Distinct Countries Research Articles

Digital Signage and Visualization in Airports’ ‘Way-finding’

Airports, transportation hubs carrying passengers from distinct countries and origins, are playing a more and more crucial role in our life. On the one hand, convenient, fast and highly efficient airport service is the key factor why passengers chose to travel by air. Therefore, passengers’ need of efficient modern airport management is overwhelmingly important. On the other hand, with the lasting airport scale and passenger capacity expansion, massive infrastructure construction has brought airports heavy costs. Airport fiscal revenue must be optimized to offset huge expenses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current status of airports’ digital way-finding services, and explore to which extent airport digital signages and way-finding systems can improve airport transport efficiency and service quality. This paper gives the superiority of digital signage compared with traditional airport guidance, and analyzes digital signage’s benefits to airports in passenger experience and airport non-aviation fiscal revenue. Way-finding system design process and the case study of Singapore Changi Airport were also provided. The conclusion was drawn that airports equipped with digital way-finding systems can enhance passengers’ experience and the degree of satisfaction, enrich passengers’ trip and create a more convenient, more effective and safer airport.

Prenatal attachment: using measurement invariance to test the validity of comparisons across eight culturally diverse countries

Studies in high-income countries (HICs) have shown that variability in maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) predict important maternal health and child outcomes. However, the validity of MFA ratings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains unknown. Addressing this gap, we assessed measurement invariance to test the conceptual equivalence of the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI: Muller, 1993) across eight LMICs. Our aim was to determine whether the PAI yields similar information from pregnant women across different cultural contexts. We administered the 18-item PAI to 1181 mothers in the third trimester (Mean age = 28.27 years old, SD = 5.81 years, range = 18–48 years) expecting their first infant (n = 359) or a later-born infant (n = 820) as part of a prospective birth cohort study involving eight middle-income countries: Ghana, Jamaica, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. We used Multiple Group Confirmatory Factor Analyses to assess across-site measurement invariance. A single latent factor with partial measurement invariance was found across all sites except Pakistan. Group comparisons showed that mean levels of MFA were lowest for expectant mothers in Vietnam and highest for expectant mothers in Sri Lanka. MFA was higher in first-time mothers than in mothers expecting a later-born child. The PAI yields similar information about MFA across culturally distinct middle-income countries. These findings strengthen confidence in the use of the tool across different settings; future studies should explore the use of the PAI as a screen for maternal behaviour that place children at risk.

Teaching and learning in a multilingual Europe: findings from a cross-European study

School classrooms within the EU are multilingual learning environments. The diversity of pupils in classrooms raises significant challenges for teachers, but to date, there are no data from large-scale surveys that compare views within and across European countries. A bespoke questionnaire was designed to examine views of current classroom learning environments with respect to the multilingualism. The questionnaire was piloted and subsequently completed by 2792 teachers across different European countries. Eleven countries provided sufficient data for analyses. Results from structural equation modelling showed that teachers’ attitudes could be reliably measured across Europe with the use of carefully devised questionnaire, whose loading and factor structure remained invariant across countries. Teachers’ views about multilingualism were most challenged by the numbers of children in their classes, not the percentage of multilingual pupils in the class. Countries differed in how they perceived multilingualism, with their differences leading to distinctive country clusters. Gender and education level (elementary vs. secondary) differences were also observed irrespective of country. These findings enhance our understanding of the role that the characteristics of teachers and their classrooms play in a multilingual setting across diverse European settings. The practical relevance of the results and new opportunities for teacher training are discussed.

Variable selection in finite mixture of regression models with an unknown number of components

A Bayesian framework for finite mixture models to deal with model selection and the selection of the number of mixture components simultaneously is presented. For that purpose, a feasible reversible jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm is proposed to model each component as a sparse regression model. This approach is made robust to outliers by using a prior that induces heavy tails and works well under multicollinearity and with high-dimensional data. Finally, the framework is applied to cross-sectional data investigating early warning indicators. The results reveal two distinct country groups for which estimated effects of vulnerability indicators vary considerably.

A Corpus-Based Critical Discourse Analysis of News Reports on the COVID-19 Pandemic in China and the UK

Media, as important windows for the public to get to know timely information, play a vital role in influencing citizens’ attitudes as well as behaviors. From 2019, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a global health emergency, has aroused great concern of the international community, including media. Varied in cultural context, political stand, and people’s ideology, however, media in different countries reported the COVID-19 dissimilarly. According to Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (CDA) model, it is posited that the discrepancies in the reports of the COVID-19 can reflect ideological differences and have explanatory power in the development of the COVID-19 in distinct countries. Based on this premise, by utilizing the database analysis software AntConc 3.2.4w on self-built corpora, this study analyzed the news reports of different stages on the COVID-19 in China and the UK, i.e., in China Daily and The Guardian, respectively, and attempted to reveal the discourse characteristics in the two media, together with the discussion on their possible relations to the pandemic-controlling practices. The corpus-based analysis showed that China Daily used more objective and neutral words in the descriptions of the COVID-19 and expressed more active attitudes in fighting against the epidemic, whereas The Guardian used more negative words in describing the pandemic and words with weak restricting force when reporting policies concerning the control and prevention of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the comparison between the discourse before and after the lockdown demonstrated that the descriptions of the COVID-19 in the UK media transformed into a more objective and neutral one than before with an increased use of expressions of restriction and social conflicts. The same comparison in the discourse of China Daily found that words about sharing experience and promoting cooperation augmented noticeably. The above-mentioned findings were also discussed together with these two countries’ domestic epidemic situations and ideological differences, respectively.

Can Climate and Environmental Factors Putatively Increase SARS-Cov2 Transmission Risks?

After the identification of the first SARS-COV-2 infected cases in China, the virus was rapidly disseminated among the distinct continents and the COVID-19 pandemics was announced by the WHO in March 2020. Over time, the epidemiological sceneries varied among countries, according to the adopted mitigation measures and epidemic phase. Recently, a recrudescence of the epidemics has been observed in distinct countries. SARSCoV- 2 can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact. The viral RNA has been detected in stool and other clinical specimens from infected patients and a putative fecal-oral transmission has been argued. Viruses are shed in human excreta, further disposed into the sewerage system or into the environment, in poor sanitation settings. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been regularly detected in wastewater and surface water impacted by the direct discharge of sewage. Some studies have reported an association between climatic parameters and an increase in COVID-19 incidence. However, conclusive evidence based in full seasons is needed so far.

The Development of the European Neighbourhood Policy: The Case of Ukraine and its Effects

The implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2004 was an instrument established to achieve a rapprochement between the countries of Eastern Europe and the Southern Mediterranean with the European Union. Since this common policy began, it has evolved very differently in the distinct countries that are part of it. One such country is Ukraine, which has developed special relations with the European Union. So much so that, since the implementation of a specific dimension called the Eastern Partnership in 2009, relations have been fluctuating between Ukraine and the European Union.

People Don’t Want a Mosque Here: Destruction of Minority Religious Sites as a Strategy of Nationalism

Religious sites are often at the center of confrontation. Groups frequently clash over the structures and the historical narratives surrounding sacred spaces. Religious sites encompass deeply entrenched meanings for groups of all backgrounds. These spaces represent identity, tradition, history, family, and belief systems. For minority groups, their religious sites can help provide a sense of belonging and serve as a monument to their history in the community. Due to their symbolic importance, religious sites are also vulnerable to violence by outside groups. Destructive acts targeting religious architecture and symbols are common throughout the world, but are especially frequent in identity-based conflicts, such as in Bosnia. However, the study of these attacks and their relationship to nationalist movements, particularly in Asia, has not been adequately studied. This article examines the destruction of Islamic sites in three distinct countries and contexts: India, Myanmar, and Xinjiang, China. In each case, Muslims are religious minorities and face varying levels of persecution. This article argues that the destruction of religious spaces and symbols has been used both literally and symbolically to claim a space for the dominant group and assert a right to the associated territory. The elimination of Muslim sites is part of a broader attempt to engage in a historical revisionism that diminishes or vilifies Muslims belonging in the region.

The business of biodiversity: the role of Odonata

As one of the most biologically distinctive countries in the world, much of Australia’s flora and fauna are endemic to the continent; however, the issue of decline is immediate and ever present in many ecological communities. Odonata, as a not-for-profit business, believes that nature-focused business solutions are the key to properly supporting Australia’s biodiversity. By driving sustainable business solutions, supporting nature-focused projects and establishing predator-proof sanctuaries, Odonata looks to the role of stewardship as a means to promote healthy diversity and regenerate landscapes.

Сіткова карта регіонального ландшафтного парку «Сеймський»

Modern approaches to the use of grid mapping in studies of biodiversity at the level of distinct countries and local territories are described. Information on the territory of Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park as a significant element of the National Ecological Network, the Emerald Network in Ukraine and the regional ecological network, and on its functional zoning is given. The cartographic basis of the territory of Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park is created via MapInfo program. When designing the grid map of the park, the experience of developing grid maps for Cheremosh National Nature Park, Vyzhnytsky National Nature Park, Hutsulshchyna National Nature Park, Khotynsky National Natural Park was used. It is based on application of a grid of 1×1-km squares, which is consistent with the accepted in Atlas Florae Europaeae grid, following the UTM coordinate system. Operational layer of the generated map comprises 1193 squares, fully (876) or partially (317) covering the study area. Each square is assigned an individual number (ID), consisting of alphanumeric notation that allows to easily find information and operate it. For each of the plant species, there is created a separate layer, stored in an electronic database and containing information about the location of the species in a certain square. Synthesis of information using the algorithm of creating thematic maps will help to identify the locations of concentration of floristic diversity in the study area, and its combination with zoning maps will provide an opportunity to correct functional zoning of Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park. The information collected and organized in this way will clearly display the dynamics of the number of individual species, which is especially relevant for rare species and alien flora fraction of the park. Cartographic material will be the basis for further monitoring studies within the territory of Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park.

High genetic diversity of paramyxoviruses infecting domestic cats in Western Brazil

Feline morbillivirus was discovered in 2012 in cats from Hong Kong, and it was initially found to be associated with chronic kidney disease. Although subsequent molecular surveys showed a common occurrence in cat populations from distinct countries, there were controversial results regarding the relationship between viral shedding through urine and reduced kidney function. In this study, 276 domestic cats of diverse origins from Western Brazil had their urine evaluated for the presence of paramyxoviral RNA by reverse transcription seminested PCR and direct sequencing. Additionally, a selected Brazilian feline morbillivirus strain was isolated in Crandell Rees feline kidney cells, and a nearly complete genome sequence was obtained. To assess the kidney function of all cats, serum biochemistry screening and standard urinalysis were performed. Our results revealed a relatively high paramyxovirus-positive rate (34.7%) in the evaluated cats although there was not a statistical association between the shedding of viral RNA through urine and kidney disease. Direct sequencing of partial fragments of the L gene demonstrated high genetic diversity among strains detected in cats in this study, since both feline morbillivirus RNA and feline paramyxovirus RNA were frequently shed in urine. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on partial amino acid sequences of the L gene showed that Brazilian feline paramyxovirus strains were genetically diverse since they grouped into two distinct subclusters; one subcluster contained three strains identified in Germany, while the second contained Japanese strain 163, which was recently classified in the Jeilongvirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family. In contrast, the Brazilian feline morbillivirus strain FeMV/BR_Boni, herein characterized by nearly complete genome sequencing, was classified in the Morbillivirus genus with other strains previously identified as genotype 1. In conclusion, urinary excretion of diverse paramyxoviral RNA is frequent in cats of different origins from Western Brazil, but viral infection is not related to altered kidney function.

Changes in school alienation profiles among secondary school students and the role of teaching style: Results from a longitudinal study in Luxembourg and Switzerland

What students think about school has a major impact on learning and academic achievement. The multi-domain concept of school alienation distinguishes between alienation from learning, from teachers and from classmates. We aim to study a) alienation patterns among secondary school students, b) how school alienation profiles change from year 7 to year 9 and how secondary school students transition between profiles, and c) the role of teaching style for transitions between school alienation profiles. We draw on panel data of secondary school students from Luxembourg and Switzerland. Results of latent profile/latent transition analyses reveal distinct school alienation profiles, country differences and support for the idea that student-oriented, supportive teaching styles might prevent students from transitioning towards more-highly alienated profiles.

Machiavellianism and Cruelty in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming and Barzan Faraj's Yousif Nightmares

Cruelty and evil behaviors, widespread among human beings, have inspired many authors to examine the reasons and justifications for violence which destroys the life of man. This study inspects two plays, The Homecoming by Harold Pinter (1930-2008) and Yousif Nightmares by Barzan Faraj to show how the family members, as Machiavellian individuals, exploit and confront one another only for their own interest. The research observes the cruel nature of man in these texts written in two different periods by two playwrights who were born in two distinct countries with diverse social and cultural background. Harold Pinter is a British writer and wrote the play in 1964 and Barzan Faraj is a Kurdish playwright and wrote his play in 2001. The characters are tied by blood, but have no regard for one another's emotions. The needy are ignored and the females are exploited. The psychological study of the oppressors and the oppressed is based on Roy F. Baumeister's theory on evil and the origin of cruelty. Baumeister (1999) summarizes the roots of evil into lust (desire), egotism, revenge, fundamentalism and idealism. He believes that evil and violence have deep roots in the history of human kind and the problem is that most people who commit evil acts do not themselves regard their actions as evil. The study focuses on egotism and desire and concludes that the characters perform physical, verbal and sexual assaults without feeling guilty or showing regret. This shows that man creates several motives to commit crimes, and violence is part of human nature

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Management of Breast Cancer: Global Trends and Future Perspectives.

IntroductionThe rapid spread of COVID‐19 across the globe is forcing surgical oncologists to change their daily practice. We sought to evaluate how breast surgeons are adapting their surgical activity to limit viral spread and spare hospital resources.MethodsA panel of 12 breast surgeons from the most affected regions of the world convened a virtual meeting on April 7, 2020, to discuss the changes in their local surgical practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Similarly, a Web‐based poll based was created to evaluate changes in surgical practice among breast surgeons from several countries.ResultsThe virtual meeting showed that distinct countries and regions were experiencing different phases of the pandemic. Surgical priority was given to patients with aggressive disease not candidate for primary systemic therapy, those with progressive disease under neoadjuvant systemic therapy, and patients who have finished neoadjuvant therapy. One hundred breast surgeons filled out the poll. The trend showed reductions in operating room schedules, indications for surgery, and consultations, with an increasingly restrictive approach to elective surgery with worsening of the pandemic.ConclusionThe COVID‐19 emergency should not compromise treatment of a potentially lethal disease such as breast cancer. Our results reveal that physicians are instinctively reluctant to abandon conventional standards of care when possible. However, as the situation deteriorates, alternative strategies of de‐escalation are being adopted.Implications for PracticeThis study aimed to characterize how the COVID‐19 pandemic is affecting breast cancer surgery and which strategies are being adopted to cope with the situation.

Environmental Awareness in Different European Cultures

Abstract The 28 countries of the European Union represent a rather heterogeneous group regarding their geography, history, and national cultures. Their response to the current global challenges depends on their way of viewing the world, and that is largely influenced by their national values and beliefs. The research compares the environmental awareness in distinct country groups and identifies the components of national culture, which, by their different approaches to the environmental sustainability, influence the most. The time span of the analysis is seven years from 2012 to 2018. National culture is defined by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, and the environmental awareness data were collected from the Eurobarometer surveys of the EU. The main findings show that the environmental awareness in the EU increases with time and is higher in indulgent, more individualistic, and more long-term oriented countries, while the level of masculinity and uncertainty avoidance or power distance did not matter. The Scandinavian countries are remarkably environmentally aware, while the other groups of countries do not differ in this respect.

The Influence of Energy Certification on Housing Sales Prices in the Province of Alicante (Spain)

This work examines the implementation of energy labelling by the residential real estate sector. First, it considers the interest by real estate sellers in not publishing energy certification information, and then, it quantifies the impact of the housing’s energy certification on the asking price. The results are compared with those obtained from other studies conducted in distinct European countries. The study’s final sample was collected, including information from 52,939 multi-family homes placed on the real estate market in the province of Alicante (Spain). One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used, as well as an ordinary least squares regression model. This study highlights the fact that, in the current market, owners and sellers have no incentive to reveal the energy certification, since this permits them to sell homes with low energy ratings at prices similar to those of more energy efficient homes. In addition, it was found that homes with better energy ratings (letters A and B) are not sold at higher prices than homes with other rating letters, unlike the case of other European countries that were examined.

A Comparative Study of Romeo and Juliet and The Butterfly Lovers

Love is not only an important topic in life but also an eternal theme in literature. In China, The Butterfly Lovers is regarded as one of the most well-known four folklores. Romeo and Juliet is one of the typical classic works written by William Shakespeare, the world-renowned British playwright in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The author of this paper has found that although created in two distinct countries and with respective historical backgrounds with different means of expressing, the values and story spirit of these two great literary works with their own national characteristics share much in common. These two tragedies, with similar plots, have high praise for freedom of love and oppose to feudalism. It is discovered that both Romeo and Juliet and The Butterfly lovers have been exerting great influences upon British, Chinese and even the whole world’s literature.

Exploring the Determinants of Relationship Quality in Retail Banking Services

The rapid change in the financial market has led to a shift to relationship marketing, which emphasizes relationships with existing customers rather than creating new ones. Therefore, to achieve competitive advantage in the market, assessing service quality and relationship quality has become an important tool for financial institutions. The widely applied five dimension model has shown problems of dimensions overlapping and blurring with each other, which results in the lack in providing the marketer with practical administrative implications. Therefore, a three dimensional model, composed of interaction quality, physical environment quality and outcome quality, that could be applied in general to various service industries and, at the same time, categorized into service quality dimensions that are not ambiguous for marketers to manage has been utilized. As a result, in the case of Korean consumers, interaction quality, physical environment quality, and outcome quality were shown to have positive effects on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. For Brazilian consumers, physical environment quality and outcome quality were shown to have positive effects on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Also, a median effect of customer satisfaction was found. This paper reviews the concept and dimensions of service quality and relationship quality, as well as verifying the structural relationship between the two variables through empirical analysis. Through the results of the analysis, the paper compares the differences between two distinctive countries and present theoretical and academic implications.

Medical certificate of cause of death: Looking for an European single standard

The European Union share many laws, and medical certification of cause of death standards should be probably one of them. In an analysis of medical certificates of cause of death (MCCD) from 27 countries that form or formed part of the European Union, there was considerable variability of their content.Ways to improve and harmonize the current datasets are suggested, based on what is done in different European nations, and that could be adopted elsewhere, sharing good practice. It is also suggested the need to allow the cause of death to be, at least partially, available to relatives, to help with the bereavement process and any required proceedings (which could be different to the country of issue of the certification).This common approach could reduce the risk of errors among clinicians working across different nations; it could improve information flow when decedents are transferred among distinct countries and their forms are processed; and eventually, it could help when mortality data is used to compare states.

Commercial Relations Between Brazil and India: An Analysis of Trade Chain and the Challenger for the Coming Years

Brazil and India are distinct countries in many fields such as culture, politics and religion, but some similar characteristics are noted. When it comes to territorial extension and population, the two countries are classified as emerging and are currently members of the BRICS Summit. The proximity of countries has become evident in the 21st century, where they seek to achieve the same goal, a greater participation in the world order. The trade relationship between them aims at positive impacts on both economies. This paper seeks to present the characteristics of the Brazil-India trade relationship and its implications for Brazil. Part of the scope of this research was the study of the relationship between the Brazil-India Trade Chain and some macroeconomic variables of these countries, for that a nonlinear causality test was applied, and the Factorial Analysis (main components) was also used. Finally, three methodologies were applied to model and forecast the Trade Chain (cross-validated LASSO, Neural Networks and non-tuned Random Forest) and a comparison was made between the metric performances, thus generating a satisfactory result, where was it noted that India presents a growing share of its trade balance on the GDP, which makes this market attractive to Brazil, because there is a significant increase in commercial relations.