Universal Values Research Articles

No Report, No Densification? A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Densification and Reporting Practices in World Heritage Properties

As urbanization accelerates, World Heritage properties, critical conservation areas, face a growing threat of urban densification, jeopardizing their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). States Parties, the countries that have ratified the World Heritage Convention, are responsible for submitting periodic reports on the state-of-conservation of their World Heritage properties. These reports should explicitly address any instances of urban densification that may be occurring. But do they? This research investigates the relationship between urban densification and reporting practices in World Heritage properties over time and space. Through a spatiotemporal analysis, by analyzing changes in the built-up area within the core zones of cultural World Heritage properties from 1985 to 2015. We found that urban development, including housing, infrastructure, and tourism facilities, has significantly impacted World Heritage properties and an increase in built-up area can be observed especially in properties not reporting on urban threats.

Inclusive Communities Through Religious Moderation Villages: Study of Literature

Religious moderation is a concept that seeks to promote values of tolerance, affection, and inclusion among different believers in a society. This article aims to explain important aspects of modern society, as it encourages tolerance, respects diversity, and creates an environment that recognizes and respects religious diversity and provides equal opportunities for all individuals without any discrimination based on religion. The method used is the study of literature on the key topics of “religious moderation,” “inclusive society,” and “reliance freedom.” From regular studies, it has been found that inclusive societies, governments, religious institutions, educational institutions, and individuals have a responsibility to participate in efforts to promote religious moderation and build inclusive society. One of the steps that can be taken to form an inclusive society is the implementation of inclusive education approaches, interfaith dialogue, and cross-religious collaborative activities, which can help create societies that respect religious diversity, give equal opportunities to all individuals, and create a prosperous social order. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the need for cooperation to strengthen religious moderation and create an inclusive society based on the principles of solidarity, understanding, and mutual respect in order to disseminate moderate religious education by blending religious principles with universal human values. Keywords: religious moderation, inclusive society, religious education, government policy, digital literacy

Community-based Islamic education: Democratizing learning through local wisdom

This study examines the role of community-based education in the context of Islam as a means of democratizing education and integrating local wisdom, motivated by the need for a more inclusive and responsive education system. Using a literature study method, this research analyzes primary and secondary sources related to Islamic education, democratization, and local wisdom. The results reveal that community-based education has strong historical and normative roots in Islamic tradition, reflected in various forms of traditional educational institutions such as mosques, kuttabs, and pesantrens. This educational model is proven to encourage active community participation, decentralization of decision-making, and integration of local values into the curriculum. However, its implementation faces challenges in balancing national standards with local autonomy, as well as potential conflicts between universal Islamic values and local cultural practices. This study highlights the complexity of integrating local wisdom into modern Islamic education in the era of globalization, paving the way for further research on optimal mechanisms for adapting this educational model to increasingly diverse Muslim societies.

Water Management for Sustainable Development of World Heritage Properties

As climate change and water-related threats like floods and droughts intensify, water management must become a key component of World Heritage management plans. Currently, these plans are not required to address water management even though an increasing number of sites are encountering water-related challenges. A lack of comprehensive data and knowledge sharing hampers efforts to collectively address these issues, posing a risk to the preservation of their Outstanding Universal Value. This article examines the significance of water management for World Heritage Sites, including sites directly connected to water and those facing water-related threats. It presents three examples from Germany to illustrate these challenges and underscores the need for improved knowledge sharing and integration between World Heritage properties and their surrounding environments.

Investigation and Conservation: Assessing the Impact of Recent Interventions at the Theatre of Smyrna (Modern Izmir)

ABSTRACT Many ancient theatres as places of performance have outstanding universal value as ‘venues’ that have witnessed physical and socio-economical changes through time. Various scales of modern interventions have affected them and in Turkey the authorities mostly interprete them as a resource of socio-economic value. This paper aims to examine recent efforts to understand the cultural importance of the Smyrna theatre and to assess contemporary approaches to its conservation, reuse, and management. International documents on ancient places of performance, assessment of modern interventions are reviewed and the phases of discovery and rediscovery described. Four aspects describe its cultural significance: Understanding the Place, Interpreting the Place, Preserving the Spirit of the Place, and Managing the Place. Interpretation of the theatre is still in progress, though limited by a focus on its potential us by the local authorities. Its spirit as a place of performance has not been preserved but is in high demand, and its management has deficiencies, although to some extent this is being addressed by the local authorities of the port city of Izmir.

The legacy of Erich Mendelsohn – expression and context in the architecture of Modern Movement.

In 2021, the international community of architectural and art historians started the so called “Erich Mendelsohn Initiative”, with the goal of inscribing the architectural legacy of Erich Mendelsohn on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Despite some efforts, the final list of nominated buildings, along with the Statement of their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the title of the nomination has not yet been established. This article presents a new, authorial look at Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in view of the UNESCO World Heritage. It analyses the global significance of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy in the opinions of leading architectural historians of the 20th century. The article puts forward the preliminary list of Mendelsohn’s realisations which should embody his legacy, the criteria for assessment their historical value and the proposed title of the nomination. The main part of the article is defining the first two sections of the “Statement of Outstanding Universal Value”, to be presented in the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. According to the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention they are: the “Brief synthesis”, and the “Justification for Criteria”. In conclusion, the author argues, that the most significant qualities of Erich Mendelsohn’s architectural works are their strong expression and their dialog with the local context. Therefore, these features should be the main subjects of the Outstanding Universal Value Statement, the title and in the main narrative points of the nomination dossier for the inscription of Erich Mendelsohn’s legacy on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Conservatism in response to rising universalism? Linking individuals' conservation values, right‐wing attitudes, and nationalism to perceived prevalence of universalism among fellow citizens

AbstractIncreased openness and tolerance have marked the twenty‐first century, yet recent years witnessed a decline marked by nationalist movements and reduced support for diversity. We explore the potential link between these two societal changes by examining the association between the perception of universalism values in society and the endorsement of conservation values, right‐wing political attitudes, and nationalism in Poland. Across six correlational studies (total N = 2644), perception of the prevalence of universalism values in fellow citizens was positively linked to one's endorsement of conservation values, right‐wing political attitudes, and nationalism. These links were (a) stronger when participants believed that a considerable part of society still supported conservation values and (b) underlined by a greater perception of the threat posed by universalism values to the traditional way of living. The experimental results (N = 307) did not support causal link between these links but only the underlying role of perceiving a threat from universalism to society, particularly when participants perceived high universalism and conservation values in others. However, this effect was observed only when controlling for one's endorsement of conservation values and the perception of threat from conservation values.

Ultrasound assessment of embryo cardiac function as a predictive criterion of adverse pregnancy outcome

Purpose to evaluate the value of the embryo/fetus heart rate (HR) in early pregnancy assessed by ultrasound for the formation of a group at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of ultrasound examinations of 1073 pregnant women at 5+0–10+6 weeks was carried out. The embryo/fetus heart rate was compared with the gestational age calculated by the crown rump length (CRL) and the date of the last menstruation period (LMP). Retrospectively, all examined pregnant women were divided into two groups: group 1—with intrauterine embryo death before 14 weeks of pregnancy (n = 107); group 2—with prolongation of pregnancy until the second trimester (n = 966). When analyzing the data array using a decision tree, the embryo heart rate was assessed at various stages of pregnancy by LMP, CRL, and regardless of the exact period of pregnancy.Results. Analysis of heart rate values at different stages of pregnancy by LMP showed significant differences in heart rate between groups, the cases of later embryo loss characterized by lover heart rate values. There were no significant differences in heart rate between the groups at different stages of pregnancy by CRL (significant differences were obtained only at 8+0–9+6 weeks). Cut-off values of embryo heart rate for prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes have been proposed for different stages of pregnancy, as well as a universal cut-off for the entire embryonic period.Conclusion. The proposed cut-off values of embryo heart rate for different stages of pregnancy, calculated by LMP, may be used for timely prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes. When the exact gestational age is unknown, a universal heart rate cut-off value of <116 bpm may be used. All proposed HR cut-off values were characterized by high specificity, but none of them by high sensitivity. A sensitivity of HR cut-off values can be increased by the use in combination with other ultrasound and clinical signs of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Feeling at home: Bildung and the clash between nostalgic and universal values: singing together in a plural world

Abstract The paper explores the tensions of belonging by focusing on the clash between nostalgic and universal values. Because of the inherent tension that they share, the concepts of Bildung and nostalgia provide an opening for understanding human belonging as ranging between nostalgic rootedness and the search for universality. Johann Gottfried Herder’s and Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig’s theories of Bildung, exemplify this clash between nostalgic and universal values. Wilhelm von Humboldt’s thinking offers a theory of Bildung that transcends nostalgic values and points to the world as a place of belonging. In this paper I problematize feelings of nostalgia, such as a sense of national belonging, by demonstrating how they might turn into educational values that exclude individuals who do not share the same idea of home and sense of belonging. I employ Agnes Heller’s term ‘value- orientational categories’ to understand how feelings might transform into values. I question and discuss nostalgia’s potential to uphold diversity, given human longing for local versions of home with different languages, cultures, and customs. I then suggest that embracing nostalgia in an educational context can provide a foundation for fostering universal values such as diversity, openness, and flexibility among citizens. Barbara Cassin’s vision of the ‘world freed from belonging’ and her idea of ‘airborne roots’ contribute to this discussion.

Quantitative ultrasound for steatosis assessment using Hepatoscope®: Confounding technical factors

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a well-suited modality to address large-scale screening and monitoring of liver steatosis as it is low-cost, non-invasive, and point-of-care. However, technical and biological confounders lead to difficulties in establishing universal cutoff values for diagnosis. Hepatoscope® remedies this issue as it integrates a unique QUS measurement technique enabling the simultaneous measurements of the backscattering coefficient, the attenuation coefficient and the speed of sound. Such measurements are performed in a large two-dimensional region of interest (ROI) and in a free breathing regime such that a relatively large portion of the liver is sampled. We studied the influence of the size of the ROI, its depth and the number of measurements on the QUS parameters with Hepatoscope® both in vitro on four calibrated phantoms and clinically on 60 participants referred to a hepatology consultation for chronic liver disease. We demonstrated that using large ROIs consistently improves the system reliability and the clinical applicability. We did not observe any systematic effect related to the depth of the ROI. We also showed that averaging consecutive measurements leads to better system reliability and better clinical applicability.

Attributes of the Romanian State. Special View on the Rule of Law

The attributes of a state constitute its defining features and principal values of its constitutional order, which differentiate or resemble it as a political-legal physiognomy from other states. The rule of law, pluralism, democracy, civil society are universal values of contemporary political thought and practice and can be found normatively expressed in international documents, but also in the Romanian Constitution. Starting from the specialised doctrine and jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of Romania in the matter, this article analyses the attributes of the Romanian state enshrined by the Constitution, respectively: rule of law; welfare state; pluralistic state; democratic state. In this study, a special attention is dedicated to the rule of law, considering the dangers that threaten it in the current period. Legislative inflation, superficial legislation, increasing the role of the Executive in the field of legislation at the expense of Parliament, the intrusions of politicians into the sphere of judicial power are just some of the dysfunctions of the Romanian rule of law. In this context, this article highlights the essential role of the Constitutional Court in guaranteeing and respecting the requirements of the rule of law. Through its jurisprudence, an important contribution is made not only in the correct interpretation and application of constitutional norms, but also in their elaboration. Under the influence of the specific socio-political factors in each country, the pressures of the Union and international law, the rule of law cannot reach perfection, but it remains a fundamental constitutional necessity whose primary purpose is to ensure the rights and freedoms of citizens. Keywords: attributes of the state, rule of law, the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court of Romania, dysfunctionalities of the Romanian rule of law.

THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES IN EDUCATION

This article analyzes the theoretical approaches to the term “socio-cultural competence” and its role in the educational process. Various interpretations of this concept by different authors are examined, highlighting the significance of socio-cultural competence in language learning, intercultural communication, and personal development. The role of socio-cultural competence in foreign language teaching and its connection with communicative abilities is discussed. The article also addresses the importance of socio-cultural competence in shaping the ethical values of future managers and young people. It is emphasized that the harmony between national and universal values serves as a foundation for developing a culture of communication in educational institutions.

Joint Management Plans in World Heritage serial nominations: the case of Álvaro Siza’s Modern Contextualism Legacy

One of the most important challenges faced by any listed cultural heritage is the development of a management system that conveys a resilient and integrated approach that can sustain its values for future generations. Management is one of the main factors affecting World Heritage Sites; thus, the increased complexity of a serial nomination enhances this risk. By integrating different stakeholders, a Joint Management Plan (JMP) is a key tool to settle common procedures and help different managers maintain a satisfactory balance in safeguarding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in each component part. This paper aims to provide a framework for the development of JMPs for serial nominations, with support on the nomination proposal “Álvaro Siza’s Architecture: A Modern Contextualism Legacy”. Methods result from the cross-analysis of (i) policy analysis; (ii) archival research and digital documentation; (iii) collaborative strategies (surveys, interviews, workshops, meetings, consultations); (iv) fieldwork. Results confirmed that the development of JMPs must be sustained by an open and dynamic process, where engagement, mediation of conflicts, and flexibility are key principles. This work approaches a significant subject concerning the management of World Heritage serial nominations, focusing on JMPs for serial nominations, which are a rising trend in heritage management. A demonstration is applied to the WH nomination of works by Álvaro Siza, a prominent figure in worldwide contemporary architecture.

Simplified approach to estimate Lorenz number using experimental Seebeck coefficient for non-parabolic band

Reducing lattice thermal conductivity (κL) is one of the most effective ways for improving thermoelectric properties. However, the extraction of κL from the total measured thermal conductivity can be misleading if the Lorenz (L) number is not estimated correctly. κL is obtained using the Wiedemann–Franz law, which estimates the electronic part of thermal conductivity κe = L σT, where σ and T are electrical conductivity and temperature, respectively. κL is then estimated as κL = κT − L σT. For metallic systems, the Lorenz number has a universal value of 2.44 × 10 −8 WΩ K−2 (degenerate limit), but for non-degenerate semiconductors, the value can deviate significantly for acoustic phonon scattering, the most common scattering mechanism for thermoelectric materials above room temperature. Up until now, L is estimated by solving a series of equations derived from Boltzmann transport equations. For the single parabolic band (SPB) model, an equation was proposed to estimate L directly from the experimental Seebeck coefficient. However, using the SPB model will lead to an overestimation of L in the case of low bandgap semiconductors, which results in an underestimation of κL, sometimes even negative κL. In this article, we propose a simpler equation to estimate L for a non-parabolic band. The experimental Seebeck coefficient, bandgap (Eg), and temperature (T) are the main inputs to the equation, which nearly eliminates the need for solving multiple Fermi integrals besides giving accurate values of L.

АНАЛИЗ ЦЕННОСТЕЙ И КУЛЬТУРЫ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ КАЗАХСТАНСКОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ

This article comprehensively examines that the value system is an important category in human life in difficult and turbulent times. It is human nature to adapt to values. Without the values of the phenomena of existence, neither the activity nor the life of man as a social being has any meaning. Education through universal values is the main way out of spiritual immorality. Today, the system of higher education is based on the search for new benchmarks. In this regard, it is necessary to define the main goal of current education in higher education institutions and to set its direction.

В.С. Соловьев и цивилизационный выбор России

The attention is focused on the idea that the modern phase in the Russian philosophical and social thinking is characterized by the discourse on civilizational choice of Russia. Therewith, addressing the Russian religious and philosophical tradition is deemed to be relevant. The central personality of the Russian religious philosophy is Vladimir S. Solovyov – the ideological founder of the all-unity philosophy. His contemplation on multiple topics became significant for the Russian society of his time as well as of the modern days. It is stipulated, that one of the central topics for the Russian society is the problem of correlation of western and eastern elements of spiritual culture and historical development of Russia. Contemplation on this problem based on the creative heritage of Vladimir Solovyov makes his standpoint relevant in the current stage. The opinion that Solovyov's solution to the “East-West” dichotomy is based on the acknowledgement of universal christian values as the highest factor of historical development is being sustained. This allowed the founder of the all-unity to stipulate the highest ideals of spiritual and moral perfection as a goal of the progress of the society, to highlight the threat of spiritual crisis, to anticipate catastrophic events of the following historical period. The universalistic approach of Vladimir Solovyov presumes the inclusion of Russia into the context of the European Christian culture. The philosopher assumed for Russia a task of “global synthesis” of western and eastern values in global scale. Detailed ways of solving this task were utopian. The conclusion is made that the relevance of the philosopher's standpoint for the present is constituted by the vision of main tendencies in spiritual and social life. The all-unity philosophy is deemed to be productive to justify the general Russian identity of the present.

National tolerance program of the United Arab Emirates:universal and spiritual values

The importance of tolerance in the multicultural reality of the modern world cannot be overestimated. Toler-ance is essential in the conceptual foundations of many states’ domestic and foreign policy. Against the back-ground of developing various models of tolerance in the world, there is also a reverse trend towards reviving traditional and religious values. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) promotes its position on the importance of traditional values and tolerance in shaping the conceptual foundations of the country's domestic and foreign policy. The UAE Federal Cabinet has approved a National Tolerance Program that promotes brotherhood and peaceful coexistence between different cultures and religions and fully supports traditional values. The article analyses the conceptualization of tolerance, its distinctive features, value bases and potential for implementa-tion in the Middle East region. The methodological and theoretical basis of the research was the work related to approaches in interpreting different views on understanding the concept of tolerance in the UAE. The arti-cle concludes that the balance between universal and traditional values of the Islamic world is the main fea-ture of the national tolerance program. It is also expected that, given the growing influence of the UAE in the Middle East, this model of tolerance may become widespread and become a new basis for consolidation in the Middle East.

EVALUATING C-REACTIVE PROTEIN AND TOTAL LEUKOCYTE COUNT AS PREDICTIVE MARKERS FOR COMPLICATED APPENDICITIS

Background and Aims:Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency, yet its still difficult to tell the difference between simple and complex cases. More severe forms of appendicitis, such gangrenous or perforated instances, have worse consequences and need prompt medical attention. In order to distinguish between simple and complex appendicitis, this study sought to assess the diagnostic accuracy of total leukocyte count (TLC) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods:This hospital-based observational research was undertaken at F.H. Medical College, Agra, from September 2022 to March 2024. After obtaining informed permission, 88 patients, ages 18 to 60, who were scheduled for appendicectomy were included. To quantify CRP (>60 mg/L) and TLC (>11,000/cumm), blood samples were obtained. For diagnosis, histopathological results constituted the gold standard. SPSS version 25.0 was used to analyze the data, and chi-square and ANOVA tests were used for statistical comparisons. To evaluate the diagnostic performance, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were created, with a significance threshold of p<0.05. Results:CRP demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy with an AUC of 0.95 (p<0.001), sensitivity of 85.7%, and specificity of 90.9%. TLC showed an AUC of 0.66 (p=0.046), with 94.4% sensitivity but lower specificity at 37.1%. The projected cut-off for CRP was >94 mg/L and for TLC, >12,222/cumm. CRP also had a higher accuracy (90%) compared to TLC (48.9%). Conclusion:CRP emerged as a more reliable marker than TLC in predicting complicated appendicitis, with greater diagnostic accuracy and specificity. Larger multi-center studies are recommended to further validate these findings and establish universal cut-off values.

National tolerance program of the United Arab Emirates:universal and spiritual values

The importance of tolerance in the multicultural reality of the modern world cannot be overestimated. Toler-ance is essential in the conceptual foundations of many states’ domestic and foreign policy. Against the back-ground of developing various models of tolerance in the world, there is also a reverse trend towards reviving traditional and religious values. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) promotes its position on the importance of traditional values and tolerance in shaping the conceptual foundations of the country's domestic and foreign policy. The UAE Federal Cabinet has approved a National Tolerance Program that promotes brotherhood and peaceful coexistence between different cultures and religions and fully supports traditional values. The article analyses the conceptualization of tolerance, its distinctive features, value bases and potential for implementa-tion in the Middle East region. The methodological and theoretical basis of the research was the work related to approaches in interpreting different views on understanding the concept of tolerance in the UAE. The arti-cle concludes that the balance between universal and traditional values of the Islamic world is the main fea-ture of the national tolerance program. It is also expected that, given the growing influence of the UAE in the Middle East, this model of tolerance may become widespread and become a new basis for consolidation in the Middle East.

Identity, stereotypes, and prejudices in intercultural education and the role of computers in ADHD

The educational area of ​​primary education is faced with most issues and problems due to the linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity of students, which is constantly growing numerically. Suddenly, elementary schools have become places where students speak different languages ​​with each other, bring different cultures and cultural elements due to their various countries of origin, and have special educational needs. Regardless of what the reasons are for a newly formed multicultural social reality, education as an essential institution of society in global, European, and local contexts is called upon to think about and find appropriate solutions, to initiate and implement actions to update itself, to change the educational philosophy, the general principles, its targeting by subject, the methodological-educational/teaching approaches, the educational material, printed and digital, and accordingly to train its teachers. The heterogeneity of the student population in terms of language, religion, or ethnicity is an indisputable fact for educational systems. During the educational process, we teachers are called to educate our students equally and equally, regardless of their country of origin and any of their differences, and this constitutes the pedagogical contract of morals and universal values for us. The goal of the current study is to gain an understanding of terms such as "identity," "stereotypes," and "prejudices," as well as therapeutic approaches used to help children from racial and ethnic minorities who are suffering from ADHD. These approaches include games using Computers.