bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Exposure to a Mixture of Organophosphate Esters on Adrenal Cell Phenotype, Lipidome, and Function
Authors: Li Zixuan , Hales Barbara F , Robaire Bernard
Published: February 2024

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are used primarily as flame retardants and plasticizers. Previously, we reported that adrenal cells are important targets of individual OPEs. However, real-life exposures are to complex mixtures of these chemicals. To address this, we exposed H295R human adrenal cells to varying dilutions (1/1000K to 1/3K) of a Canadian household dust–based OPE mixture for 48 hours and evaluated effects on phenotypic, lipidomic, and functional parameters. Using a high-content screening approach, we assessed phenotypic markers at mixture concentrations at which there was greater than 70% cell survival; the most striking effect of the OPE mixture was a 2.5-fold increase in the total area of lipid droplets. We then determined the response of specific lipid species to OPE exposures with novel, nontargeted lipidomic analysis of isolated lipid droplets. These data revealed that house dust OPEs induced concentration-dependent alterations in the composition of lipid droplets, particularly affecting the triglyceride, diglyceride, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol ester subclasses. The steroid-producing function of adrenal cells in the presence or absence of a steroidogenic stimulus, forskolin, was determined. While the production of 17β-estradiol remained unaffected, a slight decrease in testosterone production was observed after stimulation. Conversely, a 2-fold increase in both basal and stimulated cortisol and aldosterone production was observed. Thus, exposure to a house dust–based mixture of OPEs exerts endocrine-disrupting effects on adrenal cells, highlighting the importance of assessing the effects of environmentally relevant mixtures.
Fractal Repair
Authors: Chin Matthew
Published: February 2024

In Fractal Repair, Matthew Chin investigates queerness in Jamaica from early colonial occupation to the present, critically responding to the island’s global reputation for extreme homophobia and anti-queer violence. Chin advances a theory and method of queer fractals to bring together genealogies of queer and Caribbean formation. Fractals—a kind of geometry in which patterns repeat but never exactly in the same way—make visible shifting accounts of Caribbean queerness in terms of race, gender, and sexual alterity. Drawing on this fractal orientation, Chin assembles and analyzes multigenre archives, ranging from mid-twentieth-century social science studies of the Caribbean to Jamaica’s National Dance Theatre Company to HIV/AIDS organizations, to write reparative histories of queerness. Chin’s proposal of a fractal politics of repair invests in the horizon of difference that repetition materializes, and it extends reparations discourses intent on overcoming the past and calculating economic compensation for survivors of violence.
Early Life Androgen Administration Attenuates Aging Related Declines in Muscle Protein Synthesis
Authors: Church David D. , Zamir Amit , Escalante Guillermo , Ben-Zeev Tavor , Levi Chagai , Ferrando Arny A. , Hoffman Jay R.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study examined the acute and long-term effects of nandrolone decanoate (ND) on fractional synthetic rates (FSR).

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into ND (n = 20) or sham (n = 20) groups. ND injections (10 g·kg-1·wk-1) started at 7-month of ages and continued for 6-weeks. Ten animals from each group were randomly separated and examined 1-week following drug cessation. The remaining animals were examined at 16-months of age. Animals were injected IP with 1.5 ml of deuterated water 24-h prior to euthanasia. The kidney, liver, heart, gastrocnemius, and soleus were extracted. Samples were analyzed for deuterated alanine enrichment in the bound protein and intracellular fraction by LC-MS/MS to measure estimated FSR (fraction/day [F/D]) of mixed tissue PS.

Results

One-way analysis of variance, with treatment and age as fixed factors, indicated that kidney FSR was (p = 0.027) greater in ND (0.41 ± 0.02 F/D) than sham (0.36 ± 0.014F/D) and higher (p = 0.003) in young (0.42 ± 0.2 F/D) than old (0.35 ± 0.01 F/D). Liver and heart FSR were greater (p’s ≤ 0.001) in young (0.79 ± 0.06 F/D, and 0.13 ± 0.01 F/D, respectively) compared to old (0.40 ± 0.01 F/D and 0.09 ± 0.01 F/D, respectively), but not between ND and sham. Gastrocnemius FSR was (p ≤ 0.001) greater in young (0.06 ± 0.01 F/D) compared to old (0.03 ± 0.002 F/D), and greater (p = 0.006) in ND (0.05 ± 0.01 F/D) compared to sham (0.04 ± 0.003 F/D). Soleus FSR rates were greater (p = 0.050) in young (0.13 ± 0.01 F/D) compared to old (0.11 ± 0.003 F/D) but, not between ND (0.12 ± 0.01 F/D) and sham (0.12 ± 0.01 F/D). Old animals who had received ND displayed elevated FSR in the gastrocnemius (p = 0.054) and soleus (p = 0.024).

Conclusions

ND use in young adult animals appeared to maintain long-term elevations in FSR in muscle during aging.
Estimating Maturity Status in Elite Youth Soccer Players: Evaluation of Methods
Authors: Monasterio Xabier , Gil Susana M. , Bidaurrazaga-Letona Iraia , Cumming Sean P. , Malina Robert M. , Williams Sean , Lekue Jose A. , Santisteban Juan , Diaz-Beitia Gontzal , Larruskain Jon
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the concordance of predicted maturity status classifications (pre-, circa- or post-peak height velocity) relative to observed age at PHV in youth soccer players.

Methods

Longitudinal height records for 124 male soccer players were extracted from academy records spanning the 2000-2022 seasons. Age at PHV for each player was estimated with the Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR) model. Players were classified as pre-, circa- or post-PHV using both ±1 year and ± 0.5 year criteria to define the circa-PHV interval. Maturity status was estimated with several prediction protocols: maturity offset (Mirwald, Moore-1, Moore-2), maturity ratio (Fransen), percentage of predicted adult height (PAH%) using the Khamis-Roche (KR) and Tanner-Whitehouse-2 (TW2-RUS) equations using several bands: 85%-96%, 88%-96%, 88%-93%, and 90%-93% for the circa-PHV interval, and visual evaluation of individual growth-curves alone or with PAH% based on KR and TW2-RUS. Concordance of maturity status classifications based on complete growth curves and predicted estimates of maturity status was addressed with percentage agreement and Cohen’s kappa.

Results

Visual evaluation of the growth curves had the highest concordance (≈ 80%) with maturity status classifications (pre-, circa-, post-PHV) based on longitudinal data for individual players. Predicted maturity offset with the Mirwald, Moore-1 and Fransen equations misclassified about one- third to one-half of the players, while concordance based on PAH% varied with the band used, but not with the method of height prediction.

Conclusions

Visual assessment of the individual growth curves by an experienced assessor provides an accurate estimate of maturity status relative to PHV. Maturity offset prediction equations misclassifies the majority of players, while PAH% provides a reasonably valid alternative.
Heavy-, Severe-, and Extreme-, but Not Moderate-Intensity Exercise Increase V̇o2max and Thresholds after 6 wk of Training
Authors: INGLIS ERIN CALAINE , IANNETTA DANILO , RASICA LETIZIA , MACKIE MARY Z. , KEIR DANIEL A. , MACINNIS MARTIN J. , MURIAS JUAN M.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

This study assessed the effect of individualized, domain-based exercise intensity prescription on changes in maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and submaximal thresholds.

Methods

Eighty-four young healthy participants (42 females, 42 males) were randomly assigned to six age, sex, and V̇O2max-matched groups (14 participants each). Groups performed continuous cycling in the 1) moderate (MOD), 2) lower heavy (HVY1), and 3) upper heavy-intensity (HVY2) domain; interval cycling in the form of 4) high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in the severe-intensity domain, or 5) sprint-interval training (SIT) in the extreme-intensity domain; or no exercise for 6) control (CON). All training groups, except SIT, were work-matched. Training participants completed three sessions per week for 6 wk with physiological evaluations performed at PRE, MID, and POST intervention.

Results

Compared with the change in V̇O2max (∆V̇O2max) in CON (0.1 ± 1.2 mL·kg−1·min−1), all training groups, except MOD (1.8 ± 2.7 mL·kg−1·min−1), demonstrated a significant increase (P < 0.05). HIIT produced the highest increase (6.2 ± 2.8 mL·kg−1·min−1) followed by HVY2 (5.4 ± 2.3 mL·kg−1·min−1), SIT (4.7 ± 2.3 mL·kg−1·min−1), and HVY1 (3.3 ± 2.4 mL·kg−1·min−1), respectively. The ΔPO at the estimated lactate threshold (θ
LT) was similar across HVY1, HVY2, HIIT, and SIT, which were all greater than CON (P < 0.05). The ΔV̇O2 and ΔPO at θ
LT for MOD was not different from CON (P > 0.05). HIIT produced the highest ΔPO at maximal metabolic steady state, which was greater than CON, MOD, and SIT (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that i) exercise intensity is a key component determining changes in V̇O2max and submaximal thresholds and ii) exercise intensity domain-based prescription allows for a homogenous metabolic stimulus across individuals.
Effects of Cognitive and Physical Load of Acute Exercise on Inhibitory Control and Prefrontal Cortex Hemodynamics in Children
Authors: LUDYGA SEBASTIAN , GERBER MARKUS , SCHWARZ ANJA , GRECO ANTONELLA , MÜLLER TABEA , PÜHSE UWE , HANKE MANUEL
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Evidence suggests that acute exercise benefits inhibitory control, but it remains unclear how physical and cognitive load influence this ability in preadolescent children, when faced with different types of distractors. We examined their moderating effects along with changes in prefrontal cortex hemodynamics.

Methods

Using a crossover design, 29 participants completed 10 min of exercise (with an interactive training wall) at 1) low physical and low cognitive load, 2) low physical and high cognitive load, 3) high physical and low cognitive load, and 4) high physical and high cognitive load in a randomized order. Before and after each condition, they performed a Standard and Affective Stroop task. During both tasks, the lateral oxygenation difference in the prefrontal cortex was measured by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Results

For the Standard Stroop task, there was no effect of physical and cognitive load on performance. In contrast, exercise with low compared with high cognitive load was associated with a greater reduction of reaction time and increase in accuracy on the Affective Stroop task. This was accompanied by a decrease in lateral oxygenation difference on trials with low inhibitory control demands.

Conclusions

Acute exercise with low compared with high cognitive demand benefits the ability to resolve emotional conflict, but the control over inhibition of nonemotional information remains unaffected. This effect of cognitive load is complemented by an increased efficiency of the left prefrontal cortex, when no emotional conflict resolution is required.
Η θέση της Μήλου στο νησιωτικό σύμπλεγμα των Κυκλάδων των ελληνιστικών χρόνων μέσα από τα οικιστικά και ταφικά αρχαιολογικά δεδομένα
Authors: Κοσμάς Πέτρος
Published: February 2024

Συνολική θεώρηση της Μήλου των Ελληνιστικών χρόνων μέσα από τα οικιστικά και ταφικά αρχαιολογικά δεδομένα, τα οποία διαφωτίζουν την οικονομική δραστηριότητα αλλά και την κοινωνική πραγματικότητα του νησιού της εποχής.
Παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την φορολογική συμμόρφωση σε μικρές και πολύ μικρές επιχειρήσεις
Authors: Παναγιωτίδου Ελευθερία
Published: February 2024

Η παρούσα διατριβή επιχειρεί να διερευνήσει σε θεωρητικό και εμπειρικό πλαίσιο το ζήτημα της φορολογικής συμμόρφωσης των μικρών και πολύ μικρών οντοτήτων που εδρεύουν στον Νομό Καβάλας. Με το μερίδιο κατανομής των μικρών και πολύ μικρών επιχειρήσεων να αντιστοιχεί στο 98,9% του συνόλου της επιχειρηματικής κοινότητας, σε χώρες όπως η Ελλάδα το ζήτημα της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης αυτών των επιχειρήσεων αποτελεί ζωτική σημασία για την ίδια την επιβίωση του κράτους. Τα προβλήματα βιωσιμότητας του χρέους της σε συνδυασμό με τον μειωμένο αριθμό Δημοσίων εσόδων κρίνουν επιτακτική την ανάγκη ενίσχυσης της φορολογικής συμπεριφοράς και την μείωση των φαινομένων φοροδιαφυγής. Η δυσκολία αντιμετώπισης του φαινομένου αυτού συνθέτει και το ερευνητικό πρόβλημα που πραγματεύεται η παρούσα έρευνα. Ο ερευνητικός στόχος της μελέτης εστιάζεται στην αναζήτηση των βασικών παραγόντων που επιδρούν καθοριστικά στην φορολογική συμμόρφωση και κατ’ επέκταση στα υψηλά επίπεδα φοροδιαφυγής ενώ παράλληλα παρουσιάζεται ένα μοντέλο παλινδρόμησης ειδικά προσαρμοσμένο για το συγκεκριμένο δείγμα ελέγχου, δηλαδή τις μικρές και πολύ μικρές επιχειρήσεις. Μελετώντας το θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο της επιστημονικής κοινότητας αναφορικά με την φορολογική συμμόρφωση προκύπτουν τα καθοριστικά αυτά στοιχεία που διαμορφώνουν την φορολογική συμπεριφορά. Διασταυρώνοντας τα παραπάνω στοιχεία με την Ελληνική επικράτεια προκύπτει η ανάγκη επιμέτρησης και νέων στοιχείων πέραν των οικονομικών, πολιτικών, ελεγκτικών και ηθικών παραγόντων. Το δείγμα που επιλέχθηκε ανέρχεται σε 218 επιχειρήσεις όπου εξετάζεται για το χρονικό διάστημα 2010-2019, ενώ το βασικό του πλεονέκτημα είναι η αμεροληψία του καθώς διατηρεί μια σχέση εμπιστοσύνης με τον ερευνητή. Με την ανάπτυξη του μεθοδολογικού πλαισίου και την ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων, στηριζόμενοι στα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα, εξήχθησαν ασφαλείς συμπεράσματα αναφορικά με τους παράγοντες προσδιορισμού της φορολογικής συμμόρφωσης για τα εισοδήματα από επιχειρηματική δραστηριότητα των μικρών και πολύ μικρών οντοτήτων του δείγματος. Η υιοθέτηση των συμπερασμάτων της μελέτης θα μπορέσει άμεσα να ενισχύσει τα Δημόσια έσοδα και να προσφέρει μια δίκαιη κατανομή στα φορολογητέα βάρη. Επιπρόσθετα, τονίζεται η γενικότερη συνεισφορά της διατριβής στο γνωστικό πεδίο καλύπτοντας ένα ερευνητικό κενό που μέχρι σήμερα υπήρχε και αφορούσε τον έλεγχο των επιχειρηματικών δραστηριοτήτων των μικρότερων επιχειρήσεων.
Εναρμονίζοντας τη ζωή μας
Authors: Ανδριοπούλου Μαριάννα , Βασιλοπούλου Σοφία
Published: February 2024

Η μουσική αποτελούσε πάντα αναπόσπαστο κομμάτι της ζωής των ανθρώπων. Είναι γνωστό ότι η μουσική είναι ένα μέσο έκφρασης, διασκέδασης, προώθησης προϊόντων και προσέλκυσης του ενδιαφέροντος του καταναλωτή. Συνεπώς έχει μια ιδιαίτερη και μοναδική επίδραση στον άνθρωπο. Την επιρροή αυτή αποσκοπούμε να διερευνήσουμε. Αρχικά, αναφέρουμε ερευνητικά δεδομένα σχετικά με την επίδραση της μουσικής στον άνθρωπο και ιδιαίτερα στην εφηβεία. Στη συνέχεια, παρουσιάζουμε τη μουσικοθεραπεία και την αποτελεσματικότητά της ως ψυχοθεραπευτική μέθοδο, αξιοποιώντας τα αποτελέσματα μιας έρευνας του τμήματος Μουσικής Επιστήμης και Τέχνης του Πανεπιστημίου Μακεδονίας. Τέλος, παρουσιάζουμε τη διαδικασία δημιουργίας της δικής μας μουσικής σύνθεσης, η οποία αποτελείται από δύο σκέλη (χαρούμενο, λυπημένο), ως ένα παράδειγμα των διαφορετικών συναισθημάτων που μπορεί να βιώσουμε ακούγοντας διαφορετικές μελωδίες.
Η σχέση του δείκτη καλύτερης ζωής (better life index) και του δείκτη δημοκρατικότητας (democracy index): Ένα μοντέλο πολλαπλής παλινδρόμησης
Authors: Παπαοικονόμου Αντώνης
Published: February 2024

Στην έρευνα αυτή παρουσιάζεται ένα μοντέλο πολλαπλής παλινδρόμησης με εξαρτημένη μεταβλητή το δείκτη δημοκρατικότητας και ανεξάρτητες επιμέρους μεταβλητές του δείκτη καλύτερης ζωής από τον ΟΟΣΑ. Στόχος είναι η διερεύνηση των λόγων για τους οποίους χώρες με παρόμοια εκπαιδευτικά συστήματα και αρκετά χρόνια υποχρεωτικής εκπαίδευσης κατέχουν χαμηλές θέσεις στο δείκτη δημοκρατικότητας. Στα αποτελέσματα συμπεριλαμβάνονται η ποιοτική διαφοροποίηση της παρεχόμενης εκπαίδευσης και η μεγάλη σημασία της ολοκλήρωσης των σπουδών.
Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency - etiology, symptoms in various organs, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis
Authors: Kościołek Dawid , Urbaś Michał , Kępczyk Martyna , Kościołek Aleksandra , Surowiecka Kaja , Misiak Jakub , Ojdana Miłosz , Szalbot Konrad , Tokarski Mikołaj , Marczak Natalia
Published: February 2024

Introduction:
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is a glycoprotein produced by liver, belonging to the serine protease inhibitor family. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is very common autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by point mutation in SERPINA1 gene. Mutations in the alpha-1 antitrypsin gene lead to production of misfolded AAT resulting in impaired release into the blood. This disorder leads to destruction of connecting tissue especially in lungs and to accumulation of retarded protein in the liver. 
Purpose:
Most studies addressing AAT deficiency focus on presenting symptoms related to the lungs and liver. We want to take a broader look at this issue, so we have closely examined scientific reports on the presentation of the disease in organs other than the lungs and liver. The goal is to gather holistic knowledge about the disease to enhance awareness and treatment.
 
Material and methods:
 
 In our paper, we endeavored to address the issue of AAT deficiency comprehensively. We explored symptoms with an emphasis on organs beyond the liver and lungs. We also delved into the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of this disease.
 
Discussion:
 
The clinical symptoms of alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency extending beyond the liver and lungs remain inadequately described. We know that AAT deficiency can lead to excessive destruction of connective tissue in any organ, not just the lungs and liver. Unfortunately, this condition continues to go undiagnosed, and the number of scientific publications on symptoms from other organs is too limited. This affects the insufficient attention given by doctors to tissue destruction in organs other than the lungs and liver.
The Evolution of Discrimination in Online Markets: How the Rise in Anti-Asian Bias Affected Airbnb During the Pandemic
Authors: Luca Michael , Pronkina Elizaveta , Rossi Michelangelo
Published: February 2024

Anti-Asian bias surged on Airbnb during COVID-19. Hosts with Asian names experienced a 20% decline in guests, resulting in $180–$330 monthly losses.
Liberalizing Home-Based Business
Authors: Agarwal Sumit , Sing Tien Foo , Song Changcheng , Zhang Jian
Published: February 2024

Working at home benefits entrepreneurs by lowering fixed costs and allowing them to engage in joint market and household production. We evaluate a large-scale reform in Singapore, the Home Office Scheme, that allowed business creation at one’s residential property and study whether home-based entrepreneurship spurs entrepreneurial activities. The difference-in-differences estimate shows that the reform led to a significantly higher level of business creation and the firms newly created in response to the reform had a higher survival rate. The effect is more pronounced for low-income female individuals and industries with high start-up capital, implying that financial constraints and nonpecuniary benefits likely drive the effect. The reform also encourages entrepreneurs to become serial entrepreneurs, and they open a larger business with a similar survival rate for their second firm. Overall, our findings suggest that the program effectively attracted more entry into self-employment without significantly lowering the average quality of the pool.

This paper was accepted by David Sraer, finance.

Funding: J. Zhang acknowledges support from the Seed Fund for Basic Research for New Staff of HKU [Code: 202009185022] and the General Research Fund by University Grants Committee of Hong Kong SAR [Grant 12500420].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.04232 .
Stationary Points of a Shallow Neural Network with Quadratic Activations and the Global Optimality of the Gradient Descent Algorithm
Authors: Gamarnik David , Kızıldağ Eren C. , Zadik Ilias
Published: February 2024

We consider the problem of training a shallow neural network with quadratic activation functions and the generalization power of such trained networks. Assuming that the samples are generated by a full rank matrix [Formula: see text] of the hidden network node weights, we obtain the following results. We establish that all full-rank approximately stationary solutions of the risk minimization problem are also approximate global optimums of the risk (in-sample and population). As a consequence, we establish that, when trained on polynomially many samples, the gradient descent algorithm converges to the global optimum of the risk minimization problem regardless of the width of the network when it is initialized at some value [Formula: see text], which we compute. Furthermore, the network produced by the gradient descent has a near zero generalization error. Next, we establish that initializing the gradient descent algorithm below [Formula: see text] is easily achieved when the weights of the ground truth matrix [Formula: see text] are randomly generated and the matrix is sufficiently overparameterized. Finally, we identify a simple necessary and sufficient geometric condition on the size of the training set under which any global minimizer of the empirical risk has necessarily zero generalization error.

Funding: The research of E. C. Kizildag is supported by Columbia University, with the Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship in Statistics. Support from the National Science Foundation [Grant DMS-2015517] is gratefully acknowledged.
A Characterization of Simultaneous Optimization, Majorization, and (Bi-)Submodular Polyhedra
Authors: Schoot Uiterkamp Martijn H. H.
Published: February 2024

Motivated by resource allocation problems (RAPs) in power management applications, we investigate the existence of solutions to optimization problems that simultaneously minimize the class of Schur-convex functions, also called least-majorized elements. For this, we introduce a generalization of majorization and least-majorized elements, called (a, b)-majorization and least (a, b)-majorized elements, and characterize the feasible sets of problems that have such elements in terms of base and (bi-)submodular polyhedra. Hereby, we also obtain new characterizations of these polyhedra that extend classical characterizations in terms of optimal greedy algorithms from the 1970s. We discuss the implications of our results for RAPs in power management applications and derive a new characterization of convex cooperative games and new properties of optimal estimators of specific regularized regression problems. In general, our results highlight the combinatorial nature of simultaneously optimizing solutions and provide a theoretical explanation for why such solutions generally do not exist.
Organizational Culture, Adaptation, and Performance
Authors: Brahm Francisco , Poblete Joaquin
Published: February 2024

Prior research emphasizes how organizational culture can hinder organizational adaptation. In this study, we investigate how organizational culture can help promote organizational adaptation to environmental changes, using a formal model from cultural evolution theory. In the model, organizational members face a trade-off between innovating versus following tradition (because environmental changes are uncertain). Members can also decide to help others who are following the tradition, thereby improving its diffusion. Organizational leaders shape the culture of their organization, which influences members’ decisions to choose innovation or tradition or to help others following tradition. Culture comprises two dimensions: beliefs and prosocial values. We find that increasing the accuracy of beliefs leads to improvements in both innovation and following tradition, thereby mitigating the trade-off between them and boosting adaptation and performance. On prosocial values, we find that increasing their intensity reduces the cost of following tradition but at the expense of reduced adaptation, resulting in an inverted-U relationship between intensity of prosocial values and performance. Overall, we show how leaders can fine-tune the dimensions of organizational culture to foster improvements in adaptation and performance. The formal model we introduce is novel to the literature and offers a way of studying adaptation to a changing environment and to incorporate social learning into models of adaptation under bounded rationality.

Funding: J. Poblete was supported by Instituto Sistemas Complejos de Ingenieria [Grant ANID PIA/PUENTE AFB230002].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.16791 .
Global Production of a Feminine Ideal behind the Scenes of Beauty Pageants
Authors: Srivastava Simpi
Published: February 2024

This paper explores the various ideals of beauty which globalization has created for women at the international, national and local level. It also highlights the various facets of beauty pageants which feed into these ideal types and notions. Furthermore, this paper looks at the claim that beauty pageants make, of being inclusive of diversity. Despite having women from different cultures, race and countries participate and even win the Miss World pageant, there are still a lot of categories which have been left out and the pageants are not completely inclusive. We have never seen a Fat Miss World or a Short Miss World. This paper calls attention to how these aesthetics are very usual but they have been completely excluded from the wider scope of the contest which idealizes unrealistic feminine standards of beauty.
Toxicological Analysis of a New Fibrin-Derived Dermal Scaffold (Dermoturk); Acellular and Combined with Stem Cells Forms
Authors: ŞENEL Emrah , DEMİR Sabri , GÖKCE Aysun , ALPER Murat , AKYOL Mesut , EYÜBOĞLU Fatma , OVALI Ercüment
Published: February 2024

Objective: We aimed to reveal the toxicological analysis of the newly developed fibrin-derived scaffold forms (DermoTurk) before human studies.
Material and Methods: 42 male Albino Wistar rats were used. Two of them were used to produce mesenchymal and epidermal stem cells. Forty rats were divided into five groups, each consisting of 8 rats; the acellular scaffold applied group as Group-1, the mesenchymal stem cells added scaffold used group as Group-2, the MSCs and epidermal stem cells-added scaffold applied group as Group-3, MSCs- and epidermal stem cells-added scaffold applied outbred group as Group-4 and control as Group-5. The changing of laboratory tests in the groups was evaluated five days before application and on the 7th and 40th days. After the autopsy performed on the 40th day of the study, rats’ organs and scaffold implanted skin area were evaluated histologically. All the results of the groups were compared. SPSS 22.0 was used for analyses. P <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.
Results: There were no differences between the groups in terms of laboratory results. Histologically, a mild-grade foreign body reaction against the DermoTurk was found in all groups; this reaction was less in groups 3 and 4 with the richest stem cells.
Conclusion: This study revealed that DermoTurk is safe in rats. It could be an important alternative to skin substitutes, with stem cells or alone. Human studies for clinical efficacy should be carried out.
Eigenvalue characterization of some structured matrix pencils under linear perturbation
Authors: Ahmadnasab Morad , Psarrakos Panayiotis J.
Published: February 2024

We study the effect of linear perturbations on three families of matrix pencils. The matrix pairs of the first two families are Hermitian/skew-Hermitian with special $3\times 3$ block cases appeared in continuous-time control, and the matrix pairs of the third family are special $3\times 3$ non-Hermitian block matrices appeared in discrete-time control. For the first family of matrix pencils and more general cases of the second family of matrix pencils, based on the properties of the involved matrices, we obtain some upper or lower bounds on the set of eigenvalues of linearly perturbed matrix pencils which are on the imaginary axis. Studying a special $3\times 3$ block matrix pencil, which is associated with continuous-time control, leads us to some linear perturbation that do not preserve (properly) the structure of the matrices. This, in turn, leads to a numerical technique for finding the nearest Hermitian/skew-Hermitian matrix pencil which can satisfy conditions such that, for some nonzero real perturbation parameter, some or all of its eigenvalues lie on the imaginary axis. We also study the linearly perturbed matrix pencils, associated with discrete-time control, using an one-to-one equivalence between the matrix pencil of continuous-time problem and the matrix pencil of discrete-time problem.
Matrices having nonzero outer inverses
Authors: Chiru Iulia-Elena , Crivei Septimiu
Published: February 2024

It is well known that every nonzero von Neumann regular $m\times n$-matrix $A$ over an arbitrary ring $R$ has a nonzero outer inverse $n\times m$-matrix $B$ in the sense that $B=BAB$. Generalizing previous work on von Neumann regular matrices, the matrices having nonzero outer inverses over semiperfect rings are characterized as the matrices having some entry outside the Jacobson radical of $R$. Such matrices over finite semiperfect rings and finite commutative rings are counted, and several applications are given.
Brother Dixon: College Fraternities and the Ku Klux Klan
Authors: Lennard Katherine J.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This essay argues that novelist Thomas Dixon Jr’s portrait of the Reconstruction Klan was heavily influenced by college fraternities, particularly the Kappa Alpha Order. Founded by Confederate veterans in 1865, Kappa Alpha fused ritualistic fraternalism with the myth of the Lost Cause. Dixon’s continued involvement with the Kappa Alpha Order, long after his college days, provided philosophical and aesthetic inspiration for his portrait of vigilante terrorists as white-robed Christian Knights. In his trilogy of Reconstruction novels— The Leopard’s Spots (1902) , The Clansman (1905), and The Traitor (1907)—Dixon seamlessly assimilated the iconography and culture of white college fraternities, thereby underscoring the power of these organizations as repositories for white supremacy and Confederate memory in the wake of the Civil War .
" Irrémédiables étrangers ": Lifelong Trajectories of Exile in the Late Works of Linda Lê
Authors: Averis Kate
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article examines the lifelong trajectories of exile in Lê's late works, Lame de fond (2012) and Je ne répondrai plus de rien (2021). Departing from a critical tendency to focus on the exilic identities of the young female protagonists that featured most prominently in Lê's early works, this article analyses Lê's contemplation of exile as a long-term condition in her late works. It concludes by drawing a parallel between these fictional texts and Lê's own lifelong, non-fictional construction of a 'lettered republic' of exiled, transient, and isolated writers that culminates in De personne je ne fus le contemporain (2022).
Les Dits d'un idiot ou l'énoncé en dérive chez Linda Lê
Authors: Larose Marie
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Les dits d'un idiot de Linda Lê se distingue par un manque de signes graphiques dans la narration. En examinant cette absence, cette étude propose d'analyser les enjeux identitaires et épistémologiques qui sous-tendent les singularités typographiques du roman. Comment le narrateur, privé de nom propre, désigné seulement par sa condition physique de paralytique, affirme-t-il son existence et impose-t-il sa singularité par l'écriture? Quels espaces de parole sont contenus dans la ponctuation? Cet article soutient qu'à la marge du texte, l'auteur se ménage un espace d'autonomie et d'appartenance.
Linda Lê in Translation: Foreignization and Domestication in the English and Vietnamese Translations of Calomnies
Authors: Do Tess , Nguyen Catherine H.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This article examines the English and Vietnamese translations of Calomnies and their attempts to make Linda Lê legible through paratextual elements and different translation approaches. Bearing in mind Lê's consistent refusal of identification according to her birth country or language choice, we use Lawrence Venuti's theories of foreignization and domestication to consider how the two translations, the media and publishing industries market Lê for cultural consumption – either as a foreign author or as a familiar figure. Attending to the different strategies of translating the term métèque , we reveal translation's underlying cultural untranslatability and textual resistance.
"The Frog"—An Experimental Translation of "La grenouille" from Linda Lê's Le complexe de Caliban
Authors: Robyns Siân
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This is a heavily annotated translation of "La grenouille", an essay from Linda Lê's 2005 collection Le complexe de Caliban (The Caliban Complex). Informed by Kwame Appiah's concept of thick translation (2012) and Douglas Robinson's work on translator subjectivity (1991 and 2001), the annotations explore intertextual associations, cultural references and linguistic questions, as well as the translator's own relationship and dialogue with the text. The approach challenges the convention of translator invisibility, embracing instead a position the translator has dubbed "transparent translation."
Dear Departed
Authors: Barnes Leslie
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Leslie Barnes's afterword pays tribute to Lê, our "dear departed," drawing on individual reflection, correspondence, and Lê's writings on loss and literary communion. Following Lê's migration to France in 1977, she immersed herself in a life of books and authors who shaped her identity as a writer and an individual. These words guided her through the death she would later mourn and the one she would contemplate throughout her career. Reflecting on the enduring impact of Lê's legacy, Barnes reminds us that though she is gone, her own words still beckon, inviting us to embark on collective journeys of discovery.
The KACA Looks Ahead to the Next Century With the Korean Journal of Communication
Authors: Kang Jin-Ae
Published: February 2024

abstract: The Korean American Communication Association (KACA) celebrates the inauguration of the Korean Journal of Communication ( KJC ). The essay describes the journey undertaken by the KACA leadership to transform the vision of launching this journal into a tangible reality. This essay also reiterates the role the journal plays as a central hub for Korean communication scholarship, for not only the members of the KACA but also a wider audience.
"Inherently Limited by Our Imaginations": Health Anxieties, Politics, and the History of the Climate Crisis
Authors: Jones David Shumway
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT: As global warming became a cause of concern in the 1980s, researchers and climate activists initially paid little attention to the possible health effects of a warmer world. This changed quickly between 1985 and 1989, when scientists working on contracts with the US Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency extrapolated from existing knowledge about the impact of weather on health to speculate about how global warming would impact health. However, they downplayed the impact of their contributions by highlighting the uncertainty in their models and the adaptability of human societies. Since that time, physicians and other health scientists have maintained a steady drumbeat of warnings about the health effects of global warming. They have published widely in the medical literature and participated actively in international scientific collaborations. Their research has significantly increased the breadth and depth of climate-health science and shown that measurable impacts of global warming have already begun. But as the many climate crises of 2023 show, action against global warming remains inadequate. Is it still reasonable to hope that health advocacy will incite communities and politicians to act? The history of climate and health advocacy reveals many obstacles that must be overcome.
Euthanasia and End-of-Life Decisions: From the Empirical Turn to Moral Intuitionism
Authors: Spranzi Marta
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT: Most medical learned societies have endorsed both "equivalence" between all forms of withholding or withdrawing treatment and the "discontinuity" between euthanasia and practices to withhold or withdraw treatment. While the latter are morally acceptable insofar as they consist in letting the patient die, the former constitutes an illegitimate act of actively interfering with a patient's life. The moral distinction between killing and letting die has been hotly debated both conceptually and empirically, most notably by experimental philosophers, with inconclusive results. This article employs a "revisionary" intuititionist perspective to discuss the results of a clinical ethics study about intensivists' perceptions of withhold or withdraw decisions. The results show that practitioners' moral experience is at odds with both the discontinuity and equivalence theses. This outcome allows us to revisit certain concepts, such as intention and causal relationship, that are prominent in the conceptual debate. Intensivists also regard end-of-life decisions as being on a scale from least to most active, and whether they regard active forms of end-of-life decisions as ethically acceptable depends on the overarching professional values they endorse: the patient's best chances of survival, or the patient's quality of life.
Kazakhstan's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Lullabies: The Power of Culturally Familiar Narratives
Authors: Goby Valerie Priscilla , Karimova Gulnara Z.
Published: February 2024

Abstract: This study explores corporate social responsibility (CSR) narratives in the former Soviet nation of Kazakhstan using a mixed-method approach. Content analysis of local media treatment of CSR reveals that a worker welfare narrative, a keystone of the Soviet era, dominates coverage. Our survey of Kazakhstani citizens demonstrates that the same narrative is reflected in public understandings of CSR. We suggest that the construction of CSR narratives to closely reflect cultural patterns and historical legacies in posttransitional economies may curtail valuable discussion on how companies can best serve society. That is, the cultural familiarity built into CSR discourse renders it highly acceptable and thereby serves to avert further questioning of corporate practices such as the corruption that is currently widespread. This finding raises ethical concerns around how companies may design their CSR narratives with culturally familiar discursive modes specifically to shield themselves from criticism.
Methane Sensing With Undetected Light
Authors: Cardoso Arthur C. , Dong Jinghan , Zhou Haichen , Joshi Siddarth K. , Rarity John G.
Published: February 2024

We designed a setup to measure small methane concentrations inside a gas cell with high precision. This novel method is based on sensing with undetected light and can outperform state-of-art optical direct sensors.
Investigation of a Graded Epsilon-Near-Zero Medium in a Plasmonic Metasurface
Authors: Das Anindita , Wynne Laura C , Di Falco Andrea , Schulz Sebastian A.
Published: February 2024

Here, we demonstrate that plasmonic dipole nanoantennas on a graded ENZ substrate have optical properties significantly different from antennas on a conventional ENZ substrate. Our hybrid-graded ENZ Metasurface offers an efficient nonlinear optical platform.
Experimental Evaluation of Optical Pre-Amplification Solutions for Real-Time FSO Communications Impaired by Turbulence
Authors: Correia Vitor D. , Fernandes Marco A. , Monteiro Paulo P. , Guiomar Fernando P. , Fernandes Gil M.
Published: February 2024

Using an atmospheric chamber, we experimentally compare EDFA and SOA pre-amplifiers for turbulence mitigation in a real-time 10 Gbps FSO system. While both offer similar fading mitigation, the EDFA superior linearity increases the system reliability.
Feasibility of direct quantum communications between the UK and Ireland via 224 km of underwater fibre
Authors: Amies-King Ben , Schatz Karolina P. , Duan Haofan , Biswas Ayan , Bailey Jack , Felvinti Adrian , Winward Jaimes , Dixon Mike , Minder Mariella , Kumar Rupesh , Albosh Sophie , Lucamarini Marco
Published: February 2024

Quantum key distribution is required for unconditionally secure communications against an eavesdropper with a powerful quantum computer. We present the first QKD feasibility study over long-haul submarine fibre, between Great Britain and Ireland.
Quantum Communications ATP Systems: Challenges and Next Steps
Authors: Shawe James J. , Horgan Jerry , Kilbane Deirdre
Published: February 2024

We report on the current state of the art of quantum communications acquisition, tracking and pointing (ATP) systems. Challenges and next steps are explored.
Preliminary Assessment of Satellite Quantum Key Distribution for Ireland
Authors: Anipeddi Naga Lakshmi , Horgan Jerry , Oi Daniel , Kilbane Deirdre
Published: February 2024

We present a preliminary assessment of satellite quantum key distribution (SatQKD), estimating the QKD potential between a satellite and a ground station in Waterford, Ireland, considering local effects and atmosphere using the Pirandola-Laurenza-Ottaviani-Banchi (PLOB) bound.
Deterministic Storage and Retrieval of Telecom Light from a Quantum Dot Single-Photon Source Interfaced with an Atomic Quantum Memory
Authors: Thomas Sarah E. , Wagner Lukas , Joos Raphael , Sittig Robert , Nawrath Cornelius , Burdekin Paul , de Buy Wenniger Ilse Maillette , Rasiah Mikhael J. , Huber-Loyola Tobias , Sagona-Stophel Steven , Höfling Sven , Jetter Michael , Michler Peter , Walmsley Ian A. , Portalupi Simone L. , Ledingham Patrick M.
Published: February 2024

We demonstrate deterministic storage and retrieval of light from a semiconductor quantum dot single-photon source in an atomic ensemble quantum memory at telecommunications wavelengths, which is a long sought-after goal in photonic quantum technologies.
Scalable optical excitation and modulation of semiconductor nanowire emitters
Authors: Xia Zhongyi , Jevtics Dimitars , Guilhabert Benoit , McKendry Jonathan J.D. , Tan Hark Hoe , Jagadish Chennupati , Dawson Martin D. , Strain Michael J.
Published: February 2024

We show that individually addressable micro-LED-on-CMOS arrays can be used as scalable optical excitation sources for arrayed semiconductor nanowire devices. This approach is used to demonstrate optical modulation at MHz rates of heterogeneously integrated nanowire-emitters.
Photonic integrated circuit assisted Photo-Thermal Spectroscopy
Authors: Mapranathukaran Jenitta Johnson , Biagi Gabriele , Walsh Anton , Záruba Petr , Darby Steven , Lendl Bernhard , Faolain Liam O’ , Kotlyar Maria
Published: February 2024

We present the first demonstration of gas sensor that utilizes a micro ring resonator (MRR) as a sensitive transducer to detect changes in refractive index that arise from the photothermal effect in water vapor (H2O).
Ultra-Compact Sensors Realized via Metasurfaces
Authors: Townend Daniel J. , Chan Justin Ho-Tin , Williamson James , Tang Dawei , Sharma Nityanand , Henning Andrew J. , Martin Haydn , Jiang Xiangqian
Published: February 2024

Smart, automated processes in manufacturing require highly integrated sensors. We present our development of ultra-compact confocal and chromatic confocal sensors suited for integration into manufacturing platforms, including how functionality can be improved through meta-atom selection.
Evaluating the impact of China’s MSW sorting pilot policy on urban sustainable development: Empirical evidence from 95 cities
Authors: Mao Qi , Jia Xiaojun , Li Jingcheng , Wang Tianyang
Published: February 2024

The escalating challenge of municipal solid waste (MSW) critically tests the sustainable development capacities of urban centers. In response, China initiated pilot policies in 2017 aimed at bolstering MSW management. The effectiveness of these initiatives, however, necessitates empirical scrutiny. This study leverages panel data spanning 95 cities at the prefectural level or higher, covering the period from 2006 to 2020, to assess the impact of the MSW sorting pilot policy on urban sustainable development using a difference-in-differences approach. The research found that the MSW sorting pilot policy has significantly increased the processing volume of MSW, thereby enhancing the sustainable development capabilities of cities. Further, the study identifies augmented fixed asset investments as a key mechanism through which pilot cities have enhanced their MSW management capabilities. Notably, the policy’s stimulative effects are more pronounced in less densely populated and economically lagging regions. These findings provide critical insights for developing nations in shaping MSW sorting strategies and advancing urban sustainability.
An analysis of the poverty reduction effects on land transfer: Evidence from rural areas in China
Authors: Yu Wenguang , Guan Guofeng , Wang Yifan , Wang Qi
Published: February 2024

This paper develops a multidimensional poverty index (MPI) evaluation system using multiple measures. We use the China Family Panel Study (CFPS) data to build balanced panel data from 2012 to 2018. Employing the probit model to analyze the impact of land transfer on relative poverty incidence, as well as utilizing the two-way fixed effects model and the logit model, we approach the issue from the perspective of multidimensional relative poverty identification. Our study indicates a decrease in relative poverty among rural households since 2012. Nonetheless, the overall incidence of relative poverty among rural households in China remains high at 20.6%, highlighting the severity of this issue in rural China. Moreover, we examine the heterogeneity of the poverty reduction effects of land transfer-in and land transfer-out. Land transfer can significantly reduce the incidence of relative poverty among rural households, with distinct mechanisms for land transfer-in and land transfer-out. Land transfer-in primarily reduces the relative poverty incidence of rural households through the education, housing, and land dimensions, while land transfer-out focuses on the quality-of-life dimension. Overall, land transfer-out has a more significant poverty reduction effect than land transfer-in. Furthermore, our study reveals that the reduction effect of land transfer on the incidence of relative poverty among rural households persists for at least two years, but by the fourth year, this effect disappears.
Sociocultural significance of costumes in performances of traditional Yoruba Alarinjo theatre and their relationship to Egungun ritual
Authors: Bakare Babatunde Allen , Barbieri Donatella
Published: February 2024

As an active force in the rich cultural ecosystem of performance in Africa, the Yoruba traditional Alarinjo travelling theatre itinerant masked performance is historically entangled with ritual practices that are specifically situated within communities and families through dress, ceremony and performance. Ancestors manifest themselves as enveloped masqueraders in familial and community relationships, through specially constructed material assemblages. These are charged spatial, movement-based forms, marked by their energetic performances in which the individual body of the wearer disappears into layers of fabric. Such practices are embedded in Yoruba everyday life and culture and nurture Alarinjo expressive theatre making. Rather than creating paradigmatic or canonical characters, the exchange between situated ritual and travelling performance has enabled a shared fertile environment of invention in which the fabric of the performance can provide a sociocultural weaving together of the community as performance and ritual reinforce one another. This study is aimed at examining the criticality of costumes to the performance of Alarinjo performance through the analysis of the sociocultural meanings in Egungun ritual from a cultural and situated perspective. Exposing how Alarinjo and Egungun ritual performances intersect in colourful displays of traditional fabrics and attires, their material performativity points to a role in the survival of this ancient performance practice at the core of Yoruba civilization.