bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pushing the Limits of Quantum Flux: A Rigorous Exploration of the Trinity Equation
Authors: Jones Robert William
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces and rigorously analyzes the Trinity Equation, a novel framework for modeling quantum flux in holographic spacetime. By integrating principles from quantum mechanics and general relativity, the Trinity Equation provides a unique approach to understanding quantum flux dynamics at energy and time scales far beyond conventional models. The paper conducts a detailed mathematical formalism and dimensional analysis, demonstrating the consistency of the equation’s physical units and its ability to scale quantum flux to extreme magnitudes. Key findings reveal that the flux grows exponentially under high-energy conditions, potentially reaching theoretical limits. The implications of this model span several fields, including quantum field theory, spacetime manipulation, black hole thermodynamics, and quantum computing. While experimental validation remains a challenge, this theoretical framework opens new avenues for understanding high-energy quantum phenomena and may guide future experimental and computational simulations.
The Importance of Presenting the Point of View of Stories on Heritage Tourist Destinations
Authors: Mukaromah  , Pawito  , Rahmanto Andre N , Sudarmo
Published: February 2025

The study aims to see the various perspectives of the presentation of the story of the heritage tourism area of Kotalama Semarang in Indonesia as a perspective of communication studies. This research uses qualitative methods with data from the storytelling of eight guides at the location from various backgrounds, interviews with stakeholders from government elements, organizational associations and supported by reference books. Data analysis was carried out using the narrative concept of Walter Fisher. The results are that there are four variations of the story: a heritage area with the advantages and technology of historic building construction; the success story of the sugar entrepreneur Oie Tiong Ham who is world-famous; a heritage area with a story of economic conditions in the 18th-20th centuries; Chronology of stories about the area before, during and after imperialism. There is a connection between the perspectives of the story as an exclusive area formed regarding foreign imperialism in Indonesia in the 17th century. The presentation of the story has a structural pattern like a storyteller, paying attention to the situation of the audience; the presentation of the story has coherence with history, interconnected with the stories of other guides. The rationality of the narrative in the story is determined by the coherence and fidelity of the narrative constructed by a group of entities such as historians, academics, government, archival sources. There is an awareness that presenting stories with varying points of view aims to create sustainability for destinations as cultural heritage tourism destinations.
Fractal Gauge Field Theory and the Holographic Entropy Criterion for the Uniqueness of Navier-Stokes Equations Turbulent Weak Solutions
Authors: zhou changzheng , zhou ZIQING
Published: February 2025

This paper proposes a groundbreaking theoretical framework that combinesfractal gauge field theory with the holographic entropy extremum principle to com?pletely solve the uniqueness problem of weak solutions to the Navier-Stokes equa?tions on fractal manifolds. The core innovations include:1. The introduction of the fractal Yang-Mills functional, which maps turbulentvortex dynamics to the selection problem of gauge field instanton solutions;2. The Topological Quantum Constraint Theorem: Proving the strict correspon?dence between fractal Betti numbers and the dimension of the solution space(dim S ≤ bfractal + rank(G));3. The Holographic Entropy Fingerprint Protocol: Achieving experimental fal?sification of uniqueness through quantum noise analysis in the LISA gravita?tional wave spectrum.This theory provides the first mathematical-physical-experimental closed-loop unique?ness criterion for complex system research, completely changing the traditionalresearch paradigm of fluid mechanics.
Neoproterozoic denudation of a Laurentian superbasin
Authors: McDannell Kalin , Keller C. , Rainbird Robert , Dewing Keith , Powell Jeremy , O'Sullivan Paul
Published: February 2025

It has long been speculated that isolated Paleoproterozoic basins of northern Laurentia are remnants of a once contiguous sedimentary cover due to similarities in stratigraphy, paleocurrent directions, sediment provenance, and geochronological data. However, corroborating evidence for this 'superbasin hypothesis' has been lacking outside the footprints of the preserved basins. We present new zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He and fission-track thermochronology data and time-temperature inversions from metamorphic basement that support the previous existence of sedimentary cover over currently exposed shield regions, bridging the gap between preserved basin strata across a large expanse of northern Canada. Inversions also reveal a notably synchronous and relatively rapid cooling event consistent with deep erosional exhumation during supercontinent breakup and Snowball Earth glaciations. Our study provides a comprehensive dataset from the exposed craton in northern Canada that supports an originally more widespread Proterozoic basin and offers additional evidence of ~4.3 ± 1.1 km of Neoproterozoic erosional exhumation that played a role in the formation of the Great Unconformity surface across North America.
Planetary health security?: critical scoping review of conceptual linkages between ‘health security’ and ‘planetary health’
Authors: LÓPEZ TOLEDANO Max D , Low Amanda , Aviso Matthew , Lam Sze Tung , JACINTO Katrina , HYAT AYUB Mishael , Howard Natasha
Published: February 2025

Background ‘Health security’ — the subjection of health to ‘security’ frameworks — and ‘planetary health’— the study of human health impacts of the degradation of planetary ecosystems — have emerged in the last decades as prominent global health fields. However, limited literature connects them, particularly incorporating critical perspectives. We explored interactions between these approaches conceptually, institutionally, and empirically, aiming to chart a conceptual genealogy of these interactions. Methods We conducted a scoping review using Arksey and O’Malley’s method and Levac’s revisions, exploring the health, security, and ecology literatures. We identified 75 eligible sources of 10,352 screened and synthesised findings inductively using Braun and Clarke’s thematic approach. Findings We generated five themes across these literatures: (1) environmental health as security issue; (2) biosecurity and non-traditional security; (3) institutional connections; (4) militarisation and environmental health; and (5) emerging risk-management methods and technologies. We found multiple descriptions of environmental health as ‘crisis’ and ‘security’ issue, yet health security’s scope was primarily limited to containing emerging infectious diseases, rather than prevention or broader health concerns. Conclusion This initial exploration across disciplinary literatures of conceptual interactions between planetary health and health security showed both mobilising the language of ‘security’ to frame health issues, while raising concerns over inequitable experiences for some populations resulting from this framing. An overt emphasis on containment over prevention and tacit commitments to the protection of some lives over others could result in asymmetrical health experiences, rendering some geographies and populations ‘sacrificial’ in their health risks.
Fresh ideas on modeling water demand and allocation in Global Hydrological Models
Authors: Taranu Sabin
Published: February 2025

Global hydrological models are essential tools to address the increasing challenge of global water scarcity. However, current models often rely on simplistic assumptions for sectoral water allocation, limiting their ability to capture real-world complexities such as prioritization and competition among water uses. This paper introduces a theoretical two-layer framework that distinguishes between essential and prosperity water demands across key sectors, including domestic, livestock, industry, irrigation, and environmental flows. Essential demands represent baseline requirements to prevent severe socio-economic and ecological impacts, while prosperity demands encompass more discretionary uses that can be curtailed under scarcity. The framework is coupled with a ’traffic light’ system inspired by the drought management practices at the Catalan Water Agency to guide allocation decisions, dynamically adapting to water availability. This approach, if implemented or further developed, can significantly enhance the realism of global water models, providing actionable insights for sustainable water resource management.
Testing the Relationship between Phenomenological Control related to Illusion Sensitivity
Authors: Makowski Dominique , Neves Ana
Published: February 2025

Visual illusions highlight how easily our conscious experience can be altered with respect to perceptual reality. Despite sharing in-principle mechanisms with phenomenological control, i.e., the ability to alter our perceptual experience to match task demands or expectations, research tying the two remains scarce. This study aims to replicate and expand Lush et al. (2022) reporting an absence of correlation between phenomenological control (measured using the Phenomenological Control Scale) and illusion sensitivity to different illusion types. [N participants were recruited in an online study. Results will be added in the final version of the manuscript].
Tū Wairua: Development of an Indigenous Rongoā Māori Approach to Healing with Psilocybin Containing Mushrooms
Authors: Hodge Anna-Leigh , Forsyth Anna , Noorani Tehseen , Muthukumaraswamy Suresh , Rolleston Anna , McHugh Patrick
Published: February 2025

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain fungi, has long been used by Indigenous cultures worldwide for healing and spiritual purposes. While emerging evidence points to psychedelic agents being novel avenues for the treatment of substance use disorders, the predominantly Western medical models of psychedelic-assisted therapy being developed lack Indigenous wisdom and input, raising concerns about safety, efficacy, ownership, and continuing colonial dynamics. In Aotearoa (New Zealand), the enduring impacts of colonisation on Māori include the suppression of Indigenous wisdom, even as research affirming the knowledge and practice of traditional Māori healing is on the rise. The Tū Wairua project will explore the integration of rongoā Māori (traditional Māori healing practices) with psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for addressing problematic methamphetamine use (PMU) in Māori communities. This Māori-led project is driven by kaupapa Māori methodology and rongoā Māori conceptualisations of health and informed by biomedical psychedelic science. Based at Rangiwaho Marae in Te Tairāwhiti, a community with a high Māori population and a significant burden of PMU, the project aims to develop a culturally-appropriate PAT to explore the efficacy of psilocybin in treating PMU. This research represents a shift toward health interventions that respect and extend Indigenous wisdom, addressing the unique needs of Māori communities. It also seeks to develop a skilled Māori workforce to continue these healing practices, and challenge current legislation that restricts the use of Indigenous psychedelics. In creating sustainable pathways for healing through a community-driven, culturally-resonant PAT, Tū Wairua charts new directions in Indigenous-led psychedelic science.
Bullying Trajectories from Childhood to Adolescence: The Relationship with Mental Health Outcomes for Autistic and Neurotypical Youth
Authors: Deniz Emre , Noret Nathalie , Chow Athena Ru Wern , Baldwin Jessie , Toseeb Umar
Published: February 2025

Autistic youth are more likely to be involved in bullying, have poorer mental health, and experience friendships and social support differently compared to neurotypical youth. What remains unclear is whether relationship between bullying and mental health is different for autistic and neurotypical youth and whether friendships and social support moderate this relationship. In this United Kingdom based population-based study, we investigated the relationship between bullying involvement, victimisation and perpetration, from early childhood (age 5 years) through to mid-adolescence (age 14 years) with mental health outcomes in later adolescence (age 17 years) for autistic (n= 576) and neurotypical youth (n=14,963). We used parent-, teacher-, and self-reports of bullying at ages 5, 7, 11, and 14 years, to identify five bullying trajectory groups (uninvolved, adolescence victim, early childhood victim, early childhood bully, and bully-victims). Autistic youth were more likely than their neurotypical peers to be in one of the bullying trajectory groups compared to being in the uninvolved group. Specifically, 74% of autistic youth experienced bullying either as victims, bullies, or bully-victims between early childhood and adolescence compared to 38% of neurotypical youth. Both autistic and neurotypical youth who were involved in bullying, whether as a perpetrator or victim, experienced poorer subsequent mental health later in adolescence. Higher perceived social support buffered the effects of bullying involvement for neurotypical but not autistic youth. These findings highlight the need for further research focussing on possible targets for intervention to mitigate the possible impacts of bullying on subsequent mental health for autistic youth.
Against Unconscious Mental Imagery in Aphantasia
Authors: Scholz Christian Oliver , Monzel Merlin , Liu Jianghao
Published: February 2025

Aphantasia is defined as the absence (or near-absence) of imagery, most commonly in but not necessarily limited to the visual modality (Zeman et al. 2025). While the neural and cognitive underpinnings of aphantasia remain hotly debated (see Zeman, 2024 for a recent review), a proposal that has recently gained attention is that people with aphantasia may have unconscious mental imagery (Nanay, 2021; Michel et al. 2025), meaning that despite lacking the experience associated with imagery, they may still possess the relevant neural activity. A recent CB article by Chang and colleagues (2025) reported finding “imageless imagery” in aphantasic subjects, thus seemingly supporting this view. However, we argue here that the representations found in aphantasic subjects by Chang and colleagues (2025), as well as in other studies (e.g., Liu et al., 2025), should not be viewed as unconscious imagery because they fail to show the perception-like pattern usually associated with mental imagery.
A Smartphone-Based Intervention to Decrease Neuroticism: Protocol of the CHILL Study
Authors: Haehner Peter , Wright Amanda Jo , Andrae Rosalie , Lubczyk Till , Betancourt§ Leyla Anina Rosero , Hopwood Christopher James , Bleidorn Wiebke
Published: February 2025

Many people worldwide want to be less neurotic. As lower levels of neuroticism predict a variety of positive life outcomes, including health, success, and relationship quality, interventions that help people to become less neurotic could have wide-ranging impacts. This study protocol describes the rationale and design of the CHILL (Changing How I Live Life) Study, which aims to test and evaluate a smartphone-based intervention to reduce neuroticism in the general public. The CHILL Study comprises four survey assessments spread over 5 months, a 6-week intervention phase, and two 1-week experience sampling phases without interventions. During the intervention phase, participants motivated to become less neurotic are randomized to four core treatment groups. These treatment groups differ in their employed intervention strategies that target different aspects and levels of neuroticism. The CHILL Study moves beyond existing volitional personality change research by testing which strategies most effectively decrease neuroticism and evaluating the longevity and generalizability of intervention-induced neuroticism change via peer-reports, implicit personality assessments, and a 7-week follow-up period. The goals of the CHILL Study are to generate an effective method for decreasing neuroticism and facilitating the development of a comprehensive theory of neuroticism change.
Multilevel Intersectionality and the Deployment of Disability in Schools
Authors: Fish Rachel Elizabeth
Published: February 2025

Teacher perceptions of and decisions about students’ academic ability and behavior are key to the micro-level production and maintenance of inequality at the intersection of gender, race, and disability in schools, yet we know little about how these micro-level processes relate to meso-level features. Using an experimental survey design of 369 factorial vignettes, I tested for racial and gender differences in 276 teachers’ ratings of referral to begin disability evaluations—what I call the deployment of disability—across 115 Wisconsin schools with varying racial compositions. Findings show that teachers in schools with low proportions of White students were less likely to deploy disability for White girls than all other students; these disparities closed or reversed as teachers’ schools increased in proportion White. Results also suggest that White boys with academic difficulties were perceived as more likely disabled than their male peers of color – only in schools with more Black students. These results provide mixed evidence that "racial distinctiveness" triggers teachers' racialized and gendered deployment of disability. School composition effects provide empirical evidence of the social construction of disability, its intersection with race and gender, and that this construction emerges as an aspect of context as well as through individual teachers’ behaviors.
Twin precarities in the platform economy: An interdisciplinary perspective
Authors: Lata Lutfun Nahar
Published: February 2025

With the rise of neoliberal globalised markets and large-scale irregular migration, temporary migrant labour has ensured the economic development of the global North as a node of growth in a changing global economy. However, the restructuring of national and regional economies has also brought about the informalisation of labour markets and the fragmentation of labour processes, with migrants being more exposed than other workers to the detrimental risks of wage squeezes and uncertainty associated with securing permanent jobs. Within this context, this review takes a critical look to explore the challenges migrant workers experience while using various digital labour platforms such as Uber, Uber Eats, DoorDash and Hungry Panda, to earn an income. After reviewing existing literature on migration, citizenship, precarious work and digital labour platforms, in this paper, I introduce ‘twin precarities’ as a concept to explore migrant workers’ vulnerabilities due to their non-citizenship status and their involvement in the platform economy where they often experience algorithmic management but they do not understand how an algorithm works. ‘Twin precarities’ is a new analytical frame for understanding the lived experience of migrant platform workers as well as for exploring the various and complex entanglements between precarious migrants’ emancipatory practices enabled by digital labour platforms and the constraints created by these platforms.
The Impacts of Climate Activism
Authors: Thomas-Walters Laura , Scheuch Eric , Ong Abby , Goldberg Matthew H.
Published: February 2025

We review 50 studies on the impacts of climate activism. We present the existingevidence in a map of what we know about climate activism and its impacts. There isstrong evidence that climate activism shifts public opinion and media coverage in a pro-climate direction, but this varies by context and the tactics employed. There is moremoderate evidence that activism can pressure policymakers to communicate more aboutclimate change, encourage voters to vote in a more pro-climate direction, and financiallypressure carbon intensive companies. We review suggestive evidence that protest caninfluence emissions and environmental policy. Although these studies cover a wide swathof outcome variables, a majority examine intermediate variables, rather than long termimpacts. Generalizability is challenged by a bias towards the U.S. and Western Europe.We call for greater focus outside those geographic areas and more attention to activism'simpact on public policy and emissions.
Analysis of Determinants of Youth Migration Intentions in Nepal
Authors: Joshi Surendra Prasad , Dahal Rewan Kumar
Published: February 2025

Purpose: This study examines the factors that impact Nepalese youth's tendency to migrate, explicitly focusing on economic conditions, educational achievements, the allure of foreign locations, and familial ties overseas.
Methods: This study used a descriptive and causal research design. The study gathered responses from 235 Nepalese youth using a convenience-based sampling technique and an organised survey questionnaire. It employed a linear regression analysis.
Findings: The study showed that economic conditions, educational achievement, and family networks abroad primarily influence migrational intentions. These factors exhibit strong positive correlations and possess high predictive capability. Although the attraction to abroad does play a role in migration, its effect is relatively minor. These findings show the importance of executing broad strategies that tackle economic possibilities, educational prospects, and social support systems to manage youth migration effectively.
Suggestions: Policymakers can carefully implement major determining factors to control outhandled migration rates. This research is helpful for policymakers trying to figure out how to deal with the issues and repercussions caused by migration.
Keywords: Cross-border mobility, Intergenerational tensions, Sustainable development
JEL Classification Codes: F22, J61, 015
Bibliometric Analysis on Participatory Leadership in Local Governance
Authors: Bhusal Indra Prasad , Humagain Sanjeev
Published: February 2025

Background: This research examines the changing focus in academic studies on governance, leadership, and participatory approaches. There is a growing emphasis on sustainability and climate change. The goal is to track the evolution of these themes and understand their current relevance and interconnections.
Objective: The study aims to analyse trends in governance, leadership, and participatory approaches. It identifies central and declining themes and their roles in addressing contemporary challenges.
Methods: To map research trends, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using co-citation, co-occurrence, and strategic diagrams. Tools like R (biblioshiny) and VosViewer were used over time to visualise connections between key themes. Articles from Scopus spanning from 2003 to 2024 were analysed to determine the prominence and development of these themes.
Results: Leadership has emerged as a dominant theme, especially in governance and health-related research. Governance and participatory approaches, once central, are now receiving less attention. However, sustainability and climate change have become key areas, with governance frameworks addressing global environmental concerns.
Conclusions: The study concludes that leadership is a driving force in current research. Governance and participatory approaches still hold value, particularly when combined with sustainability frameworks. Future research should focus on how these frameworks can evolve to meet modern global challenges.
 
Keywords: Bibliometric analysis, leadership, governance, participatory approach, sustainability, climate change, thematic evolution
Wojna informacyjna jako instrument polityki zagranicznej Federacji Rosyjskiej – wprowadzenie
Authors: Kiera Jacek
Published: February 2025

Wojna informacyjna stała się ważnym elementem polityki zagranicznej państw nie tylko w trakcie otwartego konfliktu zbrojnego, lecz przede wszystkim w czasie poprzedzającym jego rozpoczęcie. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest zidentyfikowanie i scharakteryzowanie wojen informacyjnych prowadzonych przez Federację Rosyjską z uwzględnieniem ich roli jako narzędzia polityki zagranicznej. Temat ten został przedstawiony zarówno w wymiarze teoretycznym, jak i poprzez omówienie wybranych przykładów. W pracy wykorzystano analizę treści, analizę krytyczną źródeł oraz syntezę i opis, aby zweryfikować przyjętą hipotezę badawczą, zgodnie z którą wojna informacyjna stała się systemowym instrumentem polityki zagranicznej Kremla, mającym na celu destabilizację wewnętrzną państw, antagonizowanie uczestników stosunków międzynarodowych oraz realizowanie własnych interesów w sferze zewnętrznej.
‘I hope the doctor will send something black-or-white’.
Authors: Kongsgaard Leif Tøfting
Published: February 2025

The provision of public employment services to people in vulnerable life circumstances is notoriously filled with complexity and dilemmas. Not only are there multiple potential solutions to a given problem, but the very definition of the problem itself, ‘what it is all about’, is subject to interpretation and discretion. Faced with such intricacies, employment service professionals need to engage in critical reflections. Despite this recognised need, little is known about the actual processes involved in professional reflections. The aim of this article is to contribute empirically to our understanding of how professionals engage in collective reflections, specifically zooming in on the logics and reasonings behind these reflections. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Danish employment service organisations, the research shows that professional reflections tend to be more instrumental than critical, and more focused on certainty and what to do, than on understanding dilemmas and bringing in new perspectives on problems. Following the perspective of reparative critique, the analysis explores avenues for fostering more critical reflections within the context of public employment service. The findings bear implications for understanding the institutional and organisational embeddedness of professional reflective practices within welfare work, particularly in the realm of public work inclusion services.
Online Translation and English Learning: From Teachers’ Beliefs to High School Students’ Practices
Authors: Bourdais Aurélie
Published: February 2025

Although free online machine translation (FOMT) is widely used by L2 students, the use of these tools in the context of L2 learning seems to remain controversial among teachers. The goal of this study is to compare high school teachers’ beliefs about FOMT with high school students’ practices in France. A survey was first conducted to gain access to teachers’ attitudes toward the use of FOMT in the classroom (n = 126), and learners’ practices were observed through video screen capture of a writing activity (n = 49). The use of Google Translate was studied as a cognitive process, and a comparative analysis of the texts produced with or without Google Translate was also carried out. The results contradict some of the teachers’ beliefs, as some videos show traces of cognitive activities (evaluation and revision) when learners use Google Translate. The analyses also confirm that the quality of the texts written with the help of Google Translate is better in terms of accuracy and complexity than when pre-intermediate learners do not use this tool.
Migrant children's epistemic authority in paediatric consultations
Authors: Ceccoli Federica , Baraldi Claudio
Published: February 2025

Giving patients a voice in medical consultations and encouraging patient-centered communication are essential to improving the effectiveness and appropriateness of medical treatments. However, this is often difficult to achieve when patients are children, as paediatricians prefer to interact with parents and need parental consent. Drawing on a corpus of 12 authentic interactions recorded in an Italian diabetes outpatient clinic, this paper investigates the ways in which migrant children exercise agency and how this can be supported by paediatric diabetologists and sometimes by their parents. Adopting a discourse analysis approach, the paper identifies two ways in which children assert their agency by displaying epistemic authority, namely (1) by taking initiatives to trigger talk, and (2) by accepting the floor from other participants. Children's initiatives are produced that provide information, ask questions and sometimes contradict adults’ utterances. Paediatricians usually support children's exercise of agency in such cases. Children's agency can also be promoted when children do not take the floor spontaneously but are encouraged to speak by pediatricians, who invite them to elaborate on their answers by using minimal positive feedback, by asking questions and by formulating and encouraging children's answers. The findings also show how parents’ competition to take or hold the floor can hamper children's agency.
Medical memes: Humour preferences among medical students
Authors: Kmita Maria , Jozefczak Jessica
Published: February 2025

Medical humour within the medical community is a diverse and contextualised phenomenon that includes ‘difficult’ material that is cognitively challenging to non-insiders. This paper addresses the under-researched topic of medical students’ humour and its link to medical identity formation, by exploring how the humour preferences of medical students from different cohorts regarding medical memes reflects changes in their medical identity at different stages of their studies. A total of 216 medical students rated 50 medically related memes of different difficulty levels targeting doctors, patients, students and other medical issues. The results reveal that when comparing cohorts earlier in their studies vs. later on, doctor- and student-targeted memes become less and less popular while the popularity of memes about patients and other medical issues remain stable. Overall, students find memes about doctors the least funny. Simple memes also were funnier for students early in their studies compared with those approaching graduation. Our findings indicate that students most strongly identify with student and doctor memes, as these concern their current and future selves most strongly. The fact that medical identity plays a significant role in medical humour preferences may indicate that students find insider humour emotionally bonding. Our study also shows the emotional influence of humour processing (represented by targets) can have a greater impact on students’ humour preferences than the cognitive aspect (represented by difficulty levels).
Iran and Russia on the path to building a comprehensive, principled partnership
Authors: Belov V. I. , Ranjbar D. M.
Published: February 2025

The article deals with the main provisions of the Treaty on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation of 17 January 2025. The study examines the historical context, legal foundations, and strategic implications of the treaty, which marks a new era in bilateral relations. The agreement, signed by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian, outlines a 20-year framework for cooperation in various domains, including security, defense, economy, energy, and regional stability. The research methodology involves a qualitative analysis of treaty provisions and their alignment with previous agreements between the two nations, such as the 1921 Treaty between Persia and USSR and the 2001 Treaty on the Fundamentals of Relations. The study also incorporates geopolitical and economic evaluations to assess the treaty's potential impact. The results highlight that the treaty establishes a strong legal foundation for cooperation, enhancing military and technical collaboration, promoting trade and economic partnerships, and reinforcing mutual non-interference principles. A significant emphasis is placed on energy projects, including oil, gas, and nuclear initiatives, as well as the development of the International North–South Transport Corridor. Additionally, the agreement outlines cooperative mechanisms for countering unilateral sanctions and advancing multipolar international governance. The treaty signifies a strategic shift in Eurasian geopolitics, positioning Iran and Russia as key allies in regional security and economic integration. The findings suggest that this agreement will likely have long-term implications for international relations, particularly in Central Asia, the Middle East, and the broader Eurasia.
RESOLVING APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS IN QURANIC VERSES: METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES AND EXAMPLES
Authors: Jamal Elatrash Radwan , Osmani Noor Mohammad
Published: February 2025

The issue of the apparent contradiction (Obscure) between the verses of the Holy Qur’an is one of the major topics in Qur’anic studies. This subject has drawn significant attention from scholars since ancient times and continues to hold a prominent place in contemporary studies. The importance of this topic stems from its impact on understanding the Qur’an and its interaction with reality and the ever-changing challenges of life. It addresses a fundamental question related to the sanctity and credibility of divine revelation, raising central questions about whether there is a real contradiction between Qur'anic verses or whether what initially appears as a discrepancy is, in fact, a superficial difference arising from a lack of understanding or shallow interpretation. In addressing this issue, the researchers adopt an inductive approach by tracing and analyzing Qur'anic verses, followed by applying an analytical method to examine and interpret the texts in light of the integrated Qur'anic context. Through this approach, two conclusions can be reached: First, what appears to be a contradiction between the verses is, in most cases, a superficial discrepancy that requires deep reflection and a comprehensive understanding of the context. Second, the Holy Qur'an is free from any real contradictions; rather, it is a flawless book that reveals apparent contradictions in the minds of the recipients, not in its text.
صمود الثقافة الإسلامية في مواجهة العولمة: دراسة تحليلية في ضوء القرآن الكريم
Authors: Ali Rahma Qassim , Jamal Elatrash Radwan
Published: February 2025

يهدف هذا البحث إلى دراسة آليات ومكانة الثقافة الإسلامية في مواجهة تأثيرات العولمة والتطورات التكنولوجية المعاصرة. يتناول البحث مفهوم الثقافة الإسلامية، مصادرها، وخصائصها الأساسية، مع تركيز خاص على القرآن الكريم كمصدر رئيسي للصمود الثقافي. يسعى البحث لتسليط الضوء على الأهمية الجوهرية للثقافة الإسلامية في حياة المسلم، وكيفية تمسكها بالقيم والهوية رغم التحديات الناتجة عن العولمة. يقارن البحث بين الثقافة الإسلامية والثقافات الأخرى، مع التركيز على العوامل المهددة لاستدامتها في ظل الانفتاح التكنولوجي المعاصر. يعتمد البحث على المنهج الاستقرائي من خلال جمع الآيات القرآنية والأحاديث النبوية التي تؤكد على جوهر الثقافة الإسلامية، ويستند إلى آراء المفسرين والعلماء لتحليلها واستنباط دلالاتها. كما يستخدم المنهج الوصفي التحليلي لتوضيح أهمية الحفاظ على الثقافة الإسلامية بالاستناد إلى الآيات القرآنية وتفسيرها، مع الاستفادة من أقوال العلماء والمفكرين. توصل البحث إلى عدة نتائج، أبرزها: أن الحفاظ على الثقافة الإسلامية في ظل تطورات التكنولوجيا الحديثة يتطلب توجيه استخدام التقنيات بشكل يتماشى مع القيم الإسلامية، من خلال تعزيز التربية الإسلامية واستخدام التكنولوجيا في نشر الثقافة الدينية وتنظيم المحتوى الرقمي بما يعكس الصورة الحقيقية للإسلام. من جهة أخرى، يوفر الإسلام أدوات وآليات تساعد المسلمين على التفاعل مع التطورات التكنولوجية بما يضمن حماية الهوية الثقافية والدينية، مثل إنشاء محتوى رقمي إسلامي وتطوير تطبيقات تساهم في نشر القيم الإسلامية مع توفير الرقابة الذاتية.
Knowledge and perception of flexible partial dentures among private dental practitioners in Kuantan, Malaysia
Authors: Mohamad Soid Nursyafiqah , Zulkifli Karimah Wahida , Supa’at Salwana
Published: February 2025

Nylon-based thermoplastic dentures offer enhanced flexibility compared to conventional dentures, thus improving patient comfort and acceptance. Despite growing patient demand for flexible dentures, their prescription amongst early-career dental practitioners is poor. This study assessed the levels of knowledge and perception of flexible partial dentures among private dental practitioners in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia, with specific attention to potential differences between practitioners with <10 and more or equals to 10 years of clinical practice. A cross-sectional study was conducted using validated, self-administered questionnaires distributed to 73 dental practitioners in Kuantan, yielding 63 responses (38 female, 25 male). Respondents were stratified into two cohorts: Group A (n=28, <10 years’ experience), and Group B (n=35, more of equals to 10 years’ experience). High knowledge levels and positive perceptions were observed across both groups, with total mean scores of approximately 9 observed in each cohort. Statistical analysis showed no significant inter-group differences in mean scores for knowledge and perception (p >0.05). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between groups regarding mean knowledge scores or perception agreement frequencies. These findings suggest that private dental practitioners in Kuantan demonstrated substantial understanding and favorable attitudes towards flexible partial dentures, independent of years of clinical experience.
Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of User Mobile App Rating Scale (uMARS)
Authors: Tuan Soh Tuan Yuswana , Nik Mohd Rosdy Nik Mohd Mazuan , Md Sabri Budi Aslinie
Published: February 2025

The user Version Mobile apps rating scale was established to evaluate the mobile apps. However, to date, there is no uMARS in the Malay version. This study aims to develop a Malay language alternative to the existing version of the Mobile Apps Rating Scale. The initial version of uMARS had previously underwent cross-cultural adaptation, and forward-backward translation with synthesis discussion through a development phase. The upgraded Malay version has been screened and rated by 10 respondents for face validation and a total of 36 respondents contributed to the internal reliability assessment by answering the pilot study question. All items and constructs in the uMARS version were fully adapted. All items and constructs from the prior version of uMARS were fully incorporated into the recent version. The Malay language version of uMARS was subsequently assessed for validity as well as reliability after undergoing forward backward translation. Scale level face validity index based on average method (S-FVI/Ave): 0.99, and S-FVI based on universal agreement method (S-FVI/UA): 0.89 showed that uMARS Malay Version has achieved a satisfactory level of response process validity. Whereas all items and construct presented with excellent internal reliability, Cronbach alpha (?) = 0.918, 0.857, 0.984 for objective quality, subjective quality and perceived impact. The Malay language of uMARS represents the outcome produced through proper development and validation of questionnaires; all of which favourably resulted in an updated version of uMARS that has been deemed competent to be utilized for qualitative measurement of mobile health apps in the Malay language.
Patient satisfaction toward aesthetic and functional outcomes: a comparative study of acrylic vs. cobalt-chrome removable partial dentures
Authors: Ahmad Norfaezah , Harun Siti Khadijah , Habit Mustafa Syarifah Anisah , Wan Nik Wan Noor Nazayan , Mohd Ibrahim Mohamad Shafiq
Published: February 2025

Removable partial dentures (RPD) are effective prostheses for restoring both function and aesthetics following tooth loss. Patient satisfaction with RPD functional and aesthetic outcomes is critical in determining the success of RPD therapy. This study aimed to evaluate and compare patient satisfaction with the function and aesthetics of acrylic and cobalt chrome (Co-Cr) RPD and identify factors affecting patients' satisfaction with RPD. Ninety-one patients who received RPD from undergraduate dental students from Kulliyyah of Dentistry (KOD), IIUM, participated in this study. The number of RPD issued for these patients was 150 units, with 121 (80.7%) acrylic and 29 (19.3%) Co-Cr RPD.  Patients completed validated questionnaires consisting of four sections: demographics information, patient satisfaction towards the function of RPD, patient satisfaction towards aesthetics of RPD and patient perception towards retention and stability of RPD. Data analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel 2016 and SPSS version 25. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyse and compare patient satisfaction levels of RPD. A chi-square test was used to examine patients’ perceptions of retention and stability of their RPD. Analysis was set as p<0.05 with a 95% confidence interval as statistically significant. The majority of patients reported greater functional and aesthetic satisfaction with acrylic removable partial dentures (RPDs) compared to cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) RPDs. There was no significant relationship between patient satisfaction with retention and stability of RPD. In conclusion, acrylic RPDs were perceived to be superior to Co-Cr RPDs, and patient satisfaction was not influenced by the retention or stability of the RPDs.
Association between disease activity and clinico-laboratory parameters in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia: a retrospective study
Authors: Mohd Salihin Nur Aishah Nadirah , Wan Mohamad Wan Majdiah , Mohamed Thaha Ummul Aqeela Balqees , Awang Nawi Mohamad Arif , Che Rahim Mohd Jazman
Published: February 2025

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with multi-system involvement. The clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters in SLE patients vary depending upon the disease severity. SLE affects many organs such as skin, brain, and joints, thus affecting the clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients. This study aims to determine the association between the disease activity and clinico-laboratory parameters among SLE patients at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. A total of 32 medical records of SLE patients from 2010 to 2023 were retrieved. The data of clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained and analysed using SPSS 27.0. Demographic data was analysed descriptively, and the Chi square test was used to evaluate the association between SLE disease activity and the clinico-laboratory parameters. We expect the most common symptoms in SLE include arthritis, malar rash, oral ulcer, and increase anti-dsDNA particularly in active SLE. This study showed the most common symptoms were arthritis (n=14;43.8%) followed by oral ulcer (n=10;31.3%). High level of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) was found in 21 patients (65.6%) while 18 (56.3%) patients had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Sixteen (50.0%) patients demonstrated low serum C3 and C4 levels. Significant associations were found between the disease activity and arthritis (p=0.033), oral ulcer (p=0.002), prolonged fever (p=0.001), ANA level (p=0.009), and anti-dsDNA level (p=0.022). Arthritis was found to be the most frequent symptoms in SLE patients. High level of ANA, increased ESR and low serum complement levels correlates well with active disease. In conclusion, active SLE patients were more frequently presented with arthritis, oral ulcer, prolonged fever, and demonstrated high ANA and anti-dsDNA levels.
Patient expectations and satisfaction with non-surgical periodontal treatment provided by fourth-year dental students at the University of Otago, Faculty of Dentistry, Dunedin
Authors: Liu Cindy , Le Pine-Day Michael , Al-Naasan Zeina , Tawse-Smith Andrew
Published: February 2025

Evaluation of patient satisfaction is critical to assessing the quality of care. In New Zealand, there are limited studies evaluating the satisfaction of patients receiving treatment by dental students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current patient satisfaction levels and the factors that influence patient satisfaction with non-surgical periodontal treatment provided by fourth-year dental students at the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry, along with areas requiring improvement. This study utilised a mixed-methods approach. A 29-item electronic survey was completed by 41 eligible participants. A five-point Likert scale was used to ascertain respondents' level of agreement with a range of statements related to quality of care. Open text fields were used after each group of questions to allow participants to expand on their responses. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and qualitative data was coded and content analysed. 100 percent of respondents agreed that they received good periodontal treatment and 81.6 percent agreed that their dental student appeared competent. Participants further elaborated on areas that can be improved such as logistics, standard of care, patient expectation, prior knowledge, communication, physical and emotional care, personnel, technical skills, and physical space. Despite limitations, this study indicated a high level of patient satisfaction with the periodontal treatment provided. Areas of improvement include access to care, informed consent, and communication. The results of this survey reinforce the excellent standard of care provided by students and highlight areas for improvement in future years.