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Guidelines on open spaces : parks and gardens
No full textParks and gardens are essential elements within our urban and rural localities, as green oases and potential community hubs. They provide environmental, social and economic benefits, and research consistently illustrates their contribution to residents’ well-being. Commonly referred to as a city’s ‘lungs’, these green spaces mitigate urban heat, improve air quality and enhance biodiversity. In Malta, the increasing pace of urbanisation has created a pressing need to preserve and expand green spaces to ensure a sustainable and liveable environment for current and future generations. The history of green spaces in Malta reflects their cultural and social significance. From the gardens of historic residences to small functional pockets in urban centres, these areas have long provided spaces for recreation, relaxation and community gatherings. However, new and bolder approaches to green space planning are required to address Malta’s development pressures and climate change issues, which are more strategic and innovative. In particular, Malta’s geographic and climatic conditions and limited land availability amplify the need for resilient, adaptive and multifunctional green space. This document aims to assist local councils, policymakers, urban planners, NGOs and community leaders envision and implement sustainable parks and gardens tailored to Malta’s unique challenges and opportunities. Based on key pillars, including inclusivity, ecological balance and cultural relevance, this document seeks to inspire action to transform Malta’s green spaces into valuable assets within individual localities, supporting resident and environmental health and wellbeing. The eight guiding strategies discussed later provide a roadmap for successfully implementing parks and gardens in our localities.peer-reviewe
Bronchial stenosis secondary to lung adenocarcinoma
No full textBACKGROUND: Lung adenocarcinoma is a common type of cancer, with signs sometimes visible on chest x-rays.CASE PRESENTATION: A 66-year-old male smoker presented with coughing. Chest x-rays were ordered, showing multiple signs of bronchial stenosis, adenopathy, and a lung nodule. These findings were correlated with a chest CT-exam and PET-CT, with biopsy confirming the diagnosis.CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates multimodal correlation of adenocarcinoma signs visible on chest x-rays, in particular bronchial stenosis.peer-reviewe
Citizens’ views and preferences for ecosystem-based fisheries management
No full textIn Europe there are many regulations that directly or indirectly
apply to fisheries. These include the Common Fisheries
Policy, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the
Habitats and Birds Directives, the Maritime Spatial Planning
Directive and the Nature Restoration Regulation. All these
regulations promote an ecosystem-based management
approach. Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM)
shifts management practices from traditional single-species
management to approaches that encompasses multi-species
interactions, environmental forcing, habitat status and
human activities. EBFM manages fish stocks to ensure that
they produce maximum yield (e.g. through fishing capacity
regulations and quotas), while ensuring that enough fish stay
in the system to feed the rest of the ecosystem. However, in
practice, most fish stock management decisions in Europe
are still based on single-species assessments and true
implementation of EBFM is lacking.peer-reviewe
Framework for pharmacist-led pharmacogenetics-guided proton pump inhibitor therapy
No full textCYP2C19 is the principal enzyme involved in the
metabolism of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). CYP2C19 genetic
polymorphisms impact response to PPIs, resulting in increased risk of
therapy failure or tolerability issues. Implementation of pharmaco-genetics (PGx)-guided PPI therapy is still in its infancy.peer-reviewe
Enhancing service quality assessment in rail transport through the application of the critical incident technique
No full textPURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of rail transport services in
Poland using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). The research focuses on conductor–
passenger interactions and aims to identify the most critical service encounters, both positive
and negative, that shape passenger satisfaction.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study was based on semi-structured interviews with
passengers travelling on the Bielsko-Biała–Wrocław route operated by PKP Intercity. Ten
critical incidents were collected (five positive and five negative). A thematic categorisation
was applied, followed by the development of a methodological framework for assessing
interrater reliability (including Fleiss’ Kappa, Kendall’s W, Intraclass Correlation
Coefficient and Weighted Kappa) and an incident-weighting model derived from service
quality theory.FINDINGS: The analysis revealed a dual image of train conductors: in some cases, they were
empathetic and professional, while in others, they were passive and disengaged. Positive
incidents highlighted helpfulness, information provision, and courtesy, while negative cases
concerned lack of engagement, weak communication, and inadequate service recovery.
Methodologically, the study shows that a multidimensional reliability framework offers a
more robust evaluation than a single-coefficient approach. The proposed weighting model
captures the asymmetric importance of incidents related to safety, interpersonal behaviour,
information, and service recovery.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results underscore the need for targeted training of railway
staff, particularly in areas such as communication, empathy, and problem-solving. The
enhanced CIT framework can be applied by transport operators to identify priorities for
service improvements and to allocate resources more effectively by considering both the
frequency and importance of incidents.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study contributes to both theory and practice by advancing the CIT methodology. It introduces a novel combination of reliability measures, proposes an
incident-weighting model, and suggests a dynamic consensus-building process among
evaluators. These methodological innovations make the approach replicable in other
contexts where human interactions, including those in other transport sectors, significantly
influence service quality.The publication presents the results of the Project financed from the
subsidy granted to the Krakow University of Economics.peer-reviewe
Thomas Hylland Eriksen, stories of Sápmi, anthropology and paradoxes of vision
Get PDFThis text is based on conversations with Thomas Hylland Eriksen about the areas we today call Sápmi: the land of Sámi peoples and Indigenous lands. It is inspired by a short chapter Thomas Eriksen wrote in 2018, about Sápmi and paradoxes of autonomy. Here, I offer an account of his understanding of the paradox of autonomy. Next, I discuss this position in relation to other understandings of ethnicity and identity politics in Sápmi.peer-reviewe
Premises and conditions for the professional activity of seniors from the Eastern Poland macroregion
Get PDFPURPOSE: The aim of this article is to examine the premises and conditions for professional
activity among older people, using the example of seniors from the Eastern Poland
macroregion. The analysis takes into account the institutional, economic, social and
psychological determinants of continuing employment and entrepreneurship in the 60+ and
65+ age groups. The theoretical introduction provides a broader overview of the premises
and conditions for the professional activity of seniors in the European Union.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study combines a literature review with a comparative
analysis of the results of international empirical research and regional studies in Poland.
The literature review primarily takes into account key reports and articles published after
2020. Own empirical research was conducted in 2021 in three provinces of the Eastern
Poland macroregion (Podlaskie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie) on a sample of 403 pensioners.
The selection of participants for the study was deliberate. The researchers' assumption was
to include in the sample pensioners who were looking for work or had taken up employment,
but also those who were not interested in taking up work. The research problem was
formulated: what are the reasons and conditions for the professional activity of seniors from
the Eastern Poland macroregion?FINDINGS: The results of the synthesis indicate that the professional activity of seniors is
determined by the structure of pension systems, the level of social security, access to training
and lifelong learning, health status and access to care, as well as cultural and structural
barriers such as ageism and the lack of flexible job offers. The results of a survey conducted
among pensioners living in the Eastern Poland macroregion confirm that the main reason
that would prompt the respondents to delay their decision to retire was the need to earn a
higher pension. The research confirms the low level of professional activity among people of
retirement age, including entrepreneurship, and at the same time points to a sense of
untapped professional potential. The factors influencing the respondents' decisions to retire
differ depending on gender. Delaying retirement requires offering more flexible forms of
employment.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The article proposes recommendations for public policies and local
practices that can increase the employability of seniors and support entrepreneurship among
older people. It points to the need to adapt programmes supporting entrepreneurship among
retirees to gender-specific issues (the situation and needs of women in this regard).peer-reviewe
Processing neuroimaging data for research purposes : Open Science, FAIR data, and the GDPR
Get PDFOpen Science and FAIR (Findable, Accessible,
Interoperable, and Reusable) Science have
emerged as two prominent, related, often conflated but actually distinct, frameworks supporting data sharing.
The neuroimaging community has embraced the
Open Science practice of sharing data with few, if
any, restrictions.
Neuroimaging data, in particular brain MRI data,
is intrinsically personal data, and is, in most
cases, impossible to adequately anonymize to the
standards dictated by the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR). As such, in the
European Union, neuroimaging repositories are
likely to process personal data as defined in the
GDPR under all circumstances.
The aims of open science are hampered by the
GDPR’s requirements.
European science is at a distinct disadvantage to its
American and other global counterparts, due to the
disproportionately high regulatory burden that is
placed on research institutions and individual
researchers who are often ill-equipped to comply.peer-reviewe
Balancing anti-money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CFP) compliance and financial sector competitiveness : what lessons can small states teach us?
Get PDFThis essay examines the invaluable insights which small states provide regarding
balancing compliance with the global anti-money laundering regulations, countering the financing
of terrorism, and countering the financing of proliferation (AML/CFT/CPF) regime, with
maintaining the competitiveness of their international financial services sectors. Drawing upon
small state theory, and insights from a postcolonial theoretical lens, this essay shows, through the
case studies of Mauritius and Belize, how some small states’ international financial centres (IFCs)
are leading the way in creating robust AML/CFT/CPF frameworks. This occurs in the face of
resource constraints, disproportionate international scrutiny, and asymmetrical participation in
global financial governance rule-making, while also maintaining the competitiveness of their
financial sectors. This essay challenges conventional assumptions about small state and dependent
territory IFCs as havens for dirty money, revealing how these jurisdictions balance compliance
with financial sector competitiveness.peer-reviewe
Guidelines on open spaces : open space re-use
Get PDFOpen spaces are the living rooms of our communities, the piazzas, parks, gardens, and streets where public life naturally unfolds. Reusing and revitalising these spaces are emerging as key strategies for sustainable urban development, especially in dense, car-centric environments where public space is increasingly scarce. The “open space re-use” concept transforms underutilised or vehicledominated areas into vibrant, flexible environments designed for people. This approach supports global goals for creating liveable cities and addresses urgent local needs in Malta, where accessible public spaces have become a rare luxury. According to a 2022 Eurobarometer survey, Maltese residents have some of Europe’s poorest access to green open spaces. 21% of Maltese reported walking over 30 minutes to reach a green space, compared to 3% across the EU. These stark statistics highlight the urgent need to reclaim and enhance our urban open areas. This need is also echoed in the LCA’s document entitled 3.5 Outdoor Sports, which emphasises the value of integrating recreational opportunities into different typologies of urban spaces.peer-reviewe