Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

2 files · 862 KB · docx, pdfdeclared

This is the report of the third indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) dialogue workshop for the IPBES thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control (the IAS assessment), which was held in the context of the external review of the second order draft of the chapters and first order draft of the summary for policymakers (SPM) of the IAS assessment. Due to COVID-19, it was held online, from 1 to 3 February 2022. The report aims to provide a written record of the dialogue workshop, which can be used by assessment authors to inform their work on the IAS assessment, and also by all dialogue participants who may wish to keep abreast of, review and contribute to the work of the assessment moving forward. The report is not intended to be comprehensive or give final resolution to the many interesting discussions and debates that took place during the workshop. Instead, it is intended as a written record of the discussions, and this conversation will continue to evolve over the coming months and years. For this reason, clear points of agreement are discussed, but, if there were diverging views among participants, these are also presented for further attention and discussion.

BERTANHA, Geisiane Aline Ortolan · VANTIN, Caroline · FERRO, Bruno Rogério

1 files · 54 KB · docxdeclared

Esse trabalho tem como objetivo destacar a importância das salas de recursos multifuncionais na inclusão efetiva dos alunos especiais dentro de uma Unidade Escolar. O professor de educação especial deve realizar um atendimento diferenciado compatível com as necessidades educacionais distintas de cada aluno, proporcionando, assim, um processo de aprendizagem gradual, que respeite a individualidade da criança. Através de um trabalho bem elaborado chega-se a ótimos resultados, os alunos são estimulados a superar suas dificuldades e são auxiliados a enfrentar os desafios da sala de aula regular. Mesmo com tanta importância na inclusão, a realização desse trabalho encontra dificuldades pelo caminho, como falta de estrutura física nas escolas, falta de professores especializados e a falta de participação da família desses alunos. Dessa forma, torna-se essencial o investimento em políticas públicas, formação continuada dos profissionais, melhorias na estrutura das instituições de ensino e fortalecimento da parceria entre escola, família e comunidade, a fim de garantir uma educação inclusiva de qualidade, assegurando o direito à aprendizagem e à participação plena de todos os estudantes.

Hambly, Daniel

5 files · 3.2 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

Heuristic methods for the k-Length Walk Problem (KWP). C++ programs for executing the algorithms, together with the results of experiments on real-world street networks, planar graphs, and random graphs. The implementations of the local search heuristic, the heuristically-guided backtracking algorithm, and the evolutionary algorithm are provided in HeuristicMethodsKWP.cpp . The corresponding executable file is HeuristicMethodsKWP.exe . These files are contained in the zip file HeuristicMethodsProgramsKWP.zip . An example problem instance is provided in the text file reducedPlanarGraphKWP.txt . The results of experiments on real-world street networks, planar graphs, and random graphs are provided in the zip file HeuristicMethodsResultsKWP.zip . Instructions for compiling and executing the programs from the command line are provided in HeuristicMethodsKWPUserGuide.pdf .

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

2 files · 738 KB · docx, pdfdeclared

This is the report on the indigenous and local knowledge dialogue workshop for the first order draft of the IPBES thematic assessment of invasive alien species and their control (the IAS assessment). Due to COVID-19, it was held online, from 29 September to 1 October 2020. The report aims to provide a written record of the dialogue workshop, which can be used by assessment authors to inform their work on the IAS assessment, and also by all dialogue participants who may wish to monitor, review and contribute to the work of the assessment moving forward. The report is not intended to be comprehensive or give final resolution to the many interesting discussions and debates that took place during the workshop. Instead, it is intended as a written record of the discussions, and this conversation will continue to evolve over the coming months and years. For this reason, clear points of agreement are discussed, but also, if there were diverging views among participants, these are also presented for further attention and discussion.

Penzenstadler, Birgit · Venter, Colin C. · van Heusden, Peter · et al.

1 files · 32 KB · docxdeclared

This template serves to help design a conceptual solution for a research question. It shows how to break down a research question into sub-questions and think about the data needed for answering it. We then look at how to model the data, and how that data gets transformed in workflow steps to get the desired outputs and answers. Please adapt the template as most useful for your particular research aim & objective.

Matthew Taiwo Oni, Oluremi Morakinyo Alao, Uchenna Kenneth Ekemezie & Adetunji Emmanuel Odedele

1 files · 159 KB · docxdeclared

Background: Despite increasing staff shortages in African higher education institutions, little empirical attention has been paid to the experiences of non-teaching staff who transition into academic careers. Objective: This qualitative study explored the identity shift, asset transfer, and self efficacy of non‑teaching administrative staff who transitioned into academic teaching roles. Objective: Three research questions guided the study: personal and professional drivers of the transition, the influence of prior administrative roles on skills and readiness, and the role of self‑confidence, writing ability and interpersonal relationships in facilitating a smoother transition. The study adopted an interpretive phenomenological design and employed snowball and purposive sampling techniques. Semi‑structured interviews were conducted with 23 staff who had converted from administrative roles to academic cadre with the instrument tagged: Career Transition Interview Schedule for Non Teaching Staff (CTIS-NTS). Participants were purposively selected from The Polytechnic Ibadan and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Results: The t hematic analysis revealed that career aspiration, exposure to opportunities, knowledge contribution desire, and personal growth drove the transition to academic cadre in higher institutions Conclusion: Prior managerial, office management, safety/security, and secretarial roles contributed transferable assets, including organisational efficiency, moral enforcement, and report‑writing skills. These assets enhanced self-confidence, writing ability, and positive interpersonal relationships, which eased classroom authority and professional adjustment. Unique Contribution: This study introduces administrative-to-academic transition as an underexplored talent channel, evidencing how transferable administrative capital strengthens academic identity and self efficacy. Key Recommendation: The study recommends that universities should establish Recognition of Prior Administrative Learning (RPAL) programmes, integrate values based professional development pathways, and mandate confidence assessment and relational capital mapping within national education frameworks to convert hidden treasure found in the non teaching to academic excellence.

Obaren Thomas Igabor & Clement Oribhabor

1 files · 59 KB · docxdeclared

Background: The increase in urbanization and population has led to an increase in solid waste generation in Nigeria. Environmental sanitation is a burden on the local governments that are charged with its responsibility. While there have been various studies done regarding solid waste management, few have considered the synthesis of evidence from environmental agency reports in order to determine the capacity of local governments. Objective: This study aimed to examine the capacity, performance, and challenges of local governments in solid waste management in Nigeria between 2015 and 2024. Method: Secondary data design was employed. 12 reports were collected from the Federal Ministry of Environment, NESREA, NBS, World Bank, and UN-Habitat on the basis of eligibility criteria between 2015 and 2024 and analysed using trends and thematic analysis approaches. Results: Urban population rose steadily in the course of time during the study period. Various institutional challenges like inadequate budget, weak environmental regulation laws, poor infrastructure for solid waste management, lack of recycling, and poor community participation were identified during the course of analysis. Conclusion: It is not the absence of policy but the institutional weakness that hampers the capability of local governments to provide efficient solid waste management services.

Geisler, Jan · Rakhimberdiev, Eldar · Boom, Michiel P. · et al.

29 files · 124 MB · csv, shapefiledeclared

1. Many migratory birds now reach their Arctic breeding grounds earlier in order to keep pace with advancing springs and shifting nutrient peaks, either by departing earlier from non-breeding grounds or by travelling faster. For dark-bellied brent geese, there is limited potential to travel faster, as their migration to the Siberian breeding grounds is already among the fastest of Arctic geese and swans. Earlier departure would require reaching departure body mass earlier, either through a faster accumulation of energy stores during spring staging or via adjustments earlier in the annual cycle. 2. We examined long-term shifts in spring staging phenology and changes in winter and spring body mass trajectories of brent geese at the population level, with particular emphasis on the effects of winter temperature on body mass and spring body mass on departure timing. 3. We used more than five decades of body mass measurements from individuals caught in the United Kingdom and France, and in the Dutch Wadden Sea to reconstruct changes in spring and winter mass trajectories, respectively. These data were combined with over five decades of migration counts in the Netherlands and more than two decades of counts in Denmark to quantify changes in spring staging phenology. 4. We found that brent geese have not shifted their spring arrival in the Wadden Sea but have advanced departure timing. Furthermore, brent geese were heavier during and after milder winters, and have changed mass trajectories over recent decades. They no longer lose mass during winter and the second spring staging phase, and fuelling rates in the first spring staging phase have declined. Annual variation in body mass was not related to annual departure timing. 5. These results suggest that milder winters have relaxed energetic constraints and improved body condition in brent geese throughout the non-breeding season. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the full annual cycle when assessing how animals with limited capacity to adjust migration timing or speed respond to global change.

Hambly, Daniel

5 files · 2.1 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

Heuristic methods for the k-Length Trail Problem (KTP). C++ programs for executing the algorithms, together with the results of experiments on real-world street networks, planar graphs, and random graphs. The implementations of the local search heuristic, the heuristically-guided backtracking algorithm, and the evolutionary algorithm are provided in HeuristicMethodsKTP.cpp . The corresponding executable file is HeuristicMethodsKTP.exe . These files are contained in the zip file HeuristicMethodsProgramsKTP.zip . An example problem instance is provided in the text file reducedPlanarGraphKTP.txt . The results of experiments on real-world street networks, planar graphs, and random graphs are provided in the zip file HeuristicMethodsResultsKTP.zip . Instructions for compiling and executing the programs from the command line are provided in HeuristicMethodsKTPUserGuide.pdf .

Toch, Makoi Majok · Riak, Gabriel Alier

4 files · 24 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

Agricultural finance policy in South Sudan has repeatedly recognised the need to transform agriculture from subsistence production into a more productive, market-oriented and food-secure sector. Yet rural farmers in Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Lakes State continue to operate within a financial reality shaped by absent bank branches, limited collateral, short lending cycles, conflict-affected infrastructure, weak policy coordination and reliance on Community Group Saving and Lending (CGSL) mechanisms. This article maps the gap between national strategy and rural financial reality by re-analysing mixed-methods doctoral evidence collected between 2022 and 2025 among farmers, fishermen/women and pastoralists in three South Sudanese states. The quantitative component used 81 valid questionnaires from a target sample of 85, while the qualitative component used 17 interviews to interpret the institutional meaning of savings groups, lending constraints and farmer investment decisions. The findings show that CGSLs are widely perceived as accessible, member-managed and socially legitimate rural financial institutions. Respondents strongly agreed that government and donors should collaborate to offer financial services (overall mean = 4.41), that saving and loan groups are an alternative for the poor (overall mean = 4.32), and that rural finance can make a difference in agricultural productivity (overall mean = 4.58). At the same time, farmers reported a continuing gap in long-term investment capital, weak formal banking outreach, and heavy dependence on informal and NGO-supported mechanisms. Chi-square tests indicated a significant association between CGSL participation and productivity-related indicators (chi-square = 15.92, p = 0.0001), while logistic regression showed that access to CGSL credit significantly influenced farmers' decisions to invest in modern agricultural technologies (beta = 1.9459, p = 0.026). The article argues that South Sudan's agricultural finance challenge is not only a shortage of policy ambition but a failure of institutional translation: national strategies identify the need for agricultural transformation, yet rural financial systems remain too thin, short-term and fragmented to support that transformation. The study recommends a phased rural finance policy architecture that links CGSLs, cooperatives, mobile-capable records, extension services, input suppliers, agricultural insurance and formal financial institutions through a locally governed, risk-aware and long-term financing framework.

Rudenko, Valentina · Korotkov, Eugene

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Supplement materials to the manuscript: "Dispersed sequences in the C. elegans genome exhibiting periodicity" by V.Rudenko and E.Korotkov. Include 3 archive files and the readme.docx file.

SECURITY, AFRICAN · ASIKHIA, FESTUS UWAKHEMEN

4 files · 16 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

The escalating insecurity in Nigeria, which is a result of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts and organised crimes, has heightened national discussions on the establishment of state policing as a viable alternative to the current centralized policing system. Advocates have noted that decentralized policing will enhance community relations and allow for community-based responses to security issues, while opposition has noted potential for political manipulation and abuse of power, lack of funding, and negative impacts on national unity. In this article, the development of state policing in Nigeria is discussed in a qualitative study using the case study approach, and both the psychological and political aspects of the proposed reform are explored. In particular, the study examines the psychological consequences of transitioning to state policing on police officers and communities as it relates to stress, morale, officer autonomy, community trust, legitimacy, and institutional support. It also examines the political factors affecting the reform, such as federal–state relations, constitutional considerations, stakeholder interests, policy negotiation, financing, accountability, and corruption threats. The investigation is based on documentary evidence analysis of constitutional provisions, proposed legislations, judicial authorities, policy documents, government reports and scholarly literature. The article also states some of the indicators of psychological and political successes and failures of state policing reform. It finds that the successful implementation of the recommendations must address constitutional safeguards, strong accountability systems, extensive stakeholder engagement, public sensitisation, additional capacity building for state political leaders, and continued investment in police welfare and institutional capacity. The results of the findings are helping to inform the policy debate and recommendations are provided for an accountable, rights-based and community policing framework that can respond to the security issues facing Nigeria today.

Doubleday, Simon

2 files · 88 KB · docxdeclared

This monograph offers a reinterpretation of the relationship between the monarchy and the nobility in medieval Castile through a study of the Lara family. It demonstrates the transformation of the foundations of aristocratic power between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries and reassesses the role of the nobility in the construction of royal authority. ..... Monografía que ofrece una reinterpretación de las relaciones entre la monarquía y la nobleza en la Castilla medieval a partir del estudio del linaje de los Lara. Demuestra la transformación de las bases del poder aristocrático entre los siglos XI y XIV y replantea el papel de la nobleza en la construcción del poder regio.

Sarah, Chardonnens · Cettou, Anne-Christine · Mélo, Adeline

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Cet article propose une démarche de conceptualisation méthodologique d'un référentiel de compétences en éducation musicale articulé autour de deux référentiels complémentaires : l'un destiné à l'élève (REFE), l'autre à l'enseignant·e généraliste ou à l'étudiant·e en formation (REFP). Il s'appuie sur un état des lieux comparatif ciblé de documents publiquement accessibles, distinguant référentiel de compétences, curriculum, standards artistiques, référentiel métier et cadre stratégique de professionnalisation. La contribution principale consiste à expliciter une mise en relation fonctionnelle, par domaines, entre les compétences musicales et transversales attendues chez les élèves et les compétences disciplinaires et didactiques nécessaires chez les enseignant·e·s pour soutenir ces apprentissages. Le texte précise la méthode de recherche documentaire, les choix de conceptualisation, les limites de l'état des lieux, ainsi que les conditions d'une validation empirique future. Les deux référentiels élaborés dans le cadre du projet PROFéMUSIC sont reproduits en annexes comme documents de travail stabilisés.

Sarah, Chardonnens

1 files · 50 KB · docxdeclared

Professional musicians are increasingly expected to work not only as performers, but also as educators, facilitators, mediators and collaborative partners in schools and community settings. Research on musician-teacher and artist-school partnerships suggests that such collaborations can enhance pupils' engagement in music, enrich teachers' pedagogical repertoires, and create reciprocal professional learning opportunities for musicians. However, the literature remains less precise about how future professional musicians acquire the child-centred pedagogical competences needed for school contexts, and how these competences shape their collaboration with schoolteachers and their professional identity. This article presents a qualitative research plan situated in higher music education, with a focus on HEMU (Haute École de Musique de Suisse Romande). The project investigates how students and recent graduates develop competences related to child development, classroom heterogeneity, pedagogical communication, differentiation and interprofessional collaboration. It proposes a multi-sited qualitative design combining interviews, observations of training and partnership settings, and analysis of curriculum and reflective documents. The expected contribution is a theoretically grounded and empirically informed framework for preparing future musicians to collaborate with schools, without reducing their professional identity to performance alone. Note: This is a research plan / study protocol, not a completed empirical study.

Agudelo-Restrepo, Manuela · Dibouloul, Patrick · Harms, Karen · et al.

1 files · 3.6 MB · docxdeclared

Data related to structure elucidation, and phylogenetic analysis

Lampa, Maria · Papageorgiou, Nafsika · Chatzivasileiou, Dimitra · et al.

1 files · 2.5 MB · docxdeclared

Figs S1, S2, S3

Toch, Makoi Majok · Riak, Gabriel Alier

4 files · 24 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

Agricultural finance policy in South Sudan has repeatedly recognised the need to transform agriculture from subsistence production into a more productive, market-oriented and food-secure sector. Yet rural farmers in Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Lakes State continue to operate within a financial reality shaped by absent bank branches, limited collateral, short lending cycles, conflict-affected infrastructure, weak policy coordination and reliance on Community Group Saving and Lending (CGSL) mechanisms. This article maps the gap between national strategy and rural financial reality by re-analysing mixed-methods doctoral evidence collected between 2022 and 2025 among farmers, fishermen/women and pastoralists in three South Sudanese states. The quantitative component used 81 valid questionnaires from a target sample of 85, while the qualitative component used 17 interviews to interpret the institutional meaning of savings groups, lending constraints and farmer investment decisions. The findings show that CGSLs are widely perceived as accessible, member-managed and socially legitimate rural financial institutions. Respondents strongly agreed that government and donors should collaborate to offer financial services (overall mean = 4.41), that saving and loan groups are an alternative for the poor (overall mean = 4.32), and that rural finance can make a difference in agricultural productivity (overall mean = 4.58). At the same time, farmers reported a continuing gap in long-term investment capital, weak formal banking outreach, and heavy dependence on informal and NGO-supported mechanisms. Chi-square tests indicated a significant association between CGSL participation and productivity-related indicators (chi-square = 15.92, p = 0.0001), while logistic regression showed that access to CGSL credit significantly influenced farmers' decisions to invest in modern agricultural technologies (beta = 1.9459, p = 0.026). The article argues that South Sudan's agricultural finance challenge is not only a shortage of policy ambition but a failure of institutional translation: national strategies identify the need for agricultural transformation, yet rural financial systems remain too thin, short-term and fragmented to support that transformation. The study recommends a phased rural finance policy architecture that links CGSLs, cooperatives, mobile-capable records, extension services, input suppliers, agricultural insurance and formal financial institutions through a locally governed, risk-aware and long-term financing framework.

Toch, Makoi Majok · Riak, Gabriel Alier

4 files · 25 MB · docx, pdf, zipdeclared

Community Group Saving and Lending (CGSL) mechanisms are increasingly important in rural South Sudan because formal financial institutions remain thinly distributed outside urban and peri-urban markets. Yet many CGSL products still treat rural borrowers as if they face the same production calendar, risk profile and capital requirement. This article argues that credit demand in South Sudan is heterogeneous because agroecological zones differ in production potential, population density, crop and livestock systems, flood or drought exposure, market access and the timing of seasonal cash needs. Using doctoral mixed-methods field data from Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Lakes States, the article develops an agroecological credit-demand framework for CGSL product design. The source study covered 85 administered questionnaires, 81 valid responses and 17 qualitative interviews. Descriptive evidence shows clear differences across state contexts: Eastern Equatoria was represented by Magwi County with crop production around maize and groundnuts; Jonglei by Bor County with agro-pastoral activities around cattle and sorghum; and Lakes State by Rumbek, Yirol Town and surrounding areas with pastoralism and mixed farming. The state-level evidence indicates that rural finance was perceived to matter strongly for agricultural productivity (overall mean = 4.58), that productivity gains were linked to investment (overall mean = 4.49), and that working capital remained a major constraint (overall mean = 4.68 in the technology-adoption block). Hypothesis testing confirmed significant associations between CGSL participation and transformation to market-oriented production, improved productivity through technology and access to credit for technology (chi-square = 15.92, p = .0001). Logistic regression further showed that access to credit had a significant positive effect on the probability of technology investment (beta = 1.9459, p = .026). The article concludes that CGSLs should move from one-size-fits-all lending to zone-sensitive product menus. Seasonal input loans, livestock loans, flood-recovery loans, savings-linked insurance, equipment-hire finance and harvest-aligned repayment schedules should be matched to agroecological realities. This reframes CGSLs from informal emergency finance into adaptive rural financial institutions capable of supporting agricultural transformation.