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A climate suitability index for species distribution modelling applied to terrestrial arthropods in the Mediterranean region
Get PDFClimate change poses significant threats to global biodiversity, particularly impacting arthropods due to their sensitivity to shifts in temperature and precipitation, as well as other environmental conditions. These changes impact the suitability of their habitats, alter ecological interactions, and consequently affect the distribution and survival of species. Understanding how climate variability influences the ecological niches of arthropods is crucial for predicting future biodiversity patterns and implementing effective conservation strategies. This study introduces a simple index designed to model species' distribution on the basis of their climatic niche, with a specific focus on terrestrial Mediterranean arthropods. This approach leverages regional climate model data to construct a climatology of a species's preferred habitat, based on historically observed locations. This index offers a straightforward and rapid means to assess the resilience and vulnerability of arthropod populations and could be applied to future studies aiming to shed light on how climate change could affect the fundamental niches of terrestrial arthropods. The analysis revealed that the method is most reliable for species with observations exceeding 1000 points and climate datasets of high resolutions (although the latter had a smaller influence on the results). This study offers a proof of concept for the proposed index, demonstrating its potential utility in guiding conservation strategies and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on arthropod habitats.peer-reviewe
Malta’s experience with the Engel criteria
No full textThe proposed article will discuss Malta’s intriguing judicial experiences involving
to the application of the Engel criteria, a set of criteria that re-classify an
administrative measure into a criminal charge. The Maltese Courts discovered the
Engel criteria quite late in the day but, within a few years of the first experiences,
the Engel criteria took the Maltese system by storm resulting in findings of
multiple breaches and what may be described as a veritable constitutional crisis.
The proposed article will begin with a chronological and comprehensive analysis
of Maltese case-law involving the application of the Engel criteria explaining
where, in the author’s views, our Courts are getting right and wrong.peer-reviewe
Overfishing and sea warming drive the collapse of Paracentrotus lividus
Get PDFAs a seafood delicacy, the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is the most exploited echinoid species in the Mediterranean Sea, with a significant increase in total catches being reported over the last 2 decades. This work presents: (i) the findings from two demographic monitoring campaigns, conducted on P. lividus populations in summer 2023, at shallow depths within the coastal areas of Sicily and Apulia; (ii) a meta-analysis of the P. lividus density in the Mediterranean Sea over the last 30 years. In both sampled areas, the recorded individual density was lower than ever, with an average value of 0.2 ind/m2. No significant difference in P. lividus density was detected between protected and non-protected areas. The observed rarity of the edible sea urchin is corroborated by a meta-regression analysis of data from 44 published articles over the period 1990–2020, showing that the decline of P. lividus populations in the Mediterranean Sea began in 2003, coincident with the occurrence of a pan-European heat wave and with the anomalous warming of the entire Mediterranean Sea.peer-reviewe
Digital culture jamming and cultural populism : a semiotic analysis within the framework of Mcguigan’s “cool capitalism"
Get PDFDigital culture jamming draws on the richness of digital materials and the
dissemination power of online networks to subvert media messages, as well as the
dominant and popular discourses produced by political and economic power actors,
through humorous and aesthetic means. This study examines how digital culture
jamming transforms cultural images employed by capitalism, including symbols of
high culture, through the lens of McGuigan's concepts of cultural and critical
populism. The primary aim of the study is to analyze the critical stance that digital
culture jamming adopts towards popular culture and to evaluate how such content
intervenes in the reproduction or concealment of social inequalities. The study
applies a qualitative semiotic analysis, adopting Roland Barthes’ three levels of
meaning, denotation, connotation, and myth, to examine four images selected from
a carousel post shared on the public Instagram account @canavarkara. The selected
post was considered particularly relevant due to its critical engagement with
consumerism and populism, as well as its suitability for semiotic analysis. The
findings indicate that these visual interventions not only highlight issues such as
labour invisibility, surveillance, and social isolation but also demonstrate how they
can simultaneously challenge dominant ideologies under McGuigan's concept of
cool capitalism. This study contributes to the literature on digital activism by
offering a critical perspective on the visibility of power relations and ideological
manipulation. Given the study's focus on a single account, its limitations are
acknowledged, and future research should further explore the erosion of culture
jammers' anonymity, content production practices, and the populist potential of
digital culture jamming.peer-reviewe
Affective empathy, negative emotions, and self-compassion in adolescent emotional problems : a moderated mediation model
Get PDFWhile the role of empathy in socio-emotional functioning has received extensive support in the literature, affective empathy has been identified as a risk factor for internalising disorders. However, little literature has explored the mechanisms through which affective empathy exerts its counter-effect and what aspects could regulate this association. Self-compassion has been documented to reduce empathic distress and promote well-being. Therefore, this study aims to investigate (1) the relationships among affective empathy, self-compassion, negative emotions, and emotional problems, (2) the mediating role of negative emotions in the relationship between affective empathy and emotional problems, and (3) the moderating role of self-compassion in this indirect effect. A total of 446 adolescents aged 12 to 17 completed a set of self-reported questionnaires measuring affective empathy, self-compassion, negative emotions, and emotional problems. Results demonstrated that affective empathy positively correlated with negative emotions and emotional problems, whereas self-compassion showed negative associations with these outcomes. Structural equation modelling analyses revealed that negative emotions mediated the association between affective empathy and emotional problems, and this indirect relationship was moderated by self-compassion. These findings have implications for promoting adolescent well-being through integrating empathy and self-compassion training.peer-reviewe
Customer service digitalization and the use of financial services offered by a courier company
Get PDFPURPOSE: The aim of the article is to analyze the impact of the customer service digitalization
on the use of financial services offered by a courier company.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We used a critical analysis of literature in the field of
digitalization, customer service process and courier companies’ financial services, an
examination of documents concerning a certain company, a diagnostic survey method
conducted among customers of a chosen courier company and statistical research.FINDINGS: There is a noticeable interaction between the variables analyzed, but its strength
is at best average. The age has a moderate impact on the use of financial services provided
by a company from the courier industry. The benefits of digitalization that affect the
frequency of using financial services provided by the analyzed courier company are in order
from the most important to the least important benefit, increased knowledge of staff, shorter
waiting time for service and increased trust in postal services. Courier company customers
most often use its financial services out of necessity. Another, slightly less important, motive
is related to financial issues. Considering the benefits of digitalization of financial services,
according to the study participants, the greatest benefit of this process is the increase in
knowledge of the staff of the company subject to the study. It is this factor that has the
strongest impact on the increase in the frequency of their use of the financial services of the
described company. The respondents most often indicated necessity as the main reason
justifying the use of this type of services from the postal operator.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results obtained are a valuable source of information for both
practitioners (managers of courier companies and representatives of financial sector
entities) and theoreticians (researchers analyzing the processes taking place in the CEP
sector and other industries strongly affected by digital transformation).ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This article fills the identified literature gap. It has been shown that there
is a wide range of theoretical studies and research in the field of customer service process
and analysis of the courier services market and the impact of digitalization on business
activities. The conducted research indicated that there is a lack of analysis of the connections
between customer service digitalization and the use of financial services offered by a courier
company.peer-reviewe
When it's more than just a sore throat : Lemierre’s syndrome
Get PDFLemierre’s syndrome is a rare condition typically affecting healthy young adults, however its diagnosis is often delayed, which may be fatal. In this report, we present a typical case of this condition: a 25 year old gentleman presenting with fever, cough and sore throat who was found to have superficial thrombophlebitis of the right external jugular vein with blood cultures positive for Fusobacterium necrophorum. Multifocal lung consolidations were identified on CT thorax. He was started on appropriate antibiotic and anticoagulant therapy and made a full recovery. Through this report, we aim to increase awareness of this condition, particularly as a possible cause of sepsis in an otherwise healthy patient.peer-reviewe
Regulatory oversight of patient safety in medical devices
Get PDFIntroduction: The progressively growing number of patients who depend on medical devices and in vitro diagnostic technologies to improve, maintain, and sustain health1, results not only in enhanced benefits in healthcare, but also in a great need for robust market regulation to safeguard patients. This has led to a notable shift in focus towards a proactive and sustainable approach in enhancing patient safety.Aims: ▪
To identify gaps in medical device regulatory science where patient’s safety may not be sustained ▪
To develop a regulatory framework that would provide a strategic oversight approach to post-market surveillance and vigilance activities to ensure long-term patient safetypeer-reviewe
Analysis of caesarean section rates in Malta using the Robson ten-group classification system
Get PDFBackground: Caesarean section (CS) rates continue to rise globally. In Malta, the rate of caesarean deliveries has
increased by eight percentage points over the past two decades. The World Health Organization recommends the use of
the Robson classification as a global standard for monitoring and auditing CS. This study aimed to examine CS rates in
the Maltese Islands across two time periods using the Robson classification.
Methods: A retrospective, registry-based study was conducted covering all deliveries between 2009-2013 and 2019-
2023. Women undergoing childbirth in Malta and Gozo were allocated to one of the 10 Robson groups. Changes in
overall CS rates and contributions by Robson group between the two periods were analysed using significance tests.
Indications for CS were analysed for 2019-2023.
Results: A total of 42,585 deliveries were analysed across both periods. Despite more advanced maternal age and a
higher proportion of non-Maltese mothers over the time periods, the CS rate remained stable (31.9% in 2009-2013;
32.6% in 2019-2023). Contributions to the overall CS rate of Robson groups 5 (previous CS), 6 and 7 (breech) increased
significantly, whilst contributions of groups 1 (nullipara, spontaneous labour), 2 (nullipara, induction/pre-labour CS), 8
(multiple pregnancies), and 10 (preterm) decreased significantly between study periods. The top contributors remained
Robson groups 5 and 2, followed by 1.
Conclusions: The Robson classification allows identification of the obstetric populations driving CS use. Our study
findings provide a starting point for auditing of obstetric practices with a view to reducing CS rates.peer-reviewe
Preserving national supervision of CASPs under MiCAR
Get PDFThis paper contributes to the ongoing debate at the European level regarding the possible centralisation of supervision for Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs), highlighting concerns about regulatory efficiency, governance structures, and the preservation of national supervisory diversity. It contends that the push toward centralisation risks destabilising the crucial balance between harmonisation and subsidiarity embedded within the EU’s constitutional framework, as articulated in Articles 5(3) and 5(4) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and interpreted through case law such as the Working Time Directive (C-84/94). Moving beyond mere administrative considerations, the paper explores fundamental constitutional principles, examining the opportunities for supervisory convergence under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCAR). It also discusses the risks of conflating CASPs with traditional banking institutions—systems that have undergone centralised supervision within the Eurozone—and emphasises the importance of localised, tailored supervision for CASPs. The paper addresses practical issues related to centralisation, underscores the necessity of stakeholder engagement, and proposes pathways for achieving supervisory convergence that retain the benefits of national oversight. Central to this discussion is the advocacy for a framework for “knowledge sharing in financial supervision” as a viable alternative to centralisation—focusing on enhanced cooperation and collaborative convergence among national authorities, leveraging existing resources to build a more integrated, resilient supervisory environment across the EU.peer-reviewe