn how to contribute toward solving the problems threatening the very existence of the human race. We need a growing awareness of existing threats to the extinction of humanity. In addition, we require the evolutionary development of ever more of us who can illustrate their own continuing growth. We follow Jane Addams' Democracy and Social Ethics (1902), Fred Polak's The Image of the Futre (1961/1973), George Kelly's A Theory of Personality (1963), Charles A. Reich's book on the counterculture of the 1960s, The Greening of America (1970/1995), Jonathan Turner's On Human Nature (2021, and Luke Kemp's History of Societal Collapse, Goliath's Curse (2025).

Background: In the modern era, there has been a significant surge in fast food consumption across India. Shimla, as a major tourist destination, has witnessed rapid growth in restaurants and food outlets, increasing consumption among residents. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals aged 18 years or above, either born in Shimla or currently residing there. A total of 52 respondents completed a structured questionnaire via Google Forms. Key Results: Employment status significantly influenced fast-food expenditure, while age, gender, and income showed no significant associations. Discounts and promotional offers marginally affected spending. Price importance and salary-related changes did not predict expenditure. Most respondents consumed fast food at least once a week, and many intended to reduce consumption in the future. Conclusion: Fast-food expenditure in Shimla is primarily driven by employment status and marketing incentives rather than demographics or income. Findings underscore the importance of behavioural and structural factors when designing interventions for healthier diets.

Public health hospitals in Kenya face significant performance challenges amidst pressures from population growth, lifestyle diseases, and resource constraints. While technology offers potential solutions, gaps exist in understanding the effects of specific implementations. This study aimed to assess the influence of Health Information Technology (HIT) implementation on the performance of Level IV and V public health hospitals in Meru County, Kenya. Grounded in Strategic Choice Theory, the study employed a descriptive research design, collecting primary data via questionnaires from 32 middle-level managers across 14 hospitals. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Findings revealed a strong positive perception of HIT's impact. Regression analysis confirmed that HIT implementation significantly predicts higher hospital performance (p < 0.01). Specifically, digitalized health records reduced service time (OR=3.340), telemedicine improved accessibility (OR=2.321), and HIT streamlined processes (OR=2.605) were significant positive predictors. The study concludes that HIT is a critical driver of performance, enhancing operational effectiveness and care delivery. It is recommended that public hospitals prioritize strategic investments in robust HIT systems, including electronic health records and telemedicine, to improve service delivery and overall performance.

Abstract: Every language is in need of new words in order to name new inventions and changes that enter our lives, and in order to communicate about them. Language is dynamic and constantly evolving. Just like all other languages, the Filipino language also has evolved with the time as influenced by many factors. One of these factors is the tradition of cockfighting among Filipino men. The language of cockfighting has its own contribution in enriching the language of the Filipinos. It is the goal of this linguistic investigation to determine the linguistic features that aid the sabong aficionados in communicating to one another during a game. Specifically, it seeks to process the language of cockfighters according to the expressions used and their categories, its morphology and semantics, and its functions. Verbal data were provided by five purposely-selected respondents who have engaged in the sport for at least ten years using interview as a research method. Findings show that the morphological processes involved in the formation of cockfighting language are mostly borrowing, derivation, affixation, compounding, and connotation through image. Hand signal is found to have a crucial role in the language of betting. The functions of language in cockfighting are mostly metalingual, emotive, conative, and phatic. In extracting the meaning of their language through processing the morphology, semantics, and functions, this study offers a way of understanding the world of cockfighting in Philippine context.

This study contends that human rationality is not the sole faculty of knowledge. The Affective Sphere with the Heart as the Centre, an Engaged Personality and Human Emotions are also reliable sources of knowledge among others. The excessive credit assigned to rationality as the major tool in the acquisition of knowledge and the dismissive manner in which some philosophers have thought and written about the affective sphere and the human heart has prompted this hypothesis. Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, R. Descartes, I. Kant and other thinkers, gave human rationality an exhorted position in the history of thought. They emphasized that all our emotions must be subjected to the light and the dictates of reason. Rationality, for them, was indispensable for the flourishing of the human person. Awards at intellectual ceremonies and the criteria for scholarships justifies the above stance. General Point Average (GPA), the product of cognitive skills is King. Our studies testify that the heart, an engaged personality and human emotions are also sources of knowledge. The scope of the heart in the cognitive process is broader than the scope of the intellect. As such, to arrive at a vast spectrum of knowledge, recourse must be made to the heart and the intellect and the will and not just the intellect. This approach also guarantees holistic education. We employed arguments from Dietrich Von Hildebrand, Stephen Darwall, Yunus Tuncel, B. Pascal, B. Spinoza, D. Hume, L. Congiunti, R. Sokolowski and others to deconstruct the supremacy of reason. Also, we underscore the invaluable role of the heart in acquiring knowledge. Consequently, we maintain that rationality is not the sole faculty of knowledge. The pseudo idolatry of reason has to be subjected to critical scrutiny.

The transformation of the foreign policy toolkit since 1985 has exceeded the explanatory capacity of classical power typologies. States and non-state actors systematically employ platform governance, data regimes, algorithmic ranking, and targeted communication capabilities for foreign policy purposes. This study develops an integrated framework that matches digital power instruments with influence mechanisms in a conceptual matrix and reveals the strategic utilization logic of states in foreign policy. The research systematically elucidates instrument-mechanism-outcome relationships by integrating conceptual analysis, document-based qualitative content analysis, and process-tracing methods. The forty-year period analysis proves the transformation of infrastructural conditioning, network environment control, and cognitive framing capacities into a three-layered power architecture. Findings demonstrate that digital power has expanded from infrastructure dominance to standard-setting and positioned itself at the center of the foreign policy toolkit. At the theoretical level, the study transcends the limitations of classical power typologies by revealing the capacities of platform infrastructures to manage visibility economies and create structural dependency through access asymmetries. At the empirical level, periodical transformations have proven that digital power advances through ruptures rather than linear evolution. The study transforms theoretical contribution into practical value by offering actionable recommendations for policymakers regarding the strategic use of digital power instruments, resilience building against digital threats, and the design of regulatory policies.

This article provides an in-depth examination of child custody decisions, focusing on the various types of arrangements and key factors that influence court outcomes. It explores the complexities of sole custody, joint custody, and shared parenting, highlighting the importance of prioritizing the child’s best interests. The article discusses the role of parental ability, co-parenting, and the court’s role in determining custody arrangements. By analysing the nuances of custody decisions, this article aims to inform and support parents, and legal professionals navigating these complex and often emotionally charged proceedings.

The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence, particularly large language models like ChatGPT, has fundamentally transformed academic environments globally. This study examines the multifaceted impact of AI integration on Georgian higher education institutions, focusing on academic integrity challenges, digital inequality patterns, and interdisciplinary transformation processes. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative survey data (n=173) from academic staff and students across seven institutions (four capital-based, three regional) with qualitative semi-structured interviews (n=9) of institutional decision-makers. Data collection occurred between November 2023 and January 2024. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, while qualitative data underwent thematic content analysis. Findings reveal significant usage patterns with 82% of students employing AI tools academically, yet only 31% disclosing such usage. Substantial digital inequality emerged across institutional types (68% vs. 12% premium access in private vs. public universities) and disciplines (91% usage in computer science vs. 49% in medical education). Notably, interdisciplinary collaboration increased by 43%, with 78% of faculty reporting significant pedagogical adaptations. AI integration presents a dual paradigm of opportunity and challenge in post-Soviet educational contexts. While facilitating unprecedented interdisciplinary collaboration and pedagogical innovation, it simultaneously exacerbates existing inequalities and challenges traditional academic integrity frameworks. The study provides evidence-based recommendations for ethical AI integration, emphasizing the critical need for inclusive policies to prevent deepening educational disparities.