24762 research outputs found
Sort by
Changes of EU countries positions in the international trade of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials in 2016-2020 : influence of Coronavirus pandemic
Get PDFPURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is an explanation of a dependency of all countries of the
European Union on fuel imports in spite of EU activities to limit this dependency by using
renewable energy. Moreover, Author considers a decrease of this dependency connected
with the coronavirus pandemic. Changes of positions of particular EU member-countries in
the international trade of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, (named fuels in this
article) are helpful to understand their various situations of dependency on fuel imports.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The design is finding the efficiency of the EU energy policy
and the importance of the recession of 2020 caused by the corona pandemic to decrease the
EU dependency on the fuel imports and perspectives to change this situation. The research
method is a describing political-economic analysis that bases on statistical data. The
approach covers a description of changing positions of particular EU countries in
international trade of fuels including importance of fuels in their exports and imports of all
products.FINDINGS: The following countries were the most important net importers of fuels in 2019:
Germany, France, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Poland. In 2016, the first five countries
had the same places. Poland obtained the eight position in 2016.The first four countries had
the same positions in 2020. Poland obtained the fifth position in 2020 (after Brexit).
Moreover, trade deficit in fuels of all EU countries deepened in 2016-2019 in spite of the
pro-ecological EU energy policy. The EU energy policy and the recession caused by the
coronavirus pandemic together limited the EU dependency on the fuel imports in 2020.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The result can be considered to elaborate the short-term and long-term EU energy policy.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Original research paper.peer-reviewe
Translation and socio-linguistic adaptation of the Maltese version of the decision regret scale
Get PDFBackground and aim: Decision regret (DR) is critical in patient-centred care, especially among individuals with chronic diseases who face complex healthcare decisions. Despite growing interest in DR as a measurable construct, no validated instrument exists in the Maltese language. This study aimed to translate the 5-item Decision Regret Scale (DRS) into Maltese and to evaluate its content validity, following a structured methodological approach. Methods: The study adopted a two-phase methodological design. In Phase One, the DRS was translated into Maltese using a collaborative and iterative model, as described by Douglas and Craig, which involved forward translation, synthesis, expert adjudication, and back-translation. Phase Two evaluated both quantitative and qualitative content validity. A panel of eight experts assessed the relevance and clarity of each item using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), Item- and Scale-level Content Validity Indexes (I-CVI and S-CVI). Qualitative feedback was also collected to explore face validity and semantic nuances. Results: All items demonstrated acceptable CVR, I-CVI, and S-CVI values after two rounds of expert review. Items 3 and 5 required further discussion due to initial concerns about semantic overlap, resulting in the revision of item 3. Additionally, minor changes were introduced to enhance conceptual clarity. Final indices confirmed the content validity of all five items. Conclusions: The Maltese version of the DRS was found to be culturally appropriate, linguistically accurate, and content-valid. Further psychometric studies are recommended to assess construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness in clinical populations. (www.actabiomedica.it)peer-reviewe
Generative design and additive manufacturing in assistive devices : educational strategies for human-centred solutions
Get PDFThis paper explores how Generative Design (GD), Additive Manufacturing (AM), and multi-stakeholder design approaches can inform engineering education for assistive technology innovation. Drawing on two research projects DIGICLAP and PREMIER, it analyses how these methods support the development of adaptive, personalised, and user-centred devices. The study identifies critical gaps in current curricula, particularly in co-design practice, Product–Service System (PSS) thinking, and the application of feedback-driven design. Based on these insights, it proposes targeted educational strategies that integrate GD, AM, and stakeholder collaboration into project-based and interdisciplinary learning environments. These findings contribute to ongoing efforts to align engineering education with the complex, evolving demands of human-centred assistive device design.peer-reviewe
The mediating and moderating role of digital well-being in the relationship between artificial intelligence competence, computational thinking, and virtual risk perception
No full textBu çalışma, dijital çağın eğitim ortamlarında kritik hale gelen yapay zeka yeterliği, bilişimsel düşünme ve sanal risk algısı değişkenleri arasındaki ilişkileri incelemekte olup bu ilişkide dijital iyi oluşun hem aracılık hem de düzenleyicilik rolünü ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Çalışma, Türkiye, Malta, Gana, Kanada ve Brezilya'daki üniversite öğrencilerinden oluşan kültürlerarası bir örneklem ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler, güvenilir ve geçerli ölçekler aracılığıyla toplanmış, PROCESS makro (Hayes) ve JAMOVI kullanılarak çoklu aracılık ve düzenleyicilik analizleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular, yapay zeka yeterliği ve bilişimsel düşünmenin sanal risk algısını negatif yönde yordadığını ve dijital iyi oluşun bu ilişkide anlamlı bir aracı ve düzenleyici değişken olarak işlev gördüğünü ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, ülkeler arası karşılaştırmalarda belirgin farklar gözlemlenmiştir. Bu araştırma, dijital iyi oluşun sadece bireysel refah değil, aynı zamanda dijital okuryazarlık, eleştirel düşünme ve güvenli dijital vatandaşlık gibi alanlarda da merkezi bir rol oynadığını göstermektedir. Sonuçlar, küresel düzeyde geliştirilecek eğitim politikaları ve yapay zeka temelli öğrenme ortamlarının tasarımı için rehber niteliğindedir.peer-reviewe
Use of digital health technologies for dementia care : bibliometric analysis and report
Get PDFBackground: Dementia is a syndrome that compromises neurocognitive functions of the individual and that is affecting 55
million individuals globally, as well as global health care systems, national economic systems, and family members.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the status quo of scientific production on use of digital health technologiesObjective: This study aimed to determine the status quo of scientific production on use of digital health technologies (DHTs) to support (older) people living with dementia, their families, and care partners. In addition, our study aimed to map the current landscape of global research initiatives on DHTs on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and support of people living with dementia and their caregivers.Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed as part of a systematic review protocol using MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus,
Epistemonikos, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar for systematic and scoping reviews on DHTs
and dementia up to February 21, 2024. Search terms included various forms of dementia and DHTs. Two independent reviewers conducted a 2-stage screening process with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Eligible reviews were then subjected to
a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer to evaluate document types, authorship, countries, institutions, journal sources, references,
and keywords, creating social network maps to visualize emergent research trends.Results: A total of 704 records met the inclusion criteria for bibliometric analysis. Most reviews were systematic, with a
substantial number covering mobile health, telehealth, and computer-based cognitive interventions. Bibliometric analysis revealed
that the Journal of Medical Internet Research had the highest number of reviews and citations. Researchers from 66 countries
contributed, with the United Kingdom and the United States as the most prolific. Overall, the number of publications covering
the intersection of DHTs and dementia has increased steadily over time. However, the diversity of reviews conducted on a single
topic has resulted in duplicated scientific efforts. Our assessment of contributions from countries, institutions, and key stakeholders
reveals significant trends and knowledge gaps, particularly highlighting the dominance of high-income countries in this research
domain. Furthermore, our findings emphasize the critical importance of interdisciplinary, collaborative teams and offer clear
directions for future research, especially in underrepresented regions.Conclusions: Our study shows a steady increase in dementia- and DHT-related publications, particularly in areas such as mobile
health, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and sensor-based technologies interventions. This increase underscores the importance
of systematic approaches and interdisciplinary collaborations, while identifying knowledge gaps, especially in lower-income
regions. It is crucial that researchers worldwide adhere to evidence-based medicine principles to avoid duplication of efforts. This
analysis offers a valuable foundation for policy makers and academics, emphasizing the need for an international collaborative
task force to address knowledge gaps and advance dementia care globally.peer-reviewe
Neutrals and norm building : a question of size
Get PDFSmall states are rarely agenda-setters, but they can be norm-developers, advancing
the international system by gathering support for collectively beneficial standards and
expectations. Neutrality norms serve as a case in point: while Great Powers often assert (or
sometimes challenge) neutrality through their military, economic, or structural power, small
states have a long history of creating, maintaining, and expanding rules and agreements by
engaging other actors in norm-building processes. This article contrasts the two approaches,
using the examples of great and small power neutrals.peer-reviewe
Editorial introduction - Nordic countries’ crisis management of the COVID-19 pandemic : the effect of size
No full textThis special section in SST deals with size-related challenges and opportunities in the seven Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands) in relation to the crisis management of the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. No study has been carried out on whether the size of the Nordic countries affected their management of the COVID-19 crisis. Our aim is to address gaps in both the crisis management and small states literature. The crisis management literature has mainly made assumptions on small states based on cases of large states; while the small state literature has focused on the vulnerability of small states in handling crises. This special section provides new insights into how small state size, administrative design, and governance culture shaped crisis management in the Nordic region. We argue that administrative scale is important, but its effects are mediated by institutional design, leadership, and the ability to harness informality constructively. Small states are not inherently disadvantaged in crises. When paired with clarity, coordination, and trust-based governance, even the smallest Nordic countries can perform well – and at times, better – than their larger peers. Hence, the special section suggests that smallness is not a barrier to effective crisis management. These findings call for a more nuanced view of state size in both public administration and small state scholarship.peer-reviewe
A comparative analysis of hyperparameter effects on CNN architectures for facial emotion recognition
No full textThis study investigates facial emotion recognition, an area of computer vision that involves identifying human
emotions from facial expressions. It approaches facial emotion recognition as a classification task using
labelled images. More specifically, we use the FER2013 dataset and employ Convolutional Neural Networks
due to their capacity to efficiently process and extract hierarchical features from image data. This research
utilises custom network architectures to compare the impact of various hyperparameters - such as the number
of convolutional layers, regularisation parameters, and learning rates - on model performance.
Hyperparameters are systematically tuned to determine their effects on accuracy and overall performance.
According to various studies, the best-performing models on the FER2013 dataset surpass human-level
performance, which is between 65% and 68%. While our models did not achieve the best-reported accuracy
in literature, the findings still provide valuable insights into hyperparameter optimisation for facial emotion
recognition, demonstrating the impact of different configurations on model performance and contributing to
ongoing research in this area.peer-reviewe
QRM as a method for improving processes, using the example of a company in the automotive industry
No full textPURPOSE: The aim of this article is to present QRM as a modern management method based
on reducing lead times in companies.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: An automotive company was selected for the study, which
was the first in the Podkarpackie Province to implement QRM.FINDINGS: The study found that the method had a positive impact on reducing project lead
times, which directly translated into higher customer satisfaction and improved operational
liquidity of the organization.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is worth emphasizing that QRM should not be treated as a closed
project, but as a dynamic methodology that can be developed successively. The company has
real opportunities to extend the application of QRM to other departments, including research
and development, service, and repetitive production, which will allow for even better
utilization of the methodology's potential and increased process integration.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: An innovative approach to the QRM method.peer-reviewe
Procedural ethics for participatory research : field-specific dilemmas and recommendations from researchers, co-researching community partners and the rec overseeing a community-academic ADHD research project
No full textPhilosophical assumptions of the participatory worldview collide with the biomedical framework on which procedural ethics have been grounded. Consequently, obtaining or approving ethical clearance for participatory research can be challenging. Researchers may resent being pressed to water down participatory features to suit institutional requirements. Co-researching community partners’ trust towards academia may be compromised at the outset if the REC comes across unappreciative of their tacit knowledge or is insensitive to their self-determination appeals. REC members may be conflicted over unfamiliar dilemmas. A report detailing effective collaboration during design and approval of a protocol for a photovoice study aimed to empower ADHD women is provided. This collaboration culminated in study plans which satisfied one and all’s requirements. In an attempt to include co-researcher voice in publications and promote more positive perceptions of REC oversight in participatory scholarship, recommendations by academic and community partners and the REC chair who is overseeing this project are advanced. Many lessons were drawn from this positive experience by those who engaged in it. Ethicality, in the context of participatory research is certainly not straightforward, but its pursuit need not be a battlefield. It requires the mobilization of values embedded in the participatory worldview and, akin to the research itself, holds transformative potential.peer-reviewe