In her recent book, Russell (2023) examines various so-called “barriers to entailment,” including Hume’s law, roughly the thesis that an ‘ought’ cannot be derived from an ‘is.’ Hume’s law bears an obvious resemblance to the proscription on fallacies of modality in relevance logic, which has traditionally formally been captured by the so-called Ackermann property. In the context of relevant modal logic, this property might be articulated thus: no conditional whose antecedent is box-free and whose consequent is box-prefixed is valid (...) (for the connection, interpret box deontically). While the deontic significance of Ackermann-like properties has been observed before, Russell’s new book suggests a more broad-scoped formal investigation of the relationship between barrier theses of various kinds and corresponding Ackermann-like properties. In this paper, I undertake such an investigation by elaborating a general relevant bimodal logical framework in which several of the barriers Russell examines can be given formal expression. I then consider various Ackermann-like properties corresponding to these barriers and prove that certain systems satisfy them. Finally, I respond to some objections Russell makes against the use of relevance logic to formulate Hume’s law and related barriers. (shrink)

The aim of this article is to describe the general conditions for the development of creative industries in Podlaskie Voivodship from Poland. This region on the background of the country is characterized by the highest level of cultural diversity and multiculturalism policy. However, there are a number of barriers for the creative industries. First article discusses the regional characteristics and then the basic theoretical approaches and conclusions of the author’s own research. The following sections discuss the conclusions and recommendations (...) for regional policy and management of cultural sector entities that may be relevant also for other culturally diverse regions. (shrink)

I was quite excited when I first read Restall and Russell’s (2010) paper. For two reasons. First, because the paper provides rigorous formulations and formal proofs of implication barrier theses, namely “theses [which] deny that one can derive sentences of one type from sentences of another”. Second (and primarily), because the paper proves a general theorem, the Barrier Construction Theorem, which unifies implication barrier theses concerning four topics: generality, necessity, time, and normativity. After thinking about the paper, I am satisfied (...) with its treatment of the first three topics, namely generality, necessity, and time. But I am not satisfied with its treatment of normativity, so my comments are exclusively on that topic. (shrink)

Abstract: This article mainly intends to identify barriers that cause the under-representation of women in top leadership positions in higher education in Tanzania. The study comprises the sample of 250 respondents with the use of a case study research design constructed on the application of mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative). Thus, non-probability sampling was applied to qualitative data collection while probability sampling was used in quantitative data. The findings show the fundamental relationship between individual, administrative and societal factors that (...) block women to reach the top leadership position in universities. Besides, the study has demonstrated the gender mainstreaming as the system which can be connected to adjust the hierarchical structures, methods and culture and bring the positive condition which advance gender equality. Nevertheless, as the well-known saying "Fix the holes in the pipe" goes, the variety of actions and activities are needed. Thus, in accordance with the proof from the study and individual encounters, the researcher, marked on Focused Gender Research, Capacity Development Programs, Parliamentary Charter, Setting Targets as well as Regular Monitoring and Reporting as interventions sustainable for bridging the prevailing gender leadership gap in higher education in Tanzania. (shrink)

Some students who possess the same cognitive skill set as their counterparts but who neither speak nor write English fluently have to contend with an unnecessary barrier to academic success. While an administrative top-down approach has been in progress for many years to address this issue, enhancement of student performance begins in the classroom. Thus, we argue that instructors ought to implement a more organic bottom-up approach. If it is possible for instructors to make class content available in other languages, (...) such as Spanish, without thereby compromising something of comparable pedagogical value, then they ought to do so. In fact, we provide here Anselm’s Ontological Argument rendered in Spanish to show how, when translated, it provides native Spanish speakers with greater accessibility to difficult material. Then, we consider the possible beneficial implications of doing so for university students. (shrink)

Lee (2017) calls for greater attention to the shared epistemological and normative grounds of both public health ethics and environmental ethics, and to Potter’s original conception of bioethics, which, as she rightly observes, has been largely disregarded in contemporary North American bioethics scholarship and practice. In a previous publication we also argued in favor of reviving the Potterian approach to bioethics; we built a case grounded in “the relatively new field of molecular epigenetics [that] provides novel information that should serve (...) as additional justification for expanding the scope of bioethics to include environmental and public health concerns.”. (shrink)

Background Bronchial asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions among children. Despite the improvement in asthma treatment regimens, its prevalence and related morbidity are increasing, especially among underserved, minority children. There are barriers in the management of asthma, which may impact the quality of outcomes. The goal of this study is to explore these barriers. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on interview data collected through 2019 from mothers of children (aged 6 - 12 years) with (...) asthma visiting, for convenience, a public shopping mall. The interviewees were randomly selected, because they met the inclusion criteria. Participants were considered if the mother answered “yes” to the following questions: Has your child had physician-diagnosed asthma? Is your child currently taking asthma medications of asthma? Two community nurses conducted the interviews. Data was obtained using administrative questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Descriptive statistics of percentage, mean, frequency and standard deviation were applied for categorical and continuous variables. Results Three hundred mothers participated in this study. Their average age was 36.8 years, 55% were housekeepers by profession, and 34% had obtained less than high school education. The majority of children (61%) were males, 45% had moderate asthma, and 42% had mild asthma. The most frequent types of barriers identified by parents were environmental factors (67.7%), followed by health care providers (63%), the health care system (48%), and patient or family characteristics (43%). Mothers were specifically concerned about the use, safety, and long-term complications of medications, the impact of exercise limitation on their child’s quality of life, and their own quality of life. Conclusion This study showed several barriers against asthma care in Saudi Arabia, which mainly related to environmental or personal characteristics. This highlights the need to enhance current policies within the health care system in Saudi Arabia to overcome these barriers. (shrink)

Here we will argue that Henry Sidgwick’s Dualism of Practical Reason, the paired imperative of being egoistic and/or utilitarian, follows from the epistemic barriers that arise when giving credence to skepticism about the external world, and particularly skepticism about other minds, and skepticism about reincarnation. We will argue that this is true whether we begin with the premises of universal utilitarianism or egoism.

Research on research ethics—regarding both the governance and practice of the ethical review of human subjects research—has a tumultuous history in North America and Europe. Much of the academic literature focuses on issues to do with regulating the conduct and quality of ethics review of research protocols by ethics committees (research ethics boards (REBs) in Canada and institutional review boards (IRBs) in the United States). In addition, some of the literature attends to issues particular to the review of qualitative research, (...) and still other literature addresses the challenges posed by and the need for research on REBs/IRBs. It is this third group of literature within which our article is situated. (shrink)

This paper investigates Jesus’ Principles of Breaking Barriers: A Reflection on John 4:3-42 as a pivot and principle for breaking barriers from biblical perspective. Worthy of note is the fact that there existed socio-ethnic barrier between the Jews and Samaria; gender barrier imposed by Jesus’ androcentric culture and a moral barrier imposed by the Samaritan woman’s assumed behaviour. This paper using hermeneutical theory of biblical interpretation and historical insight into this Johannine text brings to the fore that, the (...) Jewish-Samaritan barrier had ethnic, religious and political undertones which made the Samaritans and Jews to see themselves as ‘enemies’; the interaction with the Samaritan woman broke barriers and set a new agenda for relationship with ‘inferior’ gender and morally low in the human society. Herein exists principles of breaking barriers set by Jesus which are worthy of emulation in the twenty-first century which is plagued by socio-ethnic, religious, gender and moral barriers. (shrink)

This paper offers a formal and philosophical refoundation of the critique of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), introducing the Infinite-Choice Barrier—a structural impossibility theorem demonstrating that no algorithmic system can achieve ε-optimal performance across irreducibly infinite decision spaces, nor autonomously generate novel semantic frames. Drawing on Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, Turing’s Halting Problem, and Kantian epistemology, the argument identifies the epistemic boundary of algorithmic cognition. -/- Three corollaries ground the framework: • Semantic Closure — systems are confined to their native representational vocabulary. (...) • No Frame Innovation — genuine conceptual novelty is non-computable from within. • Statistical Breakdown in Fat-Tailed Domains — inference fails under radical uncertainty. -/- These are not empirical ceilings but formal constraints that reveal where machine reasoning must collapse—not due to training limits, but from foundational undecidability. The paper concludes with a taxonomy of irreducible human decision types and a philosophical reflection on the boundary between human and artificial cognition. (shrink)

Abstract: Female at the top of managerial hierarchy is less as compared to male throughout the world. in the same manner Balochistan cannot be ignored. Balochistan is severely dominated by male chauvinism and is a patriarchal society with that women face restrictions or hurdles while heading to top managerial positions or career. In addition, literacy is showing positive indicators, effective efforts from incumbent government, awareness, social media; main-media women at work places and top positions are being accepted. There is much (...) activism and dynamism throughout the country. The sole aim of the study to discern women practices, experiences, obstacles, and relevant challenges. This study is qualitative in nature. With that, it is based on phenomenology approach. The sample for the paper collected from field of education, literate women and working women in different organizations. The paper finds out that recognition of women at the managerial level is recognized. For the study three main themes emerged from the study, first, obstacle confronted by working females of Balochistan, second, with that their experiences at work places and third, what role played by the government and how the existing issues or conundrum can be resolved with the help of the government of Pakistan and the society at large. (shrink)

The presented Research Topic explores the potential of citizen science to contribute to the development of social innovations. It sets the ground for analysis of mutual relations between two strong and embedded in the literature concepts: citizen science and social innovation. Simultaneously, the collection opens a discussion on how these two ideas are intertwined, what are the significant barriers, and the need to use citizen science for social innovation.

An Overview of the Blood-Brain Barrier - The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an extremely selective protective barrier between the brain & the bloodstream. The BBB is made up of specialized endothelial cells, tight junctions, and other cellular components. The BBB works as a filtering mechanism that prevents harmful substances, like pathogens & toxins from entering the brain. This protective barrier is absolutely crucial to the brain as the BBB helps it maintain a stable environment that is extremely sensitive to things (...) like fluctuations in chemicals and other external factors like temperature changes or hormonal fluctuations. But these same properties that make the BBB so effective at what it does also creates a significant challenge for medical treatments that need to reach the brain. The BBB very effectively blocks the passage of drugs, especially large molecules & therapeutic agents that could help treat neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or brain tumors. The Composition of the BBB & its Function - The structure of the BBB is pretty complex, with it being made up of endothelial cells packed tightly together, this same structure prevents most substances from crossing freely. This cellular "tight junction" arrangement is what gives the BBB its impermeability. These endothelial cells are surrounded by astrocytic end-feet (which connect to blood vessels beneath the brain) which provide additional support to the BBB & Pericytes (cells that wrap around small blood vessels (capillaries)) in the brain help support and stabilize them while regulating blood flow and maintaining the blood-brain barrier. Together these components help support the BBB, making sure that only vital nutrients like glucose & amino acids can pass through via the specialized transporters, while keeping out potentially harmful substances. Why targeting the Brain is Critical in treating Neurological Diseases - Neurological diseases like neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease) and brain cancers usually need direct treatment within the brain to be effective. Traditional treatment options, like oral medications or systemic injections, usually aren’t successful in treating these diseases because they can’t cross the BBB in sufficient amounts. As these diseases progress and have more of an impact, the need for targeted drug-delivery increases more & more. The ability to deliver these medications directly to the brain by bypassing the BBB would increase the effectiveness of the treatment, reduce side effects & just improve the overall outcome for the patients. Without an effective way to bypass the BBB, even the most effective & promising drug therapies will be ineffective in dealing with these diseases. The Challenge of crossing the BBB with Therapeutic Drugs - Most therapeutic molecules are either too large or too polar to penetrate the barrier on their own. Even small molecule drugs struggle to pass through the BBB because of the highly selective nature of the endothelial cell membranes. Large, biologic molecules like monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies, and enzymes face huge challenges as well in getting past the BBB. Even though these biologic drugs may work well for treating other parts of the body, the fact that they often can’t get past the BBB in significant amounts means that neurological treatments remain a huge obstacle in modern medicine. These limitations reduce the amount of available treatment options & the effectiveness of treatment options as well. Drug Transport Systems in the Brain - While the BBB is a significant barrier to most drugs, it isn’t completely impenetrable. The brain has numerous transport mechanisms that allow it to take in essential nutrients from the bloodstream. For example, carrier-mediated transport systems oversee the entry of glucose & amino acids into the brain. But, these natural transporters are extremely selective and are primarily designed to bring in certain substances that are absolutely necessary for brain function, not therapeutic agents. Some drugs, like L-Dopa used in Parkinson’s treatment, can take advantage of glucose transporters, but are usually too limited in capacity or don’t match the specific needs of the brain cells, as they cannot mimic the natural transport mechanisms effectively. (shrink)

We argue the thesis that if (1) a physical process is mathematically representable by a Cauchy sequence; and (2) we accept that there can be no infinite processes, i.e., nothing corresponding to infinite sequences, in natural phenomena; then (a) in the absence of an extraneous, evidence-based, proof of `closure' which determines the behaviour of the physical process in the limit as corresponding to a `Cauchy' limit; (b) the physical process must tend to a discontinuity (singularity) which has not been reflected (...) in the Cauchy sequence that seeks to describe the behaviour of the physical process. We support our thesis by mathematical models of the putative behaviours of (i) a virus cluster; (ii) an elastic string; and (iii) a Universe that recycles from Big Bang to Ultimate Implosion, in which parity and local time reversal violation, and the existence of `dark energy' in a multiverse, need not violate Einstein's equations and quantum theory. We suggest that the barriers to modelling such processes in a mathematical language that seeks unambiguous communication are illusory; they merely reflect an attempt to ask of the language chosen for such representation more than it is designed to deliver. (shrink)

Macromolecular protein complexes catalyze essential physiological processes that sustain life. Various interactions between protein subunits could increase the effective mass of certain peptide groups, thereby compartmentalizing protein α-helices. Here, we study the differential effects of applied massive barriers upon the soliton-assisted energy transport within proteins. We demonstrate that excentric barriers, localized onto a single spine in the protein α-helix, reflect or trap three-spine solitons as effectively as concentric barriers with comparable total mass. Furthermore, wider protein solitons, whose (...) energy is lower, require heavier massive barriers for soliton reflection or trapping. Regulation of energy transport, delivery and utilization at protein active sites could thus be achieved through control of the soliton width, or of the effective mass of the protein subunits. (shrink)

A vehicle boom barrier gate system is one of the recently developed technologies operating at the entrances to the restricted areas. This paper aims to design and control of vehicle’s boom barrier gate system using robust augmentation technique. 2 H optimal and H  synthesis controllers are used to improve the performance of the system. The open loop response analysis of the vehicle boom barrier gate system shows that the input of the system need to be improved. Comparison of the (...) vehicle boom barrier gate system with 2 H optimal and H  synthesis controllers have been done to track a set point desired angular position using a step and operational open and close input signals and a promising results have been observed. (shrink)

ChatGPT – a large language model – recently passed the U.S. bar exam. The startling rise and power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as ChatGPT lead us to consider whether and how more specialized systems could be used to overcome existing barriers to the legal system. Such systems could be employed in either of the two major stages of the pursuit of justice: preliminary information gathering and formal engagement with the state’s legal institutions and professionals. We focus (...) on the former and argue that developing and deploying publicly funded AI legal advisors can reduce economic and shame-based cultural barriers to the information-gathering stage of pursuing justice. (shrink)

The concepts of meaning, understanding and or misunderstanding have been of significance in philosophy, linguistics, communication studies, and sociology. This is due to the crucial status of communication among humans as the distortion of meaning and misunderstanding can bring about social imbalance. This article explores the complex nature of human communication, delving into the linguistic, sociocultural, and epistemological barriers that impede meaningful understanding. Through an exploration of the close-knit relationships between language, context, and meaning, it aims to expose the (...) nuanced dynamics of communication and the nature of meaning, contributing to a better understanding of the challenges and possibilities of human communication. (shrink)

My project is to explain why the question ‘How does it feel to be a white problem?’ cannot be answered in the fluttering grammar of white talk. The whiteness of white talk lies not only in its having emerged from white mouths, but also in its evasiveness—in its attempt to suppress fear and anxiety, and its consequential [if unintended] reinscription and legitimation of racist oppression. I White talk is designed, indeed scripted, for the purposes of evading, rejecting, and remaining ignorant (...) about the injustices that flow from whiteness and its attendant privileges. I want to suggest a new point of entry—a way to flip the script, so to speak. -/- I begin with some observations about the basic advantages and disadvantages of using white talk as a route into the white problem. My account develops an expanded version of Alice MacIntyre’s definition of white talk that is attentive to the racialized bodily scripts that accompany white talk. I argue that white talk persists because it has an enduring and powerful moral, ontological, and epistemic pay off for white folks. I explore each payoff with an eye towards clarifying how white talk functions to maintain the illusion that we are invulnerable beings. Next, I pause to reply to the popular objection that this particular critique of white talk silences white people in conversations on race. If we cannot address the question ‘how does it feel to be a white problem’ in the fluttering grammar of white talk, then how shall we begin? In closing, I suggest that we might reduce fluttering by replacing white talk with a discourse of vulnerability, where vulnerability is defined not as weakness, but as a condition for potential. I offer some brief guidelines for how we might start this conversation. (shrink)

Local food initiatives are steadily becoming a part of contemporary cities around the world and can take on many forms. While some of these initiatives are concerned with providing consumers with farm-fresh produce, a growing portion are concerned with increasing the food sovereignty of marginalized urban communities. This chapter provides an analysis of urban contexts with the aim of identifying conceptual barriers that may act as roadblocks to achieving food sovereignty in cities. Specifically, this paper argues that taken for (...) granted commitments created during the birth of the modern city could act as conceptual barriers for the implementation of food sovereignty programs and that urban food activists and programs that challenge these barriers are helping to achieve the goal of restoring food sovereignty to local communities, no matter their reasons for doing so. At the very least, understanding the complexities of these barriers and how they operate helps to strengthen ties between urban food projects, provides these initiatives with ways to undermine common arguments used to support restrictive ordinances and policies, and illustrates the transformative potential of food sovereignty movements. (shrink)

The limited access to public secondary education in rural regions of Haiti has impacted children who want to pursue their education beyond the primary level. This generic qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of informed Haitian educators and other educators who were knowledgeable about the lack of access to public secondary education in rural Haiti, specifically through the framework of polarities of democracy theory. Data were gathered by conducting semistructured interviews with 20 educators who were situated in both Haiti (...) and the United States. NVivo 14 was used to organize, code, and analyze the data. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: (a) the government prioritizes political and personal interests over rural residents’ education, (b) disparities need to be reduced between urban and rural areas, and (c) a revolution in education is needed to build more public secondary schools for rural residents. Public policy recommendations included investing in training rural individuals to create a database of academics who can meet local students’ educational demands. Positive social change can occur by enhancing governmental services, implementing strategies to revitalize the agricultural sector in rural regions, and promoting active participation of rural residents in shaping the design of public schools to ensure effective secondary education for their children. (shrink)

Quadruple Helix Collaborations (QHCs) is a cooperation model in which industry, government, academia, and the public interact to innovate. This paper analyses the impact of a training intervention to provide specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes to deal with barriers commonly found in the progress of QHCs. We designed, implemented, and evaluated three training programs in Austrian, Colombian, Danish, and Spanish institutions. We analysed trainees’ (n = 66) and trainers’ (n = 9) perceptions to identify the competencies acquired with the (...) intervention and the approach’s limitations. We used online questionnaires (35 trainees; 9 trainers), semi-structured interviews (10 trainees), and a focus group (6 trainers). Trainees answered positively regarding their self-perception about the impact of the course and highlighted the acquisition of inspiration for their practice (score 4.1 out of 5.0) and knowledge (3.7). In contrast, they perceived that a deeper interaction with other participants (2.7) was challenging. After the courses, 74% of respondents indicated that they know more about how QHCs work in practice, and 86% about collaboration or engagement methods. Moreover, participants plan to be more sensitive towards setting common goals (71%) and power imbalances (63%). Trainers’ perceptions align with those expressed by participants, except that they considered that the interaction amongst participants during the course was higher. Qualitative analysis of interviews with participants and the focus group with trainers provides more detail about the strengths and weaknesses of the intervention. Our study shows that the collaborative design and implementation of training impact the participant’s learning competencies, with potential implications in their medium- to long-term practice. (shrink)

I was quite excited when I first read Restall and Russell’s (2010) paper. For two reasons. First, because the paper provides rigorous formulations and formal proofs of implication barrier the- ses, namely “theses [which] deny that one can derive sentences of one type from sentences of another”. Second (and primarily), because the paper proves a general theorem, the Barrier Con- struction Theorem, which unifies implication barrier theses concerning four topics: generality, necessity, time, and normativity. After thinking about the paper, I (...) am satisfied with its treatment of the first three topics, namely generality, necessity, and time. But I am not satisfied with its treatment of normativity, so my comments are exclusively on that topic. (shrink)

M. Klimczuk-Kochańska, A. Klimczuk, Outplacement dla pracowników - bariery, potrzeby, czynniki rozwoju (Outplacement for Employees - Barriers, Needs, Growth Factors), Narodowe Forum Doradztwa Kariery, Białystok-Kraków 2012, 140p.

A recent study by Ford-Learner, Addison, and Cumming (2025) offers a timely and comprehensive synthesis of how distinct marine habitats contribute to the supply of ecosystem services (ES) in tropical regions, with a particular focus on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP). While marine ES are essential to the livelihoods and well-being of nearly a billion people worldwide, significant knowledge gaps persist in understanding how these services are linked to specific habitat types, especially in tropical marine environments.

M. Klimczuk-Kochańska, A. Klimczuk, Outplacement dla pracowników - bariery, potrzeby, czynniki rozwoju (Outplacement for Employees - Barriers, Needs, Growth Factors), Narodowe Forum Doradztwa Kariery, Białystok-Kraków 2012, 140p. -/- .

Social innovations are usually understood as new ideas, initiatives, or solutions that make it possible to meet the challenges of societies in fields such as social security, education, employment, culture, health, environment, housing, and economic development. On the one hand, many citizen science activities serve to achieve scientific as well as social and educational goals. Thus, these actions are opening an arena for introducing social innovations. On the other hand, some social innovations are further developed, adapted, or altered after the (...) involvement of scientist-supervised citizens in research and with the use of the citizen science tools and methods such as action research, crowdsourcing, and community-based participatory research. Such approaches are increasingly recognized as crucial for gathering data, addressing community needs, and creating engagement and cooperation between citizens and professional scientists. However, there are also various barriers to both citizen science and social innovation. For example, management, quality and protection of data, funding difficulties, non-recognition of citizens’ contributions, and limited inclusion of innovative research approaches in public policies. In this volume, we open theoretical as well as empirically-based discussion, including examples, practices, and case studies of at least three types of relations between citizen science and social innovation: domination of the citizen science features over social innovation aspects; domination of the social innovation features over the citizen science aspects; and the ways to achieve balance and integration between the social innovation and citizen science features. Each of these relationships highlights factors that influence the development of the main scales of sustainability of innovations in the practice. These innovations are contributing to a new paradigm of learning and sharing knowledge as well as interactions and socio-psychological development of participants. Also, there are factors that influence the development of platforms, ecosystems, and sustainability of innovations such as broad use of the information and communications technologies including robotics and automation; emerging healthcare and health promotion models; advancements in the development and governance of smart, green, inclusive and age-friendly cities and communities; new online learning centers; agri-food, cohousing or mobility platforms; and engagement of citizens into co-creation or co-production of services delivered by public, private, non-governmental organizations as well as non-formal entities. (shrink)

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes, expectations, experiences, and barriers that physicians in Tripoli hospitals experienced when working alongside Clinical Pharmacists (CPs). A descriptive self-administered questionnaire was used for the study, and participants were selected from several Tripoli hospitals. Most of the respondents agreed that CPs are an essential part of patient care teams and that they have the legal authority to review a patient's medication regimen and response. More than half of respondents believe CPs (...) must be responsible for the medications they prescribe to patients. Half of the respondents agreed that CPs should be encouraged to play a more active role in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The majority of participants agreed that CPs should participate in managing drug side effects and almost half agreed that CPs can contribute to decisions about drug interactions. By a low agreement rate, 42.7% of respondents thought CPs were specially qualified to counsel patients on drug therapy. A similar low trend was observed, with 40.9% agreeing to provide pharmacists with additional responsibility and authority in clinical departments, in contrast, 54.5% expressed their concern about the clinical responsibility of CPs in clinical practice. A minority of physicians agreed that Physicians should consult pharmacists in selecting the best pharmacological treatment. At the same time, the majority think that pharmacists lack clinical skills and 61.8% feel that physicians are unable to communicate effectively with CPs. 43.6% acknowledged that the traditional opposition between the two professions was a barrier to interprofessional collaboration while the absence of pharmacy space in clinical settings was cited by 39.1%. A majority of respondents agreed that physicians and pharmacists may improve their interprofessional collaboration by raising their awareness about it. A minority of respondents thought that laws and regulations governing physician collaboration should be put in place to promote effective collaboration between physicians and CPs. The study discovered that although most physicians endorse the introduction of clinical pharmacy services in hospitals and believe that physicians and pharmacists can collaborate on many tasks, respondents were not as impressed with the CPs' performance and believed that they lacked the professionalism required to carry out clinical responsibilities successfully. To facilitate the growth of clinical pharmacy services, laws and regulations must be put in place. (shrink)

The analysis shows that poor internet connection, lack of ICT skills, and psychological issues are associated with lower online learning comfort among secondary school students. Among these effects, the impact of psychological problems, like concentration difficulties, is the strongest (see Figure 1). We also find that learning comfortability is positively associated with learning effectiveness (see Figure 2).

This paper explores the structural limitations of algorithmic cognition in open decision environments, extending the theoretical formulation of the Infinite-Choice Barrier through empirical case studies and recent AI literature. Building on an earlier formal “Infinite-Choice Barrier”-Theorem that showed semantic closure, non-generativity of new frames, and statistical collapse, this study examines how these theoretical constraints manifest behaviorally in high-complexity, low-structure dialogues. The findings highlight recurring patterns—retrospective rationalization, resistance to frame shifts, and linguistic fragmentation—that align with the predicted boundary phenomena. In doing (...) so, the paper offers not only a diagnosis of AI's systemic limits but also a map of cognition at its edge. (shrink)

As a teacher in Singapore, I regularly encounter a classroom full of quiet students, reluctant to participate in class, to engage with the teacher when questioned, or even to volunteer for any project or initiative. Many teachers here are quick to conclude that Singapore students are passive or conformists. This observation is, in fact, not unique to students in Singapore, but also to the broader Asian region. Scholars like Cortazzi and Jin (1996) attributed such behaviour to the specific cultural values, (...) such as the importance of deference to the authority of a teacher, as reasons for such passivity and reticence. Liu and Littlewood (1997), on the other hand, argue that people from certain cultures prefer not to speak up so as to avoid entering into situations of uncertainty. I have found that as a teacher busily pre-occupied with preparing for classes, it is easy to forget how students perceive their learning experience, and I have been quite inclined to agree with the observations above. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to be both a post-graduate student and a teacher. And this privileged position allows me to question some of my own assumptions as a teacher, thereby gaining deeper insights into the underlying reasons for the lack of participation here in Singapore. There is a lot more going on in the minds of Singapore students. Here, I would like to offer a new perspective on this matter. (shrink)

Background: Health care practitioners are recognized to have a large influence in shaping uptake of vaccine in new borns, children, adolescents, as well as adults. Parents remain more secure in their decisions when health care practitioners communicate successfully with them about vaccine dangers and benefits, the value as well as necessity for vaccinations, as well as vaccine safety. Thus, immunization remain the foundation of the primary health care system, an indisputable human right as well as a global health and development (...) success story, saving millions of lives yearly. Recently, we have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Yet despite tremendous progress, far too many people around the world, including nearly 20 million infants yearly have insufficient access to vaccines. In some countries, progress has stalled or even reversed, and there is a real risk that complacency will undermine past achievements. Purpose: The current study aimed to explores vaccine hesitancy, its barriers and impact studies regarding COVID-19 decision impacts. Also, to provides policy and decision makers and operational staff with evidence to inform decisions to promote vaccine uptake across Bayelsa State. Methods: A literature review tried to do a deep dive by using a variety of search engines such as Scopus, Research Gate, Mendeley, Summon, PubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, Dimension, Academia, CAB Abstract, OARE Abstract, SSRN search strategy to retrieve research publications, “grey literature” and expert working group reports, including author’s field experience. Findings: Absence of uniform methods of organization in the various health care facilities upon which we were obliged to rely. Thus affecting the overall immunization programme and health system. Hence policy must urgently address these challenges with emphasis on policy clarity while continuously improving infrastructure. Conclusions: Bayelsa State is categorized as low/poor performing as the findings suggest that the involvement of community-based leaders can improve community participation and acceptance while enhancing and strengthening integrated disease surveillance and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) monitoring and reporting systems; and conducting integrated advocacy and communications activities to promote demand for vaccination as part of increasing overall demand and acceptability of all essential Primary Health Centers (PHC) services, thus, breaking barriers of vaccine hesitancy. (shrink)

This article explores how institutions play a pivotal role in shaping collective knowledge and ignorance concerning the human–animal relationship. It contends that institutions, by obstructing or facilitating the production and dissemination of knowledge, significantly influence societal perceptions of animals, and in turn, our treatment of them. Such epistemic processes lead to speciesist beliefs and behaviour, which I assume to be morally problematic. The discussion centres on the obstruction of collective moral knowledge related to the human–animal relationship. Specifically, my article identifies (...) various ‘corrupting conditions’ within institutions which obstruct agents’ epistemic functioning, and thereby, contribute to collective moral ignorance and consequent speciesist moral wrongdoings, including: (1) Lack of anti-speciesist alternatives or behaviours; (2) derogation of anti-speciesist processes or behaviours; (3) valorization of speciesist processes or behaviour; (4) re-branding of undesirable epistemic processes as commendable; (5) conditions increasing the costs of anti-speciesist inquiry; (6) conditions fostering indifference about animal issues; (7) policies mandating speciesist commitments. The article discusses how these conditions influence epistemic processes in detail. Furthermore, using the production of animal products as a case study, the article illustrates how political institutions, legal institutions, search engines and media, perpetuate moral ignorance regarding animals. It argues that these institutional corrupting conditions normalize speciesism, encouraging the widespread adoption of speciesist beliefs. I conclude that it is necessary to improve institutional epistemic environments to facilitate successful animal advocacy efforts, including widespread moral knowledge about animals and voting support for animal protection policies. The article lays the groundwork for discussing the epistemic responsibilities institutions bear in shaping perceptions of the human–animal relationship. (shrink)

As climate change intensifies, the ability of societies to adapt is not determined solely by technology or financial resources—it is increasingly shaped by governance. Juhola and Malmström [2] shed light on a critical but often overlooked issue: how governance systems themselves can create limits to climate adaptation.

Vaccination effectively reduces morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases. Several countries allow pharmacists to administer vaccines, and community pharmacists are considered as accessible providers of these services. In Libya, however, pharmacists lack the authority to administer vaccines, unlike their counterparts elsewhere. Involving pharmacists in vaccination efforts could enhance the healthcare system. This observational study aimed to evaluate the readiness and willingness of community pharmacists, supported by pharmacy technicians, to provide vaccination services and to identify barriers and supportive factors for (...) implementation in Libya. A descriptive, self-administered online questionnaire was distributed via social media, specifically in pharmacy-focused closed groups. Participants were recruited from various community pharmacies in Tripoli, Libya. The questionnaire was completed by 130 respondents. Most respondents (88.0%) recognized the important role of the community pharmacist in advertising and promotion of vaccination and 79.0% recognized the accessibility of community pharmacies. Major barriers included a lack of training (85.0%) and increased workloads (75.0%). Cooperation between pharmacists and health professionals and support of medical and nursing associations were highlighted, with 93.0% of respondents agreeing on the importance of these initiatives, followed by the need for improved education and ongoing training workshops on vaccination administration (92.0%). In conclusion, most respondents expressed readiness to initiate pharmacy-based vaccination services. Those willing to participate are open to the necessary training and believe that vaccinations in community pharmacies would be safe. To enhance pharmacists' readiness for vaccination services, regulators must emphasize the significance of training and its impact on patient safety and satisfaction. Appropriate laws and regulations are also essential to support the development of community pharmacy services. (shrink)

There have been some suggestions concerning the subject matter of Islamic psychology. It seems that these suggestions could not overcome the theoretical barrier for providing a subject matter for psychology. Some have considered the divine Spirit (Run) within the human as the subject matter, some others have regarded the Soul (Nafs)and still others, the divine creation of the human (Fitrah) as the candidates for doing the job. However, these suggestions could be challenged in different ways on being able to provide (...) a suitable subject for scientific studies of psychology. The present essay is an introductory attempt to give an alternative. Accordingly, an alternative to the three above mentioned suggestions seems to be the important Islamic concept of Action. We can consider Action as the suitable subject matter for psychology. This is because action is so wide that it could cover all the humans whether believers or non-believers in God, whether their Fitrah is active or silent. An action, as it is used in the Islamic texts, refers to a behavior (being observable or non-observable) that is based on, at least, three kinds of foundations: cognition, emotion, and will. In addition to being a suitable subject for psychology, action is a key concept in referring to the human nature or identity. (shrink)

Recent studies have shown that pharmacists have an interest in conducting research. However, barriers such as lack of confidence prevent pharmacists from participating in ruling research. This study evaluated pharmacists’ self-perceived competence and confidence scores for health-related research. A validated self-designed questionnaire was distributed to randomly recruited Libyan pharmacists in hospitals and community pharmacies. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to the data. The analysis included 191 responses. Most respondents had prior research experience (67.0%). Over two-thirds (72.3%) (...) rated their ability to conduct health-related research as good to excellent. The majority had not published articles in peer-reviewed journals in the past five years (71.2%) and had no abstracts or posters published at local/regional (65.4%) or international conferences (79.1%). Lack of support (55.5%) was the most common barrier to participating in health-related research, followed by lack of funds (42.9%), time (29.3%), and knowledge (26.2%). At least two-thirds of pharmacists felt somewhat competent or confident in conceptualizing research ideas, collecting data, managing and storing data, and preparing presentations. Less than 60% felt competent /confident in outlining statistical plans and using statistical software. Overall, pharmacists displayed moderate competence (median score=38.0/65) and confidence (median score=40/65) in planning and conducting health-related research. Those with prior research experience (median score=42.0 vs. 29.0) and training (median score=41.0 vs. 28.0) had significantly higher scores. Higher scores were also noted among those who had published in peer-reviewed journals (median score=46.0 vs. 37.0) and presented at regional/local conferences (median score=46.5 vs. 34.0). Most pharmacists in Libya were interested in conducting research, and the majority of them had previous research experience and previous research-related training. The pharmacists had moderate competence and confidence to plan and conduct research. Research training was recommended for practicing pharmacists and pharmacy students to improve pharmacists’ research involvement and promote the advancement of pharmacy practice in Libya. (shrink)

This physics note entails a summary of an extended form of Eccles-Cartesian Interactive Dualism mind-body-multiverse paradigm called Noetic Field Theory: The Quantization of Mind (NFT), distinguished as a paradigm because it is comprehensive and empirically testable. NFT posits not only that the brain is not the seat of awareness but also that neither classical nor quantum mechanics are sufficient to describe mind as the required regime entails the new physics associated with Unified Field, UF Mechanics. This means that the brain (...) is merely a transducer (form of quantum computer) mediating mentation, sensory data and metabolic function. The so-called ‘Hard Problem’ of cognitive science arises as a category error in philosophy of mind, i.e. an incorrect posit of the question “what processes in the brain give rise to awareness” which instead should simply be queried “what processes give rise to awareness”. In the history of science whenever a hard problem has arisen it has later been shown that the underlying principles had not been understood. NFT posits these underlying principles in a comprehensive empirically testable manner solving the ancient mind-body problem in a manner that enables breaking the 1st person 3rd person barrier able to explain Psi-phenomena. The premise is that the mind-body is a naturally occurring form of ‘conscious quantum computer’ (QC), not that the QC is conscious but that it is modelled after those principles. Such QC technologies could lead to routine telepathic effect devices. (shrink)

Một nghiên cứu gần đây của Ford-Learner, Addison và Cumming [2] đã đưa ra một tổng quan kịp thời và toàn diện về cách các sinh cảnh biển khác nhau đóng góp vào việc cung cấp dịch vụ hệ sinh thái (ecosystem services – ES) tại các vùng nhiệt đới, với trọng tâm là Khu bảo tồn biển rạn san hô Great Barrier Reef (GBRMP) ở Úc. Mặc dù các dịch vụ hệ sinh thái biển đóng vai trò thiết yếu (...) đối với sinh kế và phúc lợi của gần một tỷ người trên toàn cầu [3], song vẫn còn tồn tại nhiều khoảng trống trong hiểu biết về mối liên hệ giữa các dịch vụ này và từng loại sinh cảnh cụ thể, đặc biệt trong môi trường biển nhiệt đới. (shrink)

In addition to the known barriers to sharing research work openly, there is evidence for pressures that affect the quality of the research too, such as questionable research practices (QRPs), biases in research selection and assessment, and anti-collaborative practices.

Blockchain technology has evolved from a concept in digital currencies to a foundation for decentralized applications (dApps) across various sectors such as finance, supply chain, and healthcare. However, one of the main challenges preventing widespread adoption of blockchain is scalability. As the number of users and transactions grows, blockchain networks face performance bottlenecks, specifically with regard to transaction speed and network congestion. Additionally, security concerns, such as the vulnerability of consensus mechanisms to attacks, further complicate efforts to scale blockchain systems. (...) The primary issue arises from the trade-off between decentralization, security, and scalability, which has been commonly referred to as the "Blockchain Trilemma." This paper explores current strategies aimed at overcoming the scalability barrier while maintaining robust security. Key solutions, such as Layer 2 protocols, sharding, and consensus algorithm innovations, are analyzed in detail. Layer 2 solutions like the Lightning Network and Plasma aim to move transactions off-chain, reducing the load on the main blockchain, while sharding involves splitting the blockchain into smaller, manageable pieces. This paper also discusses the trade-offs of various approaches, their applicability to different types of blockchain networks, and their effectiveness in addressing both security and performance concerns. Ultimately, the goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how blockchain scalability can be enhanced without compromising security, thus paving the way for broader blockchain adoption in real-world applications. (shrink)

Jordan agreed to extensive liberalization undertakings under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (“GATS”) that would open some sectors that were previously closed or restricted to foreign suppliers and investors. It undertook horizontal commitments in cross-border movement of individuals and commercial presence covering all types of services.

In this case discussion, Barnhill and Devine collect and present a significant amount of recent research on the various reasons why people struggle to succeed in weight loss programmes. Specifically, the authors focus on what they call ‘behavioural weight loss interventions’, which are ‘research, clinical or public health efforts to promote individual healthy eating and physical activity behaviours’. As defined, this is a very broad category of interventions and presumably includes all kinds of dieting and weight loss programmes or promotion (...) efforts short of private or independently chosen programmes. The authors argue, in a nutshell, that these clinical, research, and public health interventions have low efficacy, and while they may have some health or other benefits, the balance of evidence presented shows that they harm people in multiple ways. (shrink)

Learner autonomy has gained particular attention in Vietnamese higher education since a major education reform launched in 2005. Although a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the concept in the Vietnamese higher education context, most of them have focused on exploring teachers’ and students’ perceptions and beliefs around the concept of autonomy (T. V. Nguyen, 2011; Dang, 2012; Humphreys & Wyatt, 2013; T. N. Nguyen, 2014), and on the possibility of promoting it in Vietnamese universities (Trinh, 2005; L. (...) T. C. Nguyen, 2009; Q. X. Le, 2013; Phan, 2015). There appear to be no studies on the demonstration of learner autonomy and the potential factors, including factors relating to assessment practice, that support or inhibit its demonstration in the Vietnamese higher education context. Building on a social constructivist paradigm and sociocultural theories of learning, this qualitative case study aims to investigate the demonstration of learner autonomy in the context of assessment in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes in a university in Vietnam, and the (potential) factors in assessment that facilitate or constrain the demonstration of learner autonomy in that context. The data were collected through participant observation of teachers’ and students’ practices in three EFL classes at the university during a complete semester, one-on-one semi-structured interviews with three teachers and sixteen students, and post-observation interviews with the three teachers and their students. Additional data which characterised the context of the study were gathered and included documents at the researched university relating to higher education policies, assessment policies, English teaching and learning policies, EFL curriculum and syllabus, test samples, and English teaching textbooks. The study found that students generally demonstrated a low level of autonomy in the classroom despite their positive attitude towards the concept and their awareness of its role in English learning. Primary contributing factors included negative washback of current assessment systems on teaching and learning practices, prescribed assessment practices in the class, teachers’ and learners’ limited and divergent understanding about the concept of learner autonomy, and their limited understanding about the role of assessment in learning in general and in learner autonomy promotion and development in particular. The study also found that students who stated that English was relevant to their personal needs were generally more autonomous outside of the classroom than inside it. Findings from this study support the view that learner autonomy reflects the relationship between learners and the learning environment, and is an emergent product of the interaction between learners and contextual factors including their teacher, their peers, the learning task, class rules and values, and university values and regulations. The study’s findings are significant, as they highlight the social dimension of learner autonomy and the importance of facilitating favourable conditions for teachers to provide learner autonomy and for learners to manifest it. The study also highlights the need to reconsider assessment practices to promote learner autonomy. (shrink)

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, triggering profound environmental transformations. Yet, beyond the visible impacts of melting ice and thawing, permafrost lies a more complex crisis—one where Indigenous communities face deeply embedded social, political, and economic obstacles that hinder their ability to adapt.

This paper calls for a paradigm shift in studying academic dependency, towards the paradigm of brokered dependency. Using Chinese academia as an example, I demonstrate how the neocolonial condition of academic dependency is always mediated through blockage-brokerage mechanisms. The two most salient blockage-brokerage mechanisms of dependency in the Chinese context are linguistic barrier and authoritarian malepistemization, and the effects of the latter consist of three layers: institutional, informational and incorporational. On top of their domestic impacts, those mechanisms jointly exacerbate spectacularized (...) postcoloniality in anglophone-hegemonic global academic publishing. The paradigm of brokered dependency not only represents a more nuanced approach to the study of academic dependency, but also underscores the fact that the dismantling of the neocolonial condition cannot be conceived and pursued in isolation from comprehending and confronting the authoritarian condition, especially when the latter pertains under the disguise of anticolonialism. (shrink)

This paper proves a precisification of Hume’s Law—the thesis that one cannot get an ought from an is—as an instance of a more general theorem which establishes several other philosophically interesting, though less controversial, barriers to logical consequence.