ABSTRACT Research question This study examines how and under what circumstances the transfer of football players from top-tier European leagues to the controversial, yet financially lucrative Saudi Professional League (SPL) influences their brand image. Research methods We employed a mixed-method design across four empirical studies among Western European football fans. First, we analyzed associations with Cristiano Ronaldo before and after his transfer to the SPL as an entry point into the broader topic. Next, we conducted 15 semi-structured interviews and a conjoint experiment to deepen our understanding of the impact of SPL transfers on player image. Finally, we used these insights to design a survey predicting brand image repercussions for six European football players in hypothetical SPL transfer scenarios. Results and findings While transfers to SPL are generally perceived in a negative light, the specific impact on players’ images differs and requires a case-by-case assessment. Perceptions with respect to four player attributes – Age (Veteran vs. Greenhorn), Legacy (Superstar vs. Potential Star), Globalness (Global Player vs. Local Hero), and Value-Orientation (Wealth-seeker vs. Ethical Leader) – were identified as crucial determinants of brand image outcomes. Implications This study provides new insights into the nuanced impacts of football player transfers to controversial leagues, highlighting the critical role of individual player characteristics. The findings offer practical implications for athletes, advisers, teams, and sponsors in navigating transfer decisions to optimize brand image outcomes.

The lived experiences of teenage fathers are often untapped because these fathers are not easily discoverable and observable. Related literatures frequently depict their lives as an attachment to teenage mothers and is repeatedly displayed in a negative light. Hence, this research delved deeper and examined teenage fathers who live with and raise their children. Using a phenomenological approach as a research method, this study explored the meanings and essences of their lives to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences. It also studied their identity crises and the transition to a complete understanding of themselves. This study followed the lives of five teenage fathers who impregnated their partners when they were fifteen to nineteen years old and chose to take responsibility with their child. As of the interview, these teenage fathers are eighteen to twenty-four years old. The findings revealed that the lived experiences of the selected teenage fathers transitioned from being teenagers to a version of fatherhood, where they believed in a concept of being a father that is solely focused on the life of their child and family. With the element of time and endless support of family and loved ones, they were able to adjust and embrace the identity of being a teenage father. It is an identity that knows how to prioritize and realize that being a teenager and a father at the same time is not the end, but a door that will allow them to know who they are as a person and extract these qualities for their own and their family's betterment. In conclusion, by uncovering the essences of their lived experiences, this research challenges prevailing narratives that are often limited to statistical data and instead emphasizes the importance of understanding their emotional, psychological, and relational journeys. In practice, these findings underscore the need for more inclusive and father-sensitive counseling programs, school-based interventions, and community support systems that recognize teenage fathers not as incongruities but as capable individuals undergoing complex identity formation. In addition, to dismantle stigma and foster environments where these young men can thrive both as individuals and as parents, it is recommended to encourage teen fathers to build a strong support system with their close family (partner, parents, and child) to develop good habits and discipline. Promote open discussions about family planning, including contraceptives and future goals. Emphasize the importance of personal growth, viewing fatherhood as a stepping stone to learning new skills and achieving both personal and family goals.

The ethics of publishing on social media-: The example of obesity - an invited review by the Standing Committee on Standards of Care and Position Statements of the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG).

This article explores the elusive presence of Berbers in Islamic Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries. A major challenge of the topic is the lack of ethnic differentiation in medieval narratives: both Christian and Muslim sources typically categorize Sicily’s population according to religious affiliation, rather than ethnic identity. In contrast to al-Andalus, where Berber communities are more visibly represented in the sources, their presence in Sicily appears fragmentary and often ambiguous. The aim of the study is to identify, systematize, and interpret the historical evidence relating to Berbers in Sicily. Methodologically, it combines a comparative analysis of data from various medieval Arabic chronicles with a critical review and reassessment of existing historiographical approaches. A key contribution of the study is the discussion of the possible presence of Berber Christians in Sicily prior to the Islamic conquest of the island in the 9th century. A chronological synthesis of references concerning Muslim Berbers is presented and analyzed. The study situates developments in Sicily within the broader political dynamics of North Africa, with particular emphasis on the role of the Kutāma Berbers in the 10th century and the increasing involvement of the Berber Zirid emirate in the 11th century. The article also explores literary stereotypes about the Berbers in Arabic historical writing – both in general terms and in relation to their role in Sicily. Particular attention is given to the spread of Ibāḍī Khārijism, which may have been introduced by Berber settlers. As a marginal movement within regions dominated by Sunnī Islam, Khārijite groups are often depicted in a negative light in Arabic chronicles. The article engages with these contested issues in an effort to offer a nuanced perspective on the Berber presence in medieval Sicily.

Remotely sensed data have been instrumental in improving our understanding of the nature of fires within tropical landscapes. However, most studies have depicted fires in a negative light, highlighting how land-use and land-cover changes make forests more vulnerable to fire damage. In contrast to such fires, indigenous peoples utilize fires as a key part of their livelihood practices, and such relationships have not been extensively examined using remotely sensed data. In this paper, we utilize MODIS Active Fire data to examine the spatial and temporal distribution of fires relative to indigenous lands across Guyana. We employed the DBSCAN clustering algorithm and Voronoi polygons to examine the patterns of fire distribution across the Guyanese landscape. We found that while indigenous territories accounted for approximately 15% of Guyana’s terrestrial landscape, 25% of fires occurred within Amerindian lands, and 71% within 16 km of village boundaries. A strong linear distance decay (R2 = 0.97) was observed between the occurrence of fires and Amerindian village boundaries. Four previously undefined fire regions emerged for Guyana–Coastal, Forest, Forest Edge North, and Forest Edge South–with the Forest Edge regions hosting the second highest number of fires but the highest indigenous peoples’ presence. The spatial distribution of fires relative to each region suggested that Forest Edge indigenous villages had a strong reliance on fires as a part of their toolkit for maintaining the rich ecological processes characteristically observed around their lands.

The article examines an early Polish parliamentary institution that continues to be assessed very negatively: the liberum veto. Michał Zbigniew Dankowski addresses this issue in his monograph, in which he adopts a highly critical stance toward the nobility. In his opinion, the decline of parliamentarism resulted from the nobility’s diminishing civic awareness, political culture, and personal responsibility. On the one hand, the primary figure responsible for establishing the liberum veto, the nuncio from Upita, Władysław Siciński, is portrayed in an extremely negative light. On the other hand, however, Dankowski attempts to justify his actions. In this article, I challenge the arguments presented in Dankowski’s book, asserting that it does not constitute an in-depth study of the liberum veto or the reasons for its entrenchment in the noblemen’s minds as the most powerful guarantee of freedom of speech.

Adolescence is a transitional period toward adulthood, during which individuals are vulnerable to emotional issues, peer problems, and behavioral challenges associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. One of the risk and protective factors in this phase is how adolescents perceive their relationship with both parents, whether in a positive or negative light. This study aims to examine the role of perceived parent–child relationships in internalizing and externalizing problems. A quantitative research design was employed, with a sample of 144 adolescents aged 11–17 years, selected through accidental sampling. The results of a simple regression analysis showed that adolescents' perception of their relationship with their mother significantly influenced both internalizing and externalizing problems. However, the perception of the relationship with the father did not show a significant influence on either type of problem. The findings suggest that the maternal figure plays a crucial role in strengthening emotional bonds through appreciation, support, and protection, enabling adolescents to feel secure and motivated to show filial devotion. As children mature, they tend to reciprocate the affection they have received. Moreover, a mother’s protection can ease the burden on adolescents in assuming parental roles. A mother’s happiness is also essential, as it directly impacts the well-being of the child.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the former comedian and current Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has become a political leader at the center of today’s world stage. Using the character traits and enduring news values identified by Gans (1979) and drawing on the indexing hypothesis, this study examined worldwide news portrayals of Zelensky over time. The study employed a quantitative content analysis of 1411 text-based articles and 318 images in leading newspapers from Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Russia, South Africa, and the United States. The results showed that Zelensky’s character was portrayed significantly more positively after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine than before. Russian news media framed him in a more negative light than news media in countries supporting Ukraine or in formally nonaligned countries, suggesting that the news coverage of a foreign political leader echoes elite debates in the countries studied.

Abstract The present study relied on internet memes as a tool to possibly fight ageism and shape public views in a positive manner. Data collection took place between May and June 2024, recruiting 160 Israeli Arabs, aged 13 to 16, from 3 different schools. In total, 105 memes addressed ageism towards older people. Visual and written contents were described, followed by more interpretative analysis. The memes were classified into two main themes. The first concerned negative ageist stereotypes of older persons (n = 66). The second theme concerned attempts to combat ageism (n = 39). Even though students received explicit instructions to fight ageism via their meme production, most students produced memes which depicted older age and ageing in a negative stereotypical light. The study highlights the relatively high levels of ageism in this group of participants and points to areas needing further attention in future interventions to alleviate ageism. The present findings are important as they question the current thinking of the Arab population as characterized by familistic values of high levels of respect towards older persons.

The prevalence of women’s casual employment in oil palm plantations in Indonesia casts a negative light on the country’s bioeconomy development. As casual employment denies women workers access to labor rights, these women fight for secured employment. Instead of viewing labor struggles in opposition to environmental struggles, this article attempts to conceptualize the struggle of women workers for secured employment as environmental politics. Drawing on decolonial feminist political ecology, I employ the body-territory concept to analyze the bioeconomy-labor-gender-nature nexus in monoculture oil palm plantations. Based on a case study of women workers in oil palm plantations in Sambas, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, the article argues that the struggle for permanent employment is fundamentally a struggle for social reproduction with environmental and sustainability dimensions. A woman worker’s expression, “to cleanse our bodies of poison with poison,” illustrates the ecological and reproductive paradox, showing the intertwining effects of monoculture plantations both on the environment and the bodies of women workers. While the struggle for secured employment does not challenge the social metabolism of monoculture plantations, it serves as a point of departure for women workers to care for themselves as well as to negotiate the protection of their bodies and territories, which allows them to pursue the logic of reproductivity concerning both the body and the territory. This article contributes to feminist bioeconomy research by addressing women workers’ struggles, inviting further dialogue between labor and environmental studies necessary for a transformative change in the bioeconomy.

Friedrich Nietzsche can be an awkward topic for classicists and ancient philosophers, especially since an important part of his heavily critical philosophy begins as a reaction to, and critique of, his contemporary classical scholarship with which he was intimately familiar, being one of the most impressive ‘products’ of its development. Nietzsche was a thinker who in many ways turned the prevalent opinions about Greeks and contemporaries upside down, challenging his predecessors and successors with provocative readings of some of the most cherished philosophies in Western culture. This essay examines Nietzsche’s treatment of sophists—an important group of intellectuals whose reception had suffered greatly under the devastating judgement of Plato and Aristotle. While recent scholarship frequently regards sophists as philosophers, Nietzsche’s contemporaries were generally extremely dismissive of this group and regarded them in negative light as illegitimate thinkers and opponents to their contemporary ‘true’ philosophers (i.e., Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle). This paper traces two different moments in Nietzsche’s philosophical output that exhibit closer engagement with the sophists: the ‘early’ Nietzsche regards sophists as innovators in language and style, the ‘late’ Nietzsche sees them as countercultural revolutionaries. Despite the fact that in both stages, sophists are introduced as champions for ideas that are central to Nietzsche’s own philosophical preoccupations (the development of language, the overthrowing of values), his treatment of this group of intellectuals appears at first sight superficial and surprisingly unenthusiastic. The paper will examine our existing sources on Nietzsche’s treatment of the sophists and will suggest, ultimately, that his engagement with them was probably far more complex and multilayered than has been thus far assumed.

Pharmacist portrayals in film and television media between 2013 and 2023.

This research paper focuses on critiquing and highlighting notions of gender, language, literature, and power, as presented in the works of American writers Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The works titled Moby Dick and Scarlet Letter are being taken into consideration along with scholarly articles. The primary focus of the paper is to showcase how power, when used in an uncontrolled manner, becomes hegemony and exhibits tyrannical form. Melville highlights the same through dictatorial character of Ahab in Moby Dick. The dichotomy between masculine and feminine, as presented by Melville, is explored in detail. There is also a reference to language and its manipulation by Hawthorne in his famous novel titled Scarlet Letter. The sexually repressed soul, Arthur Dimmesdale, is shown in a negative light by Hawthorne as the minister tries to justify his sinful act of adultery committed with Hester Prynne. The conception of God being less powerful than man, but at the same time, creator of predestined happenings, especially with reference to Moby Dick, is discussed in detail. The distorted and smudged image of gender is represented by both the authors in their works in question. Ahab is the epitome of totalitarianism and self-destruction because he becomes adamant about pursuing the white whale to satisfy his male ego and avenge the loss of limb. The construction of the notion of gender is challenged as well as accepted by both the writers at the one point in time. The symbol of ‘A’, which stands for adultery, is etched on the mind as well as body of the heroine Hester Prynne residing in the Puritan society of America. She tactfully defies, dissents, and even transcends the periphery of societal restrictions imposed on the fair sex. The paper aims to delineate how women have been subjugated by men in a patriarchy-dominated society since times immemorial and how the second sex has emerged victorious by dissenting against the subjugation. Power changes its forms through different pathways that it follows through the masculine and the feminine dichotomy.

Despite being acknowledged as a complex and multi-faceted condition, the prevailing view within society is that obesity is the result of individual choices and can be reversed simply by “eating less and moving more”. This is oversimplistic and leads to the view that obesity is the individual’s fault and is therefore their responsibility to remedy. These views are grounded in individuals’ beliefs around health and contribute to weight bias and stigma. In the present study, participants (n = 143) completed a cross-sectional survey which explored views around weight and health and whether weight bias or stigma differed based on demographic characteristics, weight status, and prior experience of weight stigma. Results indicate differences in the way individuals living with overweight and obesity are viewed in comparison with those of a healthy weight, with the former viewed in a more negative light. Interestingly, while women presented with higher weight bias scores (p = 0.036), men scored higher for externalised weight stigma (p = 0.001). Weight status was seen as an important factor contributing to overall health. These results demonstrate that weight bias and stigma are prevalent and highlight the need for further measures to reduce stigmatising views of people living with overweight and obesity.

Abstract This paper explores the dangers that Orosius believed Alexander the Great and his conquests posed to his Christian teleological reading of history. It argues that Orosius carefully crafted his account of Alexander to demonstrate that both the man himself and his conquests could only be read in an entirely negative light and could not have contributed to God’s salvific plans as had Rome. However, it concludes that while Orosius constructed this attack in a skilful fashion, it had only a limited effect in diminishing Alexander’s reputation in later periods.

Media representations hold a significant place in contemporary times, with cinema emerging as one of the most influential and widely consumed mediums. As an ideological state apparatus, cinema has the power to shape discourse and public consciousness. Historically, Indian films have portrayed the LGBTIQA+ community in a negative light, often reinforcing stereotypes and reducing individuals to caricatures used for ridicule, mockery, or villainy. These portrayals reflect the deep-rooted homophobia in Indian society, where, despite the decriminalisation of homosexuality, the community continues to face discrimination in education, employment, legal rights, and daily social interactions. They remain marginalised as ‘others’ within a predominantly heteronormative framework. However, Indian cinema has witnessed a gradual shift—from stereotypical portrayals to more nuanced and empathetic representations of LGBTIQA+ lives. By showcasing complex characters and their struggles within a cis-gendered society, films have the potential to foster empathy, validate identities, and create awareness. Cinema, therefore, emerges not just as a source of entertainment but also as a vital pedagogical tool that sensitises audiences by bringing to light the lived realities of the LGBTIQA+ community. The objective of this paper is to examine three Indian films that authentically depict the challenges faced by the LGBTIQA+ community. It seeks to highlight how cinema can act as a catalyst for social change, promoting justice, inclusion, and empowerment. Through thoughtful storytelling, films can play a transformative role in building a just and equitable society by normalising diverse identities and encouraging meaningful dialogue.

From the inception of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in 1861, the institution has continued to face many challenges such as poor funding, shortage of quality personnel, and unprofessionalism, including extortion from and intimidation of the people they are expected to protect. Complicating these challenges is the issue of misconduct by personnel of the NPF which has seriously dented their image apart from undermining their popular slogan “Police is your friend” because many citizens do not believe this is true of the Force. To redeem their image and gain the trust and cooperation of the public, the NPF established, implemented and improved some of their public relations policies, strategies and campaigns. Much as these measures are commendable, there is a need to interrogate how they have impacted public perception of the Force. Hence, the study seeks to find out if members of the public are aware of these strategies, how they evaluate these strategies and if the strategies have made them perceive the NPF in better light. To go about that, the study employs a quantitative approach, using the survey research design and the questionnaire. It has a population of 9,735,656 drawn from Plateau State, Nasarawa State and Abuja in North Central Nigeria; with a sample size of 400 determined using the Taro Yamane sampling formula. A total of 400 copies of the questionnaire were administered out of which 385 copies were returned and used for analysis. Results showed that the NPF is still perceived in a negative light by members of the public, and the public relations strategies employed thus far have not been effective. Arising from the findings, the study recommends that the NPF should engage in continuous enlightenment campaigns about their institution, engage better with the members of the public, promote citizens’ rights, constant awareness creation through the media, as well as, provide channels for feedback and act on them. These measures would help to improve the impact of their campaigns. And make their PR strategies more effective.

About ten years ago, Ezekiel Emanuel wrote an article extolling the benefits of dying at seventy-five. Since then, longevity and aging interest, research, and funding have exploded. Much of the public is supportive of aging biology research, and books on extending the human lifespan populate bestseller lists. However, the issue remains hotly debated, and many articles published in the lay press spin the research in a negative light. Yet, if we collect these arguments and address each one logically, we see that each implies untenable conclusions. More to the point, there are strong arguments that human health and life have fundamental value and that incremental gains in health and in years of life will benefit us. For both ethical and practical reasons, we should support aging research.

The article examines the main interpretations of the West within Russian politics. As the author shows, at least since the 18th century, despite all the current geopolitical declarations, the image of the West has been established as one of the main important to Russian politics. Confrontation or cooperation with the West becomes the leitmotif of foreign policy, and the protection of morals from the “Western” trends and tendencies triggers domestic politics. At the same time, the vagueness and ambiguity of the construction itself only increases the horizon of an acceptable appeal to this construction. According to the author’s hypothesis, starting from the 18th century and until present three forms of representation, or image, of the West characterize Russian political discourse (if we leave out more or less pragmatic constructions related to the maintenance of bilateral relations between Russia and individual European countries). Methodologically relying on Norman Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis, the author interpret the form of representation (image) as a way of presenting, describing and linking a particular lexeme with others within the language and discourse of a certain community (in this case — Russian community). The author designates the first of the selected images as the “imaginary West” (a deeply illusory idea of geographical neighbors with a negative or positive light), the second as the “collective West” (an idea of neighbors not as separate states or cultural models, but as a whole), the third as the “real West” (with Russia itself assuming this role). Having traced the appeal to these images over the past several centuries of the Russian history, the author documents a tendency to mythologize the corresponding markers.

To report the outcomes of a Phase III Clinical Study with the sulcus-based Lumina accommodative intraocular lens (IOL) (Akkolens, Clinical BV) with 12 months of postoperative follow-up. This was a prospective, interventional, non-comparative, longitudinal and consecutive study developed at the Cornea, Cataract, and Refractive Surgery Unit at Vissum, Grupo Miranza, Alicante, Spain. It was composed of 25 patients who were bilaterally implanted with the Lumina accommodative IOL and had undergone a 12-month postoperative evaluation including visual and refractive variables, defocus curve, objective accommodation, contrast sensitivity function, retinal optical quality assessment, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The Wilcoxon test was applied for all longitudinal comparisons. All distance and near visual acuities improved after the surgery (P < .05). Distance and near mean postoperative uncorrected visual acuities were 0.06 ± 0.15 and 0.27 ± 0.15 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), respectively. The defocus curve exhibited a corrected vision of -0.01 ± 0.06 at distance, 0.18 ± 0.11 at intermediate, and 0.38 ± 0.13 at near vision. The subjective depth of focus, as determined from the defocus curve, was 1.37 ± 0.74, 2.05 ± 0.75, and 3.63 ± 0.68 diopters (D) for visual acuities of 0.10, 0.20, and 0.40 logMAR. The mean objective accommodation was -0.65 ± 0.69 D. The contrast sensitivity function exhibited better results than normal values and the optical quality revealed a mean point spread function of 0.23 μm. In the PROMs, more than 87% of patients reported mild or no difficulties in uncorrected near vision. The complication rate was low; only posterior capsule opacity and epithelial type were common but being successfully treated by laser capsulotomy improved the uncorrected near vision (P = .018). PROMs also revealed a perceived good functional result in far and near vision performance, with minimal or negative abnormal light visual phenomena. The Lumina sulcus-based accommodative IOL provides generally good distance vision maintaining a suitable contrast sensitivity and optical quality. Near vision also was restored conveniently. The lens demonstrated both accommodative and pseudoaccommodative functions. The lack of complications other than posterior capsular opacity confirms the adequate performance of this implant and the preservation of accommodation after capsulotomy. [J Refract Surg. 2025;41(4):e374-e381.].