bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of modified nanographene oxide (mGO)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid filler on the cure, mechanical and swelling properties of silicone rubber composites
Authors: V Aravinth , V Navaneethakrishnan , S Vishvanathperumal , G Gurumoorthi
Published: July 2023

In this study, modified nanographene oxide (mGO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced phenyl silicone rubber (PSR) composites were created and studied. On the mechanical characteristics of the PSR hybrid composites, the synergistic impact of mGO and CNTs was investigated. The PSR hybrid composites were assessed for their tensile strength, elongation at break, 100% modulus, tear strength, hardness, rebound resilience, abrasion resistance, compression set, swelling resistance, and microstructure. The micro-structural, mechanical, and other properties of the nanocomposites are greatly influenced by the concentration of CNTs and mGO. According to the study, the nanocomposites with 6 phr of mGO and 3 phr of CNTs exhibit the highest mechanical property as well as properties that make them resistant to swelling and abrasion.
Sugemalimab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy as first-line treatment for unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (GEMSTONE-304): a randomized, double-blinded, phase 3 study
Authors: Li Jin , Chen Zhendong , Bai Yuxian , Liu Bo , Li Qingshan , Zhang Jingdong , Zhou Jun , Deng Ting , Zhou Fuyou , Gao Shegan , Yang Shujun , Ye Feng , Chen Long , Bai Wei , Yin Xianli , Cang Shundong , Liu Lianke , Pan Yueyin , Luo Hui , Ji Yanxia , Zhang Zhen , Wang Jufeng , Yang Quanliang , Li Na , Huang Rong , Qu Chenglin , Ni Jing , Wang Bo , Xu Yan , Hu Jin , Shi Qingmei , Yang Jianxin
Published: July 2023

The clinical evidence of applying programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors in the first-line setting to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains scarce. In this multicenter, randomized, double-blinded phase 3 trial, a total of 540 adults (aged 18-75 years) with unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic ESCC who had not received systemic treatment were enrolled. All patients were randomized at 2:1 to receive sugemalimab (an anti-PD-L1 antibody; 1200 mg) or placebo every 3 weeks for up to 24 months, plus chemotherapy (cisplatin 80 mg/m2 on day 1 plus 5-fluorouracil 800 mg/m2/day on days 1-4) every 3 weeks for up to 6 cycles. At the prespecified interim analysis, this study has met its dual primary endpoints. With a median follow-up of 15.2 months, the prolongation of progression-free survival (PFS) was statistically significant with sugemalimab-chemotherapy compared with placebo-chemotherapy (median 6.2 v 5.4 months, hazard ratio [HR] 0.67 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54 to 0.82], P=0.0002) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). Overall survival (OS) was also superior with sugemalimab-chemotherapy (median 15.3 v 11.5 months, HR 0.70 [95% CI 0.55 to 0.90], P=0.0076. A significantly higher objective response rate (60.1% v 45.2%) assessed by BICR was observed with sugemalimab-chemotherapy. The incidence of Grade 3 or above treatment-related adverse events (51.3% v 48.4%) was comparable between the two groups. Sugemalimab plus chemotherapy significantly prolonged PFS and OS in treatment-naïve patients with advanced ESCC, with no unexpected safety signal. This study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04187352).
Frequency regulation in a microgrid integrating redox flow battery by utilizing an optimal predictive control approach
Authors: Khokhar Bhuvnesh , Parmar K. P. Singh
Published: July 2023

When considering the frequency stability issues brought on by load shifts in a microgrid (µG) due to a significant integration of fluctuating renewable energy source (RES)-based generators and an inherent low inertia, energy storage units (ESUs) are unavoidable. The ESUs can immediately charge or discharge to make up for any shifts in load in the µG since they react more quickly. This research investigates how a redox flow battery unit (RFBU) impacts the dynamic responses of a standalone µG (SµG) in this respect. As the secondary controller, an optimal intelligent model predictive control (iMPC) approach is presented. The cyclical parthenogenesis algorithm (CPA) is implemented to improve the tuning parameter (τw) in the iMPC cost function to demonstrate an optimal performance of the recommended control approach. The effectiveness of the iMPC approach is contrasted with that of other well-known control approaches. The simulation findings clearly demonstrate the impact of RFBU integration in the SµG and the capability of the recommended iMPC approach in terms of improved dynamic responses and their transient characteristics. As a consequence , the peak value of the SµG dynamic response improves by 70.53%, and the settling time improves by 82.26%. The suggested control approach’s sensitivity to the SµG parametric uncertainties is also justified. The closed-loop stability of the suggested approach is also established. The effectiveness of the proposed iMPC approach and the impact of the RFBU integration are then confirmed by statistical analysis.
Artificial Intelligence versus Software Engineers: An Evidence-Based Assessment Focusing on Non-Functional Requirements
Authors: Nascimento Nathalia , Alencar Paulo , Cowan Donald
Published: July 2023

The automation of Software Engineering (SE) tasks using Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing, with AI increasingly leveraged for project management, modeling, testing, and development. Notably, ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot, has been introduced as a versatile tool for code writing and test plan generation. Despite the excitement around AI's potential to elevate productivity and even replace human roles in software development, solid empirical evidence remains scarce. Normally, a software engineer's solution is evaluated against a variety of non-functional requirements such as performance, efficiency, reusability, and usability, among others. This study presents an empirical exploration of the performance of software engineers versus AI on specific development tasks, using an array of quality parameters. Our aim is to enhance the interplay between humans and machines, increase the trustworthiness of AI methodologies, and identify the best performers for each task. In doing so, it also contributes to refining cooperative or human-in-the-loop workflows in the context of software engineering. The study investigates two distinct scenarios: the analysis of ChatGPT-produced code against developer-created code on Leetcode, and the comparison of automated machine learning (Auto-ML) and manual methods in the creation of a control structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) application. Our findings reveal that while software engineers excel in some scenarios, AI performs better in others. This groundbreaking empirical study helps forge a new pathway for collaborative human-machine intelligence where AI's capabilities can augment human skills in software engineering.
How health professionals maintain and update their professional knowledge in a self-directed learning context
Authors: Freeman Jodie , Raabe Andreas , Schmitz Felix , Guttormsen Sissel
Published: July 2023

Background. Given the changes in the current learning environment health professionals are facing major challenges to keep abreast of current and updated information with the rapidly growing clinical and scientific knowledge base. Being able to identify relevant, high-quality articles, adapt or adopt to new learning strategies with an already intense workload are just a few of the main challenges. Self-directed learning is skill central to competent health professionals and describes a process in which individuals evaluate their learning needs, goals and the resources needed for learning, however the emerging problems for professionals practicing SDL are manifold.
Design. A qualitative, exploratory approach based on four research questions was used to gain an understanding of how skilled health professionals maintain and update their professional knowledge. Twenty-six neurosurgeons completed a semi structed interview within the University Hospital of Bern.
Results. One of the main findings is the differences between health professionals in what strategies they employ to conduct SDL, which is ultimately compounded by their level of experience. All participants recognised that new or alternative learning strategies are necessary to manage this new learning landscape, and for many in particular the use of learning digital tools. However, many were unsure how to change their current behaviour.
Conclusion. The results highlight that positive factors influencing SDL in the workplace include learning leadership and support in identifying new or alternative strategies, an internal culture committed to learning as well as digital learning tools and networks and are all vital in managing the ever-changing learning environment.
The Effect of the Closure of the Double Irish Arrangement on the Location of U.S. Multinational Companies’ Profits
Authors: Samarakoon Navodhya
Published: July 2023

In 2015, the Irish government announced the closure of the Double Irish; one of the largest tax loopholes used by U.S. multinational companies, giving existing users until 2020 to comply. Using U.S. administrative corporate tax data, I provide novel estimates on profit shifted back to the United States after closure of the Double Irish. I estimate that firms that used the Double Irish redirected $59 billion in royalty payments to the United States in 2020, the first year of full closure. To disentangle the effect of loophole closure from other major international tax reforms, I propensity score match to a comparable control group. Using this comparable control group, a difference-in-differences analysis suggests the average Double Irish user reports $609 million more in royalty payments after full closure. I use a log specification to demonstrate royalty payments shifted, although large, are driven by outliers. Multinational companies in my treated group funneled an estimated $1.2 to $1.4 trillion in profits to low-tax jurisdictions via the Double Irish from 1998 to 2018. The royalty payments redirected to the United States comprise 31 to 38 percent of profit within the Double Irish arrangement in 2018, meaning many Double Irish users continue to hold large amounts of profit abroad. Lastly, my estimates on the size of the arrangement suggest the current literature may underestimate the U.S. tax base shifted abroad.
JEL Classifications: F23, H25, H26, H32
Synchronous double primary tumors of liver (small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma)：A case report
Authors: Bu Yuqing , Wen Junye , Wang Fayan , Dong Shibo , He Liya , Li Yang , Liang Jinlong , Zhang Hongzhen
Published: July 2023

This study presents a case of dual primary liver cancer involving small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient, a 58-year-old Chinese male with a medical history of viral hepatitis B, presented with right upper abdominal pain for one month. Imaging studies revealed multiple liver masses in segments SⅤ and SⅦ-Ⅷ, as well as a left lung mass. Hepatic biopsy was performed on both segments, and subsequent pathological analysis confirmed the presence of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in segments SⅤ and SⅦ-Ⅷ, respectively. Following one cycle of chemotherapy, the lung mass exhibited a reduction in size, whereas the liver masses demonstrated an inadequate response to chemotherapy. Subsequently, the patient underwent Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) and Hepatic Artery Infusion Chemotherapy (HIAC), resulting in partial remission (PR). However, the patient was diagnosed with brain metastasis and subsequently treated with Sorafenib and a Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor, specifically Tirelizumab. The efficacy evaluation indicated stability, and no severe adverse effects were observed at the time of writing. The patient's survival time was 11 months.
Permafrost Analysis for the Alpine Monitoring Station at Zugspitze (Bavaria, Germany): Measurements, Modeling and Climate Impacts
Authors: Wagner Bernhard , Gallemann Thomas , Foltyn Maria , Joneck Michael , Mahr Michael
Published: July 2023

Permafrost degradation due to global warming, particularly in mountainous regions, can be responsible for an increase in mass movements such as rockfalls, slides and subsidence. Therefore, preventive measures, based on a simulation of permafrost degradation, should be planned in advance. Consequently, modeling of permafrost in the high Alpine region of Bavaria is the main objective of this study. At first, this paper evaluates a permafrost temperature (T) database for the Permafrost Monitoring Station (PMS), located between 2,922 and 2,907 m a.s.l. at the ridge of the highest mountain of the Bavarian Alps (Zugspitze, 2,962 m a.s.l.). The compiled T data along the oblique (20°) 44.5 m long borehole reveals a warming trend over the period from 2010 to 2020, resulting in a noticeable permafrost degradation. After that, a transient permafrost model was developed and calibrated using collected T records. Then, the model was applied to PMS meteorological data from 1900 to 2015. The permafrost simulations showed a considerable decrease in permafrost along the borehole by the length of about 9.5 m, mainly at the southern side. Lastly, calculation of potential permafrost changes, up to 2100, was performed for two different climate scenarios (RCP8.5 and RCP2.6) with 13 different climate realizations (model runs), obtained from the statistical regional climate model WETTREG2013. The RCP8.5 scenario (9 realizations) is based on the assumption of a linear increase of CO2 emissions with time. The RCP2.6 scenario (4 realizations) assumes no further increase in CO2 emissions. In conclusion, the modeling results for the RCP8.5 scenario imply a permafrost disappearance at the Zugspitze by the end of the 21st century. Yet, in the case of the RCP2.6 scenario, today’s permafrost will remain essentially unchanged.
Alignment and specificities of Brazilian health agencies with international premises for the implementation of digital health in Primary Health Care: a rhetorical analysis
Authors: de Araújo Aguinaldo José , Silva Ísis de Siqueira , de Figueirêdo Renan Cabral , Lopes Rayssa Horácio , Silva Cícera Renata Diniz Vieira , Junior Osvaldo de Goes Bay , Lester Richard T. , Uchôa Severina Alice da Costa
Published: July 2023

Objective
To analyze the alignment of the arguments of Brazilian and international organizations for the adoption of digital health in Primary Health Care (PHC), from COVID-19.
Methods
This qualitative document analysis used a rhetorical analysis according to Perelman and Obrecht’s-Tyteca. Two independent researchers searched documents on the websites of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Brazilian Ministry of Health, Federal Council of Medicine, and Federal Council of Nursing between December 2021 and June 2022. The search terms were “digital health”, “telehealth”, “telemedicine”, “e-health”, “telessaúde”, “teleenfermagem”, “telemedicina", and “saúde digital”. Twenty official documents (recommendations, informative pages, guidelines, resolutions, laws, and ordinances) were identified, considering context, authorship, authenticity, reliability, nature, and key concepts.
Results
The international and Brazilian arguments emphasize the applicability of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in health. In logical arguments based on the structure of reality, international bodies emphasize the overlap between health needs and the conditions for the applicability of ICTs, but in Brazil, there was a need to regulate the digital practices of these health professionals. In the structuring of the real, the international discourse contains illustrations of the relationship between the context of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the concrete conditions for the applicability of digital health, while in Brazil the need to strengthen an environment conducive to the digital health policy.
Conclusions
The Brazilian alignment with international premises is evident, however, there is a need to strengthen the inclusion of digital health in the PHC policy in a socially and economically sustainable way.
Factors that influence esophageal dilation in achalasia
Authors: Sánchez-Terán Alfonso , Naranjo-Pardo Catalina , Varela-Barraza Omar , Prado-Salcedo Tatiana , Macías-Grajeda Michelle
Published: July 2023

Megaesophagus is defined by esophageal diameter >6 cm and changes such as tortuosity and angulation. Timed barium swallow (TBS) is the best study to identify these changes. Megaesophagus occurs in the natural course of the disease, and patients without adequate treatment can develop progressive esophageal dilation but the factors that might contribute to the development of megaesophagus remain unknown. A retrospective study with a total of 110 patients diagnosed with achalasia and without any previous esophageal surgery. There were no significant differences between the megaesophagus (n=85) and non-megaesophagus (n=25) groups regarding age (40.4 vs. 40.9 yrs., p=0.87), gender (63% vs. 44% females, p=0.08), baseline weight (72.9 vs. 77.8 kg, p=0.20), EAT (30 vs 26.9, p=0.14), ECKARDT (9.2 vs 8.1, p=0.10), and GERD scores (23.4 vs. 24.8, p=0.62). However, there were significant differences between the group of esophageal dilation <6 cm and megaesophagus regarding symptom duration (23.2 vs 35.5 months, p=0.03), weight loss (13.7 vs. 9.7 kg, p=0.05), preoperative weight (59.2 vs. 68.1 kg, p=0.0058), dysphagia score (2.7 vs. 2.4, p=0.004), and baseline esophageal length (22.8 vs. 25.6 cm, p<0.0001). 16% of patients with megaesophagus had a duration of symptoms of only 12 months. In conclusion, patients with megaesophagus lost less weight in comparison to the <6 cm group. We found that patients with megaesophagus had a longer symptom duration. However, the symptom duration was not proportionally related to the degree of esophageal dilation. Furthermore, neither the degree of dysphagia nor weight loss positively correlated with the degree of esophageal dilation.
Aqeuous humor cytokines concentration changes in patients with diabetic macular edema after intravitreal pharmacotherapy
Authors: Fursova A. Zh. , Derbeneva A. S. , Amir I. M. , Kozhevnikova O. S. , Telegina D. V. , Devyatkin V. A.
Published: July 2023

Purpose: to analyze intraocular fluid (IOF) cytokine concentrations in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) after intravitreal therapy with angiogenesis inhibitors or corticosteroids (CS).

Materials and methods. 44 patients (45 eyes) were divided in 2 groups depending on the therapy: group 1 (n = 19) received an angiogenesis inhibitor (aflibercept) while group2 (n = 26) received CS (dexamethasone implant). They were tested for IOF cytokine levels by Milliplex® Map Human Cytokine/Chemokine Panel at treatment start and 3 months after either 3 monthly injections of aflibercept or a single dexamethasone implant injection.

Results. The concentrations of ten cytokines (IL-8/CXCL8, IP-10/CXCL10, MCP-1/CCL2, PDGF-AA, GROα/CXCL1, VEGF-A, MIP-1β/CCL4, IL-15, IL-7, IL-6) were found to fall significantly in both groups of therapy. IL-6 and IL-5 levels showed the most significant drop as compared to other cytokines, with a more pronounced decrease in the aflibercept treatment group. In both groups, VEGF-A concentration showed a significant drop, and the share of the eyes that responded to the treatment was 94.7 % in the aflibercept therapy group and 96.2 % in in the dexamethasone implant group.

Conclusion. The IOF concentration assessment of a number of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines shows that both the anti-VEGF agent — aflibercept and CS — dexamethasone implant contribute to a decrease of inflammation which is observed 3 months after the start of treatment.
Using artificial neural networks for early diagnosis of glaucoma
Authors: Komarovskikh E. N. , Podtynnykh E. V.
Published: July 2023

Purpose: to summarize the experience of the development and application of artificial neural networks (ANW) in early diagnosis of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Material and methods. A total of 690 patients (918 eyes) were tested. The training clinical group consisted of 459 clinical examples (459 eyes), of which 369 eyes had an initial stage of POAG and 90 eyes had no glaucoma. The testing clinical group was represented by 131 examples (131 eyes), of which 110 eyes belonged to patients with POAG and 21 eyes were without glaucoma. The final diagnostic testing using ANW was conducted on 328 eyes with the diagnosis unknown to the researchers, which belonged to people with suspected POAG. The diagnostic complex included an optimally necessary set of research techniques.

Results. ANW identified glaucoma in 198 eyes out of those with suspected glaucoma (60.4 %) with 100 % certainty. 76 eyes (23.2 %) were classified as non-glaucoma, or “healthy”; 54 eyes of the suspected glaucoma patients were identified as “doubtful”, whereupon they were retested by a neural network pool consisting of 5 neural networks. According to the results of the retesting, 28 eyes, or 51.9 % of the “doubtful” ones were identified as having glaucoma, whereas 26 eyes (48.1 %) were identified as non-glaucomatous, i. e. healthy.

Conclusion. Our experience suggests that artificial neural networks pose no danger to the doctor or the patient and can be viewed as a very convenient tool for early POAG diagnostics.
MODERNDEN POSTMODERNE SANATTA NESNENİN DEĞİŞEN YAPISI VE ANLAMI
Authors: İLHAN Sümeyra
Published: July 2023

Tarihsel süreçte sanata yön veren önemli kavramların, farklı gerekçelere bağlı olarak dönüşüm yaşadığı bilinmektedir. Modernizmin yenilikçi, yıkıcı ve biçimci anlayışı kapsamında gündeme gelen önemli problem alanlarından biri kavramsal ve biçimsel dönüşüm süreci ile nesne olmuştur. Nesnenin resimlerde temsili ile başlayan sanatsal pratikler, değişen çağın getirdiği koşullar ve sanatçı ihtiyaçları paralelinde farklı biçim, içerik, uygulama yöntemlerinin ortaya çıkmasına; nesnenin kendiliğiyle sanatın bir formu olarak kabul edilmesine ve yorumlanmasına kaynaklık etmiştir. Modernizm ve postmodernizm arasında farklı kavram, olay, zaman ve mekân ilişkileriyle ele alınan nesne; sanata yön veren akımlar ve üsluplar paralelinde spesifik problem alanlarının ifadesinde araç olarak işlevselleştirilmiştir. Modernizmden itibaren nesnenin sanat alanında yaşadığı çok yönlü dönüşüm süreci, önemli bir araştırma alanını oluşturmaktadır. Bu önem doğrultusunda gerçekleştirilen çalışmada doküman incelemesi ve literatür taraması yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Modernizm ve postmodernizm bağlamında nesnenin yaşadığı yapısal ve anlamsal dönüşümün farklı kavram ilişkileri ve eser örnekleri üzerinden incelenerek ortaya konulması çalışmanın amacını oluşturmaktadır.
A COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF THE ANTIOXIDANT POWER OF EUGENOL COMPARED TO VITAMIN C
Authors: Rasul Hezha , Aziz Bakhtyar , Morán Guillermo , Mendoza-Huizar Luis , Belhassan Assia , Candia Lorena , Villada Wilson , Sadasivam Kandasamy
Published: July 2023

The antioxidant power of eugenol and vitamin C was examined by analyzing the ability of these ligands to bind to the NADPH oxidase protein target and evaluating their bond interactions with critical residues. The results confirm that docked ligands are more stable in the specified active region of 2CDU during a MD simulation of 100 ns and 2CDU protein-ligand interactions with docked ligands showed significant hydrogen bond, hydrophobic, and water bridge formation. Eugenol exhibits hydrogen bond interactions with critical residues in the selective pocket in comparison to vitamin C. Also, eugenol had a similar binding orientation and very considerable stability in the selective pocket of 2CDU with a high binding energy with lipophilic energy. The electrostatic potential maps indicate that for eugenol, the –OH and –OCH3 sites, while that the –OH and –CO functional groups in vitamin C are responsible of the antioxidant activities of these compounds. HAT and SET mechanisms suggest that eugenol may become a better antioxidant than vitamin C.
APLICAÇÃO DA ESPECTROMETRIA DE MASSAS COM IONIZAÇÃO POR PAPER SPRAY E TÉCNICAS RELACIONADAS NA ANÁLISE DIRETA DE MATRIZES BIOLÓGICAS PARA DETECÇÃO DE DROGAS - UMA REVISÃO
Authors: Allochio Filho João Francisco , Pires Bruna , Santos Nayara , Dionisio Sara Joaquina , Conceição Nathália , Feu Amanda , Borges Warley , Lacerda Jr. Valdemar , Romão Wanderson
Published: July 2023

APPLICATION OF PAPER SPRAY IONIZATION MASS SPECTROMETRY AND RELATED TECHNIQUES IN THE DIRECT ANALYSIS OF BIOLOGICAL MATRICES FOR DETECTION OF DRUGS - A REVIEW. In recent years, technological development in analytical instrumentation has progressed vigorously, which has allowed the evolution of analytical techniques that play an indispensable role within society, highlighting mass spectrometry. Parallel to the technological advance of this technique, the development of new ionization methods that are simpler, faster, and allow direct analysis without the need for prior treatment or sample processing is underway. The methods of ambient ionization derived from paper spray have been developing rapidly in current days, mainly in the forensic field, due to the chemical modifications made in the paper substrate and the introduction of new types of organic materials that function as a probe/substrate to collect, store, and ionize the sample, then enabling more efficient and selective analyzes. This review highlights direct analyzes by applying paper spray ionization in the forensic field and some variations of this technique, including Thread Spray Ionization (TSI) when a fabric thread is used; Touch Spray Ionization (TSI), which uses materials such as metallic needles, medical swabs, and wooden sticks; Fiber Spray Ionization (FSI), which applies polymeric fibers as substrates.
Development of GTAP 9 Land Use and Land Cover Data Base for years 2004, 2007 and 2011
Authors: Baldos Uris Lantz
Published: July 2023

Understanding the challenges of achieving environmental sustainability goals given future demand for food, fiber and fuel requires economic models and databases that incorporate spatially explicit information on land use and land cover (LULC). The GTAP LULC database and its variants have been extensively used in a wide variety of applications aimed at examining the land-environment-energy nexus. Looking back the development of the first GTAP LULC was no simple task as it required the expertise of several researchers to identify and process relevant geospatial information. And because of this, succeeding updates of the GTAP LULC database (namely v.7 for 2004 and v.8 for 2004, 2007) relied heavily on AEZ-region level data from GTAP LULCv.6 in order to update land cover and land use as well as share-out land rents. This memorandum documents the development of the GTAP LULC v.9 database. In keeping with the multi-year release of GTAP v.9, the GTAP LULC v.9 data is developed for each benchmark year (i.e. 2004, 2007 and 2011). But unlike previous releases, GTAP LULCv.9 is created directly from publicly available high-resolution (i.e. 5-minute grid) spatial land cover and land use maps. Since these maps can be readily downloaded online, it is possible to replicate GTAP LULCv.9 if users know how to handle spatial data and if they follow the methods outlined in this document. Furthermore, by developing the capacity to handle spatial data within the Center, new spatial LULC information can be easily incorporated in future releases of the GTAP LULC.
Development of GTAP 10 Land Use and Land Cover Data Base for years 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014
Authors: Baldos Uris Lantz , Corong Erwin
Published: July 2023

Understanding the challenges of achieving environmental sustainability goals given future demand for food, fiber and fuel requires economic frameworks that incorporate spatially explicit information on land use and land cover (LULC). The GTAP LULC Data Base and its variants have been extensively used in a wide variety of applications aimed at examining the land-environment-energy nexus (Golub et al., 2012; Hertel et al., 2010; Johnson et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2014; Peña-Lévano et al., 2019; Stevenson et al., 2013; Taheripour et al., 2010; Taheripour & Tyner, 2012). The first release of the GTAP LULC Data Base combines geospatial data on land use and land cover into GTAP 6 Data Base – benchmarked to year 2001 (GTAP LULC v6). The methodology for creating and using this database is well documented (Lee et al., 2009; C. Monfreda et al., 2009; Sohngen et al., 2008). Succeeding updates of the GTAP LULC Data Base (namely v7 and v8 for 2004 and v8 for 2004, 2007) relied on readily available but aggregated GTAP LULC v6, albeit using national-level data from FAOSTAT (2020) (Avetisyan et al., 2010; Baldos & Hertel, 2012). Starting with GTAP 9, LULC was created directly from the latest, high-resolution (i.e. 5-minute) spatial land cover and land use maps in combination with national-level statistics (Baldos, 2017). This memorandum documents the development of the GTAP LULC version10A which is based on the GTAP v10A Data Base for years 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2014 (Aguiar et al., 2019). This update heavily relies on the methodology for creating GTAP LULC v9 which downscales national-level land cover and crop production statistics from FAOSTAT (2020) using publicly available spatial data (see Appendix I).
A Disequilibrium Model of International Capital Mobility
Authors: Ianchovichina Elena , McDougall Robert , Hertel Thomas
Published: July 2023

The paper proposes a new disequilibrium approach to modeling international capital mobility for a dynamic multi- region general equilibrium model. Key to this approach are errors in investors’ assessments of potential returns to capital, such as those recently observed in Asia. The investment theory, compatible with a simple recursive solution procedure, ensures the convergence of the model towards a stable equilibrium, brings realism into the analysis of international capital mobility and flexibility in tailoring to empirical data. The paper discusses two numerical examples, demonstrating the long- run convergence of the model and the dynamic adjustment to a deeper, longer crisis in Asia.
Toward a Geography of Trade Costs
Authors: Hummels David
Published: July 2023

What are the barriers that separate nations? While recent work provides intriguing clues, we have remarkably little concrete evidence as to the nature, size, and shape of barriers. This paper offers direct and indirect evidence on trade barriers, moving us toward a comprehensive geography of trade costs. There are three main contributions. One, we provide detailed data on freight rates for a number of importers. Rates vary substantially over exporters, and aggregate expenditures on freight are at the low end of the observed range. This suggests import choices are made so as to minimize transportation costs. Two, we estimate the technological relationship between freight rates and distance and use this to interpret the trade barriers equivalents of common trade barrier proxies taken from the literature. The calculation reveals implausibly large barriers. Three, we use a multi-sector model of trade to isolate channels through which trade barriers affect trade volumes. The model motivates an estimation technique that delivers direct estimates of substitution elasticities. This allows a complete characterization of the trade costs implied by trade flows and a partition of those costs into three components: explicitly measured costs (tariffs and freight), costs associated with common proxy variables, and costs that are implied but unmeasured. Acknowledgments: Thanks for the gracious provision of data go to Jon Haveman, Rob Feenstra, Azita Amjadi and the ALADI secretariat. Thanks for helpful suggestions on previous drafts go to seminar participants at the Universities of Chicago, Michigan, and Texas, Boston University, NBER and the 4th Annual EIIT Conference at Purdue University. Finally, Julia Grebelsky and Dawn Conner provided outstanding research assistance. This research was funded by a grant from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business.
Estimating the Poverty Impacts of Trade Liberalization
Authors: Hertel Thomas , Reimer Jeff
Published: July 2023

As a new round of World Trade Organization negotiations is being launched with greater emphasis on developing country participation, a body of literature is emerging which quantifies how international trade affects the poor in developing countries. This survey summarizes and classifies thirty-five studies from this literature into four methodological categories: cross-country regression, partial-equilibrium/cost-of-living analysis, general-equilibrium simulation, and micro-macro synthesis. These categories encompass a broad range of methodologies in current use. The continuum of approaches is bounded on one end by econometric analysis of household expenditure data, which is the traditional domain of poverty specialists, and sometimes labeled the “bottom-up” approach. On the other end of the continuum are computable general equilibrium models based on national accounts data, or what might be called the “top-down” approach. Another feature of several recent trade/poverty studies – and one of the primary conclusions to emerge from the October 2000 Conference on Poverty and the International Economy sponsored by Globkom and the World Bank – is recognition that factor markets are perhaps the most important linkage between trade and poverty, since households tend to be much more specialized in income than they are in consumption. Meanwhile, survey data on the income sources of developing-country households has become increasingly available. As a result, this survey gives particular emphasis to the means by which studies address factor market linkages between trade and poverty. The general conclusion is that any analysis of trade and poverty needs to be informed by both the bottom-up and top-down perspectives. Indeed, recent “two-step” micro-macro studies sequentially link these two types of frameworks, such that general equilibrium mechanisms are incorporated along with detailed household survey information. Another methodology similar in spirit and also increasingly used involves the incorporation of large numbers of surveyed households into a general-equilibrium simulation model. Although most of these studies have so far been limited to a single region, these approaches can be readily adapted for multi-region modeling so that trade-poverty comparisons can be made across countries within a consistent framework.
Projecting World Food Demand Using Alternative Demand Systems
Authors: Yu Wusheng , Hertel Thomas , Preckel Paul , Eales James
Published: July 2023

Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models are increasingly being used to project world food markets in order to support forward-looking policy analysis. Such projections hinge critically on the underlying functional form for representing consumer demand. Simple functional forms can lead to unrealistic projections by failing to capture changes in income elasticities of demand. We adopt as our benchmark the recently introduced AIDADS demand system and compare it with several alternative demand systems currently in widespread use in CGE models. This comparison is conducted in the context of projections for disaggregated global food demand using a global CGE model. We find that AIDADS represents a substantial improvement, particularly for the rapidly growing developing countries. For these economies, the most widely used demand systems tend to over-predict future food demands, and hence overestimate future production and import requirements for agricultural products.
The Contribution of Productivity Linkages to the General Equilibrium Analysis of Free Trade Agreements
Authors: Itakura Ken , Hertel Thomas , Reimer Jeff
Published: July 2023

Applied general equilibrium (AGE) analysis is often found to under-predict the increases in trade and economic growth that result from trade liberalization. One potential reason is that conventional AGE models ignore the strong correlations that exist between firm productivity, on the one hand, and exporting, importing, and investment, on the other. To examine this possibility, this study incorporates econometric evidence of these linkages into the dynamic Global Trade Analysis Project AGE model, and then uses this model to analyze a recently proposed East Asian free trade agreement. While conventional AGE modeling effects are found to predominate and be reinforced by the productivity effects, in some cases the latter actually reverse the changes predicted by the conventional effects.
Understanding the Urhobo Tonal Structure through Constraint-Based Framework
Authors:   Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Delta State University, Abraka, Utulu Don Chukwuemeka , Ajiboye Emuobonuvie Maria ,   Delta State University, Abraka, Edojaimoni Irene Eloho ,   Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Delta State University, Abraka
Published: July 2023

Urhobo is a southwest Edoid language spoken in southern Nigeria. Its tonal patterns have been studied, but from a descriptive perspective, which, from a theoretical standpoint, potentially limits the understanding that tonal deviations from underlying forms are essentially due to resolutions of conflicts between some competing constraints. This study adopts the Optimality Theory (OT) to reveal the competing universal constraints: IDENT-T, MAX-T; NoFUSION; LINEARITY; DISASSOC; ALIGN-R CONTOUR; OCP; SPECIFY-T; *FLOAT; and NoCONTOUR. The study shows that these constraints crucially govern the Urhobo tonal patterns such as (i) downstep; (ii) single multiply-linked high (H) tone; (iii) single multiply-linked low (L) tone; (iv) boundary H.H and L.L tones fusion; (v); H-tone preservation; (vi) LH-tone preservation; (vii) floating H tone; and, (viii) final HL contour tone. Moreover, it highlights two Urhobo -specific tonal alternations listed in (v) and (vi), which exhibit preservation of H and LH tones at the expense of L tone, post-lexically. Consequently, it proposes four markedness constraints NoH.L-T, NoL.H-T, NoH.LH-T, and NoL. to explain the preservation effects. Our findings support phonologists’ view that, cross-linguistically, universal (and language-specific) constraints are those that motivate tonal deviations from input forms in tone languages, and that minimally marked tonal outputs are the result of markedness dominance over faithfulness.
The Dialectics of the Performance of the Kecak Ramayana in Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia
Authors:   Department of Art and Design, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang, Hidajat Robby , Widiati Utami ,   Department of Art and Design, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang, Suprihatin E.W. ,   Department of Art and Design, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang, Guntur  ,   Department of Craft, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Surakarta, Jamnongsarn Surasak ,   Department of Traditional Thai and Asian Music, Faculty of Fine Arts, Srinakharinwirot University
Published: July 2023

The Ramayana kecak is a popular tourist art in Bali that is rich in symbolism. The audience watches only from the front of the stage, which is formalistic in nature, witnessing different scenes, characteristics of figures, structures, and dramatic factors. The performers are not aware that the backstage is the realm of rituals and a part of the deep experience of spiritual beliefs. The front stage and backstage should be viewed as complementary duality. Activities behind the stage are more natural while those on the front stage are a manipulation. The backstage can be understood as a dramaturgical richness of a paradoxical and symbolic Eastern performing art. Therefore, the appeal of the backstage is not an attractive consideration. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with Ramayana kecak artists at Uluwatu Temple, Bali, and a document analysis was done. The theories used are symbolic interpretation, text and context, and symbolic structure. The results of the research present a description of the dramaturgy of Balinese performing art with a specific focus on: 1. Dramaturgy of the front stage, 2. Dramaturgy of the backstage, and 3. Local spiritual aesthetics including the spirit of duality known as taksu which is rooted in Rwa Bhineda.
IGLESIA EN EL MUNDO SEGÚN EL DE CIVITATE DEI DE SAN AGUSTÍN
Authors: Molteni Agostino
Published: July 2023

Los cristianos de nuestro tiempo aún viven el mundo con una “perspectiva modernista”. Para superar esta perspectiva que no corresponde a los datos de la Tradición, puede ser importante releer la lección del De civitate Dei de san Agustín, que afirma la existencia en este mundo de dos “ciudades”: la civitas Dei, la de los que viven atraídos por una gracia indebida que los hace felices; y otra, la de los que no han tenido aún la experiencia de esta gracia, pero que pueden entrar en la civitas Dei. Por eso la relación de los cristianos con el mundo no es dialéctica, sino que es el anuncio de la posibilidad para todos de vivir el mismo asombro lleno de gracia que genera la civitas Dei.
Marcial Sánchez Gaete (Dir.), Historia de la Iglesia en Chile, Tomo II: La Iglesia en tiempos de independencia, Editorial Universitaria, Santiago de Chile 2010, 405 pp., ISBN 978-956-11-2167-6
Authors: Ramírez Ramon
Published: July 2023

La presentación de esta obra la realiza Mons. Alejandro Goic Karmelic, Presidente de la Conferencia Episcopal de Chile, quien dice: “Me han pedido que presente este nuevo aporte a la historia eclesiástica chilena. Lo hago con profundo agrado y gratitud hacia todos quienes hacen posible esta obra, que la Iglesia chilena recibe como un gran regalo”…. “Los doce capítulos que abarca se pueden separar en dos grandes temáticas: el desarrollo de una Iglesia institucional, que va haciendo eco de los acontecimientos, en donde se ve participando; y por otra parte, nos encontramos con las representaciones de lo habitual”… “La Virgen María siempre presente; una religiosidad que nos transporta, acompañada por la imaginería y formas de evangelización, que se plasman en hombres y mujeres…”
Ecología y religiones. Aportes para el diálogo
Authors: Mahecha Germán
Published: July 2023

A lo largo de la historia, las religiones en general han sido acusadas de ser generadoras de violencia y en la actualidad deben cargar con el peso de ser identificadas como aliadas del poder de turno, hecho que también las haría cómplices del deterioro del medio ambiente. Sin embargo, es al interior de cada una de ellas donde es posible recoger la riqueza de una tradición histórica, la cual es posible ponerla en diálogo crítico con la ecología, con la pretensión de ampliar y profundizar la comprensión de la ya compleja crisis ecológica, a partir de las dimensiones simbólicas, conceptuales y prácticas de sus respectivas y singulares visiones holísticas de mundo. Por tanto, la pretensión del autor no es describir de manera exhaustiva las religiones abordadas, sino identificar la manera como éstas conciben la triada Dios, hombre y mundo, con el propósito de facilitar el diálogo con la ecología.
¿CUÁNDO SE INICIA LA VIDA HUMANA EN LOS PROCEDIMIENTOS ARTIFICIALES DE SU GENERACIÓN? UNA RESPUESTA AL ARTÍCULO: “URGENCIA DE LA BIOÉTICA ANTE LA BIOTECNOLOGÍA: ¿CÓMO IDENTIFICAR AL SER HUMANO UNICELULAR?”
Authors: Casanova Carlos , Carreño Juan Eduardo , Serani Alejandro
Published: July 2023

Este artículo aduce razones poderosas para probar que en la clonación por la técnica de la transferencia nuclear de célula somática la vida se inicia cuando se funden el ovocito enucleado y el núcleo diferenciado, en respuesta a los argumentos con que los autores Carrasco y Ventura-Juncá defienden que se inicia más tarde, al acabar el proceso de desdiferenciación del núcleo. Y extrae como consecuencia bioética de lo anterior que siempre es ilícito el uso de cualquier técnica que encierre la posibi-lidad de producir una célula totipotencial humana, haciendo algunas observaciones relevantes acerca de cuáles técnicas encierran esa posibilidad. Además, considera particularmente las técnicas de reprogramación del óvulo enucleado y las células de Yamanaka y Takahashi.
CARLOS MARÍA GALLI, Dios vive en la ciudad. Hacia una nueva pastoral urbana a la luz de Aparecida, Agape Libros, Buenos Aires 2011, 390pp. ISBN: 978-987-640-183-8
Authors: Merino Beas Patricio
Published: July 2023

Este ensayo corresponde a una segunda edición corregida y aumentada, donde el reconocido teólogo argentino Carlo María Galli: “desea pensar la pastoral urbana, a la luz de la Conferencia de Aparecida, centrada en el Dios con rostro humano y urbano” (Prólogo). Su mirada está atravesada por el núcleo teologal del misterio de la encarnación, para a partir de él descubrir y discernir la presencia de Dios en y desde las ciudades.
ESPIRITUALIDAD DE LA GENTE COMÚN: ¿UN SIGNO DE LOS TIEMPOS?
Authors: Irarrazaval Diego
Published: July 2023

La renovación conciliar a veces sintoniza con la “espiritualidad ordinaria”, explicitada en el caminar del pueblo (p.ej. en torno a la “chinita” de Andacollo). El acontecer espiritual “desde abajo” constituye una alternativa al consumo de la religión. Cabe un pensar contestatario, simbólico, mistagógico. La recepción del magisterio (en es-pecial de Gaudium et Spes y de Aparecida) conlleva la conjugación entre fe popular y Espíritu de Dios. En este sentido es delineado el sensus fidei ante los signos de los tiempos. Con los criterios de la Creación, la Pascua, y Pentecostés son encarados los modos como el pueblo cree y celebra la Vida.
EVANGELIZACIÓN Y CULTURA DE LA GAUDIUM ET SPES A LOS DESAFÍOS ACTUALES
Authors: Mendoza Valdebenito Jorge
Published: July 2023

La cultura, como tema emergente y de cada vez mayor relevancia en la misión evangelizadora de la Iglesia, tiene un desarrollo particular en los pontificados posteriores al Concilio Vaticano II. Los énfasis en distintos aspectos terminan por conformar un tratamiento pastoral de la cultura y un llamado de alerta sobre su influencia y presen-cia en los procesos sociales.
LA FE EN ‘ALGUIEN’, FUNDAMENTO DEL DISCÍPULO Y DE SU ACCIÓN A LA LUZ DE APARECIDA
Authors: Roncagliolo Cristián
Published: July 2023

El presente artículo aborda el tema del discipulado en Aparecida y la novedad que esta categoría aporta a la teología pastoral latinoamericana. Nos aproximamos al tema desde la realidad de la fe, como principio vital del acontecimiento cristiano. La di-námica de la investigación busca develar que el seguidor de Cristo es, ante todo, un creyente y que este presupuesto, que en otro tiempo se daba por evidente, hoy no lo es. Por lo mismo, la auto realización de la Iglesia en el hoy de la historia encuentra en la Conferencia de Aparecida una verdadera rectificación, invitando a re focalizar el devenir teológico pastoral, no en las innumerables iniciativas pastorales, sino en la persona que las realiza y su necesaria formación cristiana. En pocas palabras, la cen-tralidad en la persona del discípulo obliga a partir todo proceso evangelizador desde un eslabón anterior.
F. GARCÍA LÓPEZ, La Torá. Escritos sobre el Pentateuco (Asociación Bíblica Española, Institución San Jerónimo, Monografías 58), Verbo Divino, Este-lla 2012, 397 pp. ISBN 978-84-9945-282-1
Authors: Uribe Ulloa Pablo
Published: July 2023

Esta nueva monografía de la colección Asociación Bíblica Española, de la editorial Verbo Divino –ahora con nuevo formato– ha sido escrita por el prestigioso biblista español Félix García López, catedrático de Antiguo Tes-tamento de la Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, especialista reconoci-do internacionalmente en temática referida al Pentateuco.