Academic literature on the topic 'Mayas – Organisation'

AbstractAgainst the backdrop of ethnic political mobilisation in Latin America, this article examines how, as Quetzaltenango's first Mayan mayor, Rigoberto Quemé Chay transformed two interrelated dimensions of citizenship: political culture and the politics of belonging. It analyses the way in which citizenship is constituted at three levels. The first is within Xel-jú as an indigenous political organisation whose practices contrast withladinoways of doing politics. The second is in relation to internal divisions between the militant indigenous line and the intercultural group. The third is within Xel-jú as a city-centred, middle-class-oriented indigenous organisation rather than a rural, indigenous community organisation. This article argues that transformations in citizenship are limited by the political, economic and ethnic context, and that overlapping systems of repression still prevent the participation of marginalised groups in Quetzaltenango.

The Endangered Hog Deer Axis porcinus has experienced drastic population declines throughout its geographical range. There is limited knowledge of its current population status, particularly from northeastern India. In this study the population density of Hog Deer was assessed in Manas National Park, which was a deer stronghold prior to the armed conflict that lasted for almost two decades, resulting in depressed deer populations. With the cessation of conflict, efforts were invested by both government and conservation organisations for the recovery and conservation of charismatic fauna in the park. Studies on Hog Deer populations, however, were lacking and thus reliable information on current status is unavailable. Current population status and threats faced by Hog Deer were assessed to aid informed conservation decisions. Distance sampling techniques (line transects) were applied in the grassland habitat during the dry season of two consecutive years. The estimated Hog Deer density was 18.22±3.32 km-2. The potential threats to Hog Deer identified in Manas include habitat loss, habitat degradation due to spread of invasive plant species, illegal hunting, and other anthropogenic disturbances. Our study suggests that the Hog Deer population, though reviving, needs immediate conservation attention.

Within migration flows from Turkey to Eurpoe it can be postulated that the UK has proportionally received more politically motivated migrants than other European destinations. The political migration from Turkey to the UK is marked with the catastrophic events that uprooted people such as 1971 coup d’état, 1978 massacres of Alevis in Maras and 1980 military coup d’état and is known to have peaked with the civil war in the 1990s in the Eastern provinces of Turkey. Hence the majority of the migrants from Turkey in the UK are Kurdish Alevis from eastern provinces such as Maras, Sivas, Kayseri and Tunceli. This research was conducted between September 2014 and September 2015. 60 individuals from Turkish speaking communities were recruited and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted. Interviews were transcribed and then analysed using tools of thematic data analysis. The findings indicated stronger interest in politics and higher level of political participation by Kurdish and Alevi participants. Hence this paper offers a detailedanalysis of political interest and political participation of Kurdish/Alevi community living in London. Three key areas are: i) how they organize themselves under the umbrella of British Alevi Federation; ii) their relationship with civil society organisations and ethnic economy, iii) their activities in order to create public interest and opinion in relation to what is happening in Turkey.

Cell wall digestibility is an important quality trait of modern silage maize cultivars. The symbiotic relationship between microbes and ruminant livestock enables the efficient upcycling of otherwise for human consumption unsuitable rumen digestible fibre or cell wall components into highly nutritious milk and meat. Before entering the Czech National List of Plant Varieties, new silage maize germplasm is extensively tested for different cell wall digestibility parameters. Recently published, the undigestible neutral detergent fibre (uNDF) cell wall digestibility approach promises even greater practical relevance. The aim of our study was, therefore, to assess the potential of the uNDF method, compared with current standard procedures, using a vast set of official Czech plant variety trial evaluations and Czech silage analyses from the 2018 cropping season. The uNDF method yielded a twice as high phenotypic standard deviation, compared with the current standard approaches. This is good news for plant breeders, official variety testing organisations, and farm professionals alike, enabeling faster variety improvement and simpler variety selection. On the other hand, due to the low differentiation potential, we discourage the use of the absolute lignin content when selecting for digestible silage maize varieties. Since between the digestibility traits enzymatic soluble organic substance (ELOS) and cellulase digestibility (DCS), a Pearson correlation close to one was observed, the substitution of one of these analytics by the uNDF method, may render valuable additional information in a highly economical manner.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a direct impact on mental health. International organisations have emphasised the vulnerability of indigenous people. Digital Mental Health approaches deliver online therapy as an evidence-based, effective, and accessible treatment option for common mental health problems. However, the evidence regarding these approaches is limited in indigenous populations. The objective of this study is to describe the design, development, and evaluation of the efficacy of a self-applied online intervention regarding the psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fear of COVID-19 in a sample of the Maya population. Method: A prospective longitudinal quantitative study was designed, where a single group was measured before and after receiving the online intervention. This study took place from April to September 2021 and consisted of six sessions delivered via WhatsApp in Spanish and Mayan. Results: The initial assessment was implemented with 82 participants who were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Scale for Generalised Anxiety Disorder and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale; 18 participants remained in the intervention for the post-assessment. Statistical differences were observed in PRE and POST measures of depression and anxiety, but not in fear of COVID-19. Conclusions: This study produced positive results for the first online mental health intervention implemented in the Latin American indigenous population. Future studies might consider developing similar interventions for other indigenous communities in Latin America.

Abstract Gurindji Kriol, a mixed language spoken in northern Australia, combines a Kriol VP with a Gurindji NP, including case suffixes (Meakins 2011a). The Gurindji-derived case suffixes have undergone a number of changes in Gurindji Kriol, for example the ergative suffix -ngku/-tu now marks nominative case (Meakins 2011b, 2015). This study explores a new innovation in case morphology among Gurindji Kriol-speaking children: the use of -ngku/-tu to mark possessors as well as subjects, i.e. the emergence of a relative case system. Although rare in Australian languages, syncretism between agents and possessors is not uncommon cross-linguistically, reported in Caucasian Eskimo-Aleut, Mixe-Zoquean and Yucatecan-Mayan languages (Allen 1964; Blake 1994; Palancar 2002). In the case of Gurindji Kriol, the relative case system found its origins in allomorphic reduction which led to syncretism between ergative and dative case forms. This syncretism was shaped by the syntactic grouping of subjects and possessors as dependents of verbs and possessums, respectively. Although partial syncretism between ergative and dative case is not unusual in Australian languages historically, it has gone to completion in Gurindji Kriol and can be observed in two other instances of rapid linguistic change in Australia: Ngiyambaa (Donaldson 1980) and Dyirbal (Schmidt 1985). The re-organisation of the case system can be traced back to a small group of second-generation Gurindji Kriol speakers at Nitjpurru (Pigeon Hole) and this change has since been transmitted laterally through familial connections to other children at Daguragu. There are also indications that it has begun propagating to other children at Kalkaringi and is now being acquired by the next generation of Gurindji Kriol speakers.

The aim of Ayurveda science is to keep healthy people well and heal sick people. Ayurveda, the science of life, is based on the fundamental theory called the Tridosha theory. Tridosha is derived from the Sanskrit word’s Tri and Dosha, which mean three vitiated factors. These three Doshas operate on a variety of scales, including the cellular, individual system, and organisational levels. Given that it begins and controls all functions, Vata has the greatest influence on these three Doshas. It is also in charge of all kinds of movements. All Dhatus and Malas, including Pitta and Kapha are ineffective, like a lame person. When Vata is active, it moves regarding. They were transported away from their place by the active Vata. Vata stimulates the digestive fire, assists in the absorption of the Dohas and the removal of the excretory products, and is the cause of pleasure and fearlessness. Vata moves via all gross and microscopic pathways, determines how an embryo develops, and is a sign of persistent life. The five different kinds of Vata Doshas are Prana, Udana, Samana, Vyana, and Apana. The elimination of these substances - Samirana (flatus), Sakrit (faeces), Mutra (urine), Sukra (semen), Garbha (foetus) Nishkramana and Artava (menstrual fluid) Nishkramana is significantly influenced by Apana Vata. Pregnancy is a stunning segment of each woman’s life. Parturition is the principal occasion in a woman’s life. So, the higher information about its idea in Ayurveda as well as in modern science may be very essential.

The proliferation of digital information is a pressing need that requires effective skills for all individuals, including university students. Easy access to various social media platforms has enabled the formation of friendship networks involving individuals from all over the world, which often leads to over-involvement and neglect of other activities. This study is a descriptive study that aims to describe the activities of students who memorise the Qur'an. The data collection method used was a questionnaire, while data analysis was conducted using a descriptive data analysis approach. The study results revealed that students who memorise the Qur'an more frequently access social media applications, with YouTube being the most accessed platform. Some of the obstacles that students face in the process of memorising the Qur'an involve factors such as laziness and boredom, weak memory, inconsistency, romantic distractions, difficulties in time management, influence from friends, busyness in organisations, and the influence of mobile phone use. In addition, social media applications such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok were identified as factors inhibiting the Qur’anic memorisation process. Abstrak: Perkembangan informasi digital menjadi kebutuhan mendesak yang memerlukan kemampuan efektif bagi semua individu, termasuk mahasiswa. Akses yang mudah ke berbagai platform media sosial telah memungkinkan terbentuknya jaringan pertemanan yang melibatkan individu dari seluruh dunia, yang sering kali menyebabkan keterlibatan yang berlebihan dan pengabaian terhadap aktivitas lain. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif yang bertujuan untuk menggambarkan aktivitas mahasiswa penghafal Al-Qur'an. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah kuesioner, sementara analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan pendekatan analisis data deskriptif. Hasil studi mengungkapkan bahwa mahasiswa penghafal Al-Qur'an lebih sering mengakses aplikasi media sosial, dengan YouTube menjadi platform yang paling banyak diakses. Beberapa hambatan yang dihadapi mahasiswa dalam proses menghafal Al-Qur'an melibatkan faktor-faktor seperti rasa malas dan bosan, daya ingat yang lemah, ketidakkonsistenan, gangguan asmara, kesulitan dalam manajemen waktu, pengaruh dari teman-teman, kesibukan dalam organisasi, dan pengaruh penggunaan ponsel. Selain itu, aplikasi media sosial seperti YouTube, Instagram, dan TikTok diidentifikasi sebagai faktor penghambat proses menghafal Al-Qur'an.

O Geossistema, como método de análise integrado dos sistemas ambientais, surgiu como ferramenta capaz de suprir, em parte, a necessidade humana de compreender e descrever os processos naturais responsáveis pela organização elementar existente em cada paisagem. O estudo em Geossistema, aplicado ao ambiente litorâneo, pode apresentar um nível de análise de maior complexidade, se comparado ao continente, em função da origem dos elementos e processos dinâmicos existentes em suas paisagens peculiares. Este nível de complexidade é percebido ao longo da Planície Costeira do Amapá (PCA), onde a fisiologia da paisagem deriva principalmente de uma dinâmica geológica, geomorfológica e climática de longo e curto período. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo principal a compartimentação da Região Natural do Cabo Norte, em paisagens síntese, através do método geossistêmico proposto por Bertrand (1968). Os resultados alcançados identificaram três Geossistemas (Ambiente de Sedimentação Paleofluvial e Lacustre, Ambiente de Sedimentação Estuarina, Ambiente de Sedimentação Costeiro e Marinho) que posteriormente foram submetidos ao Índice Qualitativo de Sensibilidade Ambiental adaptado de BRASIL (2004). Como produto foram gerados os mapas de compartimentação da paisagem (Geossistemas) e sensibilidade ao impacto de derramamento de óleo na Região Natural do Cabo Norte. Palavras-chave: Geossistema, paisagem, planície, sensibilidade, Cabo Norte. Abstract The geosystem, as a method of integrated environmental systems analysis, emerged as a tool capable of supplying, in part, the human need to understand and describe natural processes responsible for the elementary organisation exists in each landscape. The study on geosystem, applied to the coastal environment, can present a more sophisticated analysis level, compared to the mainland, according to the origin of the elements and dynamic processes in their peculiar landscapes. This level of complexity is realised along the coastal plain of Amapá (PCA), where the landscape mainly derived from the physiology of a geological, geomorphological and climatic dynamics of long and short period. The present work had as main objective the compartmentalisation of the natural region of the North Cape, in landscapes synthesis, through the geosistemic method proposed by Bertrand (1968). The results identified three geosystems (Paleofluvial and Lacustrine Sedimentation environment, Estuarine Sedimentation environment, Coastal Sedimentation and marine environment) which subsequently underwent a qualitative Index of Environmental sensitivity adapted from BRASIL (2004). As product subdivision maps were generated from the landscape (geosystem) and sensitivity to the impact of the oil spill in the region of North Cape. Keywords: geosystem, landscape, plains, sensitivity, North Cape.

Los partidos siguen siendo instrumentos indispensables de la democracia de masas, pero su deriva organizativa ha de ser frenada a fin de asegurar en sus fuentes la libertad del proceso político. Ante el fracaso de la aurroregulación urge la intervención legal. El legislador debe reequilibrar el poder en el interior de los partidos, preservando las condiciones para el ejercicio democrático y abriendo cauces efectivos de participación y rendición de cuentas en su seno. La reforma de la LOPP resulta inaplazable, siguiendo en algunos aspectos el modelo de la Parteiengesetz y, en otros temas, como la designación de los candidatos electorales, adoptando las experiencias comparadas más consolidadas, como la detallada regulación contenida en las leyes electorales alemana y finlandesa, o las experiencias más innovadoras, como la generalización de primarias abiertas reguladas por ley llevada a cabo en varios países. Así lo defiende parte de la doctrina. Y así lo ha demandado también la sociedad civil, desde que la indignación que cristalizó el 15 de mayo de 2011 sirviera de catalizador de diversas demandas de regeneración democrática. Este trabajo se centra en el estudio de estas propuestas, tras analizar las carencias de la exangüe disciplina legal de los partidos y su funcionamiento interno escasamente democrático.Political parties remain indispensable instruments of mass democracy, but their organisational drift needs to be stopped in order to ensure freedom of participation in the political process. In view of the failure of self-regulation, there is a pressing need for legal intervention. The legislator must re-establish the balance of power inside political parties, preserving conditions for democratic governance and opening up practical channels for internal participation and accountability. Reform of the Organic Law on Political Parties (LOPP) cannot be postponed any longer, in some aspects by following the model of the Parteiengesetz, and in other matters, such as the selection of electoral candidates, by either adopting the most firmly established compared experiences, such as the detailed regulation of the selection process included in German and Finnish electoral laws, or more innovative experiences, such as the general implementation of open primary elections regulated by law, as adopted by many countries. That is how part of legal doctrine defends it. And that is how civil society has also demanded it, since the outrage that crystallised on 15th May 2011 served as a catalyst for various demands for democratic regeneration. This study focuses on the analysis of these proposals, after analysing the shortcomings of the weak legal discipline of political parties and their barely democratic internal functioning.

Petite ethnie forestiere de la langue maya, les lacandons sont soumis depuis quelques annees a toute une serie de pressions et d'influences externes cxontribuant a destabiliser l'equilibre des rapports sociaux. L'analyse du systeme symbolique rend compte de l'ensemble des rapports de force et des hierarchies internes structurant cette societe en crise ; soulignant que la logique des rapports sociaux n'est explicable qu'au travers de la logique du systeme de representations. Grace a une etude simultanee des pratiques sociales et des formes symboliques nous pourrons interpreter les modalites de vie collective et l'adoption de mecanismes et de strategies servant a assumer les nouvelles conditions de vie sociale, au travers de modeles qui ont conserve leur legitimite. C'est donc l'etude des constances intellectuelles et des permanences symboliques, travaillant au maintien ou a la restauration d'un systeme social que nous aborderons au travers de l'analyse des formes de pouvoir qui tendent a assurer la perennite des institutions
The lacandon indians, a small maya speaking ethny of the rain forest (in chiapas, mexico), have been subject, during the past twenty years, to all kinds of external influence which have unstabilized the social relationships. The analysis of symbolic system reveals the mechanisms of the power relationships and the characteristics of the internal hierarchies which structure this society now in a state of crisis. It emphasizes that the logic of their social relations can only be explaines through the logic of the system of representations. This study emphasizes social behaviour as well as symbolic concepts in an attempt to interpret different forms of communal life and the new strategies which have been conceived in order to deal with the modifications which are the results of external pressures. This strategies are of course conceived in terms of their traditional "models". I have attempted to encompass the permanent, intellectual and symbolic manifestations which either maintain or restaure the social system, by means of analyses of the forms of power, evidenced in their social relations

Dans une société aussi hiérarchisée que celle des Mayas à l’époque Classique (250-950 d. n. è.), l’organisation des systèmes productions est au cœur de nombreux débats sur l’économie politique de ces sociétés précolombiennes. La difficulté de mettre au jour les ateliers lors des fouilles archéologiques est à l’origine de nombreux questionnements sur la nature et le fonctionnement de ces villes. Si nous avons conscience de la diversité des productions et des techniques employées, les informations sur les acteurs de ces systèmes restent lacunaires. En l’absence de l’exploitation du métal, les outils lithiques étaient au centre de la vie quotidienne des populations précolombiennes. L’étude fonctionnelle de ceux-ci est une approche encore peu utilisée dans ce contexte culturel. Combinée à une étude contextuelle fine, cette démarche permet toutefois d’étudier la distribution spatiale des activités, essentielle dans l’identification des systèmes de production qui prenaient place dans une cité maya, pour mieux percevoir son organisation socio-économique voire politique. Nous avons réalisé l’analyse fonctionnelle d’un corpus d’outils lithiques du site Cancuén (département du Petén, Guatemala), à l’occupation extrêmement courte et pour laquelle l’étude contextuelle des outils analysés était possible. Cette cité était le lieu de plusieurs productions artisanales (e.g. jade, pyrite, outils lithiques, mobilier céramique), pour lesquelles on a observé une division spatiale du travail extrêmement marquée. Pour notre corpus, nous avons sélectionné un type d’outil rare en aire maya, et pourtant en avons retrouvé grand nombre dans le site, avec plus de 1 800 artefacts découverts : les perçoirs en silex (n = 138 analysés). Nous nous sommes également intéressées à l’outil le plus commun en Amérique centrale, avec 12 000 objets retrouvés à Cancuén : les lames en obsidienne (n = 1 024). Pour comprendre comment ces outils étaient impliqués dans les activités de la cité, nous avons sélectionné une grande diversité de contexte, de la résidence modeste au palais royal, en intégrant des contextes rituels (sépultures et dépôts rituels) et cérémoniels (aguadas), mais également les structures impliquées dans les productions artisanales déjà identifiées. Ainsi, nous avons pu avoir une vision globale de l’épicentre de Cancuén en ce qui concerne ces outils. Grâce à une analyse fonctionnelle couplée à une approche expérimentale – en nous appuyant sur les sources ethnographiques, épigraphiques et ethno-historiques pour construire nos protocoles – et bien que le nombre de catégories typologiques d’outils lithiques analysés fût restreint, l’étude a révélé qu’ils étaient impliqués dans grande diversité d’activité, incluant des matières végétales, animales et minérales. On observe que l’utilisation des outils est opportuniste dans certaines structures, alors que l’étude des outils déposés en offrande laisse entrevoir leur implication dans des activités spécialisées, voire ritualisées. La distribution spatiale de certaines tâches, comme les activités de modification dentaire réalisées à proximité du palais, permet de s’interroger sur le statut de l’activité et de l’artisan. Ainsi, en mettant en commun les résultats fonctionnels avec les études spatiales, technologiques et épigraphiques, il nous est possible de préciser les stratégies économiques misent en place à Cancuén ; cette cité regroupait plusieurs systèmes de production contrôlés de biens et de services, notamment de prestige. Les produits étaient en grande partie destinés à l’exportation, ce qui a permis à Cancuén et ses occupants de jouer un rôle important dans les réseaux d’échanges de l’époque Classique
In a society as hierarchical as Mayan cities in Classic period (AD 250-950), the organization of production systems is at the heart of many debates on the political economy of these pre-Columbian societies. The difficulty of uncovering workshops during archaeological excavations has given rise to many questions about the nature and functioning of these cities. While we are aware of the diversity of production and techniques employed, information on the players in these systems remains incomplete.In the absence of metal artifact, lithic tools were central to the daily lives of pre-Columbian populations. The functional study of these tools is still a little-used approach in this cultural context. Combined with a detailed contextual study, however, this approach makes it possible to study the spatial distribution of activities, enabling us to identify production systems that took place in a Maya city, and thus gain a better understanding of its socio-economic and even political organization.We have carried out a functional analysis of a corpus of lithic tools from the Cancuén site (Petén department, Guatemala), where occupation was extremely short and contextual study of the analyzed tools was possible. This city was the site of several artisanal productions (e.g., jade, pyrite, lithic tools, ceramic furniture), for which an extremely marked spatial division of labor was previously observed. For our corpus, we selected a type of tool that is rare in the Maya area, yet found in large numbers at the site, with over 1 800 artifacts discovered: flint drills (n=138 analyzed). We also looked at the most common tool in Central America, with 12 000 objects found at Cancuén: obsidianblades (n = 1 024). To understand how these tools were involved in the city’s activities, we selected a wide range of contexts, from modest residences to royal palaces, integrating ritual contexts (burials and ritual deposits) and ceremonial contexts (aguadas), but also the structures involved in the craft productions previously identified. In this way, we were able to gain an overall view of the Cancuén epicenter as regards these tools.Thanks to a functional analysis coupled with an experimental approach – relying on ethnographic, epigraphic and ethnohistorical sources to construct our protocols – and although the number of typological categories of lithic tools analyzed was limited, the functional analysis revealed that they were involved in a wide variety of activities, including plant, animal and mineral materials. Tool use was opportunistic in some structures, while the study of tools deposited as offerings suggests their involvement in specialized, even ritualized activities. The spatial distribution of certain tasks,such as dental modification activities carried out near the palace, raises questions about the status of the activity and the craftsman. Thus, by combining functional results with spatial, technological and epigraphic studies, we can point the economic strategies implemented at Cancuén; this city grouped together several controlled production systems for goods and services, particularly prestige goods. The products were largely destined for export, which enabled Cancuén and its occupants to play an important role in the classical exchange networks

Nous avons determine la sequence nucleotidique des genes de trna#l#y#s, trna#m#e#t-2, trna#t#y#r, trna#p#r#o, trna#s#e#r, trna#g#l#u, trna#a#s#n, trna#p#h#e et d'un pseudogene de trna#p#r#o presents sur le dna mitochondrial du mais. La localisation de l'ensemble des genes de trna portes par les cercles-maitres des varietes de mais a cytoplasme fertile b37-n et a cytoplasme male sterile b37-cmst a ete comparee. Tous les genes identifies dans ce travail sont transcrits dans la mitochondrie. Ils ont tous une nature procaryotique et trois d'entre eux (trna#m#e#t-2, trna#a#s#n et trna#p#h#e) derivent d'une insertion de dna chloroplastique dans le genome mitochondrial du mais. Nous avons en outre montre la presence, dans le dna nucleaire, de plusieurs genes de trna mitochondriaux qui sont ainsi importes dans la mitochondrie. Nous avons etudie d'autres insertions de dna chloroplastique dans la mitochondrie du mais et demontre que l'ensemble de la sequence repetee inversee du dna chloroplastique a ete transfere dans la mitochondrie lors d'un evenement unique. L'utilisation du code genetique dans la mitochondrie du mais est discutee

Cette thèse analyse l’articulation entre les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) et le tourisme dans l’optique de la coopération internationale. Elle étudie les relations internationales entre le Mexique, le Belize, le Guatemala, le Honduras et le Salvador (1992-2012) dans le contexte de l’Organisation du Monde Maya (OMM) dans laquelle le tourisme est placé comme un vecteur de développement économique. Elle répond à la problématique suivante : le tourisme électronique peut-il favoriser la création et la consolidation des liens de coopération entre les pays de la multi-destination de l’OMM ? Ce travail de recherche montre comment, en dépit des difficultés liées au principe de la concurrence, aux intérêts nationaux et de politique extérieure, l’accord de coopération en matière de tourisme électronique s’est concrétisé à travers une offre englobant toute la Région du Monde Maya à partir de la marque Monde Maya sur le Web. La thèse souligne l’intérêt du tourisme électronique tout en préconisant son renforcement afin d’accentuer la coopération régionale entre États et de consolider le rôle du tourisme dans les régions à partir d’une perspective commune, ce qui permettrait de créer une synergie dynamisante et constructive. Cette recherche vise à apporter une contribution à l’étude de thèmes : tourisme, coopération internationale, Région du Monde Maya
The linkage between information and communication technology (ICT) and tourism is analyzed in the context (1992-2012) of international cooperation between Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Salvador in the framework of the Maya World Organization (MWO). Tourism is a vector of economic development for this organization. Can electronic tourism create and consolidate cooperation in tourism between the countries taking part in the MWO with its multiple tourist destinations? Despite the difficulties of competition, national interests and foreign policies, the agreement on cooperation in e-tourism has led to an offer for the whole Maya region through the Maya World website. This thesis emphasizes the importance of e-tourism and advocates strengthening it so as to foster cooperation among countries in the region from a joint perspective, thus creating a constructive, dynamic synergy. It contributes to the study of tourism, international cooperation and the World Maya Region
Esta tesis analiza la articulación entre las tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación (TIC) y el turismo en la óptica de la cooperación internacional. Estudia las relaciones internacionales entre México, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras y El Salvador (1992-2012) fen el marco de la Organización Mundo Maya (OMM) en la cual el turismo es identificado como un vector de desarrollo económico. La tesis responde a la cuestión siguiente: ¿El turismo electrónico en el marco de la OMM puede favorecer la creación y la consolidación de los lazos de cooperación entre los países de la multidestinación de la OMM? Este trabajo de investigación muestra cómo, pese a dificultades vinculadas con el principio de competencia, a los intereses nacionales y de política exterior, el acuerdo de cooperación en materia de turismo electrónico se materializó a través de una oferta turística abarcando toda la Región Mundo Maya a partir de la marca Mundo Maya en la Web. La tesis subraya el interés acerca del turismo electrónico y recomienda su reforzamiento con el fin de acentuar la cooperación regional entre Estados y consolidar el papel del turismo en las regiones a partir de una perspectiva común, lo que permitiría crear una sinergia dinámica y constructiva. La investigación pretende contribuir al estudio de los siguientes temas: turismo, cooperación internacional, Región Mundo Maya

Etude des modifications des relations entre un insecte phytophage spécialiste et une plante cultivée, selon la diversité végétale du peuplement de la plante-hôte. Les attaques d' acanthoscelides obtectus, dont les femelles pondent dans les gousses sèches, ont été comparées sur haricot nain cultivé en monoculture et en association avec le mai͏̈s. Plans expérimentaux "en bloc" ou plus simples ont été utilisés. Les plantes sont échantillonnées systématiquement dans les parcelles en début de saison. Les données relevées portent sur le suivi de la fructification du haricot, les attaques de bruches et les caractéristiques de l'habitat (microclimat et développement du maI͏̈s). Les attaques diminuent dans les associations quelle que soit la densité du haricot, cette diminution dépend de l'indice comparé de la synchronisation des cycles des deux plantes.

Religions are increasingly being regarded as relevant partners in international development cooperation due to their special attributes. However, to date there has been little research into what the special attributes of religious development agencies actually are or how such organisations employ them. What resources do religious NGOs draw on in development cooperation? How do such NGOs differ from other development agencies? Does their engagement make a considerable difference to collaborative development work? Using empirical case studies and theoretical analysis, the contributions in this book address these questions. In doing so, they examine different religions and their collaborative development work in various regions of the world, and chart the most recent changes in religions. With contributions by Jeffrey Haynes, Katherine Marshall, Andreas Heuser, Jens Koehrsen, Dena Freeman, Richard Friedli, Wilhelm Gräb, Ulrich Dehn, Marie Juul Petersen, Claudia Hoffmann, Sinah Theres Kloß, Yonatan N. Gez, Katrin Langewiesche, Suwarto Adi, Ido Benvenisti, Christine Schliesser, Leif H. Seibert, Philipp Öhlmann, Marie-Luise Frost, Adi Maya

This chapter explores the potential of mindfulness as a tool to assist us to think creatively when attempting to solve a problem. The study was conducted within an organisational setting and aimed to explore the impact of a mindfulness intervention on the creativity of leaders. A mixed methods research strategy was implemented, and an intrinsic case study employed in the study. The sample consisted of fourteen leaders of an organisation within the South African ICT industry. The data was collected using interviews, MAAS (mindfulness awareness attention scale) questionnaires, alternate uses tasks, and a creative problem-solving exercise. The findings highlighted that exposure to a brief mindfulness intervention seems to have positively impacted the dispositional mindfulness of leaders, as well as appear to have positively impacted their ability to creatively solve a problem. Participants highlighted the notion of pausing, reflecting, and resetting when dealing with daily challenges, which resulted in the PRR model being constructed.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) smartphone applications (apps) are designed to allow users to plan, book, pay for and navigate journeys across a range of travel modes including own or shared car, active travel (walking, running and cycling), micromobility (e-scooters and e-bikes) and public transport. By giving the user trip-specific information about each mode it is hoped MaaS may provide a solution to increasing the use of sustainable travel options whilst encouraging active travel, thereby reducing car use. MaaS apps are being adopted to help develop healthy, liveable urban spaces worldwide.Typically in app design, due to the limited screen size of a mobile phone, icons are frequently used to depict physical artefacts such a vehicle types and items in the real-world environment but also to convey the non-physical such as instructions and waiting times. Icons are used for these purposes as they take up less space than text and should be able to be universally understood. In order to make MaaS accessible to all members of the community icons need to be easily interpreted without the need for prior knowledge or learning. As these apps are being developed concurrently by both commercial and public organisations in many countries it is becoming clear that the icons used within the interface by developers vary a great deal. Yet it is not clear which of the icons are most effective in conveying specific meanings. In order to determine which icons should be used in a new MaaS app currently in development six focus groups were held in which members of the public were asked to comment on a variety of icons from three MaaS apps. 22 participants were recruited of which 14 were women and 8 men. This followed a model which had been previously used in the icon design in interfaces for automated driving. The participants considered the icons out of context individually in workbooks and then in context as a group, explaining what they thought the meaning was, based on form, interpretations based on colour and the ability to be understood by a diverse population. Finally, in a group discussion, participants compared icons from each of the different apps that were intended to have similar meanings. This was in order to understand which elements they liked, disliked and their preferred choice of icon. The participant’s comments were thematically analysed and commonly occurring design aspects were identified. These included confusion arising from the use of almost identical icons representing different artefacts across different apps, for example a bus representing a vehicle in some apps and a bus stop in others. Findings suggested concepts such as multi-modal travel or all public transport were considered hard to represent graphically and needed text labels. The most commonly discussed topic related to the use of colour. Discussions indicated lessons learnt by the participants from other domains were applied to the icons in the MaaS app. This meant the use of colour was imbued with meaning even where none was intended, particularly the use of red where it was frequently interpreted this meant that there were problems with those services such as delays or cancellations. Results of this study were used to develop a set of design guidelines for future icon design within MaaS Apps.

The Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions of north-west Russia produce large amounts of spent nuclear fuel. These arise from the Kola Nuclear Power Plant, nuclear propulsion units in icebreaker and container ships of the Murmansk Shipping Company, but mostly from the submarines of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. Many marine vessels have been withdrawn from service, but retain their final fuel charges. There are more than 300 reactors and 57500 spent fuel assemblies. Some fuel has been sent to the RT-1 reprocessing plant at the Mayak. However, most marine fuel remains stored in old temporary and effectively full surface or floating facilities around the Kola Peninsula. Damaged, experimental and liquid metal reactor fuel cannot be reprocessed. This creates special problems for handling, transportation and final disposal. It is against this background that the study reported was undertaken. It was part of the European Commission’s TACIS programme and was aimed at improving the safety of radioactive waste management in north-west Russia. Its prime objectives were to identify the factors restricting spent fuel transport from the region to Mayak and potentially suitable storage and reprocessing facilities. Options were to be developed and costed for restoring effective transportation. Their implementation was to lead to safe interim storage of a limited amount of spent fuel in the north-west of Russia. The north-west region is a large, remote area with a harsh terrain and climate. Fuel is stored in two main areas: the Kola Peninsula and the Arkhangelsk region, which are approximately 1,000 km apart. There is a limited transport infrastructure, but the marine facilities have sea access. Hence fuel movement is predominantly by sea to railheads and then rail to Mayak. Road transport is limited, but important for local linking. Routine transportation of spent fuel to Mayak has been restricted by several factors. These include technical, financial and organisational issues. However, the main ones are a lack of available transportation means in both capability and capacity, problems created by the poor state of some fuel, the inadequate safety of the current storage facilities and inadequate interim and buffer storage capacity. Three main types of shipment option were identified: A) regular shipments with storage at existing sites; B) shipments immediately upon arising; and C) regular shipments to Mayak with optimised construction of additional storage capacity in line with demand. Each option was judged on whether it could provide real improvements in radiological and nuclear safety and/or aid the rapid and cost effective defuelling of inadequate existing storage facilities. An optimisation study was performed considering different defuelling, shipping and rail movement rates, and interim and buffer storage capacities, utilisation and locations. The conclusion was that two options could provide similar good solutions. These were: i) Option A.2/C.2 — regular shipment with interim storage of spent fuel at three key node locations: Kola, Murmansk and Severodvinsk; ii) Option B — immediate shipment upon arising. The final choice depends on the capacity of the Mayak plant to receive and reprocess the fuel and the public acceptability of constructing large new, spent fuel stores in north-west Russia. Given the major uncertainties over Mayak’s capacity to store and reprocess submarine fuel, options A.2/C.2 may be optimum.