bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Tourists’ Satisfaction on Electric Train Service (ETS)
Authors: Akhuan Norfadhilah Mohd , Halim Zahirah Sofea Z , Ahmad Muhammad Aiman , Zani Ahmad Hazim Ahmad
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the use of Electric Train Services (ETS) railway service by tourists. It seeks to understand factors influencing tourists’ satisfaction with ETS train services. Data were collected from a survey with convenience and purposive sampling by selected tourists in ETS station in Kuala Lumpur Sentral. Theoretical frameworks for research units like the four dimensions of the level of satisfaction (accessibility, service quality, traveling comfort, cost). 213 respondents were gathered through a combination of a direct approach and an online survey using Google Forms. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS 27 and Excel. The findings revealed strong correlations between all the listed aspects and tourist satisfaction. Overall, tourists were highly satisfied with the ETS train services at KL Sentral. Consequently, this study contributes to our understanding of how tourists perceive and experience the ETS service. The conclusion of the study delves into the results obtained and explores potential implications and future possibilities.
The Mediating Role of Social Media Usage as a Learning Tool on Students’ Academic Performance: A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM-AMOS) Approach
Authors: Mat Zin Siti Hasma Hajar , Zakaria Siti Haslini , Hassim Nor Hidayah , Che Md Nor Rumaizah , Rosnan Suhanah , Mohd Shafee CT Munirah Niesha
Published: June 2024

Social media is used in many aspects of modern life. Lately, higher education has also expanded its focus to include globalized online learning using social media. Educational establishments have acknowledged that social media gives students a chance to interact with teachers, other students, and higher authorities. However, there is little information available on it in educational settings, especially in the classroom. Only a small number of studies in Malaysia have specifically examined social media, even though many studies have looked at how social media influences the academic performance of university students. Therefore, we conducted this quantitative study to determine whether social media usage mediates the relationship between educational variables and academic performance among students enrolled in Malaysian public higher education institutions. We conducted a cross-sectional study at UiTM Segamat, involving 388 respondents. The findings demonstrate that social media usage mediates the relationship between students' performance and perceived usefulness, perceived enhanced communication, and resource sharing. Social media use does not mediate perceived ease of use, collaborative learning, or perceived enjoyment of students' performance. To use social media as a teaching tool, particularly in higher education institutions, the research findings bring new knowledge to the field. The higher education community may share knowledge anytime and anywhere. This platform allows educators and students to interact with one another after learning sessions, which will help the student succeed academically.
Liquid detection and instance segmentation based on Mask R-CNN in industrial environment
Authors: Gawdzik Grzegorz , Orłowski Arkadiusz
Published: June 2024

The goal of the paper is to present an efficient approach to detect and instantiate liquid spilled in the industrial and industrial-like environments. Motivation behind it is to enable mobile robots to automatically detect and collect samples of spilled liquids. Due to the lack of useful training data of spilled substances, a new dataset with RGB images and masks was gathered. A new application of the Mask-RCNN-based algorithm is proposed which has the functionalities of detecting the spilled liquid and segmenting the image.
Complement factor C1q mediates vascular endothelial dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic mice
Authors: Mao Aiqin , Li Zicheng , Shi# Xiaoming , Zhang Ka , Kan Hao , Geng Li , He Dongxu
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Diabetes is a significant global public health issue with implications for vascular endothelial cells (ECs) dysfunction and the subsequent development and advancement of diabetic complications. This study aims to compare the cellular and molecular properties of the aorta in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, with a focus on elucidating potential mechanism underlying EC dysfunction. Here, we performed a single-cell RNA sequencing survey of 32,573 cells from the aorta of normal and STZ-induced diabetic mice. We found a compendium of 10 distinct cell types, mainly ECs, smooth muscle cells (SMCs), fibroblast, pericyte, immune cells and stromal cells. As the diabetes condition progressed, we observed a subpopulation of aortic ECs that exhibited significantly elevated expression of complement (C) molecule C1qa compared to their healthy counterparts. This increased expression of C1qa was found to induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, facilitate EC migration and increased permeability, and impair the vasodilation within the aortic segment of mice. Furthermore, AAV-Tie2-shRNA-C1qa was administered into diabetic mice by tail vein injection, showing that inhibition of C1qa in the endothelium led to a reduction in ROS production, decreased vascular permeability, and improved vasodilation. Collectively, these findings highlight the crucial involvement of C1qa in endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes.

Article Highlights

The molecular mechanisms and cellular heterogeneity of C1q in endothelial cells, which regulate vascular function, remain unclear.

C1q is involved in the regulation of vascular function.

C1q in vascular endothelial cells can regulate vascular function, including permeability, immunity and diastolic function.

C1q represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of endothelial dysfunction associated with diabetes.
Characterizing common and rare variations in non-traditional glycemic biomarkers using multivariate approaches on multi-ancestry ARIC study
Authors: Ray Debashree , J. Loomis Stephanie , Venkataraghavan Sowmya , Zhang Jiachen , Tin Adrienne , Yu Bing , Chatterjee Nilanjan , Selvin Elizabeth , Duggal Priya
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT (249 words)

Genetic studies of non-traditional glycemic biomarkers, glycated albumin and fructosamine, can shed light on unknown aspects of type 2 diabetes genetics and biology. We performed a multi-phenotype GWAS of glycated albumin and fructosamine from 7,395 White and 2,016 Black participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study on common variants from genotyped/imputed data. We discovered 2 genome-wide significant loci, one mapping to known type 2 diabetes gene (ARAP1/STARD10) and another mapping to a novel region (UGT1A complex of genes) using multi-omics gene-mapping strategies in diabetes-relevant tissues. We identified additional loci that were ancestry- and sex-specific (e.g., PRKCA in African ancestry, FCGRT in European ancestry, TEX29 in males). Further, we implemented multi-phenotype gene-burden tests on whole-exome sequence data from 6,590 White and 2,309 Black ARIC participants. Ten variant sets annotated to genes across different variant aggregation strategies were exome-wide significant only in multi-ancestry analysis, of which CD1D, EGFL7/AGPAT2 and MIR126 had notable enrichment of rare predicted loss of function variants in African ancestry despite smaller sample sizes. Overall, 8 out of 14 discovered loci and genes were implicated to influence these biomarkers via glycemic pathways, and most of them were not previously implicated in studies of type 2 diabetes. This study illustrates improved locus discovery and potential effector gene discovery by leveraging joint patterns of related biomarkers across the entire allele frequency spectrum in multi-ancestry analysis. Future investigation of the loci and genes potentially acting through glycemic pathways may help us better understand risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS (100 words)

· Glycated albumin and fructosamine are biomarkers reflecting aspects of the glycemic process different from glycated hemoglobin or blood glucose levels. Thus, they can shed light on unknown aspects of type 2 diabetes genetics and biology.

· We leveraged array-based and exome sequence data on multi-ancestry individuals in the US to discover yet-unidentified genes.

· We discovered 14 common variant loci and rare variant genes associated with glycated albumin and/or fructosamine, some of which have been implicated in type 2 diabetes. Locus-specific effects at common variants may vary by sex. Some loci and gene associations were unique to either European or African ancestry.
Regulation of STAT1 signalling in human pancreatic β-cells by the lysine deacetylase, HDAC6; a new therapeutic opportunity in type 1 diabetes?
Authors: Afi Leslie Kaiyven , Lekka Christiana , J. Richardson Sarah , A. Russell Mark , G. Morgan Noel
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Type 1 diabetes arises from the selective destruction of pancreatic β-cells by autoimmune mechanisms and intracellular pathways driven by Janus (JAK)-kinase mediated STAT isoforms (especially STAT1 & STAT2) are implicated as mediators of β-cell demise. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms that regulate JAK-STAT signalling in β-cells during the autoimmune attack remain only partially disclosed and the factors acting to antagonise pro-inflammatory STAT1 signalling are uncertain. We have recently implicated Signal Regulatory Protein (SIRP)-α in promoting β-cell viability in the face of ongoing islet autoimmunity and now reveal that this protein controls the availability of a cytosolic lysine deacetylase, HDAC6, whose activity regulates the phosphorylation and activation of STAT1. We provide evidence that STAT1 serves as a substrate for HDAC6 in β-cells and that sequestration of HDAC6 by SIRPα in response to anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin-13) leads to increased STAT1 acetylation. This then impairs the ability of STAT1 to promote gene transcription in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines including interferon-gamma (IFNγ). We further find that SIRPα is lost from the β-cells of subjects with recent-onset type 1 diabetes under conditions when HDAC6 is retained and STAT1 levels are increased. On this basis, we report a previously unrecognised role for cytokine-induced regulation of STAT1 acetylation in the control of β-cell viability and propose that targeted inhibition of HDAC6 activity may represent a novel therapeutic modality to promote β-cell viability in the face of active islet autoimmunity.

Article Highlights

· Signal regulatory protein-alpha (SIRPα) is present in human islet cells but its levels decline in β-cells in type 1 diabetes.

· Decreases in SIRPα expression are associated with a reduction in the viability of cultured β-cells.

· Immunoprecipitation of β-cell SIRPα reveals a direct interaction with the lysine deacetylase, HDAC6.

· Sequestration of HDAC6 by SIRPα results in increased acetylation, reduced phosphorylation and impaired activation of STAT1 during exposure of β-cells to IFNγ.

· Pharmacological targeting of HDAC6 might yield improvements in β-cell viability during progression to type 1 diabetes.
Nye lærerstudenters oppfatninger og bilder av undervisning og lærere i matematikk
Authors: Gjøvik Øistein
Published: June 2024

For many years, ”drawing a mathematics teacher” has been an activity that new student teachers in mathematics have been required to do in their first teaching session within the teacher training program. Having already been students themselves for at least thirteen years, during which most of them had mathematics classes several times a week, they had quite clear preconceptions of how teaching mathematics occurs, what kind of mathematics is taught and by whom. In this chapter I address what these drawings produced by student teachers can tell us: They bear imprints of all three elements, that is, the type of teaching, the nature of mathematics and the behavior or appearance of the mathematics teacher. More than 400 drawings were collected over a six-year period and analyzed, and they revealed that there is a surprising consensus around these presentations.
På vei mot å bli en lærerperson. Lærerstudenters utforsking gjennom performative læringsaktiviteter i et læringslaboratorium
Authors: Moen Elin , Hellesnes Gro
Published: June 2024

In this article, we explore how student teachers experience themselves as teacherpersons through participation in a pedagogical learning laboratory where performative learning activities are central. Through phenomenological research, we have carried out group interviews with students, posing the question: To what extent do student teachers feel that performative learning activities contribute to self-exploration as teacherpersons? Through the analysis, we devised three main categories: “Courage to explore the uncomfortable,” “Understanding the student,” and “We have gained a language for the bodily and emotional aspects of the work of teaching.” The categories facilitated discussion around bodily learning, authenticity, courage, and mentalization. The study argues for further development of the performative in teacher training as well as the importance of student teachers’ understanding of the personal aspects of teaching.
The use of combination plant growth promoting rhizobacteria to control chili leaf curl disease in the field
Authors: Wiyono Suryo , Hidayat Sri Hendrastuti , Sobir  , Suryaningsih Andika Septiana
Published: June 2024

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a promising technology for controlling viral diseases, including pepper yellow leaf curl disease (PYLCD) of chili pepper caused by Begomovirus infection. The objectives of this research were to investigate the effectiveness of PGPR containing Pseudomonas fluorescens PF1 and Bacillus polymyxa BG25, as well as their combination with other protective agents, to control PYLCD under field conditions in an endemic region. The treatments consisted of a single application of PGPR (a mixture of P. fluorescens PF1 and B. polymyxa BG25), guano tea, endophytic fungus H5, and neem oil; combination of PGPR with guano tea, endophytic fungus H5, and neem oil; conventional pesticide that relies on synthetic chemical insecticide sprayed weekly; and untreated plots. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. Treatment with PGPR alone was able to delay disease onset by 2.25 weeks, but it caused only a slight reduction in disease incidence. The combination of PGPR + guano tea and PGPR + endophyte H5 provided the best results in controlling PYLCD. The combination of PGPR + guano tea and PGPR + endophyte H5 delayed disease onset by 2.75 weeks and 3.25 weeks, respectively, and reduced disease incidence with effectiveness rates of 52.72% and 52.08%, respectively. These two treatment combinations gave the best performance for plant growth and yield.
Literasi Soft Skills untuk Mendukung Ekstrakurikuler Berbasis Keterampilan Vokasi pada Peserta Didik di Pendidikan Kasih Anak Bangsa
Authors: Nopita
Published: June 2024

Program soft and hard skills literacy based training dianggap perlu dilakukan khususnya untuk di satuan pendidikan berbasis non sekuler, seperti sekolah teologi, untuk memperlengkapi peserta didik dengan keterampilan sehingga setelah lulus mereka mampu menjadi pekerja misi yang mandiri. Pelaksanaan kegiatan program pengabdian ini terbagi atas tiga sesi yaitu ceramah interaktif, demo dan pelatihan, dan praktek/unjuk kerja. Observasi dan penilaian kualitatif dilakukan di tiap sesi. Hasil program menunjukkan bahwa peserta didik memahami dan mampu mempraktekkan prinsip rohani dan profesional tentang talenta, soft dan hard skills.
The Influence of Food Quality and Service Quality on Repurchase Intention Through Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Ellitan Lena , Edgar Thomas
Published: June 2024

Purpose: This research aims to analyze the influence of food quality and service quality on repurchase intention through customer satisfaction in Sambal Bakar in Surabaya.
Method: This research use quantitative causal design. A total of 137 respondents aged above 17 participated in this study. The analysis method employed was Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Square (SEM PLS).
Result: The research results indicate that both food quality and service quality have a positive and significant impact on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction, in turn, significantly and positively influences repurchase intention, affirming the crucial contribution of customer satisfaction to the intention to revisit. Furthermore, both food quality and service quality significantly and positively affect repurchase intention, emphasizing that service quality makes a strong contribution to customers' intention to return.
System of Free Legal Aid: Regarding the Problems of Terminology
Authors: Zyma O. T. , Soloviova O. M. , Yakoviyk I. V.
Published: June 2024

The article discusses the terminology used in the Law of Ukraine “On Free Legal Aid”. Some of its shortcomings are noted and special attention is paid to the term “system of free legal aid”.
The authors emphasize the importance of the concept itself and point out the role of its analogues in other current legislative acts. With the help of the method of system-structural analysis, the main features of the legal system, focused on law enforcement activity, which are usually reflected in similar definitions, are allocated.
Taking into account the list of established features, it is proposed to define the system of free legal aid, as well as ways of its implantation in the Law of Ukraine “On Free Legal Aid”. The new version of Art. 6-1 Law. An analysis of the text of the current Article 6-1 of the Law is carried out, and it is pointed out that the current title of the article does not correspond to its content, as well as the contradiction in the content itself, which consists in the fact that under the title “System of free legal aid provision” the article contains an incomplete list of entities involved in the provision and administration of the provision of primary and secondary free legal aid.
A new text of the article has been developed, which will allow, on the one hand, to introduce a definition of the system of free legal aid into the Law, and on the other hand, to preserve the list of subjects of such aid enshrined in the article. This approach is justified by the fact that the subjects of legal aid provision are one of the main elements of its system. At the same time, to correct the shortcomings in the above-mentioned list by expanding it and including in the text all entities involved in ensuring the implementation of the constitutional guarantee for free legal aid (both providers and administrators of such aid).
The article also substantiates the expediency of including the term “free legal aid system” in the text of the law and its practical importance.
In addition, analyzing the terminology used in the law, the authors draw attention to less significant shortcomings that need to be eliminated (inaccuracies of names, classification errors).
Individual issues of legal regulation of administrative liability for offenses that undermine the established order of governance
Authors: Shestak L. V. , Seletskyi O. V.
Published: June 2024

The article addresses the issues of legal regulation of administrative liability for offenses that undermine the established order of governance. The authors analyze the peculiarities of normative fixation of administrative offenses provided for in Chapter 15 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses and point out the inconsistency of certain provisions of the Code with modern conditions, including wartime. According to the authors, this fosters a sense of impunity among offenders and a sense of helplessness among law enforcement officials in the face of the «letter of the law.»
Analyzing the features of administrative offenses that affect established management procedures allows drawing conclusions about the multitude of special subjects for violations within the named group, as well as the diversity of manifestations of the subjective aspect. This is associated with the creation of new institutions (Bureau of Economic Security, State Special Communications Service and Information Protection of Ukraine, among others), as well as the expediency of legal protection of relationships that have emerged relatively recently (such as personal data protection). Despite the importance of applying measures of administrative liability for violations affecting established management procedures, there are numerous shortcomings in the legal regulation of such liability. Among these shortcomings, the following should be highlighted: disproportionality of sanctions to the severity of the offense committed, obsolescence of certain provisions, impossibility of holding accountable individuals who are not citizens of Ukraine; a significant number of offense elements, the qualification of which requires studying special regulatory acts, impossibility of holding minors accountable on general grounds; lack of administrative liability for violations of curfew and failure to observe blackout measures during a state of war, and so on.
Main vectors of reforming the Ukrainian penitentiary system in light of European integration processes: a retrospective view
Authors: Zavitnevych R. Yu.
Published: June 2024

The article examines the process of reforming the Ukrainian penitentiary system from independence to the present. It is stressed that with the advent of independence in Ukraine, there was a departure from the Soviet past and a wish to join Western European values and institutions. The European course and intention to be integrated into the European community have become the primary priorities of Ukraine’s foreign policy.
The attention is focused on the fact that the political course taken by our country for integration into the European community requires transformations in various spheres of social relations. In this context, an important place is occupied by reforming the Ukrainian penitentiary system, taking into account the experience of positive functioning of the penitentiary systems in the European Union member states. Accession of Ukraine to the Council of Europe demonstrated the readiness of our country to make global reforms aimed at protecting human rights and strengthening democratic institutions.
The historical analysis proved that the present Ukrainian penitentiary system follows the Soviet model for the treatment of prisoners, which is based on authoritarianism and totalitarianism. In light of European integration processes, the Ukrainian penitentiary system must be overviewed, and new ways must be sought for its development. Respect for the dignity of the human person is one of the most European Union values. Ukraine’s orientation to the system of European values shall contribute to rethinking and seeking new ways to build a civilised European-style penitentiary system in our country. In modern circumstances, the Ukrainian penitentiary system is still in crisis. It has many issues, which are primarily related to its underfunding, outdated prison infrastructure, inadequate level of medical care, numerous cases of prisoners’ ill-treatment, lack of a sufficient number of rehabilitation programs, etc.
Comparative legal research on the functioning of the penitentiary systems in the European Union and Ukraine is needed to build a civilised European-style penitentiary system in our country. Analysing and studying the theoretical development of this subject will help formulating specific proposals for improving the Ukrainian criminal-executive system.
The origins of intelligence
Authors: Kardashevskyy Y. R.
Published: June 2024

The article focuses on the issues of reforming law enforcement through the introduction of a new model of Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP). The key emphasis is on the content and characteristics of analytical intelligence itself.
The author examines the historical origins of intelligence, both as a term and as an activity in various social spheres. The author emphasizes the historical regularity of the use of intelligence in law enforcement. In order to reveal the content, the author analyzes the peculiarities of the formation of intelligence in France and the United Kingdom. The author points out the historicity of justifying the value of intelligence by verifying both its reliability and the integrity of the source. It is noted that intelligence reports were actively collected and classified using a complex system of filing cabinets and intelligence files. This work was supported by a special group of intelligence officers and facilitated the systematic collation, evaluation and analysis of data. At the same time, intelligence-led policing and investigations were potentially hampered and, to some extent, halted by cultural protectionism and the lack of sufficiently developed databases.
Gradually, the term «intelligence-led policing» (ILP) has expanded to include its modern application – the use of analytics in general police management (not just specialized units), including aspects of community crime prevention, public order and public safety. The processes of ILP development in the UK and the USA are described. The content of the main activities and key elements of ILP that require implementation and compliance with certain requirements is revealed. Attention is focused on the defined mission of the intelligence function in the activities of law enforcement agencies, intelligence standards and requirements for the professionalism of analysts.
Use of modern criminalistics innovations in the investigation of military crimes
Authors: Yaremchuk V. O.
Published: June 2024

The increase in the number of enemy shelling of Ukraine causes human casualties, the destruction of buildings, and environmental disasters. Investigators are investigating hundreds of criminal offenses related to the conduct of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. Undoubtedly, military investigations and war crimes require the application of modern innovative criminalistics knowledge. Criminal proceedings for these types of criminal offenses have been investigated since 2014. Despite the fact that there is a certain experience of investigation and a certain established practice, today, based on the huge number of these criminal offenses, it is necessary to increase the effectiveness of their investigation. The problems of the investigation of military criminal offenses are highlighted in the works of scientists G.K. Avdeeva, V.V. Bilousa, E.B. Simakova-Efremyan, V.Yu. Shepitka and other scientists.
That is why today it is important to review the innovative areas of criminalistics used in the investigation of military criminal offenses.
In the legal literature, the problems of using helicopters in the investigation of projectile hits in buildings, warehouses, industrial zones, etc. are considered. Of course, this is a forensic development that is very necessary for inspections of destroyed buildings in large areas.
Innovative criminalistics knowledge is used in the investigation of military criminal offenses in the form of involving forensic experts and in the form of conducting forensic examinations. However, there are certain difficulties in realizing the possibilities of conducting forensic examinations, in particular, and inviting foreign specialists. Of course, modern achievements in the field of forensic expertise and criminalistics are used during investigative (search) actions, covert investigative (search) actions. During the inspection of the scene of the incident in one of the districts of Kharkiv, where oil leaked into the river as a result of an enemy attack, an inspection of huge soil areas and water bodies was carried out. Specialists were involved in the selection of samples for conducting various types of forensic examinations. An engineering and environmental examination was appointed. Therefore, in the conditions of war, the investigator cannot do without the use of special knowledge and the introduction of innovations, as in the investigation of military criminal offenses. It is proposed to consider the use of innovative criminalistics knowledge in the form of involving forensic experts and conducting forensic examinations, and in the form of inviting specialists to investigative (search) actions.
Protecting children’s rights in intercountry adoption
Authors: Zubareva A. E.
Published: June 2024

The article explores the protection of children’s rights in intercountry adoption. It defines the concept of intercountry adoption and outlines three categories of international multilateral treaties that establish standards and guarantees for ensuring children’s rights and interests in this regard. Specifically, the author examines the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (1993), and the European Convention on Intercountry Adoption (Revised) (2008).
The article underscores that in intercountry adoption, states must prioritize the interests of the child. It mandates that intercountry adoption should only occur with the involvement of competent authorities and in accordance with the law. Additionally, states must take preventive measures to ensure that intercountry adoption doesn’t result in undue financial gain for the adoptive parents, and states must combat unlawful activities like abduction, sale or trafficking of children. The article highlights the importance of consulting with the child regarding their desire to be adopted, informing them adequately about the consequences, and obtaining their voluntary consent. The child’s wishes and opinions should be taken into consideration, and consent should not be procured through remuneration or compensation. The author examines the practices of national protection of children’s rights in intercountry adoption, focusing on countries such as Australia, Ukraine, Taiwan, and Indonesia.
According to this practice, states establish clear criteria at the national level to ensure children’s rights in intercountry adoption. These criteria include requirements such as minimum and maximum age limits for adoptive parents, their mental and physical well-being, demonstrated financial capability to raise a child, a specified period of being married, etc. States also specify the grounds under which a child may be considered for adoption, considering factors such as age, health, preferences, voluntary consent, and other considerations. Also, states assess the needs arising during and after intercountry adoption, offering counseling and support services. These services may encompass assistance in tracing biological relatives, preserving children’s cultural identities, and providing practical support for both adoptees and adoptive parents.
International legal regulation of the right to benefit from scientific progress and its application at the universal level
Authors: Kolomoiets K. S.
Published: June 2024

The article analyzes international legal acts (the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the Benefit of Mankind, the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, the International Declaration on Human Genetic Data, the Venice Statement on the Right to Enjoy the Benefits of Scientific Progress and its Applications, reports of the Special Rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council, UNESCO recommendations, General Comment No. 25 on Science of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, etc.), adopted within international intergovernmental organizations at the universal level regarding the right to benefit from scientific progress and its application. The article focuses on the normative content of the studied right, in particular, it reveals the content of the concepts “results of scientific progress”, which means material results of the application of scientific research, and “practical application”, which should be understood as the use of scientific achievements to solve specific problems and meet specific needs of the population. The article also emphasizes the role of soft law instruments and international treaties as tools for reflecting the consensus among states on the need to promote the development of science as a public good available to all, and to integrate human rights norms and principles into the development and advancement of science, technology and related policies. The article serves as a theoretical basis for further research of a unified approach to understanding the right to benefit from scientific progress and its application.
Problematic issues and prospects for Ukraine’s participation in international criminal justice
Authors: Pimenova A. Yu. , Kuzmenko V. M.
Published: June 2024

The article deals with the issues related to the possibility of Ukraine’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as an effective way to participate in the administration of international criminal justice with a view to bringing to justice those who have committed and continue to commit crimes of international concern in our country. The author analyzes the basic principles of correlation between international and national law, in particular, criminal procedure law, and on the basis of the analysis concludes that modern criminal procedure law of Ukraine is capable of interacting with the norms of international law in the field of criminal proceedings on the basis of three main principles of such interaction. The author also examines the contradictions between the provisions of the Rome Statute and certain provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the exclusion of immunities from liability (including criminal liability) for certain categories of persons, the rejection of the principle of non-extradition of own citizens, etc., and proves that this problem can be solved without amending the Constitution of Ukraine. The study concludes that there are no serious legal grounds for refusing to ratify the Rome Statute and emphasizes the need to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as a prerequisite for further European integration of our country.
Refusal of extradition of persons subject to xtradition as a guarantee of the protection of human rights: problematic aspects
Authors: Cheban V. I.
Published: June 2024

This article is devoted to the problematic aspects of the implementation of the extradition procedure when providing legal assistance. The author set a goal to investigate the main reasons for refusing to extradite a person in the context of ensuring human rights. The novelty elements are: it is substantiated that in modern conditions, under no circumstances should extradition violate human rights, which is determined by the anthropocentric vector of development of both domestic legal systems and international legal systems; it is proposed to distinguish between two types of extradition: interstate and international; the author proved that control over the observance of human rights by the extraditing state can include the following: the right to check the state of observance of human rights, the right to meet with the extradited person in order to find out his real situation, the right to demand a report from the requested state about the state of compliance with the rights of the extradited person, the right to demand the return of the extradited person in case of violation of his rights; a proposal was made to introduce at the level of the internal national legislation of states the extradition of all individuals, including their own citizens, who are suspected of committing international crimes or convicted of such crimes on the basis of a court verdict, which will contribute not only to making the situation impossible avoidance of the guilty from responsibility, but will also serve as a certain preventive measure. It is concluded that the extradition procedure is quite complicated, which may be accompanied by certain difficulties in practice, but this does not under any circumstances mean that the participants of such relations should level human rights.
Student’s engagement on online biology teaching and learning: in the perspective of constructivism theory
Authors: Abu Kassim Masitah , Tengku Azhar Tengku Norbaya , Che Hassan Muhamad Rahimi , Ishak Nur Syakireen , Mohd Zazi Norhafizah , Abdul Khalil Khaniza Hasliza
Published: June 2024

Constructivism theory outlines that learning must be constructed through meaningful learning experience of the learners. Biology is the study of living things that comply with both theoretical and experimental. Since COVID-19 hit globally in 2020, education systems have been impacted and urged to make crucial changes. Online learning has become the main method of teaching and learning within the period. During endemic, academia must get back to face-to-face methods and leave behind the virtual one. This study highlighted the effectiveness of online learning in Biology towards student’s engagement and learning experience. It measures the behavioural-cognitive engagement of the students towards their online learning experience and correlate it to their performances. A group of 114 foundation students who have enrolled in Biology courses were chosen to complete an engagement survey. A 5-point Likert scale has been used in this survey. It was reported that, students prefer to use online method of biology learning in certain circumstances but prefer face-to-face on daily session.
The influence of content schemata on ESL learners’ comprehension of ‘The Hunted Fox’ and ‘The Breakup’: ODL experience
Authors: Mohd Radzi Amizura Hanadi , Mohd Radzi Amiza Hazni
Published: June 2024

The role of content schemata in influencing learners’ understanding of reading texts is crucial. This qualitative case study which involved 11 participants was conducted to explore how content schemata contribute to the learners’ comprehension, to explore factors that contribute to the learners’ understanding, and factors that hinder the process of understanding 2 short stories, i.e., ‘The Hunted Fox’ and ‘The Breakup’. This study is guided by Schema Theory and Reader-response Theory. Data were gathered through Open Distance Learning (ODL) class activities and written response in-depth interviews via Google Form. Both data were cross analyzed for patterns. The findings demonstrated clear indication of the role of content schemata in aiding learners’ comprehension of the texts. Learners’ comprehension of reading texts can be significantly hindered without sufficient background knowledge of the context of the texts. Language instructors as well as material writers can benefit from the findings of this study in selecting suitable reading materials which are within the learners’ content schemata for teaching and learning purposes.
Age of smoking initiation, tobacco habits and risk perception among primary, middle and high school students in Southern Italy
Authors: Ferrante Margherita , Fiore Maria , Leon Luca , Costantidines Fulvio , Castaing Marine , Fallico Roberto , Sciacca Salvatore , Modonutti Giovanni Battista
Published: June 2024

Aim: The aim of this study was to find out at what age children start smoking, as well as their tobacco habitsand risk perceptions according to the different school-age groups.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 2007; it involved around 1700 students of the Cataniaprovince, in Southern Italy. The students filled in a structured tobacco questionnaire. They did it anonymouslyin the classrooms. Main outcome measures were initiation of smoking, smoking habits, number of cigarettessmoked per day and risk perception.Results: From the first year of the primary school to the last year of the high school the proportion of dailysmokers increased from 0.0% to 11.8% for girls and from 0.8% to 12.7% for boys. For both genders theinitiation of smoking habits occurred mainly at age 10 to 13. Finally, girls had a better risk perception.Conclusions: Studying young people’s tobacco habits over time gives an understanding of when preventivemeasures have to be implemented. In order to influence smoking attitudes, these preventive interventionsmust be put in place before children start experimenting tobacco.
Prevalence and demographic risk factors of gastrointestinal symptoms in Tehran province
Authors: Pourhoseingholi Asma , Safaee Azadeh , Pourhoseinghol Mohamad Amin , Moghimi- Dehkordi Bijan , Habibi Manijeh , Vahedi Mohsen , Reza Zali Mohammad
Published: June 2024

Background: Gastrointestinal diseases are maladies that produce multiple symptoms. Suffering from thesesymptoms attributes people to an illness which they self-treat or seek medical care. The objective of thisstudy is to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and relation between somedemographic factors and GI symptoms in the Province of Tehran.Methods: This study was a cross-sectional household survey conducted from May 2006 to December 2007 inthe Province of Tehran, Iran. The questionnaire included personal and family characteristics such as age,gender, and educational level. In addition to this, interviewers asked about 10 GI symptoms.Results: A total of 30,334 subjects were included in the study, there were 15,165 men (50%). Among them,4,400 (14.5%) reported one or more GI symptom. Prevalence of GI symptoms included: heartburn 8.6%,bloating 7.6%, abdominal pain 6.2%, constipation 5.1%, anal pain 1.7%, weight loss 1.4%, diarrhea 1.1%,nausea and vomiting 1%, anal bleeding 0.8% and dysphagia 0.8%.Conclusions: The prevalence of GI symptoms in the population studied was lower than that reported in otherpopulations. Women had higher prevalence of GI symptoms. With the increase in educational level the chanceof have a GI symptom decreased. Singles reported symptoms less than married participants.
Prevalence of stunting and thinness among rural adolescents of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India
Authors: Mondal Nitish , Sen Jaydip
Published: June 2024

Background: The primary causes of undernutrition in India are its large population, socio-economicdifferences and inadequate access to health facilities. Nutritional assessments among adolescents areimportant as they are the future parents and constitute a potentially susceptible group. Studies on theassessment of nutritional status of adolescents are less in number and a National database has not yet beendeveloped. The present cross-sectional investigation evaluates the prevalence of undernutrition among ruraladolescents (10 years - 17 years) from Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India.Methods: The present investigation was conducted among 726 rural school-going adolescents (376 boys and350 girls) belonging to the Rajbanshi, Bengali Muslim and Bengali Caste communities. The nutritional statuswas assessed in terms of stunting (Height-for-age below 3rd percentile) and thinness (BMI-for-age below 5thpercentile).Results: The overall prevalence of stunting and thinness were found to be 46.6% and 42.4% respectively. Ahigh prevalence of stunting was found among boys (43.1%) and girls (50.3%) (p>0.05). The highestprevalence of stunting was observed among boys of 17 years (63.6%) and among girls of 15 years (70.0%).The overall mean BMI for girls was slightly higher than boys (16.8 ± 3.4 kg/m2 and 15.9 ± 2.1 kg/m2respectively). A higher prevalence of overall thinness was found among boys (53.1%) than girls (32.0%)(p<0.05).Conclusions: There was a very high prevalence stunting and thinness among the boys and girls. There was asignificant difference in the prevalence of undernutrition in terms of age and sex amongst them. Nutritionalintervention is necessary to ameliorate their nutritional status. The results of the present investigation willhelp policy makers to formulate various developmental and health care programmes.
Molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis cysts in the Oreto River (Sicily, Southern Italy)
Authors: Di Benedetto Maria Antonella , Di Piazza Florinda , Maida Carmelo Massimo , Romano Nino
Published: June 2024

Background: The presence of Giardia was investigated along the Oreto river between January 2008 and May2009 with the aim of understanding the source of contamination by molecular typing of cysts.Methods: A total of 38 water samples (10 collected from the river mouth, 24 from the whole Oreto basin and4 sewage samples from the Monreale treatment plant) were processed. In addition, 22 faecal samples oflivestock living close to the Oreto area, were analyzed. The presence of Giardia was determined byimmunofluorescence assay and their genetic characterization was achieved by a nested PCR assay targetingthe triosephosphate isomerase gene.Results: All water samples from the river mouth were positive for Giardia, even if the concentration of cystsfluctuated considerably among sampling occasions. Our investigation showed that the Vadduneddu andAltofonte torrents, two influents of the river, were the principal sources of contamination. Moreover, thegenotypes of Vadduneddu torrent were the same as those detected in human wastewater taken from theactivated sludge plant of Monreale city. Assemblages A and B were found in water samples with apredominance of Assemblage A, subtype AII. Assemblage E was only found in a single calf isolate.Conclusions: The data show that the high cyst counts regularly detected in the Oreto river are due tocontamination with wastewater of human origin. This finding is relevant for public health, particularlybecause river water is used for agricultural purposes.
A comparison of social accounting between local public healthcare services: An empirical research
Authors: Ursillo Paolo
Published: June 2024

Introduction: Social accounting in healthcare is a quantitative–qualitative accounting tool which marks thebond between the business and its social background. It displays healthcare business results and informationto the stakeholder. Actually, its use is not widespread in Italy, but often published in United States and otherCountries.Methods: This work is based upon an empirical research, studying social accounting from Local Health Units(LHU, Italian ASL) of Adria, Brindisi, Firenze and Umbria region published between 2006 and 2008.These documents have been analyzed, studying the business’ structure, healthcare services, social andeconomical conditions, financial status, performance indexes and much more data about most companyactivities.Results: Accountability in Italy has been studied carefully through longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis,observing models and contents, elaborating a concrete proposal for social accounting.Discussion: Social accounting in healthcare can guarantee important information for non-expert users andexpert technicians, allowing the former to take more conscious decisions, and the latter to study its businessaspects more deeply. This is made possible by the consideration of extended economical data available inother accountability forms (like annual financial statement), and other performance indexes which givevaluable data about social impact, efficiency and effectiveness to the end user.