The exploitation of timber has had a profound impact on tropical forest areas and their structures. This study assessed the effect of selective logging on natural regeneration and soil characteristics in post-loading bay sites at the Pra-Anum forest reserve in Ghana, West Africa. The results showed no difference in the number of species enumerated in the loading bays and the undisturbed area. More trees were observed in the RAT and RNT plots than in the undisturbed area. Relative to the RAT plot, species on the RNT and the undisturbed area were less diverse and less evenly distributed. Mean tree height, diameter, and basal area were higher in the RAT and RNT plots than in the undisturbed plots. Soil bulk density was lower in the RAT and undisturbed plot than in the RAT plot and increased with increased depth. Soil organic matter was 44% and 27% more in the undisturbed and RAT plots, respectively, than in the RNT plot and accounted for 84.75%, 83.97% and 45.33% of variations in soil bulk density, pH, and CEC. The study provides insight into the need to rehabilitate highly disturbed areas in forests, particularly the addition of topsoil on loading bays, skid trails, roads, and gaps after logging to improve the productivity of the forest soils.

Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, carrying, disposing or handling human excreta from dry latrines and sewers. It is one of the most dehumanizing and deplorable practices that violate basic human rights and dignity. This practice is linked to India’s caste system where so-called lower castes are expected to perform this job. Despite being outlawed in 1993, manual scavenging continues to exist in India due to socio-economic discrimination and lack of rehabilitation of manual scavengers. This paper attempts to provide an in-depth understanding. The harsh realities by qualitative systemic review of manual scavenging in India and how it negatively impacts human rights. It reviews relevant literature on the prevalence, causes, adverse effects, and laws against manual scavenging. The results indicate that manual scavenging is still practiced across many states in India. Manual scavengers face grave health hazards and socio-economic hardships. The laws against manual scavenging have failed to abolish this practice due to administrative apathy, lack of rehabilitation support for liberated scavengers, and continued prevalence of dry latrines necessitating manual disposal of excreta. The paper emphasizes the need for more concerted efforts by the government and civil society to end manual scavenging to uphold human rights, dignity, and justice for all. There is an urgent need for extensive awareness campaigns, social support, and proper rehabilitation of liberated scavengers into alternative professions.

Language is fundamental to human communication, allowing individuals to express and exchange ideas, thoughts, and emotions. In early childhood, some children experience communication disorders that impede their ability to articulate words correctly, posing significant challenges to their learning and development. This issue is exacerbated in developing countries, where limited resources and a lack of technological tools hinder access to effective speech therapy. Traditional speech therapy remains vital, but the latest technological advancements have introduced robotic assistants to enhance therapy for communication disorders. Despite their potential, these technologies are often inaccessible in developing regions due to high production costs and a lack of sustainable manufacturing models. For these reasons, this paper presents “FONA,” a robotic assistant that employs rule-based expert systems to provide tactile, auditory, and visual stimuli. FONA supports children aged 3 to 6 in speech therapy by delivering exercises such as syllable production, word formation, and pictographic storytelling of various phonemes. Notably, FONA was successfully tested on children with cochlear implants, reducing the number of sessions required to produce isolated phonemes. The paper also introduces an innovative analysis of the Make To Order (MTO) manufacturing system for producing FONA in developing countries. This analysis explores two key perspectives: collaborative networks and entrepreneurship, offering a sustainable production model. In a pilot experiment, FONA significantly improved children’s attention spans, increasing the period by 17 min. Furthermore, the economic analysis demonstrates that producing FONA through collaborative networks can significantly reduce costs, making it more accessible to institutions in developing countries. The findings suggest that the project is viable for a five-year period, providing a sustainable and effective solution for addressing communication disorders in children.

In older adults with disabilities, muscle weakness reduces mobility and causes postural issues. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) training is effective for increasing strength by inducing involuntary skeletal muscle contractions. Thus, this study aimed to examine changes in lumbar movement, muscle activity during walking, and maximum muscle strength of lower-limb joints based on an 8-week EMS exercise program for older adults with physical disabilities. Sixteen older adults (aged 56–78 years) with physical disabilities were selected and randomly assigned to either the exercise group (EG, n = 8) or the control group (CG, n = 8). EG participants were instructed to wear EMS suits and participate in an elastic band and bare-body exercise program, whereas CG participants performed the exercise program without the EMS suits. Lumbar range of motion (ROM), body circumference, partial volume, maximum muscle strength, and muscle activity were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 28.0 for Windows, with the critical value of α = 0.05. Compared to CG participants, EG participants had a superior ROM, body volume, partial volume, maximum muscle strength (knee joints), and muscle activity while walking. These positive outcomes highlight the efficacy of combining EMS with an exercise program for strength and rehabilitation training in older adults with physical disabilities.