Search results for: World Englishes

Authors: Leila Goosen, Dalize van Heerden

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The performance outcomes of first year Computer Science and Information Technology students across the world are of great concern, whether they are being taught in a face-to-face environment or via distance education. In the face-to-face environment, it is, however, somewhat easier to teach and support students than it is in a distance education environment. The face-to-face academic can more easily gauge the level of understanding and participation of students and implement interventions to address issues, which may arise. With the inroads that Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 technologies are making, the world of online teaching and learning are rapidly expanding, bringing about technologies, which allows for similar interactions between online academics and their students as available to their face-to-face counter parts. At the University of South Africa (UNISA), the Learning Management System (LMS) is called myUNISA and it is deployed on a SAKAI platform. In this paper, we will take a look at some of the myUNISA technologies implemented in the teaching of a first year programming course, how they are implemented and, in some cases, we will indicate how this affects the performance outcomes of students.

Keywords: computer science, Distance Education Technologies, Learning Management System, face-to-face environment

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Authors: Shruti Malviya, Chris Bowler

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Analysis of microbial eukaryotic diversity is fundamental to understanding ecosystems’ structure, biology, and ecology. Diatoms (Stramenopiles, Bacillariophyceae) are one of the most diverse and ecologically prominent groups of phytoplankton. This study was performed to enhance the understanding of global biodiversity patterns and structure of planktonic diatom communities across the world's oceans. We used the metabarcoding data set generated from the biological samples and associated environmental data collected during the Tara Oceans (2009-2013) global circumnavigation covering all major oceanic provinces. A total of ~18 million diatom V9-18S rDNA tags from 126 sampling stations, constituting 631 size-fractionated plankton communities were generated. Using ~250,000 unique diatom metabarcodes, the global diatom distribution and diversity across size classes, genus and ecological niches was assessed. Notably, our analysis revealed: (i) a new estimate of the total number of planktonic diatom species, (ii) a considerable unknown diversity and exceptionally high diversity in the open ocean, and (iii) complex diversity patterns across oceanic provinces. Also, co-occurrence of several ribotypes in locations separated by great geographic distances (equatorial stations) demonstrated a widespread but not ubiquitous distribution. This work provides a comprehensive perspective on diatom distribution and diversity in the world’s oceans and elaborates interconnections between associated theories and underlying drivers. It shows how meta-barcoding approaches can provide a framework to investigate environmental diversity at a global scale, which is deemed as an essential step in answering various ecological research questions. Consequently, this work also provides a reference point to explore how microbial communities will respond to environmental conditions.

Keywords: diatoms, Tara Oceans, biodiversity, metabarcoding

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Authors: Yunwei Zhang, Na Li, Yuhong Niu

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Bone tissue engineering scaffold was regarded as an important clinical technology of curing bony defect. The patent protection of bone tissue engineering scaffold had been paid more attention and strengthened all over the world. This study analyzed the future development trends of international technologies in the field of bone tissue engineering scaffold and its patent protection. This study used the methods of data classification and classification indexing to analyze 2718 patents retrieved in the patent database. Results showed that the patents coming from United States had a competitive advantage over other countiries in the field of bone tissue engineering scaffold. The number of patent applications by a single company in U.S. was a quarter of that of the world. However, the capability of R&D in China was obviously weaker than global level, patents mainly coming from universities and scientific research institutions. Moreover, it would be predicted that synthetic organic materials as new materials would be gradually replaced by composite materials. The patent technology protections of composite materials would be more strengthened in the future.

Keywords: bone tissue engineering, patent analysis, Scaffold material, patent protection

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Authors: Humaira Tariq

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An issue faced by a majority of immigrants, especially coming from the third world countries, is that of racism. The natives find it very hard to accept people of another race, origin and background amongst them. History is replete with incidents where immigrants have paid a heavy price for being the odd ones out. Being an integral part of the immigrant experience, this issue of racism, is an important theme in most of diaspora related fiction. The present paper will endeavor to expose and explore Nadeem Aslam’s handling of this theme in his novel, 'Maps for Lost Lovers'. The researcher has found Aslam to take an objective stance on this issue, as he shows that where the West is unwilling to accept the immigrants in their midst, there, majority of the immigrants, are also responsible for alienating themselves in the new environment. He shows a kind of persecution mania haunting the immigrants from the third world countries where they feel the condition for being much worse than it actually is. The paper presents a critical view of the handling of racism in Aslam’s novel where he is found to criticize not only the English for their mistreatment of Pakistani immigrants, but is also disapproving of the judgmental attitude of the immigrants.

Keywords: english, immigrants, natives, pakistani, racism

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Authors: Ömer Ateş, Atilla Savaş

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Reducers and transmission systems are power and speed transfer tools that have been used for many years in the technology world and in all engineering fields. Since today's transmissions have a threaded tap system, torque interruption occurs during tap change. besides, breakdown and manufacturing costs are high. Another problem is the limited torque and rpm setting in stepped gearbox systems. In this study, a new type of transmission system is designed to solve these problems. This new type of transmission system has been called the Continuously Variable Pulley. The most important feature of the transmission system in the study is that it can be adjusted Revolutions Per Minute-wise and torque-wise at the millimeter (precision) adjustment level. In order to make adjustments at this level, an adjustable pulley with the help of hydraulic piston is designed. The efficiency of the designed transmission system is 97 percent, the efficiency of today's transmissions is in the range of 85-95 percent. examined at the analysis and calculations, it is seen that the designed system gives realistic results and can be compared with today's transmissions and reducers. Therefore, this new type of transmission has been proven to be usable in production areas and the world of technology.

Keywords: gearbox, reducer, transmission, torque

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Authors: Hebert Sihle Ntuli

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Traditional cultural practices mirror or replicate the values and beliefs held by members of the community. Throughout the world, every social grouping has specific traditional practices, some of which are beneficial to all, while others have become harmful to specific group such as women. Like in some African states, these traditional cultural practices are performed in South Africa and are violating women’s rights. Women’s rights are human rights. The South African Constitution is one of the most progressive in the world, and notable includes the Bill of Rights which provides protection of socio-economic and cultural rights. Cultural rights are protected in Section 30 and 31 of the constitution, although such protection is not without limitation. This highly complex interplay and competition between human rights and cultural rights, which are manifested through cultural practices, is the golden thread that traces through this paper. The paper argues that there is conflict and the lack of balance between diverse cultural and legal or constitutional framework which promotes the value of human dignity and equality, especially for women. These practices are reviewed in connection with the South African government laws. This work adopted qualitative research method.

Keywords: cultural practices, conflict, South African constitution, laws

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Authors: Aruna Bhat

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Culture can be placed within the social structure that embodies both the creation of social groups, and the manner in which they interact with each other. As many critics have pointed out, culture in the Postmodern context has often been considered a commodity, and indeed it shares many attributes with commercial products. Popular culture follows many patterns of behavior derived from Economics, from the simple principle of supply and demand, to the creation of marketable demographics which fit certain criterion. This trend is exemplary visible in contemporary fiction, especially in contemporary science fiction; Cyberpunk fiction in particular which is an off shoot of pure science fiction. William Gibson is one such author who in his works portrays such a scenario, and in his The Bridge Trilogy he adds another level of interpretation to this state of affairs, by describing a world that is centered on industrialization of a new kind – that focuses around data in the cyberspace. In this new world, data has become the most important commodity, and man has become nothing but a nodal point in a vast ocean of raw data resulting into commodification of each thing including Culture. This paper will attempt to study the presence of above mentioned elements in William Gibson’s The Bridge Trilogy. The theories applied will be Postmodernism and Cultural studies.

Keywords: culture, commodity, cyberpunk, data, postmodern

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Authors: Djamel Boussaa

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Cultural heritage and tourism have become during the last two decades dynamic areas of development in the world. The idea of heritage is crucial to the critical decision-making process as to how irreplaceable resources are to be utilized by people of the present or conserved for future generations in a fast changing world. In view of the importance of ‘heritage’ to the development of a tourist destination the emphasis on developing appropriate adaptive reuse strategies cannot be overemphasized. In October 1999, the 12th general assembly of the ICOMOS in Mexico stated, that in the context of sustainable development, two interrelated issues need urgent attention, cultural tourism and historic towns and cities. These two issues underscore the fact that historic resources are non-renewable, belonging to all of humanity. Without adequate adaptive reuse actions to ensure a sustainable future for these historic resources, may lead to their complete vanishing. The growth of tourism and its role in dispersing cultural heritage to everyone is developing rapidly. According to the World Tourism Organization, natural and cultural heritage resources are and will remain motivating factors for travel in the foreseeable future. According to the experts, people choose travel destinations where they can learn about traditional and distinct cultures in their historic context. The Qatar rich urban heritage is now being recognized as a valuable resource for future development. This paper discusses the role of cultural heritage and tourism in regenerating Souk Waqif, and consequently the city of Doha. Therefore, in order to use cultural heritage wisely, it will be necessary to position heritage as an essential element of sustainable development, giving particular attention to cultural heritage and tourism. The research methodology is based on an empirical survey of the situation, based on several visits, meetings and interviews with the local heritage players. The rehabilitation project initiated since 2004 will be examined and assessed. Therefore, there is potential to assess the situation and propose directions for a sustainable future to this historic landmark. Conservation for the sake of conservation appears to be an outdated concept. Many irreplaceable natural and cultural sites are being compromised because local authorities are not giving economic consideration to the value of rehabilitating such sites. The question to be raised here is 'How can cultural heritage be used wisely for tourism without compromising its social sustainability within the emerging global world?'

Keywords: cultural heritage, tourism, regeneration, economy, social sustainability

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Authors: Djelloul Benatiallah

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Due to the current high consumption and recent industry growth, the depletion of fossil and natural energy supplies like oil, gas, and uranium is declining. Due to pollution and climate change, there needs to be a swift switch to renewable energy sources. Research on renewable energy is being done to meet energy needs. Solar energy is one of the renewable resources that can currently meet all of the world's energy needs. In most parts of the world, solar energy is a free and unlimited resource that can be used in a variety of ways, including photovoltaic systems for the generation of electricity and thermal systems for the generation of heatfor the residential sector's production of hot water. In this article, we'll conduct a comparison. The first step entails identifying the two empirical models that will enable us to estimate the daily irradiations on a horizontal plane. On the other hand, we compare it using the data obtained from measurements made at the Adrar site over the four distinct seasons. The model 2 provides a better estimate of the global solar components, with an absolute mean error of less than 7% and a correlation coefficient of more than 0.95, as well as a relative coefficient of the bias error that is less than 6% in absolute value and a relative RMSE that is less than 10%, according to a comparison of the results obtained by simulating the two models.

Keywords: solar radiation, renewable energy, fossil, photovoltaic systems

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Authors: Renukha Devi Anandan

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Charles Forsman’s The End of The Fxxxing World, I Am Not Okay With This, and Slasher invariably deals with existential themes. They reflect the perplexed situation of the characters torn between the search for existence and the constraints of human conditions that impede them from such realization, ensuing a dilemma deeply-rooted in absurdity and alienation. These characters are social misfits who fail to fashion their existence and develop harmoniously. Therefore, the present paper adopts an Existential approach to examine the vignettes of alienation and absurdity vis-à-vis the characters’ speech, actions, and thoughts. Furthermore, this paper explores the role of death either as a self-destructive behavior or the eternal freedom of man in graphic novels. Findings portrayed how the characters’ absurd existence surrounded by the void, would eventually develop into death. Finally, the study revealed that Forsman’s distinctive serial illustration not only unveiled the predicaments of the characters through their hard-boiled smokescreens in the 21st-century social paradigm but also established graphic novels as part and parcel of a literary genre.

Keywords: existentialism, absurdity, alienation, death, self-destruction, eternal freedom

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Authors: Utsha Barua Joy

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Buddhism has been playing as a cultural mediator in the world Asia. Buddhism spread as a living spiritual tradition and philosophy and spread mostly as a part of the cultural heritage. Culture and religion concern and deal with some similar human issues in terms of the concept of values. This article mainly focuses on some pertinent issues. The Buddha created a revolutionary awareness in the history of mankind by giving equal status to all. With equality, man gets social, mental, economic, and political freedom. This article moreover discusses the concept of morality, educational system, and finally, missionary services. After the first rainy retreat, Buddha asked the monks to go from place to place and spread the Dharma for the welfare of mankind. Since then, all the monks took part in missionary work. Emperor Asoka’s missionary steps are the brightened example in the history of Buddhism. The goal of this article is to provide to the wise readers with a delineation of reference on how equality, morality, education system, and missionary services through Buddhism rendered great contribution to the cultural arena around the globe.

Keywords: equality, morality, educational system, missionary works

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Authors: Saadia Izzeldin Malik

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Lack of ethics is the crisis of the 21-century. Today’s global world is filled with economic, political, environmental, media/communication, and social crises that all generated by the eroding fabric of ethics and moral values that guide human’s decisions in all aspects of live. Our global world is guided by liberal western democratic principles and liberal capitalist economic principles that define and reinforce each other. In economic terms, capitalism has turned world economic systems into one market place of ideas and products controlled by big multinational corporations that not only determine the conditions and terms of commodity production and commodity exchange between countries, but also transform the political economy of media systems around the globe. The citizen (read the consumer) today is the target of persuasion by all types of media at a time when her/his interests should be, ethically and in principle, the basic significant factor in the selection of media content. It is very important in this juncture of clashing media values –professional and commercial- and wide spread ethical lapses of media organizations and media professionals to think of a perspective to theorize these conflicting values within a broader framework of media ethics. Thus, the aim of this paper is to, epistemologically, bring to the center a perspective on media ethics as a basis for reconciliation of clashing values of the media. The paper focuses on conflicting ethical values in current media debate; namely ownership of media vs. press freedom, individual right for privacy vs. public right to know, and global western consumerism values vs. media values. The paper concludes that a framework to reconcile conflicting values of media ethics should focus on the “individual” journalist and his/her moral development as well as focus on maintaining ethical principles of the media as an institution with a primary social responsibility for the “public” it serves.

Keywords: ethics, media, journalism, social responsibility, conflicting values, global

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Authors: Cynthia Briggs, Kimberly Gerardi

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Over the past six years, the authors have been working together on World Language Collaborations in the Middle School French Program at St. Luke's School in New Canaan, Connecticut, USA. Author 2 brings design expertise to the projects, and both teachers have utilized the fabrication lab, emerging technologies, and collaboration with students. Each year, author 1 proposes a project scope, and her students are challenged to design and engineer a signature project. Both partners have improved the iterative process to ensure deeper learning and sustained student inquiry. The projects range from a 1:32 scale model of the Eiffel Tower that was CNC routed to a fully functional jukebox that plays francophone music, lights up, and can hold up to one thousand songs powered by Raspberry Pi. The most recent project is a Fragrance Marketplace, culminating with a pop-up store for the entire community to discover. Each student will learn the history of fragrance and the chemistry behind making essential oils. Students then create a unique brand, marketing strategy, and concept for their signature fragrance. They are further tasked to use the industrial design process (bottling, packaging, and creating a brand name) to finalize their product for the public Marketplace. Sometimes, these dynamic projects require maintenance and updates. For example, our wall-mounted, three-foot francophone clock is constantly changing. The most recent iteration uses Chat GPT to program the Arduino to reconcile the real-time clock shield and keep perfect time as each hour passes. The lights, motors, and sounds from the clock are authentic to each region, represented with laser-cut embellishments. Inspired by Michel Parmigiani, the history of Swiss watch-making, and the precision of time instruments, we aim for perfection with each passing minute. The authors aim to share exemplary work that is possible with students of all ages. We implemented the reverse engineering process to focus on student outcomes to refine our collaborative process. The products that our students create are prime examples of how the design engineering process is applicable across disciplines. The authors firmly believe that the past and present of World cultures inspire innovation.

Keywords: collaboration, design thinking, emerging technologies, world language

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Authors: Olawale Johnson

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The cry and agitation for the creation of equal opportunities is one of the major reasons behind the social menace countries of the world experience. As the poor, continue to demand for the dividends of economic growth, countries of the world are in a state of dilemma because, despite impressive growth figures, the poor are still far below the empowerment line. However, evidence from the Asian Tigers has proven that with the adoption and efficient utilization of information technology, a growth miracle is not far-fetched. With the mind-boggling pace of technological innovation, the need to ensure that the innovative products are all connected has become vital. Technologies that did not exist a few years ago have become vital equipment used to underlie every aspect of our economy from medicine to banking to sports. The need to connect things sensors, actuators and smart systems with the aim of ensuring person-to-object, object-to-object communications has promoted the need of internet of things. As developing countries struggle with delivering inclusiveness, the Internet of Everything is perceived to be the miracle that will deliver this in no time. This paper examines how the Asian Tigers have been able to promote inclusive growth through the Internet of Everything.

Keywords: inclusive growth, internet of everything, innovation, embedded systems and smart technologies

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Authors: Dinesh Khanduja, Sahib Sartaj Singh

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In India, among the start ups, many new ventures fail and for the few that survive and grow, there are always numerous problems. In order to make these surviving units productive and cost effective-in today’s competitive environment, the traditional ways of supporting small enterprises and the related programs of governmental assistance need to be significantly transformed. In this context, ‘Business Incubation’ is emerging as one of the most innovative instruments to support small enterprise creation and development all over the world. Incubators, by providing on the-spot diagnosis and treatment of business problems, dramatically lower the early stage failure rate. In Europe, US and countries like China, Singapore, Thailand etc., the exceptionally fast growth of business incubators has baffled even the researchers. In this direction in India, following on the world pattern, several initiatives have been taken over the last decade to encourage the concept of business incubation. Besides profiling the existing ‘Business Incubators’ in India, the paper dwells upon a case study of SMEs in state of Punjab for exploring the relevance of business incubation for enhancing their productive capacity.

Keywords: business incubation, Technology Business Incubator (TBI), Rural Business Hub (RBH), entrepreneurship, Business Development Services (BDS), technology management

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Authors: Intan Azura Mokhtar, Yaacob Ibrahim

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In recent years, learning about sustainable development and sustainability has become an increasingly significant component in universities’ degree programmes and curricula. As the world comes together and races to fulfil the 17 United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) by the year 2030, our educational curricula and landscapes simultaneously evolve to integrate lessons and opportunities for sustainable development and sustainability to redefine our university education and set the trajectory for our young people to take the lead in co-creating solutions for a better world. In this paper, initiatives and projects that revolved around themes of sustainable development and sustainability in a young university in Singapore are discussed. These initiatives and projects were curated by a new centre in the university that focuses on community leadership, social innovation, and service learning and was led by the university’s academic staff. The university’s undergraduate students were also involved in these initiatives and projects and played an active role in reaching out to and engaging members of different segments of the community – to better understand their needs and concerns and to co-create with them relevant and sustainable solutions that generate positive social impact.

Keywords: singapore, sustainable development, sustainability, undergraduate education

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Authors: Cui Long (Allen)

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The role of the Arctic in world politics and international relations has increased significantly over the past decades. With its large natural resources, the Arctic region has important geopolitical, strategic, and economic significance. All this determines the interest in it not only of the Arctic states but also of states located far from the Arctic. One of these states is the People's Republic of China. Relations between China and Russia in recent decades have been built on the basis of strategic partnership. Joint projects in the Arctic have become the most important priority area of this partnership. These are projects in the transport and energy fields. A large number of works by Russian scientists are devoted to the Sino-Russian Arctic cooperation. Most authors consider cooperation as a guarantee of stability for China and Russia in a globalized world. However, there are authors who believe that there are separate contradictions in the relations between the Arctic and non-Arctic countries. In their opinion, China sometimes acts as a competitor, and its activities become expansionist. In general, according to the Russian authors, Sino-Russian cooperation is mutually beneficial and is under development. China and Russia have a long way to go in the issue of sustainable development of the Arctic.

Keywords: People’s Republic of China, Russian Federation, Arctic, historiography

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Authors: Sangeet Anand

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Body art and tattooing have long been practiced as a form of self-expression for centuries, and this study studies and analyzes the pertinence of tattoo culture in our everyday lives and ancient past. Individuals of different cultures represent ideas, practices, and elements of their cultures through symbolic representation. These symbols come in all shapes and sizes and can be as simple as the makeup you put on every day to something more permanent such as a tattoo. In the long run, these individuals who choose to display art on their bodies are seeking to express their individuality. In addition, these visuals are ultimately a reflection of our own appropriate cultures deem as beautiful, important, and powerful to the human eye. They make us known to the world and give us a plausible identity in an ever-changing world. We have lived through and seen a rise in hippie culture today. This type of bodily decoration displayed by this fad has made it seem as though body art is a visual language that is relatively new. But quite to the contrary, it is not. Through cultural symbolic exploration, we can answer key questions to ideas that have been raised for centuries. Through careful, in-depth interviews, this study takes a broad subject matter-art, and symbolism-and culminates it into a deeper philosophical connection between the world and its past. The basic methodologies used in this sociocultural study include interview questionnaires and textual analysis, which encompass a subject and interviewer as well as source material. The major findings of this study contain a distinct connection between cultural heritage and the day-to-day likings of an individual. The participant that was studied during this project demonstrated a clear passion for hobbies that were practiced even by her ancestors. We can conclude, through these findings, that there is a deeper cultural connection between modern day humans, the first humans, and the surrounding environments. Our symbols today are a direct reflection of the elements of nature that our human ancestors were exposed to, and, through cultural acceptance, we can adorn ourselves with these representations to help others identify our pasts. Body art embraces the different aspects of different cultures and holds significance, tells stories, and persists, even as the human population rapidly integrates. With this pattern, our human descendents will continue to represent their cultures and identities in the future. Body art is an integral element in understanding how and why people identify with certain aspects of life over others and broaden the scope for conducting more analysis cross-culturally.

Keywords: natural, symbolism, tattoo, terrestrial

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Authors: Ahmad Almaududy Amri

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Southeast Asia is considered as an area which is important in terms of piratical studies. There are several reasons to this argument: firstly, it has the second highest figure of piracy attacks in the world from 2008 to 2012. Only the African Region transcends the number of piracies that were committed in Southeast Asia. Secondly, the geographical location of the region is very important to world trade. There are several sea lanes and straits which are normally used for international navigation mainly for trade purposes. In fact, there are six out of 25 busiest ports all over the world located in Southeast Asia. In ancient times, the main drivers of piracy were raiding for plunder and capture of slaves; however, in modern times, developments in politics, economics and even military technology have drastically altered the universal crime of piracy. There are a variety of motives behind modern day piracy including economic gains from receiving ransoms from government or ship companies, political and even terrorist reasons. However, it cannot be denied that piratical attacks persist and continue. States have taken measures both at the international and regional level in order to eradicate piratical attacks. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Act against the Safety of Navigation served as the two main international legal frameworks in combating piracy. At the regional level, Regional Cooperation Agreement against Piracy and Armed Robbery and ASEAN measures are regard as prominent in addressing the piracy problem. This paper will elaborate the problems of piracy in Southeast Asia and examine the adequacy of legal frameworks at both the international and regional levels in order address the current legal measures in combating piracy. Furthermore, it will discuss current challenges in the implementation of anti-piracy measures at the international and regional levels as well as the way forward in addressing the issue.

Keywords: piracy, Southeast Asia, maritime security, legal frameworks

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Authors: Nicole Kaye A. Callanta, Shalimar B. Baruang, Anne Edelienne P. Tadena, Imelu G. Mordeno, Odessa May D. Escalona

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Untold numbers of children and adolescents around the world are exposed increasingly to the war on a daily basis. These experiences shape how they will view themselves, others, and the world. A wealth of studies have shown the role of family dynamics in the development of children’s attitudes, particularly their social behaviors. This specific study, however, contends that family dynamics influence peace and conflict resolution attitude and further asserts that it is brought about by the degree of emotional regulation strategies they use. Utilising purposive sampling, adolescent participant-respondents were from different schools in Southern Philipines, specifically of the cities of Marawi and Iligan, where exposure to warring clans, internal struggle between the Philippine Military and insurgencies, and the recent Marawi Seige caused by Al-Qaeda and ISIS-spawned terrorism. Results showed emotional regulation strategies mediate the relationship between family dynamics, particularly on family cohesion, and attitude towards peace. Thus implying the association between family cohesion and attitude towards peace strengthens with the use of emotional regulation strategies.

Keywords: attitude towards peace, emotional regulation strategies, family cohesion, family dynamics

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Authors: Kate Whitman, Zahra Murad, Joe Cox

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Digital piracy is costly to creative economies across the world. Anti-piracy messages can cause people to pirate more rather than less, suggesting the presence of psychological reactance. Gender differences in message reactance and the moderating impact of attitudes have not been explored. In this paper, we examine whether messages based on real-world anti-piracy campaigns cause reactance and whether this effect is explained by gender and attitudes. An experiment compares two threatening and one prosocial message against a control group, with changes in piracy intention from past behavior for digital TV/film analysed. The results suggest that the prosocial message is ineffective for both genders. However, the threatening messages have significantly opposing effects on men and women. One threatening message influences women to reduce their piracy intentions by over 50% and men to increase it by 18%. Gender effects are moderated by pre-existing attitudes, with men and women who report the most favorable attitudes towards piracy having the most polarised changes in piracy intentions. The results suggest that men and women process threatening messages differently and that the creative industries should take care when targeting their messages.

Keywords: piracy, reactance, persuasive-messages, TV/film, gender

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Authors: Saeed Wahass

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Terrorism is a universal phenomenon. It is an enemy to the world and humanity, representing the most essential challenges facing developing and developed societies of the world. Terrorism is traumatically a major cause for death and disability. Developing societies are catastrophically suffering more in comparing to developed ones. Importantly, the terrorism may have been emigrated from developing societies; therefore, it cannot be appropriately explained/understood elsewhere. Developing societies have attempts for solutions. These attempts may have contributed somehow to either overcoming temporally terrorism or at least waterless its fountains. It appears these attempts are fallen on personal experiences/local endeavours related to the nature of those societies and cultures. The missing issue is the involvement of the applications of psychological theories for understanding terrorism as a phenomenon. However, terrorism is behaviour, like other behaviours, it can be explained, analysed and predicted while psychology is involved as the science of behaviour and mental process. Later than, solutions whatever they are (intervention/prevention) have to be born from the womb of psychological theories explaining/understanding terrorism. This paper is an endeavour to shed light on psychological theories which may present an explanation for terrorism, as a behavioural phenomenon, looking for the effective evidence-based interventions/prevention. An emphasis will be on the experiences of developing countries which may have made/incubated terrorism.

Keywords: psychology, terrorism, humanity, developing societies

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Authors: Nour Mohamad Fayad

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Complex and extensively researched, the impact of corruption on economic growth seems to be intricate. Many experts believe that corruption reduces economic development. However, counterarguments have suggested that corruption either promotes growth and development or has no significant impact on economic performance. Clearly, there is no consensus in the economics literature regarding the possible relationship between corruption and economic development. Corruption's complex and clandestine nature, which makes it difficult to define and measure, is one of the obstacles that must be overcome when investigating its effect on an economy. In an attempt to contribute to the ongoing debate, this study examines the impact of corruption on economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region between 2000 and 2021 using a Customized Corruption Index-CCI and panel data on MENA countries. These countries were selected because they are understudied in the economic literature, and despite the World Bank's recent emphasis on corruption in the developing world, the MENA countries have received little attention. The researcher used Cobb-Douglas functional form to test corruption in MENA using a customized index known as Customized Corruption Index-CCI to track corruption over almost 20 years, then used the dynamic panel data. The findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between corruption and economic growth, but this is not consistent across all MENA nations. First, the relatively recent lack of data from MENA nations. This issue is related to the inaccessibility of data for many MENA countries, particularly regarding the returns on resources, private malfeasance, and other variables in Gulf countries. In addition, the researcher encountered several restrictions, such as electricity and internet outages, due to the fact that he is from Lebanon, a country whose citizens have endured difficult living conditions since the Lebanese crisis began in 2019. Demonstrating a customized index known as Customized Corruption Index-CCI that suits the characteristics of MENA countries to peculiarly measure corruption in this region, the outcome of the Customized Corruption Index-CCI is then compared to the Corruption Perception Index-CPI and Control of Corruption from World Governance Indicator-CC from WGI.

Keywords: corruption, economic growth, corruption measurements, empirical review, impact of corruption

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Authors: Marilei Amadeu Sabino

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Before the advent of Cognitive Linguistics, metaphor was considered a stylistic issue, but now it is viewed as a critical component of everyday language and a fundamental mechanism of human conceptualizations of the world. It means that human beings' conceptual system (the way we think and act) is metaphorical in nature. Another interesting hypothesis in Cognitive Linguistics is that cognition is embodied, that is, our cognition is influenced by our experiences in the physical world: the mind is connected to the body and the body influences the mind. In this sense, it is believed that many conceptual metaphors appear to be potentially universal or near-universal, because people across the world share certain bodily experiences. In these terms, many metaphors may be identical or very similar in several languages. Thus, in this study, we analyzed some somatic (also called body) idioms of Italian and Portuguese languages, in order to investigate the proportion in which their metaphors are the same, similar or different in both languages. It was selected hundreds of Italian idioms in dictionaries and indicated their corresponding idioms in Portuguese. The analysis allowed to conclude that much of the studied expressions are really structurally, semantically and metaphorically identical or similar in both languages. We also contrasted some Portuguese and Italian somatic expressions to their corresponding English idioms to have a multilingual perspective of the issue, and it also led to the conclusion that the most common idioms based on metaphors are probably those that have to do with the human body. Although this is mere speculation and needs more study, the results found incite relevant discussions on issues that matter Foreign and Second Language Teaching and Learning, including the retention of vocabulary. The teaching of the metaphorically different body idioms also plays an important role in language learning and teaching as it will be shown in this paper. Acknowledgments: FAPESP – São Paulo State Research Support Foundation –the financial support offered (proc. n° 2017/02064-7).

Keywords: body idioms, cognitive linguistics, metaphor, vocabulary teaching and learning

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Authors: Nwadioha Samuel Iheanacho, Abah Paul, Odimayo Simidele Michael

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Background: The World Health Assembly through the Global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis calls for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. All hands are on deck to actualize this goal through an effective and active vaccination and monitoring tool. Aim: To combine the Epidemiologic with Laboratory Hepatitis B Virus vaccination monitoring tools. Method: Laboratory results analysis of subjects recruited during the World Hepatitis week from July 2020 to July 2021 was done after obtaining their epidemiologic data on Hepatitis B virus risk factors, in the Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Result: A total of 500 subjects comprising males 60.0%(n=300/500) and females 40.0%(n=200/500) were recruited. A fifty-three percent majority was of the age range of 26 to 36 years. Serologic profiles were as follows, 15.0%(n=75/500) HBsAg; 7.0% (n=35/500) HBeAg; 8.0% (n=40/500) Anti-Hbe; 20.0% (n=100/500) Anti-HBc and 38.0% (n=190/500) Anti-HBs. Immune responses to vaccination were as follows, 47.0%(n=235/500) Immune naïve {no serologic marker + normal ALT}; 33%(n=165/500) Immunity by vaccination {Anti-HBs + normal ALT}; 5%(n=25/500) Immunity to previous infection {Anti-HBs, Anti-HBc, +/- Anti-HBe + normal ALT}; 8%(n=40/500) Carriers {HBsAg, Anti-HBc, Anti-HBe +normal ALT} and 7% (35/500) Anti-HBe serum- negative infections {HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBc +elevated ALT}. Conclusion: The present 33.0% immunity by vaccination coverage in Central Nigeria was much lower than the 41.0% national peak in 2013, and a far cry from the global expectation of attainment of a Global Health Sector Strategy on the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Therefore, more creative ideas and collective effort are needed to attain this goal of the World Health Assembly.

Keywords: Hepatitis B, vaccination status, laboratory tools, resource-limited settings

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Authors: Atinder Pal Kaur

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A central characteristic of people is their apparent movement from one station to other for their sustenance. Human migration has become one of the most challenging issues faced by the world today. Migration represents an important dimension in world-wide setting; and remittances received by families constitute a major agent in integrating societies in the all over the world, both economically and socially. This paper is an attempt to explore the impact of male migration and remittances upon the family system. This paper brings out how the women play the role of head of the household and take all the economic decisions, but still faces discrimination in the family, that bring loneliness and emotional breakdown on their personal front. For the purpose of this study, data was collected using 30 interviews and 10 case studies in the Doaba region of Punjab. The respondents were classified into two age groups 20-35 years and above 40 years aged women whose husbands migrated abroad. The findings of this study revealed that even though the women were taking some of the economic decisions, but in majority of the cases the patriarchal structure still existed and power remained in the hands of their husbands or in-laws. It was found that women of different age groups reported differently in terms of authority that they have regarding remittances and its consequences in their emotional well-being. The distinction related to their participation in public and private spheres still exists and public spheres are mostly dominated by male members of the family. It can be concluded that freedom of women to take decision on their own is still restricted and they are subjugated to follow their husband or in-law’s opinion in matters related to both public and private spheres. However, old age group women enjoyed more independence and freedom to take decision in comparison to young age women. Loneliness and depression were more common in the young age respondent’s group than in old age women.

Keywords: gender discrimination, migration, patriarchal structure, remittances

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Authors: Priyadarshini Alok

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The present situation in India envisages that because of the surge in population and the economy, cities are expected to spill over to hinterland areas. The consumption-led factors such as land, labor, etc. will be boosted. Hence, the need for regional connectivity becomes obligatory. But, there is enormous pressure upon the land; proving itself through rising traffic congestion, roads, and railway accidents. Air transport is practical, but due to decreasing availability of land, this will not be a wise solution. What with the introduction of seaplanes in the country which was once the vital asset in the world prior to Second World War. Maldives has proved it. Seaplanes offer natural landing site and are time and cost-efficient. Seaplanes in accordance with UDAN can prove to be the solution in linking various regions with other states. This research paper aims to offer the feasibility analysis along with site justification of the potential areas in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India; for the operation of seaplanes. The standards are taken from the US Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration for the analysis. The conflation of Seaplanes with UDAN will offer an alternate mode of air connectivity, strengthen the transport network by simulation of connectivity to unserved and under-served areas and boost the nation's economy.

Keywords: connectivity, seaplanes, transport, UDAN

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Authors: Shabana Noureen, Zafar Mahmood

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Economies consistently engage in trade across borders and face tariff, non-tariff barriers and other quotas that constitute trade costs. The trade costs imposed by policy barriers on exports are considered an impediment in the export growth rate. This work aims to measure over-year trends in total and bilateral trade costs and their trends in relevance to policy barriers (tariff and non-tariff). The analysis through the micro-founded theoretically based gravity model showed that the total trade costs have a general decreasing trend in the world while in the case of developing countries, the rate by which these trends decline is very low. Bilateral trade cost estimates associated with the policy barriers represent that the non-tariff barriers in a developing country have a major role in sustaining the high trade costs as compared to the tariff barriers. This ultimately leads to a low net declining rate. This work emphasizes that for developing countries the non-tariff barriers are a major factor that renders their exports and to be uncompetitive in the world market.

Keywords: trade costs, policy barriers, tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers, trade policies, export growth

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Authors: Ayda Kurtulus

Abstract:

Heydar Aliyev Centre and Quéops Pyramid are two contrasting examples of sacred geometry perceived as metaphorical alchemy by linking cosmos and earth. Zaha Hadid’s modern building has a wave-like shape and semi-circular alternations that show fluidity and movement, while The Great Pyramid of Giza is triangular. The centre is reminding of the shape of planets, an attempt to regain the balance lost in the modern-day capitalist world, while the Great Pyramid of Giza represents a vortex of energy that connects heaven and earth, harmony and balance. The sacred geometric shapes link the past and the future through God and Ra, humanism and spiritualism in an architectural evolution continuum, mind and spirit into one. An analysis of two geometrical forms, a semi-circle, and a triangle, were carried out through a comprehensive literature review, indicating that behind the materialistic perceptual beauty of buildings, ancient and contemporary, there are mathematical and sacred geometrical constructions that add value to one superficiality can interpret.

Keywords: architectural shapes, The Great Pyramid of Giza, Heydar Aliyev Centre, sacred geometry, philosophy

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Authors: Fatemeh Deldarabdolmaleki, Nur Dalilah Dahlan, Farzad Hejazi

Abstract:

Human individual physiological and psycho-physical responses widely affect thermal comfort and preferences. They should be carefully researched to help improve the design and comfort of indoor environments. This paper aims to explore and test the degree and importance of individual physiological and psycho-physical differences, reviewing the most preferred, neutral, and comfortable temperature in previous studies conducted across the world. Basic individual physiological differences like gender, age, BMI and etc., have been the focus of this research. There is no unique consensus in the literature to date in regard to providing a universal thermal comfort formula that meets all individual physiological and psycho-physical needs. In order to achieve a balanced, thermally comfortable indoor environment, studying and evaluating individual needs in different parts of the world could be helpful. Even though personalized comfort systems in indoor environments sound promising, they might not be easily achieved in bigger office interiors, considering the cost and current open-plan office trends.

Keywords: thermal comfort, indoor environments, occupants' physiological response, occupants psycho-physical response

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