With development understood as improving change, and working at the macroscale or species level, I sketch the conceptual background for a new, developmental form of scepticism. Then I use developmental scepticism to critique a proposition that functions as a presupposition of the popular contemporary rejection of unconventional metaphysical propositions (MUPs) and specifically of panpsychism: namely, that we have experienced enough relevant development as a species to make it reasonable for the community of enquiry to treat such ideas as obviously false. Finally, I briefly suggest a possible step beyond developmental scepticism toward a more general orientation in enquiry which might naturally follow such scepticism once its motivating ideas are absorbed.

Fostering a relationship with the more-than-human world is understood to be crucial in wilding pedagogies. Yet for many, such a relationship is often developed in early life and is limited in complexity and nuance. In this paper, we propose to investigate what a mature relationship with the natural might look like. We do so in three parts. The first part introduces four moments of surprise or pause: “hunh?!” moments. These lead to four associated observations that suggest contemporary limitations on human relationship with place, and in one case, enhancement of it. They are: an idealisation of childhood relationship with the natural world, which is now kept in a separate category, rendering it inaccessible to the adult; an un-knowing of relationality with the natural world through cultural practices that deny or denigrate such a state; the myth of human autonomy, which comes with multiple cultural repercussions; and finally, what we are here calling natural imagination, which pulls in the opposite direction to the first three. An environmentally rooted Haudenosaunee model regards imagination as not simply the purview and possession of humans, but a shared space between people and the natural world. In response to these, in Parts 2 and 3, we propose that a relational ontology — one that enacts relationship between humans and the more-than-human — cannot be reached simply by progressing further in intent, sensitivity or theorising from the current assumed model of the psychological development. The abyss between current ontologies and an alternative must be hurdled, if it is to be crossed at all. This may be done by challenging presuppositions that underpin current ontologies and psychologies and moving from theorising to enacting an alternative model. Such a model, in part informed by the fungal research of Merlin Sheldrake, may lead to another way of being human, an enmeshing with the more-than-human, which we call amalgam-being.

Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), a globally distributed insect, is a major pest of crucifer crops due to its adaptability to diverse climates. In Argentina, its distribution spans three regions: a core area in the northeast and central-east where it persists year-round, a southwestern region with seasonal migrations, and an intermediate zone with variable year-round persistence. Across these areas, it is the primary pest of Brassica crops. In the central-east, the availability of year-round Brassicaceae crops and wild species indicates that seasonality is not linked to food scarcity. While studies have examined this relationship elsewhere, thermal thresholds vary among populations, and limited data on South American populations highlight the need for localised research. This study evaluated thermal thresholds for P. xylostella populations in central Argentina, focusing on temperature’s effects on fecundity, fertility, development, and survival. We found that temperatures outside the optimal range (15–23°C) significantly reduced survival, with no individuals surviving at 5 or 30°C. Linear and non-linear models accurately described the relationship between temperature and pest development. Using cumulative degree-days, we mapped potential P. xylostella generations across central Argentina. This research provides the first comprehensive analysis of P. xylostella thermal biology in temperate Argentina, emphasising temperature’s critical role in its development. The findings offer valuable insights for climate-specific pest management strategies and enhance understanding of insect population dynamics in agricultural ecosystems, contributing to more sustainable control practices.

Antenatal steroids (ANS) are one of the most widely prescribed medications in pregnancy, being administered to women at risk of preterm delivery. In the setting of preterm delivery at or below 35 weeks’ gestation, systematic review data show ANS reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality, primarily by promoting fetal lung maturation. However, with the expanding use of this intervention has come a growing appreciation for the potential off-target, adverse effects of ANS therapy on wider fetal development. We undertook a narrative literature review of the animal and clinical literature to assess current evidence for adverse effects of ANS exposure and fetal development. This review presents a summary of the evidence relating to the potential for wide-ranging, off-target, adverse effects of ANS therapy on fetal development and programming. We highlight an urgent need for further animal and clinical studies investigating the effects of ANS on the fetal immune, cardiovascular, renal and hepatic systems given a current sparsity of evidence. We also strongly suggest an emphasis on open disclosure, discussion and education of clinicians and patients with regard to the potential benefits and risks of ANS therapy, particularly in late preterm and term gestations where infants derive relatively few benefits from these drugs. We also propose further studies on the optimisation of ANS therapy through improved patient selection and improved dosing regimens based on a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic informed understanding of ANS action on the fetal lung.

Since the 1980s, research has linked environmental factors to adult-onset diseases. The DOHaD theory suggests that exposures during development can permanently affect organ function, predisposing individuals to adult diseases. Studies indicate that protein restriction or a high-fat diet (HFD) during this phase impacts adult metabolism since programmed dysfunctions may depend on changes established during puberty, such as the reproductive system. However, there are no studies on the impact of low-protein (LP) or HFD on male testicles during this phase. For this, Male Wistar rats were categorized into three dietary groups: LP (isocaloric low-protein pelletized); HFD; and Control (balanced commercial) until PND 60. This study was approved by the CEUA-UEM. On postnatal day 61, the animals were euthanized for histopathological, sperm count, and oxidative stress assessments in the testis and epididymis. Statistical analyses were conducted following established ethical principles in animal research. The research revealed significant alterations in daily sperm production and transit through the epididymis. Sperm morphology was affected in the experimental groups. Mitochondrial activity increased in the HFD group. Testicular and epididymal histopathology, seminiferous tubule diameter, and germinal epithelium height, as well as the number of Sertoli and Leydig cells, remained unchanged. Stereological analysis revealed tissue remodeling in the epididymis, particularly in the LP group. LP group showed an increase in lipid peroxidation in the oxidative damage test. In conclusion, low-protein and HFD during peripubertal age did not affect postnatal testicular development in rats. However, they impacted sperm quality, potentially affecting fertility and male reproductive system development.

The papers in this special issue have highlighted new perspectives on food charity activities, as well as notions of food and ethics in contemporary Vietnam. As Vietnam is rapidly changing, food-related activities are dynamic phenomena that reflect the social, moral, and economic changes unfolding in society. However, ethnographic research on food culture in Vietnam published in English has been scarce. This epilogue provides a few exploratory insights into interesting social phenomena in recent years that exemplify the shifting landscape of cuisine and food ethics in modern Vietnam.

Today, it is customary to describe the Japanese archipelago in terms of the neutral distinction between the Sea of Japan side (Nihonkai-gawa) and the Pacific Ocean side (Taiheiyō-gawa). For much of the 20th century, however, these regions were called respectively ura Nihon and omote Nihon, or roughly “the Backside of Japan” and “the Frontside of Japan.” This continued until the 1960s when the terms were criticized as discriminatory and their usage terminated. How, then, did the Sea of Japan coastal region come to be known by the discriminatory term “the Backside”? Intrigued by this question, this paper retraces the little-studied history of the place name ura Nihon. As I will show, behind the place name ura Nihon are forgotten histories not just of uneven domestic economic development but also colonial expansion and empire building in Northeast Asia. That is, ura Nihon is both a history of the Japanese nation and of the empire. By retelling this history, the paper seeks to contribute to understanding the ways in which empire building in Northeast Asia was connected to the domestic history of the Japanese nation-state in the 20th century.

The four major countries of East Asia—China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan—form one of the most densely populated regions on earth, and through the course of the late 20th and early 21st centuries the region experienced some of its fastest economic growth, propelled by the policies of state-led developmentalism. As a result of this density and these policies, the four countries in turn became some of the most environmentally degraded. As each achieved middle-to-high income status, however, the populace and then the regime in each country realized that they could not sustain either rapid economic growth or popular legitimacy without addressing the environmental consequences of this fast growth. The four states thus changed their fundamental economic policies from pure developmentalism to what we call eco-developmentalism, an attempt to reconcile economic prosperity with environmental sustainability. Although success so far has been mixed, this turn to eco-developmentalism has allowed these states to claim world leadership in mitigating environmental degradation.

This paper considers Africa's place in China's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The Maritime Silk Road is a major component of the “Belt and Road” development framework announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in late 2013. While the People's Republic of China has been actively engaged in Africa since 1960, the Maritime Silk Road promises an intensification of Chinese investment on the continent, especially in infrastructural projects including the construction of railways, airports and deepwater ports. The paper will contextualize these development projects in China's new normal of single-digit growth, and explain that the “Belt and Road” should be seen as one of China's new engines of growth. The paper will conclude with an examination of the question of whether China is engaged in neocolonialism in Africa.

Japan is shrinking. Current projections indicate a population decrease of around one quarter by mid-century. Depopulation is potentially good news, providing opportunities for reconfiguring living conditions and alleviating human-environmental pressures. Nevertheless, ageing and depopulation have outcomes that require adjustment. One of these is spatial inequalities, which have been accelerating since the 1990s. Japan is the Asia-Pacific’s pioneer ageing and shrinking society. In East Asia both China and South Korea are ageing and expected to begin shrinking soon. Even high immigration Anglophone countries such as New Zealand are experiencing post-growth demographic processes at subnational level. Japan’s significance is in how adaptive responses there inform prospects for others as they experience their own post-growth pathways. This article presents case studies of Sado Island in Japan and New Zealand’s South Island in a comparative qualitative analysis of rural agency under population decline. Overall, I contend there is potential for benefitting from demographic shrinkage - what I term a ‘depopulation dividend’ - and for rural regions in the Asia-Pacific to progress towards a sustainable post-growth economy and society.

We assess the proposition that intergroup conflict (IGC) in non-human primates offers a useful comparison for studies of human IGC and its links to parochial altruism and prosociality. That is, for non-linguistic animals, social network integration and maternal influence promote juvenile engagement in IGC and can serve as the initial grounding for sociocultural processes that drive human cooperation. Using longitudinal data from three cohorts of non-adult vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus), we show that non-adults are sensitive to personal (age) and situational risk (participant numbers). The frequency and intensity of participation, although modulated by rank and temperament, both mirrors maternal participation and reflects non-adult centrality in the grooming network. The possibility of social induction is corroborated by the distribution of grooming during IGC, with non-adults being more likely to be groomed if they were female, higher-ranking and participants themselves. Mothers were more likely to groom younger offspring participants of either sex, whereas other adults targeted higher-ranking female participants. Although we caution against a facile alignment of these outcomes to human culturally mediated induction, there is merit in considering how the embodied act of participation and the resultant social give-and-take might serve as the basis for a unified comparative investigation of prosociality.

The olive black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier), is a significant pest of olive crops worldwide. The developmental, reproductive, and population growth parameters of S. oleae were evaluated under five constant temperature conditions (18°C to 33°C). Developmental durations significantly decreased with increasing temperatures. Female lifespan decreased from 161.6 days at 18°C to 104.3 days at 33°C, while male lifespan decreased from 96.8 days at 18°C to 49.4 days at 33°C. The highest sex ratio (proportion of females) of 0.35 was observed at 30°C, with pre-adult survival rates of 63%, while survival rates dropped to 28% at 18°C. Parthenogenesis was not observed in females. The total pre-oviposition and post-oviposition periods decreased with increasing temperature, with the longest oviposition period at 33°C (49.6 days). Maximum fecundity was recorded at 33°C (379.0 eggs/female), followed by 30°C (298.6 eggs/female), and decreased sharply at 18°C (90.1 eggs/female). The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was highest at 30 and 33°C (0.038 d⁻1), while the net reproductive rate (R0) peaked at 30°C (104.5 offspring/female). The predicted fecundity of the next generation showed significant potential growth at 27 and 30°C, with the population increasing 65.3 times at 30°C and 39.4 times at 27°C. The developmental threshold for S. oleae was highest for first-instar nymphs (7.58°C), while second-instar nymphs had lower thresholds (1.09–1.65°C), with total pre-adult development requiring 1250 degree-days for both males and females. These findings underscore the significant impact of temperature on the development and reproduction of S. oleae, with implications for pest management in olive orchards.