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Background: Maternal infections are linked to neurodevelopmental impairments, highlighting the need to investigate SARS-CoV-2-induced immune activation. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal infection on neurodevelopment and investigate whether cytokine and chemokine profiles predict delays at 24 months. Methods: Conducted in Brazil (January 2021–March 2022), this follow-up study included 18 SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women at 35–37 weeks’ gestation, 15 umbilical cord blood samples, and blood samples from 15 children at 6 months and 14 at 24 months. Developmental delay was defined using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, with scores below 90 in cognitive, communication, or motor domains. Results: At 6 months, 33.3% of infants exhibited cognitive delays, 20% communication delays, and 40% motor delays, increasing to 35.71%, 64.29%, and 57.14% at 24 months, respectively. Elevated interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in cord blood correlated with cognitive delays, while interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-17, and IL-1β were associated with motor delays. Increased C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 and other cytokines were associated with communication delays. Conclusion: Maternal SARS-CoV-2 may impact infant neurodevelopment, as early cytokine elevations correlate with delays, highlighting the importance of early monitoring and interventions to reduce long-term effects. Impact: Prenatal SARS-COV-2 infection in pregnant women is linked to developmental delays in toddlers, with cytokine and chemokine changes associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months. This study shows the long-term impact of maternal SARS-COV-2 infection on child development, highlighting inflammatory markers like IFN-γ, TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, IL-1β, and CXCL10. Identifying specific cytokines correlating with cognitive, communication, and motor delays suggests potential biomarkers for early intervention. Conducted in Fortaleza, Brazil, the study emphasizes understanding local epidemiological impacts on child development, especially in regions with high infection rates. (Figure presented.)

The ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict has had significant repercussions for businesses, with many scaling back operations in Russia due to international sanctions. However, some companies continue operating there while making superficial gestures to appear supportive of the oppressed side (a practice known as ‘warwashing’). These actions conflict with profit motives and contribute to consumer skepticism and potential boycotts. This study examines how Portuguese and Danish consumers respond to warwashing, aiming to assess if cultural differences influence reactions. A quantitative survey, including nine questions based on literature and key differences between the two countries, was conducted using a deductive approach. Results were analyzed via JMP statistical software, with paired t-tests applied. Findings reveal a significant difference in reactions between Portuguese and Danish consumers, with Danish consumers showing a heightened response, engaging more frequently in impactful actions. This aligns with Hofstede’s cultural model, which portrays Danes as more open to change and expecting transparency. Boycott theory is also supported, suggesting that Danes are more inclined to boycott products and services, while Portuguese consumers show less faith in the effectiveness of such actions. This cross-country comparison reaffirms Hofstede’s Cultural Value Dimensions, providing insight into real-world cultural differences. Additionally, the study highlights the concept of collective action, where individuals avoid certain products or services as a form of protest, revealing variations in the prevalence of this behaviour across different societies.

The study of Catholic churches in Macau is of significant importance for both architectural heritage conservation and the transmission of cultural values. As religious structures, these churches serve as tangible representations of religious ideology and spiritual essence, thereby embodying the core principles of cultural expression. This paper aims to critically examine the Catholic churches of Macau, exploring their intrinsic values through an architectural research framework that emphasizes three key morphological elements: spatial characteristics, stylistic features, and structural composition. By contextualizing the historical background and architectural attributes, this study sheds light on the multifaceted significance of Catholic church construction in modern Macau, while offering a comprehensive analysis of the intersection, fusion, and coexistence of Eastern and Western cultural influences in this unique locale. Through this investigation, the paper uncovers a range of compelling cultural phenomena, providing insights that may serve as valuable reference points for future practices in architectural heritage conservation in Macau.

This dissertation examines the implementation of smart policing in Macau, focusing on the adoption and challenges of facial recognition technology within the Macau Urban Electronic Surveillance System. As Macau pursues its smart city ambitions, the integration of advanced technologies into law enforcement has become a central strategy for enhancing public safety and operational efficiency. However, the actual acceptance and use of these technologies by frontline police officers remain underexplored. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach. documentary analysis of government policies and strategic documents provides an overview of Macau’s smart policing initiatives and the legal and infrastructural frameworks supporting them. The core of the research is a quantitative survey of Macau police officers who have direct experience with the facial recognition system. The survey is structured around the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), with additional attention to compatibility and perceived legal knowledge. The results reveal that performance expectancy and perceived legal knowledge are the strongest factors influencing officers’ adoption of facial recognition while effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions and compatibility are less influential. Practical challenges were discovered through the Macau police officers.

This study examines consumer perceptions of all-electric vehicles in Macau, focusing on Tesla owners. As the Macau Special Administrative Region (MSAR) pursues its long-term carbon reduction strategy, adopting BEV is a key step towards sustainable urban mobility. However, consumer attitudes and behavioral responses to BEV in Macau's unique high-density urban environment remain underexplored. This study adopts the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-2) model with the addition of the “technological show-off” (TS) dimension to explore how Tesla owners perceive the challenges and opportunities of adopting BEV. This study used a qualitative methodology to conduct in-depth interviews with ten Tesla owners in Macau through semi-structured interviews and unstructured quantitative assessments. Data were analyzed across multiple UTAUT-2 dimensions, including Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Facilitating Conditions, Hedonic Motivation, Price Value, Habit, and the added factor of Technology Show-Off. The findings suggest that Tesla owners in Macau value their vehicles' convenience, efficiency, and technological sophistication, with a particular focus on Autopilot, acceleration, and low maintenance costs. However, issues such as limited charging infrastructure, service accessibility, and technology learning curve remain. Social status and identity are influential factors, especially in a compact and socially connected urban environment like Macau. By examining the experiences of EV users, this study fills a gap in the existing literature. It provides practical insights for policymakers and manufacturers aiming to accelerate the diffusion of BEVs. The study concludes that consumer perceptions are critical for practical benefits and emotional fulfillment for the continued growth of the electric vehicle market in Macau and similar regions.

This research focuses on the design of the in-vehicle interactive interface of L4 autonomous driving vehicles, aiming to explore how to improve the passengers experience by optimizing the interface interaction mode. With the development of autonomous driving technology, the shortcomings of existing interface design in transparent feedback, emotional adaptation and multi-modal interaction support have become the main obstacles affecting user trust and satisfaction. Based on user research and prototype design, the study proposed an interface design scheme that combines transparent feedback with emotional perception, focusing on real-time display of vehicle behaviour logic and dynamic adaptation to passenger emotional state. In user testing, the system showed some improvements in trust enhancement and ease of use, especially in response to complex road conditions and emergencies. Although this research has provided some preliminary results through innovative design, there are still limitations in technical implementation and scope of application. Future research will focus on sample diversification and accuracy improvement of emotional perception technology to further improve the design scheme and expand its application scenarios.

Legalizing gambling has brought numerous advantages to Macau, including employment opportunities, economic growth, improved quality of life, and accelerated urban development. While these macro-level benefits are evident, the industry has also significantly impacted local families and communities. In particular, the initial discovery of a family member's gambling problem inflicts immeasurable harm on the household, and the coping strategies adopted by affected family members critically influence their relationships with the gambler and the overall trajectory of the family unit. This qualitative study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and SKH 24-hour online gambling counseling service (SKH-24H), employed semi-structured interviews to explore the coping strategies of family members of problem gamblers. Nine participants were interviewed, and thematic analysis revealed eight key coping strategies: (1) Bailing out The Problem Gambler, (2) Maintaining Status Quo of the Family, (3) Help Seeking in Macau Community, (4) Coping by Self-Regulation, (5) Coping by Engagement, (6) Coping by Withdrawal, (7) Tolerance and (8) Seeking Psychiatric Consultations. The study aims to enhance the understanding of local gambling counseling professionals regarding the coping strategy employed by Macau families dealing with problem gamblers. By aligning intervention strategies with the lived experiences of these families, the findings can inform more effective, family-focused approaches to service delivery. Furthermore, the research provides insights for government agencies into the real-world challenges faced by families affected by problem gambling, offering evidence-based recommendations for evaluating and revising existing regulations to mitigate the adverse effects of the gambling industry on Macau's households. "

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games established themselves as a unique worldwide sports event, which took place in 2021 without spectators after a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The media became the sole information distributor about the Games because there were no live spectators present at the events. Academic research about the Paralympic movement showed substantial growth since the London 2012 as media attention alongside public interest expanded. Research about the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics faces limited availability because of immigration and infection control measures combined with spectator restrictions. There is insufficient research about the social consequences of the Paralympic media coverage especially from the viewpoint of people with disabilities. This study analysed the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics through qualitative methods to understand media communication effects on Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture residents with disabilities. Four main themes emerged through reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interview dataset which included: 1) the duality of the media, 2) the suspension between the medical and social models, 3) Japanese culture and the human rights movement, and 4) Paralympian decoded. By comparing with previous research on media perception among Japanese non-disabled people, this study revealed that people with disabilities viewed the Paralympic media coverage with both critical and objective perspectives by acknowledging its benefits and challenges. People with disabilities demonstrated little optimism regarding how the media could improve public disability awareness. The study also revealed that Paralympians carry diverse and widely recognised social meanings within disability communities and that a fundamental mismatch exists between disability goals and mainstream media representations, which tend to simplify disability into one-dimensional categories. This study established a social framework that recognised and respected the diverse differences within the disability population, rather than using reductionist classification systems.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer a sustainable approach to mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss while delivering socio-economic benefits. This study examines mangroves as a key NbS in Macao, assessing their ecosystem services and economic valuation through a hedonic pricing model. Despite their limited spatial coverage, Macao's mangroves provide critical services, including coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and habitat provision, yet face threats from invasive species and urbanization. The research employs a hedonic pricing model to analyze the relationship between property prices and proximity to mangrove ecosystems in Macao Peninsula, Taipa, and Coloane. Results demonstrate a statistically significant negative correlation, indicating that residential properties closer to mangrove areas command higher prices, reflecting the premium placed on ecological amenities. The model explains 65.0% of price variation, underscoring mangroves' influence on real estate values. This study contributes a novel valuation framework for mangrove ecosystem services in high-density coastal cities, integrating ecological and economic perspectives. The findings support evidence-based policy recommendations for mangrove conservation and sustainable urban development. Future research should expand the model to incorporate additional variables and longitudinal data to enhance predictive accuracy and applicability across diverse coastal regions. Biodiversity assessment and conservation planning in highly urbanized environments. 基于自然的解决方案（NbS）为缓解气候变化和生物多样性丧失提供了一种可持续的方法，同时还能带来社会经济利益。本研究以澳门的红树林为例，探讨其作为关键的基于自然的解决方案的作用，通过享乐定价模型评估其生态系统服务和经济价值。尽管澳门红树林的分布面积有限，但它们提供了重要的服务，包括海岸保护、碳封存和栖息地提供，然而却面临着外来物种入侵和城市化的威胁。 研究采用享乐定价模型，分析澳门半岛、氹仔和路环地区房产价格与红树林生态系统距离之间的关系。结果表明，两者之间存在显著的负相关关系，即靠近红树林区域的住宅价格更高，这反映了人们对生态设施的重视。该模型解释了 65.0%的价格差异，突显了红树林对房地产价值的影响。 本研究为高密度沿海城市的红树林生态系统服务提供了一种新的估值框架，将生态和经济视角相结合。这些发现为红树林保护和可持续城市发展提供了基于证据的政策建议。未来的研究应扩展该模型，纳入更多变量和纵向数据，以提高预测的准确性和在不同沿海地区的适用性。在高度城市化环境中进行生物多样性评估和保护规划。

The suicide rate has been increasing these decades. A good mental health could prevent people from committing suicide. Parents are the ones whom we spend most of the time with. How parents treat us does have an impact on both our development and mental health. However, some people can always see the positive side of things and expect things to turn out well. Therefore, the present study aims to examine if resilience would mediate the relationship between parenting styles and mental health in bachelor students. A cross-sectional research method was used in this study. Data were collected through Google Forms. The sample consists of 110 Bachelor students in Macau, with 46 males (42%) and 64 females (58%). According to the findings of the study, the mediating role of resilience in the relationships between parenting styles and mental health were found to be not significant. However, bachelor students who perceived their mothers as authoritative parenting style were found to have better mental health. While higher resilience was found to have less impact on the mental health of bachelor students. This study has pointed out the importance of different parenting styles on bachelor students' mental health and further proves the positive influence of resilience towards mental health. There is a need to cultivate the resilience of bachelor students to help them better equip themselves for stressful situations and cope with crises. Workshops or interventions are also needed for parents to teach them better parenting skills and knowledge, so that the mental health of their children could be enhanced by that.

Marriott International, Inc. (Marriott) is a worldwide company that operates, franchises, and licenses a diverse portfolio of hotels, residential properties, timeshares, and other lodging options across various brands, catering to multiple price levels and service standards. Currently, Marriott operates in the U.S. & Canada segment and the international segment, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The major business segment is the U.S. & Canada, representing 80% of the consolidated net sales in 2023. To pioneer the development in the industry, Marriott has to expand its international operations to diversify geographic revenue streams and reduce dependence on the U.S. & Canada markets. Maintaining its competitive advantage is a constant challenge due to the intense competition in the global hospitality industry and the sector’s sensitivity to economic, political, and social changes. Understanding how these factors affect both the industry and Marriott is crucial for accurately assessing Marriott’s intrinsic value and its future positioning. Comparing the intrinsic value derived from three valuation models with Marriott’s market share price as of December 31, 2023, will offer valuable insights for investors.

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness and shortcomings of employee incentive mechanisms at GF Advertising Company, with a specific focus on the motivation of staff. Amid rapid changes in the advertising and printing materials industry, employee satisfaction and retention have become increasingly critical. However, the company’s current incentive system—characterized by an overreliance on material rewards and lack of development opportunities—has struggled to meet employees’ evolving needs. To explore this issue, the study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative survey of 115 employees with qualitative interviews of 7 selected staff members. The research draws upon Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory to analyze employee motivation and satisfaction. The findings reveal key challenges in four areas: insufficient economic incentives, weak organizational environment support, underdeveloped career growth mechanisms, and ineffective work-related motivation. Based on the results, the dissertation proposes a multi-layered, localized incentive model that incorporates both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. Recommendations include optimizing communication platforms, strengthening team culture, refining promotion pathways, and diversifying reward structures to better align with employee expectations. The study concludes that a strategic and human-centered incentive mechanism not only improves employee engagement but also enhances organizational performance. Future research could further expand the sample scope and explore long-term impacts of different incentive models across companies and regions.

The present research aimed to assess and compare the perspectives of teachers, parents, and youth regarding the main positive aspects and concerns they have about youth in Macao, namely: (1 and 2) What are the main positive aspects/concerns Macao teachers, parents, and youth focus on? And (2 and 3) How aligned are teachers, parents, and youth in Macao regarding the positive aspects/concerns? We applied a quantitative methodology based on a quantitative content analysis of open-ended questions included in the Macao validation (Simões et al., Unpublished report) of the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (Achenbach, 1991; “what are your concerns regarding your child/your student/yourself”, and “what are the most positive aspects about your child/your student/yourself”). We found alignment regarding positive aspects, with youth, parents and teachers focusing on personality, abilities, and attitudes, and parents additionally on independence. Regarding concerns, there was less alignment. All mentioned academic performance and interpersonal relationships, but parents and teachers also mentioned health, morality, attitudes, and teachers’ class engagement concerns. Teachers and youths mentioned future planning, while only the youth mentioned school activities and facilities, their abilities and character and class rules and assignments. These categories are aligned with development models, including ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994), social learning theory and social cognitive learning theory (Bandura, 1977, 1986), moral development perspectives (Mead, 1928; Gilligan 1933), self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) and positive youth development perspectives (e.g., Lerner, 2005). The main practical implications are that (1) youth should have a greater awareness of their physical and mental health; (2) parents should build up a support system to enhance autonomy (3) schools play a crucial role in promoting students’ health by creating a supportive environment; (4) counsellors should promote re-connection between youth and their parents or teachers; and (5) decision-makers should invest in mental health education awareness to diminish the stigma, de-emphasise education strategies based on standardised testing, and address broader social and economic inequalities to reduce disparities and academic pressure among youths, parents and teachers.

This study examines the collaboration between kindergarten teachers and resource teachers in Macau's inclusive early childhood education settings, focusing on the extent of their collaboration, challenges, satisfaction, support needs, and suggestions for improvement regarding collabroation. The study surveyed 53 kindergarten teachers and 15 resource teachers from inclusive kindergartens in Macau. Key findings are: (1) Over 60% of kindergarten teachers and all resource teachers had collaborative experience, and both parties reported they primarily used the ""one teaching, one assisting"" co-teaching model; (2) Over 70% of kindergarten teachers reported less than 30 minutes of weekly discussion time with resource teachers, while 40% of resource teachers reported about one hour per week for discussion with kindergarten teachers ; (3) Both groups identified communication as the main challenge; (4) Primary collaboration areas included case information exchange and teaching strategy discussions; (5) Overall satisfaction was above average, with highest satisfaction in ""positive attitude"" and lowest in ""support system;"" (6) Teachers expressed high support need for professional training and parent training; and (7) Both groups emphasized the key to improve collaboration relates to enhanced communication and more professional training and development. Based on these findings, recommendations were offered with a focus on establishing comprehensive support networks and communication platforms at policy, school, and teacher levels. 本研究旨在探討澳門幼稚園教師與資源教師在學前融合教育環境中的合作現況，包括合作程度、合作中遇到的狀況、合作滿意度、對合作的支援需求、以及對合作的建議。研究採用問卷調查法，研究對象包括澳門參與融合教育計劃的幼稚園中的53名幼稚園教師和15名資源教師。結果顯示，(1) 6成以上幼稚園教師與資源教師有合作經驗;資源教師全部都有與幼稚園教師合作的經驗，雙方教師都認為開展最多的合作教學類型是「一人教學，一人協助」;（2）雙方合作時間有限，7成以上的幼稚園教師表示每週與資源教師討論時間少於30分鐘，而有4成資源教師表示每週討論時間約1小時;(3)雙方教師表示合作時最大的困難是溝通協調;(4)最主要的合作領域是交流個案的基本情況和討論學生的教學策略;(5)兩組教師對合作的整體滿意度高於中等程度，其中「正面態度」維度滿意度最高，「支援系統」維度滿意度最低;(6)教師對專業培訓和家長培訓的支援需求較高;(7)雙方教師都認為「加強溝通」和「增加教師培訓與專業發展」是改善合作的關鍵。根據這些研究結果，筆者建議從政策、學校及教師三個層面著手，建立完善支援網絡、多元交流平臺，並持續提升教師專業能力。

This research examines aspects that influence career development for women in the public sector in Macau. The combination of local customs and what remains from Portuguese rule in Macau has led to a special society that influences how gender is dealt with in public institutions. While nations promise gender equality, women do not hold many leadership positions in their government agencies. To conduct this study, qualitative research using semi-structured interviews was performed with 12 female public sector staff, some in leadership positions and some aiming for them. Analysis of interview data shows that cultural norms, organizational structures and new technological trends together block women from advancing at work. It appears that strong cultural habits about gender keep valuing women’s domestic duties over professional goals, supporting the belief that top management should be mostly male. Women in these sectors which are largely male, are doubted about their ability to lead. Organizational barriers, including opaque promotion practices, gender-biased recruitment, lack of mentorship, and limited access to gender-sensitive leadership development programs, further impede women's career advancement. Even though work-life balance policies exist in the handbook, managers often ignore them and consider them a hindrance for women hoping to move ahead.In parallel, the study explores how digital transformation—the so-called "Internet+" era— offers both opportunities and challenges for women in the public sector. Although digital tools improve skills and career paths, poor training often keeps women from gaining from these resources. The impact of digitalization brings out more gender inequality, because women find it harder to access major leadership roles in high-tech sectors. To tackle these different problems, the dissertation recommends strategies such as running gender-focused mentorship programs, making sure work-life balance policies are properly enforced, increasing transparency during promotions and launching digital skill training just for female employees. Equally importantly, it stresses the need for shifts in cultural values together with new policies, encouraging campaigns to raise awareness and welcoming new leadership models opposed to patriarchy. The research, by considering Macau’s special setting, helps advance the debate on gender equity in governance and provides useful tips for supporting inclusive leadership paths in societies with similar characteristics.

Facial expression recognition is a key topic in computer vision, playing a crucial role in non-verbal communication. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, significant progress has been made in improving recognition accuracy and generalization abilities. Traditional methods often suffer from low precision and poor generalization, while deep learning models have substantially advanced the field. However, deploying deep and complex models on different platforms remains challenging due to their high computational demands and frameworks. Hence, developing an efficient, real-time, and lightweight facial expression recognition system is critical. This study focuses on creating an efficient, accurate, and lightweight real-time facial expression recognition system with an emphasis on cross-platform deployment. It integrates various deep learning and optimization techniques to demonstrate flexibility across platforms. In this context, this study evaluates the performance of 10 advanced CNN models (VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, etc.) on the facial expression dataset FER2013. YOLOv8 combined with ResNet50 achieved 70.56% accuracy on FER2013, outperforming YOLOv8 alone by 2.1%. Multi-module fusion models (MobileFaceNet, IR50, HyViT, SE) achieved an accuracy of 92.58% and 74.8% on the RAF-DB and FER2013 datasets, respectively, showing superior performance in ablation experiments. Given the significant impact of data quality on model performance, this study performed data cleaning on the FER2013 dataset, resulting in a 3.25% accuracy improvement for the YOLOv8 + ResNet50 model, which reached 73.81%. The high-resolution RAF-DB dataset, with fewer errors, led to improved performance, achieving 92.56% accuracy with the fusion model. A multi-purpose facial expression recognition system, VISTA, was developed using Python and PyQt5. The system supports multiple data formats and provides real-time emotional feedback, thus enhancing its usability for both research and practical applications. Furthermore, the fusion model was quantized using the OpenVINO toolkit, reducing its parameters by 75% while maintaining an accuracy of 91.17%. Inference speed was improved, and XGrad-CAM was employed to enhance model interpretability, revealing that the YOLOv8 + ResNet50 combination more effectively captured facial features. Finally, the high-performance model was successfully deployed on Intel CPUs, NVIDIA GPUs, and embedded devices Raspberry Pi 4B, demonstrating the portability and flexibility of the VISTA system across various platforms. This research provides promising solutions for applications in human-computer interaction, affective computing, and real-time emotional analysis, with significant advancements made in improving system real-time performance, accuracy, and cross-platform deployment capabilities. It contributes to the development of facial expression recognition technology and lays the foundation for its widespread future applications in fields such as smart healthcare, business analytics, education, and mental health.

As individuals reach 35, they often find that others no longer view them as young. Various theories of adult development suggest that the shift into middle age officially begins at 40. This stage is seen as a transitional period leading toward middle age, commonly referred to in our context as the ""35-year threshold"" or ""35-year crisis."" Therefore, the transformations and significant decisions faced by those aged 35 to 40 deserve attention to better understand the support necessary for a smooth transition into middle age. Research on those in the 35 to 40 age bracket is limited in many regions. This study seeks to identify the needs of early adults within this age group in our area, utilizing qualitative methods. By conducting in-depth interviews about the life experience of the interviewees and starting up writing the stories with the dimension of phenomenological pedagogy, we aim to capture participants' subjective experiences, shedding light on the psychological aspects of their decision-making during pivotal life events. In total, 20 participants aged 35 to 40 from our region were invited to contribute to this study. After three months of interviews and five months of analysis, the research identified four key factors influencing their decision-making attitudes toward major life events: a primary focus on family considerations, a perceived urgency to enact changes before turning 40, a pursuit of stability, and a desire for self-actualization while letting go of rigid expectations. Additionally, based on participants’ insights regarding support systems for Macau adults in this age group, five recommendations were proposed: enhancing family welfare policies, regular reviews of housing policies, promoting life education and diversified development for youth, addressing workplace stress and fostering continuous professional development, and increasing awareness of mental health. These measures aim to provide better support for individuals navigating life transitions or challenges. In summary, the insights gathered from participants provide important implications for adults, government bodies, and social workers regarding the services needed. This research underscores the essential support services for those aged 35 to 40 and suggests the creation of more customized programs and resources. 當踏入35歲後在別人眼裡已不再年輕，在許多成人發展理論定義上則認為踏入40歲後才算中年階段，35歲後正要開始步向中年的過渡時期，國內更稱為「35歲門檻」及「35歲危機」，所以35至40歲這個年齡階段的生活遇到的轉變和重大事件決策歷程，從而了解那些支援能讓這個年齡階段能順利過渡至中年階段，亦是值得進行探討及研究。 不同地區亦較少對35至40歲這個年齡人士進行研究，本研究為了解本澳35至40歲成年早期人士的需要，研究會採用質性研究，以深度訪談了解受訪者在研究題目當中有關的生活體驗，並以教育現象學作分析，期望從受訪者主觀表述其經驗，以了解35至40歲成年人士對於生活中重大事件的決策深層心理意涵與其真實想法。 本次研究共邀請20位本澳35至40歲之成年人士為對象，經過3個月的訪談及歷時5個月進行探討及總結，研究分析得出這個年齡階段之人士，他們面對重大事件作出決策取態的結果有以下四大重要元素：本澳35至40歲成年早期人士首先以家庭角度出發，其次認為時間不多需要在40歲前作出轉變並且追求穩定的生活，追求自我價值及放下執着。 另外，從受訪者提及如何支援本澳35至40歲之成年人的生活，共歸納出五項建議：完善家庭福利措施、定期檢視房屋政策、青年生命教育及多元發展、在職人士壓力及持續進修發展、促進心理健康的關注，讓他們能更有支援的情況下應對生活的轉變或挑戰。 最後，從各位受訪者的建議中整理及歸納，為成年人、政府相關單位及社會工作者在服務提供相關啟示，更能補充35至40歲這個年齡階段人士的生活所需之服務，以及作出更合意的支援方案與服務資訊作參考。

This dissertation investigates consumer satisfaction with the Philippine fast food chain Jollibee in the highly competitive and multicultural Macau market. The study adopts a mixed method approach, combining semi-structured interviews with ten consumers (residents and non-local tourists) to analyze the important factors driving satisfaction. The results show that service quality, especially employee efficiency and the organization of events (such as birthday parties), has a significant impact on satisfaction. However, language barriers and cultural differences when ordering food pose challenges to non-local customers. Although Jollibee's core products (especially fried chicken) are appreciated by many respondents for their taste and freshness, the menu lacks diversity. It is not localized enough to meet Macau's unique Chinese-Portuguese fusion dining preferences fully. Price sensitivity is very significant, and Jollibee is often considered by customers to be more expensive than competitors such as McDonald's, which affects their value perception. Therefore, promotional strategies, especially experiential activities, should show effectiveness and cultural resonance. Finally, the study proposed suggestions on improving service quality, menu localization, strategic pricing, and culturally sensitive promotions to improve Jollibee’s positioning in the Macau market and provide a reference for other Western fast food brands to develop in the Macau market.

Inclusiveness has become a critical topic nowadays, serving as a benchmark of a nation and community’s level of civilization. As a core component of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), inclusiveness underscores its global significance in fostering equitable and justice societies. The changing dynamics of Macao households, characterized by both parents working or engaging in shift work, along with an increasingly aging population, have led to a growing reliance on domestic workers. As a result, these domestic workers often develop deep relationships with the children under their care, becoming integral members of the households. According to statistics from the Labour Affairs Bureau in Macao (2024), Filipino non-resident workers comprise the second-largest ethnic group, totaling 30,267 individuals. Of this group, 48% (14,604 individuals) are engaged in domestic work, highlighting their substantial presence in the sector. This study aims to investigate the experiences of the largest migrant working group in the region—female Filipino domestic workers—focusing on their experiences of inclusiveness within both the workplace and the Macao community. Utilizing a quantitative research methodology, the study conducts interviews with 10 female Filipino domestic workers in Macao. These interviews provide valuable insights into their lived experiences, illuminating their perceptions of inclusion within their employed families and society. Additionally, the research examines whether existing laws and regulations facilitate their inclusion in Macao. The results of this study revealed eight key themes and two new models of Perceived Inclusiveness in Domestic Workplace and Community , contributing to a deeper understanding of the inclusiveness experience of Filipino domestic workers in Macao.