24762 research outputs found
Sort by
The impact of AI and ML on entrepreneurship and career development opportunities for young people
No full textPURPOSE: While AI and ML technologies are recognized as essential aids in many areas of life
today, including the planning and implementation of professional and business activities, these
technologies still raise many questions and doubts. Digital innovations, including AI and ML,
play a significant role in business management processes, which may lead to the
disappearance of some professions. The study sets the following goals: 1. To obtain a picture
of the young generation's perception, the degree of use, and development of AI in various areas
of economic and social life. 2. To examine how young people assess the opportunities and
threats arising from the growing role and functionality of these technologies in the context of
their entrepreneurship and future professional activity.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study utilizes a variety of methods. The first part of the
study involves an analysis of peer-reviewed literature and deductive reasoning. The second
part of the article presents the results of surveys conducted among students of fields related to
management and business operations (including economics, finance and accounting,
management, and others). The results of these studies were presented using quantitative and
qualitative analysis of open-ended questions, followed by interpretation and inference.FINDINGS: According to the research, despite their fascination with modern technologies and
advances in digitalization, young people see opportunities for self-development using
technological advancements (AI and ML), including the ability to start their own businesses
or pursue professional ambitions. At the same time, they perceive serious threats associated
with the use of AI and ML in many different areas of life and the economy, including
unemployment, waves of layoffs, and the disappearance of certain professions, as well as the
loss of independent problem-solving skills, lack of creativity, and possible information
manipulation and fraud.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The literature review and research findings point to gaps and
prospects for further research and analysis in this area, and more importantly, to educational
needs and the need to develop an ethical framework for the use of artificial intelligence.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Based on the literature review and survey research, the author attempted
to address the issues raised regarding the place and role of AI in stimulating entrepreneurship
among young people and their future professional activity, complementing the perspectives presented in the literature to date. The conclusions can constitute important recommendations
for institutions influencing the direction of youth education, as well as for businesses,
institutions, and organizations in creating an ethical framework for the use and development
of ML and AI.peer-reviewe
Reporting on sustainability in universities : a survey of the websites of 20 universities : Shanghai ranking leaders
No full textPURPOSE: This article aims to analyse the scope of sustainability reporting within the top 20
universities globally, based on the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU 2024),
assessing how these institutions disclose non-financial information.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research combines a review of academic literature
with a content analysis of sustainability-related disclosures found on the official websites of
leading universities. The methodology draws on recognised frameworks and benchmarks
within the field of sustainability reporting.FINDINGS: The findings indicate that globally leading universities actively engage in
sustainability discourse. However, the lack of standardised disclosure frameworks results in
inconsistencies and limited comparability across institutions. There is a strong commitment
to the principles of sustainable development, yet reporting practices vary significantly.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The research offers recommendations for university policymakers
and regulators regarding the standardisation of sustainability reporting. Improved
frameworks would enhance data accessibility and comparability, supporting better
accountability and decision-making.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: While much academic attention has focused on corporate sustainability
reporting, this article highlights a research gap regarding universities. The study contributes
original insights and proposes a set of core indicators tailored for higher education
institutions.peer-reviewe
‘Parents as partners’ coparenting programme with parents of infants with a highly reactive temperament : a randomised controlled study
No full textThe ‘Parents as Partners’ (PasP) coparenting programme was delivered to heterosexual
parents of infants they described as showing a highly reactive temperament (HRT) following
the completion of the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire–Revised (IBQ-R) during a standard
post-natal visit in their local Health Centre Well Baby Clinic in Malta. Fifty-two participating
Maltese couples, all coparenting a highly reactive infant of 8 to 12 months, were randomly
assigned into an experimental (n = 30 couples) or control group (n = 25). The IBQ-R,
Coparenting Relationship Scale (CRS), and Parental Stress Index (PSI-4 SF) at pre- and
post-intervention periods were filled out by randomised participants. Intervention group
couples followed the 16-week PasP programme. All randomised couples were followed
by a case manager monthly. Post-intervention results compared with controls showed
reduced couple conflict occurring in front of the child, reduced parent–child dysfunctional
interaction, and a reduction in negative child reactivity. Implications point to the importance
of including fathers and reducing coparenting conflict in interventions designed to reduce
behavioural difficulties in infants and young children.peer-reviewe
The role of public sector accounting in the achievement of sustainable development goals : the case of Italy
No full textPurpose – This study aims to explore the practical role of governmental accounting in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). It considers the technical aspects of accounting, how accounting affects the society in which it operates (the social role), and expectations as to what accounting should – or should not – do (the moral role).Design/methodology/approach – The case of Italy is investigated, and a pragmatic discourse analysis methodology is used to conduct documentary research. Developments in SDG reporting in Italy are examined and assessed as a possible model for other EU member states.Findings – The government budgetary processes and SDG initiatives in Italy are evolving. The role of budgeting supported by a sufficiently detailed and multi-purpose chart of accounts is an important consideration. Furthermore, digitalisation can provide support by facilitating the categorisation, classification and tagging of expenditure items. Italian practices show that accounting can assume a technical role in the process of SDG achievement, but the underlying subjectivity involved does not facilitate the consideration of the social and moral aspects. The solutions used may be acceptable for decision-making at a micro level but may encounter resistance at the macro level due to the social and moral expectations of government budgeting, including the budget’s legal aspects.Originality/value – This study taps into the social and moral aspects of management accounting, reminding us of the potential contribution of accounting tools that can be used to provide tangible results. While the limitations of the underlying technicalities are recognised, their application could be more useful ex-ante, integrating the expectations of social and moral practice, rather than looking at information ex-post.peer-reviewe
Process development of non-ionizing, microbial remediation for medicinal cannabis flower
No full textIntroduction: The
compact morphology and dense flower structure of cannabis make
it more susceptible to microbial contamination, increasing difficulty in
microbial control during cultivation and production Microbial
proliferation can lead to product losses and pose health risks,
particularly to immunocompromised patients While ionising
irradiation is commonly used, non irradiated product is preferred in
some countries such as Germany Advanced oxidation technologies,
can alternatively be used to reduce microbial levels by disrupting
microbial cell integrityAims: •
To plan and design a suitable approach for microbial
remediation of medicinal cannabis flower using quality and risk
management tools, ensuring regulatory compliance and
product quality preservation
•
To establish the critical process parameters and define a
process validation protocol in line with EU GMP for the
proposed microbial remediation method.peer-reviewe
Gaining insights into epigenetic memories through artificial intelligence and omics science in plants
No full textPlants exhibit remarkable abilities to learn, communicate, memorize, and develop stimulus-dependent decision-making circuits. Unlike animals, plant memory is uniquely rooted in cellular, molecular, and biochemical networks, lacking specialized organs for these functions. Consequently, plants can effectively learn and respond to diverse challenges, becoming used to recurring signals. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) represent the new frontiers of biological sciences, offering the potential to predict crop behavior under environmental stresses associated with climate change. Epigenetic mechanisms, serving as the foundational blueprints of plant memory, are crucial in regulating plant adaptation to environmental stimuli. They achieve this adaptation by modulating chromatin structure and accessibility, which contribute to gene expression regulation and allow plants to adapt dynamically to changing environmental conditions. In this review, we describe novel methods and approaches in AI and ML to elucidate how plant memory occurs in response to environmental stimuli and priming mechanisms. Furthermore, we explore innovative strategies exploiting transgenerational memory for plant breeding to develop crops resilient to multiple stresses. In this context, AI and ML can aid in integrating and analyzing epigenetic data of plant stress responses to optimize the training of the parental plants.peer-reviewe
Joseph Burló and the education of children with disabilities in Malta
No full textThis article discusses the work of Joseph Burló in building
Malta’s special educational system from the 1950s onwards. It is based
on information obtained from interviews with his daughter, Dr
Marian Muscat Azzopardi, and one of the teachers who worked with
him, Ms Mary Rose Zahra, as well as from the documents in the Burló
Collection donated by Dr Muscat Azzopardi and other sources. The
article provides brief information about Burló’s career and the
sociocultural context in which he worked, showing how his work
contributed to removing the stigma associated with disability and
improving the quality of life of children with disabilities. The article
then discusses how Burló built connections with various persons to
help him in his work and the outlook which informed his work,
especially his emphasis on a holistic approach to child development
and to catering for the various needs of children with disabilities. In
the conclusion, the article reflects on the situation of the education of
children with disabilities today and whether, and to what extent, the
forward-looking spirit of Burló has been retained.peer-reviewe
A time series analysis approach to quantify change in antibiotic resistance and antibiotic consumption during COVID-19 epidemics : a multicentre cross-national ecological study on behalf of QUantifying change in antibiotic resistance, ANTibiotic use, and INfection control during COVID-19 epidemics study project
Get PDFObjectives: We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on antibiotic consumption (AMC) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the new epidemiological scenario from a cross-national perspective.Methods: A quasi-experimental retrospective multicentre ecological study was conducted to explore the impact of COVID-19 on AMC and AMR using routinely generated retrospective time series data. This study included nine Healthcare University Hospitals from Europe and Israel on behalf QUantifying change in Antibiotic Resistance, ANTibiotic use, and INfection control during COVID-19 Epidemics project. Total effects were defined as the difference between the pre-COVID-19 period (ranging from January 2015 or January 2016 to February 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 2020 to July 2021 or December 2021). The outcomes were incidence density (ID) of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Clostridioides difficile, as monthly isolates per 1000 patient days and the monthly AMC ranked according to the Access, Watch, and Reserve WHO classification system.Results: We assessed 15.9 million total hospital bed days, 315 736 COVID-19 bed days, 52 557 monthly bacterial isolates, and 461 739 monthly antimicrobial defined daily doses. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the consumption of overall hospital antibiotics combined in all centres except two. Prescriptions for piperacillin/tazobactam, glycopeptides, and ceftazidime/avibactam increased, whereas third-generation cephalosporins, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones returned to pre-pandemic levels after an initial surge, in all centres. A positive relationship between the pandemic intensity and VRE ID was observed in 6 of 9 (66%) centres followed by methicillin-resistant S. aureus-ID and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa-ID 3 of 4 (44%) for both. A negative relationship was found for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli ID.Discussion: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher usage of broad-spectrum antibiotics and higher incidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, with great variability by countries. These results could support international action plans that embed AMR as a priority in the post-COVID-19 era.peer-reviewe
Book review : Guernsey : how we live together
No full textThe governance of small states and territories is difficult for a variety of reasons, not least the inability to take advantage of economies of scale. But smallness also means that decisions are based heavily on personal connections. This is true in elections, with candidates being elected on a personal vote and not necessarily because of their policies or party affiliation. The problems are accentuated in islands which have their own distinct identity. [excerpt]peer-reviewe
Attitudes toward COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines in the post-COVID era : a cross-sectional study among adults in Malta
Get PDFThe uptake of the COVID-19 and seasonal influenza (SI) vaccines have decreased in Europe
and especially in Malta. The present study aimed to investigate the attitudes toward
COVID-19 and SI vaccines and determine if individuals perceive that these vaccines are
relevant to protect their health and identify reasons for their responses. A cross-sectional
study using an anonymous questionnaire, informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior,
addressing behavior beliefs and attitudes, and targeted at adult residents in Malta, was
designed on Google Forms and disseminated using social media between January and
March 2024. A total of 555 responses were received. The majority of respondents did not
take/intend to take the COVID-19 (75%, n = 417) or SI (64.3%, n = 362) vaccines, with
females being less likely to do so (p = 0.033). Perceived lack of safety (31.3%, n = 174)
was the primary reason for rejecting the COVID-19 vaccine, and perceived lack of a threat
from SI (26%, n = 144) was the reason for rejecting the SI vaccine. Those having chronic
conditions were positively associated with uptake of both vaccines. In the post-pandemic
era, these vaccines are not envisaged as having a major role in protecting one’s health. A
high degree of skepticism especially toward the combined COVID-19 and SI vaccine in
terms of safety, mostly in women, is still present.peer-reviewe