International Issues Research Articles

The Moderating Effects of Operations and Supply Chain Issues on Digital Readiness, Value Creation, and Firm Satisfaction

Research on the effects of digital transformation in micro and small enterprises (MSEs) is growing, yet remains underdeveloped, particularly in the context of emerging economies. While previous studies highlight the performance benefits of digital readiness, they often overlook how sector-specific challenges influence these outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between digital readiness and firm performance among MSEs in Bhutan, with a focus on the moderating roles of internal (operational) and external (supply chain) issues. Drawing on data from 217 survey responses collected from firm owners and operators, this study compares tourism and non-tourism sectors to reveal sectoral asymmetries in digital transformation outcomes. The results show that digital readiness is positively associated with firm performance across both sectors. However, the strength of this relationship is differentially moderated by contextual challenges: external issues negatively moderate the digital readiness–performance link in the tourism sector, while internal issues play a similar moderating role in the non-tourism sector. Additionally, firms in the tourism sector report higher levels of both digital performance and satisfaction with digitalization than their non-tourism counterparts. These findings contribute to the Diffusion of Innovation Theory by emphasizing the contingent and asymmetric nature of digital adoption effects across industry sectors. This study offers practical implications for managers and policymakers by underscoring the need for sector-sensitive digital strategies and support mechanisms.

Application Of Realism and Liberalism Approaches of International Relations to the Traditional Security Dynamics

Security, like many other humanities, is one of the humanities' ideas with unique characteristics such as society, culture, values, complexity and ambiguity. Security is the main concern and basic mission of the country. Scholars have studied it in the context of international relations issues such as war and peace, strategic research, and national security research. For this reason, this study uses a descriptive method. It gives the answer to the fundamental question of how realism and liberalism deal with security. According to one study, realism finds security in survival and social contracts, and liberalism finds security in people's free thinking and interests. In this article, we will first discuss the concepts of security, then explore the concepts of realism and liberalism and how they view security.

Kidney organoids: a 3-dimensional tool to unmask permeability factors in primary and recurrent FSGS.

Kidney organoids: a 3-dimensional tool to unmask permeability factors in primary and recurrent FSGS.

Exosomes in infectious diseases: insights into leishmaniasis pathogenesis, immune modulation, and therapeutic potential.

Leishmaniasis continues to be a critical international health issue due to the scarcity of efficient treatment and the development of drug tolerance. New developments in the research of extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially exosomes, have revealed novel disease management approaches. Exosomes are small vesicles that transport lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins in cell signalling. Its biogenesis depends on several cellular processes, and their functions in immune response, encompassing innate and adaptive immunity, underline their function in the pathogen-host interface. Exosomes play a significant role in the pathogenesis of some parasitic infections, especially Leishmaniasis, by helping parasites escape host immunity and promote disease progression. This article explains that in the framework of parasitic diseases, exosomes can act as master regulators that define the pathogenesis of the disease, as illustrated by the engagement of exosomes in the Leishmaniasis parasite and immune escape processes. Based on many published articles on Leishmaniasis, this review aims to summarize the biogenesis of exosomes, the properties of the cargo in exosomes, and the modulation of immune responses. We delve deeper into the prospect of using exosomes for the therapy of Leishmaniasis based on the possibility of using these extracellular vesicles for drug delivery and as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Lastly, we focus on the recent research perspectives and future developments, underlining the necessity to continue the investigation of exosome-mediated approaches in Leishmaniasis treatment. Thus, this review intends to draw attention to exosomes as a bright new perspective in the battle against this disabling affliction.

CHINA'S ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN ANTARCTICA: A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF ITS POSITION AND ACTIONS

Introduction. Antarctica, being a unique and resource-rich region, attracts the attention of many states. China is no exception. Its role in the development of international cooperation in Antarctica has increased significantly since China ratified the Antarctic Treaty in 1983. The article examines the role of China in the development of international cooperation in Antarctica. The goal of the study is to study the role of China in the development of international cooperation in Antarctica, China's relations with other Antarctic states, and the actions taken by China on the territory of Antarctica. Materials and methods. The research methodology consists of the study and analysis of texts of international treaties, scientific publications, and statistical data. In the course of writing the work, a set of general scientific, formal-logical methods (including methods of cognition, description, analysis, induction, deduction, comparison, analogy, systematization, modeling) and special methods (formallegal, historical, comparative-legal, structural-legal methods; content analysis method, etc.) were used. Results of the study. As a result of the conducted research, it was revealed that China is actively engaged in strengthening its position in the region, building new stations, and mining resources. However, some of China's actions are of concern to other states, as China is seen as a potential threat. Moreover, China's lack of a clear Antarctic policy may provoke conflicts with other states. The results of the study can be useful for governments, international organizations and research institutes dealing with international law issues. Discussion and Conclusion. As China's presence continues to expand, its actions are likely to shape the future of international relations in the region. However, now China's role in making important decisions in Antarctica is not as significant as the role of such states as, for example, Australia and the United Kingdom. China needs to actively engage in dialogue with other states, which will avoid tension and contribute to the sustainable development of the region.

Distress Tolerance and Factors Affecting It among Nurses Working in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit

Background: Nurses, as professionals in the caring profession, try to perform safe and effective nursing interventions all the time and support patients to achieve the most favorable treatment outcomes. Nowadays, one of the important and international issues in nursing is distress tolerance. This study aimed to determine distress tolerance and affecting it among nurses working in the COVID-19 intensive care unit. Methods: This study is cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 128 nurses working in the intensive care unit. A non-randomized convenience sampling method was used to select the samples based on the inclusion criteria. The data collection instruments included two questionnaires: a demographic characteristics questionnaire and a standardized distress tolerance questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25, employing both descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Results: The mean age of the samples was 34.95 ± 6.77 years. The highest scores of distress tolerance subscales included appraisal (17.89±3.62), tolerance (8.97±2.60), absorption (8.83±2.30), and regulation (2.25 ±8.39), respectively. The statistical test of linear regression showed that service history and shift work have a significant power to predict nurses' distress tolerance. Conclusion: The distress tolerance of nurses working in the ICU units was low. Factors such as service history and shift work influence their distress tolerance. Accordingly, it is necessary to plan to improve nurses' distress tolerance.

Becoming Globally Competent Through Virtual Exchange

In the context of growing internationalization, global competence has become increasingly vital in education. Virtual exchange (VE) offers online opportunities for participants from diverse cultural and language backgrounds to interact with each other, particularly in terms of cultural themes and international issues. By engaging in such intercultural communication, students global competence tends to develop. This study first introduces the dimensions of global competence, along with distinctions among related terms. Secondly, it provides a definition and typical approaches to VE, followed by an analysis of the tools utilized in VE. Finally, the study systematically reviews the impact of VE on three critical elements of global competence: 1) knowledge, 2) skills, and 3) attitudes. Existing research reveals that VE can improve global competence, despite some gaps in the literature regarding participant selection and methodological design. This study not only offers valuable theoretical implications but also provides practical guidance for students to engage effectively in VE, for educators to design VE programs, and for institutions to promote and optimize virtual exchange initiatives.

Особенности российско-китайского сотрудничества в международных организациях

This article analyzes the political practices of cooperation between China and Russia within the framework of international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS. These platforms serve as important arenas for strengthening bilateral relations and shaping a mul-tipolar world. The authors seek to identify key features of cooperation between the two countries, including as-pects such as diplomacy at the level of heads of state, the possibility of transferring successful practices from one area to several others, the multidimensional nature of interaction, and the use of a policy of non-alignment with military alliances, allowing them to maintain independence in decision-making and avoid pressure from Western powers. This creates space for flexibility in approaches to international issues and allows China and Russia to align their strategies in accordance with their own interests, rather than dictated by external factors. The study of China and Russia's interaction within international organizations not only reveals the specifics of their bilateral relations, but also helps to understand new trends in global politics.

Crafting the Prohibition on Violence against Women under International Human Rights Law

Abstract Violence against women emerged as an international human rights law issue through the adoption of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women’s General Recommendation 19 (1992), the United Nations General Assembly’s Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) and the Belém do Pará Convention (1994). Yet we know relatively little about how the three instruments were created. Through archival research and interviews with key individuals, this article explores the drafting of these instruments. It identifies the involvement of experts, reveals the background influence of women’s international human rights groups and shows that the three processes were linked. This can best be seen in the drafting of the definitions of violence against women. In the drafting process, the article identifies a move from bricolage to consistency. Initial drafts were produced by experts, who drew on a range of materials they had before them. However, once the first instruments were adopted, there was a move to consistency across instruments. Consistency has led to a shared understanding of the notion. However, it came at a cost, with insufficient attention paid to the differences between the different types of instruments (treaty, declaration, general recommendation) and the approach each of these instruments took to the issue.

The Place of Culture in International Relations Theories

At the beginning of the third century, culture has been one of the central topics of many humanities disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, and international relations. As a result of globalization, political, economic, social, and cultural relations have intensified around the world, and distant societies have become closer to each other. Therefore, culture is in many ways the most direct, obvious, and tangible element experienced in the daily lives of human societies. This importance has led to the relationship between culture and various domains, including economic and political power, becoming evident at the international level and becoming the focus of attention for researchers in international politics and international relations. Most sources in the field of international relations, influenced by the main approaches of the field of international relations, realism, idealism, neorealism and neoliberalism, have studied international developments more from a security, political and economic perspective; and have evaluated issues less from a cultural perspective. While in order to better understand international affairs, attention should also be paid to its cultural aspects. Because in many cases, evaluating international issues from a cultural perspective facilitates the understanding and comprehension of world affairs. On this basis, the present study is trying to study and evaluate the main theories of international relations from a cultural perspective.

Dynamic response propagation in urban subway tunnels: an indoor large-scale simulation of crack-induced vibrations

Abstract Urban subway systems commonly experience various internal issues, primarily cracks. These flaws become more pronounced under the dynamic response elicited by train-induced vibrations. Drawing from existing theoretical research, an indoor large-scale model was designed and a model box was constructed, utilizing nylon to simulate the tunnel segment. The simulation method included grooving and cutting to simulate the real-world scenario, alongside the implementation of sinusoidal load and frequency sweeping excitation load to study the propagation laws of dynamic response within and around the tunnel when cracks existed. Findings revealed that voltage, excitation force, and acceleration responses are linearly related, with the dynamic response at each measurement point exhibiting varying degrees of attenuation as the propagation distance increases. This attenuation is markedly noticeable at the interface where the material changes. In time and frequency domains, the fully cracked section demonstrates higher vibration levels and increased acceleration amplitudes compared to an intact section. The measurement point’s expansion effect within the tunnel considerably outweighs that of the surrounding soil. Cracks influence mainly by reducing material integrity and connectivity, consequently lowering the vibration response threshold while intensifying local self-oscillation characteristics.

As Simulações em Relações Internacionais como Ferramenta de Ensino: da sala de aula à comunidade universitária

Simulations of international organizations are a commonly used tool in International Relations courses to support the teaching-learning process or in extension projects. The active learning methodology of simulation involves analyzing both real and simulated situations, combining instruction based on theoretical cases with practical exploration of international issues. This encourages students to reflect on concepts, theories, decisions, and strategies, helping to develop crucial skills for professionals in international relations. This article, following its theoretical foundation, discusses the potential and limitations of this technique, its application as an evaluative activity in curriculum courses, and as a complementary activity. To evaluate the outcomes of the project implementation, experience reports and self-assessment questionnaires were utilized. The main findings reveal that: 1) complementary activities saw greater student interest due to their voluntary nature, while the mandatory nature of evaluative activities led to resistance in student engagement; 2) evaluations by the organizing committee are generally more positive (compared to those by delegates), due to their direct involvement and the personal and educational benefits derived from participating in the project; 3) a thorough prior study of official documents is recommended to prepare for authentic negotiations and resolutions during simulations, along with a combination of theoretical and practical content for more effective learning. Overall, most participants believe that the experience enhanced their learning regarding theoretical content and international relations concepts.

Digital Linguistic Markers of Emotions during the September 2024 Hostilities in Lebanon: A Case Study in Communication Arts Course at a University Level in Southern Lebanon

Language and emotions are intricate systems that have several interactions. Amid the expeditious spread of digitalization and the upswing of various international issues, this case study seeks to explore how students at the Lebanese University in the South utilize language on social media to convey their emotions as of the 2024 clashes and airstrikes in Lebanon. Further, it aims to identify digital linguistic markers that reflect key emotional states and social identity. Drawing on discourse analysis, which acknowledges language as a dynamic system influenced by shared experiences, values, and beliefs, and notably, by Conceptual Act Theory, which explores how meaning is constructed from experiences and perceptions, and on sentiment analysis, a mixed-methods approach is employed. A convenient sampling of (191) university EFL students taking the Communication Arts module during the fall of 2024-2025 completed an online survey of 15 multiple-choice and Likert scale items. Twelve students joined a focus group discussion, and 155 out of 191 participants interacted on the web-based application Padlet. The findings show that utilizing language in the context of social media platforms through words, emojis, hashtags, slogans, or posting articles, images, or videos plays a vital role not only in channeling positive and negative sentiments but also in signaling belonging to a collective identity during times of crisis in Lebanon. The overall analysis indicated that using various linguistic practices on social media platforms communicates positive and negative emotions and upholds social norms and ideologies.

The 27th IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education (ICCE 2024)

Abstract We are pleased to present this special issue of the Chemistry Teacher International, showcasing a selection of 15 impactful papers from the 27th IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education (ICCE 2024), held from July 15-19, 2024, at the Royal Cliff Grand Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand. The conference was organized by the Chemical Society of Thailand, in partnership with Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, and Burapha University. An introduction to the papers along with the background of the conference is given.

A Translational Analysis of Tony Blair's Political Texts

A large number of learners and researchers have no idea how political texts are analysed in terms of semantic and communicative translation with showing good results due to several strategies. The study aims at describing the translational analysis that contribute to the understanding of source text as a main tool to convey the main thoughts and ideologies in the political source speech, and explaining how to help the translator in producing target text. The study uses a qualitative analysis based on Newmark’s translational model with reference to its semantic and communicative aspects. A selected political texts of Tony Blair (the prime minister of Great Britain at that time) is taken into consideration within the period of power. The translation of these political texts is varied in terms of receivers and the semantics of the political speech plays a significant role in shaping public opinion and international perceptions of the UK's stance on the international issues, in terms of communicative translation analysis, the researcher announces that the Arabic language version of these utterances have been received differently by Arab audiences due to cultural and linguistic differences. The study recommends that translators and researchers must comprehend deeply the sociocultural contexts of both authentic and target mother tongues, they should concentrate on recognising and processing contextual variations to maintain suitable translations, they should think of employing mixed processes as integrating literal translation with modulation or adaptation can balance structural precision with cultural relevance.

Enhancing the Language Environment Within Healthcare: The Case of Healthy China Initiative

The Healthy China initiative gives priority to the development of people’s health and integrates health into all health. It urgently necessitates the enhancement of language capabilities within the medical domain of the public health service system. The linguistic landscape in the medical field reflects the multifaceted interactions among its participants. This paper, grounded in a framework of place semiotics and supplemented by surveys of both physical and virtual linguistic landscapes of 6 hospitals along with 60 valid questionnaires, examines the current state of the linguistic landscape in Hefei’s medical field and endeavors to define it. This study investigates the evident language usage of hospitals. It shows the role of language in medical contexts and how it reflects public service goals, internationalization, and accessibility issues. This study comes at a time when the focus on health communication is growing and the need for hospital signs to be multilingual is critical. It makes the important contribution of explaining how public policy objectives and patient experiences in healthcare services can be achieved through the management of linguistic landscapes. However, the study identifies several issues, including a lack of language signs targeting specific populations and a low prevalence of language intelligent devices, which provide insights for the scientific, digital, and standardized management of the linguistic landscape in the medical field and if necessary, medical artificial intelligence devices are provided.

Competence of Indonesian Courts in Adjudicating Divorce of Foreign Citizens

The presence of foreign nationals who live in Indonesia in the long term raises various international legal issues, one of which is related to divorce between the spouses of foreign nationals married abroad. This article discusses the authority of Indonesian courts in adjudicating divorce cases between two foreign nationals married abroad, as well as the application of international civil law principles in determining applicable law. Using the example of the divorce case of a foreign national couple from the United States who married in Philadelphia and lived in Indonesia for more than seven years, this article outlines the application of principles such as lex loci celebrationis, lex domicilii, and lex rei sitae in determining the authority of the court and the applicable law. The analysis shows that Indonesian courts have the authority to adjudicate this divorce based on the spouse's long-standing residence in Indonesia and based on the principles of international civil law that avoid renvoi. Therefore, the Indonesian court can decide this divorce case even though the marriage took place abroad.

Postsecondary Participants’ Beliefs About International Agricultural Issues

Teaching university students about international food and agricultural issues is paramount to preparing a globally competent workforce. Given future demands for foodstuffs needed to sustain a global populace exceeding nine billion, educators are tasked with promoting understanding of international agricultural issues. Studying students’ beliefs about international agriculture and the information sources and experiences used to form those beliefs is necessary in preparing a globally competent workforce. The purpose of this study was to explore university participants’ beliefs about international agriculture issues and the information sources and experiences used to learn about such issues using a cross-sectional design with random samples at [State] University. Results showed that beliefs about international agriculture issues were strong; graduate students held the strongest beliefs. Those with an international experience, family in agriculture, or majors in agriculture held stronger beliefs about the diversity of international agriculture. Respondents with international experience(s) perceived internal and external sources and experiences as beneficial to learning about international agricultural issues. Efforts to create a more inclusive curriculum for international agricultural issues can be enhanced through specific information sources and experiences in postsecondary education. Research is needed to explore complex factors (e.g., educator–learner and peer-to-peer homophily, experience abroad) affecting beliefs about international agricultural issues.

Comparing quantity of marine debris to California horn shark sightings and egg appearances in Redondo Beach, California, USA.

Comparing quantity of marine debris to California horn shark sightings and egg appearances in Redondo Beach, California, USA.

Teacher education as a scene of (dis)repair: a critique of therapeutic practices

ABSTRACT Teacher attrition has become a pervasive international issue with research documenting teachers leaving the profession as an effect of several factors including poor working conditions and flawed policy contexts. Such research has been helpful in drawing attention to how the harsh realities of classrooms and schools can disillusion teachers, creating stress, burnout, and potentially a desire to leave the profession. It has also led to an emphasis on well-being and mental health in teacher education programmes and the adoption of practices such as self-care planning, animal therapy, and resilience workshops. Such initiatives adopt the ideas, practices, and language of psychological therapy and as such can be characterised as “therapeutic” practices. Critiquing therapeutic practices in teacher education, the author argues that an excessive focus on the teacher’s inner reality distracts from the ethico-political dimension of educational work – care for the world (of education) that brings us together as educators – with consequences for the profession and for democracy. Drawing on Honig’s (2017) concept of “public things,” the author offers conceptual resources with which teacher educators might consider how self-care is entangled with care for the world, inviting a (re)imagining of teacher education as a site of repair and renewal of that world.