This paper explores the phenomenology of tattoos through the prism of their communicative role in contemporary society, analyzing how tattoos serve as means of expressing identity, personal values, and belonging to various sociocultural groups. Applying a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses anthropology, sociology, semiotics, and aesthetics, the work illuminates how perceptions of tattoos move from subjective impressions to complex neo-scholastic interpretations, highlighting the dialectical relationship between individual and collective meanings. The analysis is based on the "Grounded Theory" methodology theory, semiotic understanding of the relationship between the signifier and the signified, and sociocultural aspects that shape and define the perception of tattoos in various contexts. The paper concludes that tattoos transcend their aesthetic dimension, serving as deeply rooted symbols in human culture that reflect, shape, and challenge sociocultural norms and values, encouraging further research into the dynamics between tattoos, identity, and social perception.
Personal relations with the public as a field of study is increasingly drawing the attention of professional and scientific research. The father of public relations Edward L. Bernays stated already in the 1920s that every individual supports the idea with which they can identify, and that they usually achieve this through the interpretation of symbols. This paper focuses on the strategy of creating a personal image in the time before the Internet on the example of the Spanish artist Salvador Dalí. Using the case study method, the paper will offer a detailed presentation of building Dalí's personal relations and describe the key activities he was involved in and communication channels he used. The aim of the paper is to determine whether the communication tools used by influencers today existed even before the advent of social media and to confirm the thesis that Dalí was an influencer and a brand persona.
Evolution of advanced technological development has enabled connection between participants of the communication process at any time, regardless of their distance. This potential has become an integral part of private online activities carried out within the time of professional context (cyberloafing). Establishing communication activities as a distinctive component of online activities at the workplace has not been the subject of academic attention previously. The goal was to create and validate a measurement instrument that would specifically categorize communication activities of cyberloafing. The research was conducted as anonymous online survey of 302 participants and structured in two segments: the participants' sociodemographic characteristics and their engagement in cyberloafing activities. Two confirmatory factor analyzes were conducted to identify the optimal model, resulting with three factors and six items. Based on the accumulated dana, the proposed model meets the appropriateness criteria, and the new measuring instrument was evaluated as valid and reliable for use.
In contemporary international relations, information represents a crucially important geopolitical resource. This scientific work aims to analyze global communication with regard to two aspects. Firstly, it explores whether the technological revolution we are witnessing has threatened the fundamental values of liberal democracies. Exposed to the information interference of authoritarian states, liberal democracies risk evolving into societies characterized by control and surveillance mechanisms. Secondly, it examines the consequences of integrating modern information technologies into the space of geopolitics. Specifically, it investigates how global communications have reshaped the nature of warfare in the 21st century. Technology is not politically neutral; it plays a significant role in the international distribution of power. Despite the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on global business, little is being discussed about its implications for political and security relations which are undergoing irreversible changes.
Dirofilariasis is an infection caused by parasites of the Dirofilaria genus, which are natural parasites of dogs and cats. Humans are accidental hosts who become infected by the bite of an infected mosquito. The most common vectors are female mosquitoes from Aedes, Anopheles, Culex genera. There are more than 40 described species of Dirofilaria, but human infection is most commonly caused by two species: Dirofilaria repens and Dirofilaria immitis. Human infections are most commonly manifested as subcutaneous/ocular Dirofilariasis (Dirofilaria repens) and pulmonary Dirofilariasis (Dirofilaria immitis). We presented a case of subcutaneous dirofilariasis of the right knee in a 52-year-old patient that manifested as a subcutaneous nodule. He described spending a lot of recreational time near the river Sava. Five years ago, he noticed swelling of his right leg. Two years ago, a subcutaneous nodule appeared in the front part of the knee. Excision in local anesthesia was performed. During the operative procedure, a moving filarial worm was found. The worm was identified as Dirofilaria spp. at the Croatian Institute of Public Health Zagreb.
