bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Translation, validation and cultural adaptation of the Arabic version of the HIV knowledge questionnaire (HIV-Kq-18)
Authors: Terra Mohamed , Baklola Mohamed , Hasabo Elfatih A. , Shaheen Dina Gamal , El-Gilany Abdel-Hady ,   ARO team of collaborators
Published: April 2023

Background

Although the number of new HIV infections is declining in most regions of the world, the Middle East is one of the regions with a rapidly growing HIV epidemic, with Egypt having the fastest-growing epidemic, with a 76 percent increase in the number of cases. One of the major factors contributing to this trend is the general public’s lack of knowledge about the disease. The HIV Knowledge Questionnaire-18 (HIV-KQ-18) is one of the most widely used instruments for assessing HIV/AIDS knowledge and has been translated into several languages. This study examined the validity of the Arabic version of the HIV-18-KQ as well as its adaptation among Arab undergraduates.

Methods

The HIV-18-KQ was both forward and back-translated. The translation was reviewed by an expert committee of eight experts. The final version was created and distributed to undergraduates from five Arabic countries: Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Jordan, and Algeria. The validity of the Arabic version of the HIV-18-KQ was evaluated using internal consistency and construct validity. Internal consistency was tested using the Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (KR-20), and construct validity was evaluated using an exploratory factor analysis with a polychoric correlation matrix.

Results

The majority of the translated items were easy to understand. The Arabic HIV-18-KQ was deemed culturally appropriate by the expert committee. This study included 1745 university students, including 956 (54.5%) males and 798 (45.5%) females, with 33.4% from Egypt. Based on the acceleration factor approach to interpreting the scree plot in the factor analysis, it was preferable to use only one factor, which is consistent with the original version of HIV-45-KQ. The KR-20 value was 0.73, indicating good internal reliability.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the Arabic version of the HIV-18-KQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing HIV-related knowledge in Arabic-speaking countries.
Gore Techs
59th Venice Biennale, curated by Cecilia Alemani, Venice, Italy, 23 April–27 November 2022
Authors: Crivellaro Tricia , Heller Lynne
Published: April 2023

Review of: Gore Techs

59th Venice Biennale, curated by Cecilia Alemani, Venice, Italy, 23 April–27 November 2022
Cholecystitis: A Rare Presentation for Diffuse Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
Authors: Seth Nikhil , Tran Phi P.
Published: April 2023

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a rare disorder of small- to medium-sized vessel vasculitis that can affect a multitude of organ systems. It typically presents as asthma, with 50% of cases having some gastrointestinal involvement, but involvement of the gallbladder is very rare. We present a unique case report of a patient who presented for nonspecific symptoms, ultimately leading to a cholecystectomy, which officially histologically diagnosed them with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
Hemorrhagic Shock After Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy Successfully Treated With Endoscopic Therapy
Authors: Dave Niel , Esmail Khan Ghasri Rojin , Gonzalez Hector H. , Kaplan Steven
Published: April 2023

Prostate cancer is the second cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis of prostate cancer. This is a relatively safe procedure, yet bears the small risk of hemorrhage. In rare instances, the bleeding may require emergent endoscopic or radiologic therapy. However, scarce literature exists depicting the appearance of the bleeding lesions and the successful endoscopic therapies used to treat them. In this report, we present a case of a 64-year-old man who developed massive bleeding after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy that was successfully treated with epinephrine injection and endoscopic hemoclipping.
An Uncommon Cause of Chronic Nonhealing Perianal Ulcer
Authors: Sivakrishna Sirasapalli , Mohan Pazhanivel , Senthamizhselvan Kuppusamy , Srinivas Bheemanathi Hanuman , Ramamoorthi Subhashini
Published: April 2023

Chronic or persistent, nonhealing perianal ulcers could be due to an infection, inflammation, or a neoplasm. Perianal ulcer as the initial presentation of tuberculosis is rare. Tuberculosis cutis orificialis is a rare ulcerative form of cutaneous tuberculosis that affects the oral cavity, anal canal, or perianal region. A high index of suspicion for tuberculosis as the cause of persistent perianal ulcer is required for early diagnosis and treatment.
Acquired Gastric Dieulafoy-Like Lesion due to Aberrant Blood Supply Diverted From the Left Phrenic Artery to an Enlarged Splenule
Authors: Lew Benjamin , Der Dennis E. , Lim Brian S.
Published: April 2023

Dieulafoy lesion is an aberrant submucosal vessel that can erode into the overlying tissue leading to hemorrhage. It is a rare but important cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. We present a case of a patient who developed an acquired Dieulafoy lesion 39 years after splenectomy. Abdominal computed tomography showed an aberrant vessel from a branch of the left phrenic artery, coursing through the gastric fundus to supply a splenule. Angiography with embolization of the aberrant vessel resulted in no further bleeding.
THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION IS “A LOST CAUSE” WITHOUT ROBUST MEASURES TO REPATRIATE STOLEN ASSETS TO COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
Authors: Mugarura Norman
Published: April 2023

The paper discusses the impediments inherent in using anti-corruption laws to repatriate stolen assets to the victim state. It examines both state laws and the international legal frameworks aimed at overcoming these obstacles. The assets in question are accrued by public officials from the proceeds of corruption, money laundering, tax avoidance and other forms of illicit financial transactions in countries where they have been hidden. While less developed countries are often the countries of origin, destination countries of stolen assets tend to be developed Western countries. There is ample evidence showing that the recovery and repatriation of stolen assets to countries of origin is more easily said than done, given the barriers they face. Victim states not only suffer a loss of revenue as a result of economic criminality, but they also incur huge expenses in attempting to recover criminal assets, without any guarantee that they will succeed in doing so. In essence, this article looks into the generic issues related to asset recovery. It examines the approaches adopted by both common law and civil law jurisdictions in Africa with respect to the repatriation of stolen assets, and explores the practicality of harmonising anti-corruption laws across the African continent, as has been done amongst member states of the European Union.
Book Notice: Confronting Corruption: Past Concerns, Present Challenges and Future Strategies
Authors: Koen Raymond
Published: April 2023

The literature on corruption and anti-corruption has mushroomed over the last decade or so. Of course, all research and writing on the problem of corruption and the fight against it are to be welcomed. Regrettably, however, with volume come fragmentation and specialisation and their concomitant quandaries. Indeed, any person wanting to understand the field would be hard-pressed to find a source or even a manageable bundle of sources which encompasses the crucial issues lucidly and logically.
LOBBYING AGAINST DEMOCRACY
Authors: Kollmar Laura , Koen Raymond
Published: April 2023

This essay seeks toexcavate the anti democratic propensities of corporate lobbying. Itbegins by considering th e nature of lobbying and then attempts to comprehend therelationship between corporate lobbying and democracy in terms of Crouch ’s theory ofpost democracy. The political culture of post democracy is blatantly corporatist andpromotes the anti democratic proclivities of the corporate lobby by providing readyopportunities for non transparent lobby ing . Cohen Eliya & Hammer classify nontransparent lobbying as a n index of the failure of the democratic process. The essayapplies the typology developed by them to Germany as a case study of anti democraticcorporate lobbying in action. It concludes by consider ing regulation and criminalisationas two possible remed ies for the anti democratic transgressions of non transparentcorporate lobbying. The former is explored by way of an analysis of t he regulatoryregimes of Germany and the USA ; the latter by considering non transparent corporatelobbying as a homologue of the crime of corruption.
IS LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT PAROLE OR COMMUTATION AN EFFECTIVE ANTI-CORRUPTION MEASURE FOR CHINA?
Authors: Wang Xiumei , Zhao Chenguang , Zhu Beini , Chen Zhijuan
Published: April 2023

New legislation adopting a tough criminal stance on the crimes of corruption and bribery responds to the need for strengthening Chinese anti-corruption work. The ninth amendment to the Chinese Criminal Law Code, which adds life imprisonment without parole or commutation, has received broad support from all sectors of society. The aim of the amendment, as stated by the legislature, is to safeguard judicial fairness and prevent criminals convicted of the most serious corruption offences from having their prison sentences shortened through commutation. This stated legislative aim is not acceptable. Whether from the perspective of deterrence or alternative measures to the death penalty, the approach of adding life imprisonment without parole or commutation in order to punish the corrupt is not ideal. This article argues that, given the particular nature of crimes of corruption and given the disadvantages of life imprisonment without parole or commutation, restraint in the use of the death penalty does not mean that life imprisonment has to be used as an alternative measure. Moreover, the death penalty with a two-year reprieve is sufficient for realising retribution and prevention as aims of punishment.
REGULATION OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE
Authors: Duri Jorum , Matasane Matsietso Agnes
Published: April 2023

Criminals despise transparency. Beneficial ownership transparency measures are aimed at ensuring that the structure of corporate vehicles is evident and that their real owners do not hide behind the corporate veil. South Africa and Zimbabwe have been struggling to prevent and combat money laundering, corruption and tax crimes. Competent authorities in both countries are starting to appreciate the importance of beneficial ownership transparency measures in the fight against economic crime. This paper examines whether South Africa and Zimbabwe have made progress in establishing effective legal frameworks on the beneficial ownership of legal persons and legal arrangements. It discusses the Financial Intelligence Centre Amendment Act 1 of 2017 which establishes beneficial ownership transparency measures for South Africa. It goes on to discuss the Zimbabwean situation regarding beneficial ownership and its regulation. Lastly, it makes certain recommendations concerning the beneficial ownership regimes of both countries.
THE THREAT OF TRADE-BASED MONEY LAUNDERING TO THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA*
Authors: Iyanda Adebayo E
Published: April 2023

Africa has dedicated considerable effort to establishing a Continental Free Trade Area to facilitate intra-African trade and deepen economic integration. However, the liberalisation and facilitation of trade on the continent would increase trade openness significantly in the markets for goods and services, thereby expanding the threat of trade-based money laundering (TBML) and undermining the potential benefits the agreement would bring to economic growth, industrialisation and sustainable development in Africa. This paper focuses on the threat of TBML to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), typically perpetrated through trade mis-invoicing as the main vehicle for illicit financial flows. It deduces that increases in the volume of trade across the continent potentially increase the vulnerability of the AfCFTA to TBML.
Driven Out of Paradise: Illicit Financial Flows and Offshore Leaks
Authors: Betz Kathrin
Published: April 2023

Illicit financial flows and recent offshore leaks constitute the topic of this article. As regards illicit financial flows, the focus is on two countries: Switzerland as an example of a country from the North, and South Africa as an example of a country from the South. The text is structured as follows. First, the concept and scale of illicit financial flows are discussed, as well as the problems related to them. Thereafter, illicit financial flows and their impact are examined from a North-South perspective. The next part looks at the responsibilities and strategies of countries of the North and of the South when it comes to tackling illicit financial flows. Finally, the role of offshore financial centres and selected issues arising from recent offshore leaks are addressed. The conclusion then tries to pull the threads of the discussion together.
CYBERLAUNDERING AND THE FUTURE OF CORRUPTION IN AFRICA
Authors: Mabunda Sagwadi
Published: April 2023

Corruption has been given considerable attention as one of the major causes of the socio-economic ills that plague Africa. Statistics reveal that staggering amounts of money are lost annually to corruption. Many discussions about corruption focus on its meaning, its causes and its impact but one pertinent issue goes unexamined: what happens to the money? The answer is money laundering. And while we are trying to grapple with the challenges of today, it is imperative that we consider the troubles that await. This paper discusses the relationship between corruption and money laundering, with a focus on the technique of cyberlaundering. It recommends that regional research units be created to address the issues raised.
Bitcoin Regulation? Imperfect Knowledge of Identities and the Money Laundering Risk: A West African Perspective
Authors: Egbiri Egbiri Ifegwu , Azinge Nkechikwu Valerie
Published: April 2023

Arguments for regulating Bitcoin are built mainly on the technologically disruptive nature of the currency and its susceptibility to facilitating financial crimes on a scale larger than financial institutions. This paper questions this notion and proposes instead that the disruptive nature of Bitcoin is not technological but legal. The legal disruption requires a legislative response aimed at ensuring suitable regulation that can circumvent the identity crises in Bitcoin transactions
CYBERCRIMINALS AND NIGERIAN CYBERCRIMES ACT 2015: CONCEPTUALISING COMPUTERS FOR CYBERCRIME JUSTICE
Authors: Eboibi Felix E
Published: April 2023

Cybercrime being an act committed through the use of the computer either as a tool or target makes the computer an indispensable tool for almost all cybercrimes. The increasing number of persons utilizing computers, the different purposes for which they are put, coupled with the intractable problems of defining what is and what is not a computer under the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act 2015 is central to the determination of guilt or otherwise of cybercriminals brought before the court for prosecution. The conceptualization of computers under the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act 2015 provides the trial judge with so much discretion and little or no guidance as to whether a particular device is, or is not a computer. Moreover, considering the development of information and communication technology, the concept is continuously challenged.
COMBATING CORRUPTION THROUGH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT TREATY LAW
Authors: Mbiyavanga Stefan
Published: April 2023

Corruption plays an important role in investment arbitration. Parties to arbitral proceedings make allegations of bribery with increasing frequency. However, the lack of unambiguous guidelines on how to treat such allegations arguably has contributed to a shortage of affirmative decisions, even where further evidence might have been available to the arbitral tribunal. This is problematic, as the inflow of illicit moneys through investment projects can severely undermine anti-corruption efforts in the host state. This paper investigates options for integrating the strong legal regime of investment arbitration — which brings together foreign investors and host states as principal actors in transnational corruption — further into the fight against corruption. It is based upon an analysis of investment treaties, investment arbitration awards, subject literature and expert interviews. It is submitted that states should press for explicit anti-corruption provisions in investment treaties. The aim of these provisions must be to exclude corruption-tainted assets from the protections afforded by investment treaties. An anti-corruption Model Clause is proposed as a reference for drafters and negotiators of future investment treaties. The Model Clause makes access to arbitral procedures subject to the investor’s compliance with international anti-corruption law.
DUBAI: CONFLICT GOLD, MONEY LAUNDERING AND ILLICIT GLOBAL TRADE
Authors: Grynberg Roman , Singogo Fwasa
Published: April 2023

This article considers the role that the UAE and, in particular, Dubai has played in the trade in gold between Asia, Europe and Africa. In the 21st century, Dubai has emerged rapidly as one of the focal points in the illicit gold trade and money laundering. Many authors who have focused on African gold production have concentrated almost solely on Dubai as an export market for African gold. However, this approach is flawed because the country has no LBMA accredited refinery and so gold from Dubai must be reprocessed in other countries in order to enter the global value chain, irrespective of its provenance.
FUNDAMENTALS OF ANTI-BRIBERY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION COMPLIANCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: Mohamed Zaakir
Published: April 2023

Corruption is endemic in jurisdictions throughout the world. The financial and reputational risks that follow incidents of corrupt activity within an organisation are considerable. Often they can be quite severe. The financial consequences include not only the loss that an organisation may suffer from corrupt activity, but also the money that needs to be spent investigating these type of incidents as well as that required for any ensuing legal processes. The latter include civil proceedings to recover funds that may have been misappropriated from an organisation as a result of corrupt activity, disciplinary enquiry proceedings against employees involved in such activity, criminal investigations and/or regulatory enforcement processes. In certain jurisdictions, for example, the US and the UK, the penalties that may be imposed on an organisation arising from corrupt activity can be quite severe, running even to hundreds of millions of dollars. The financial consequences of corruption for an organisation include the amount of management time spent dealing with such incidents, which time could have been utilised better in managing the organisation. The cost of this time often is difficult, if not impossible, to quantify.
CYBERCRIMINALS AND NIGERIAN CYBERCRIMES ACT 2015: CONCEPTUALISING COMPUTERS FOR CYBERCRIME JUSTICE
Authors: Eboibi Felix E
Published: April 2023

Cybercrime being an act committed through the use of the computer either as a tool or target makes the computer an indispensable tool for almost all cybercrimes. The increasing number of persons utilizing computers, the different purposes for which they are put, coupled with the intractable problems of defining what is and what is not a computer under the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act 2015 is central to the determination of guilt or otherwise of cybercriminals brought before the court for prosecution. The conceptualization of computers under the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act 2015 provides the trial judge with so much discretion and little or no guidanceas to whether a particular device is, or is not a computer. Moreover, considering the development of information and communication technology, the concept is continuously challenged.
THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN THE CRIMINALISATION OF SEX WORK AND CORRUPT POLICING IN SEX WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA
Authors: Sanger Cherith
Published: April 2023

Despite existing studies that prove the prevalence of corrupt policing of sex work in South Africa, corruption continues to be a common feature of sex workers’ experiences with police officers. In this article, it is argued that the criminalisation of sex work, which is the current legal model enforced in South Africa, has enabled and cemented corrupt practices in the policing of sex work. Whilst police officers occupy a position of power over all persons living in South Africa, due to their office and authority to enforce the law, it is argued that the police officer/sex worker dichotomy is deepened by the illegal status of the conduct that sex workers engage in. This dichotomy places sex workers in an extremely vulnerable position in relation to police corruption.
Covid-19: Morals over empathy in the misuse of public funds. A case of Uganda in comparison with selected east African states
Authors: Akena Kenneth Fred
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the extent to which public resources, allocated for addressing the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, were misappropriated despite the dire need to combat the effect of the pandemic in Uganda. Using a qualitative approach, it employs a multipronged technique to analyse relevant documentation such as newspaper reports, audit reports, case studies and written sources to examine the different responses and perspectives. Inevitably, the novel coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on Uganda’s economy with unprecedented levels of deterioration in socio-economic systems like healthcare, education, poverty and hunger. However, widespread concerns have emerged citing trends of corruption exemplified by embezzlement and fraudulent practices purportedly orchestrated by relevant government authorities in the form of undermining public procurement processes, under the guise of addressing an emergency.
Local government revenue leakages through corruption during the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa: The case of Zimbabwe
Authors: Tashu Keith Tichaona
Published: April 2023

Zimbabwe has over the years experienced rampant corruption in all sectors of the economy. At local government level, there have been several allegations of corruption in areas such as revenue collection, procurement and land acquisitions among others. The magnitude of corruption is extreme especially in revenue collection. Most funds collected by local government revenue officials hardly reach municipalities’ coffers and are not accounted for. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has further created a breeding ground for corruption in revenue collection at local government level due to economic doldrums. Measures imposed by governments to contain the COVID-19 pandemic such as closure of all non-essential business activities, closure of borders and travel restrictions among others have reduced trade and economic activities.
Reaping “bumper harvests” during the Covid-19 pandemic: Interrogating the dynamics of corruption during the procurement of relief and healthcare items in Uganda
Authors: Muwanguzi Robert M , Namyalo-Ganafa Hadijah
Published: April 2023

The discovery of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV2 or COVID-19) in Wuhan, China was considered a Chinese problem by Ugandans until confirmation of the first positive test in the country, in March 2020. The government went into panic mode by closing the country’s borders, tracking down all contacts, testing them and treating them, imposing a nationwide lockdown and a curfew, prohibiting public gatherings more than five people and suspension of all economic activities except the most essential. It was the first lock down in a country where much of the urbanised population live “hand to mouth”. Due to resurgence of COVID-19 infections, a second lockdownwas announced in June 2021. In both cases, the government organised relief support and healthcare for the most impacted or vulnerable communities / individuals.
CORRUPTION: A LONG-LASTING HISTORICAL DISEASE INFECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE POLICE
Authors: Meini Bruno
Published: April 2023

Police actions require a high level of integrity, accountability, and transparency. “Police integrity” refers to the demonstration of the qualities of reliability, honesty, and respectability in police work. These are the most important qualities required for all police officers when carrying out their duties and that are necessary to maintain trust in law enforcement agencies. “Police accountability” refers to the high expectation placed on police officers and police departments to act responsibly within the boundaries of the law in ensuring the safety and security of citizens. Transparency in policing aims to make both rules and procedures easily accessible to the public, unless there is a legal reason for keeping them confidential. If police departments do not strictly adhere to the principles of integrity, accountability, and transparency, the risk is that their members will feel less inhibited to abuse their legal powers for personal benefit. Police corruption is, therefore, a specific form of police misconduct aimed at obtaining personal benefits, gained through a criminal modus operandi. The purpose of this article is to discuss and analyse police corruption and to recommend measures which can effectively prevent, combat, and reduce this problem.
AN ANALOGY OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND POLICE CORRUPTION IN MATTERS RELATED TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors: Smart Caroline
Published: April 2023

In March 2020, an unprecedented new Corona phenomenon began to emerge, governments were forced to impose lockdowns, restrictions, quarantines and isolations globally to contain the virus. While these measures were necessary to stop the spread of this new phenomenon, it exposed the realities of women's gendered lives. In South Africa, the Covid-19 pandemic entwined with two existing endemics: gender-based violence and corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Gender-based violence is a social-ill inextricably linked to gender-based structural inequalities and state institutions riddled with corruption. The exponential rise in gender-based violence related to Covid-19 once again captures the travesty of a police service paralysed by corruption and afflicted by incompetence to execute its tasks. The police service is unable to defend safety and justice when they are perpetrators themselves. The focus of this article is on the surge of gender-based violence as a consequential effect of Covid-19 restrictions, compounded by an unaccountable police service.
FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PROCEDURE AND THE JOURNAL OF ANTI-CORRUPTION LAW
Authors: Cronje Hermione
Published: April 2023

Thank you for inviting me to open this conference. I am privileged to be here. The conference programme contains some timely and important discussions that we should have. I therefore hope to participate in some of the discussions which will take place in the parallel sessions of this conference.Before I proceed with my address, I would like to mention the late Professor Lovell Fernandez, one of the founders of the Journal of Anti-Corruption Law and a member of the Department: Criminal Justice and Procedure. I met him in 1999 when he supported South Africa’s first National Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Bulelani Ngcuka, whom I worked for at the time. I was an office assistant then to the National Director of Public Prosecutions. This was more than 30 years ago. I recall that Professor Fernandez provided important strategic support to the National Prosecuting Authority. He led the drafting process of the National Prosecuting Authority’s first prosecution policy. To my dismay, the policy has not undergone significant amendment since then.
Impact of Monetary Policy on the Brazilian Stock Market
Authors: Melo Marcelo Miranda , Gomes José Weligton Félix
Published: April 2023

This research used VAR/VEC methodology to explore mainly the impact of monetary policy on the Brazilian stock market. Due to persistent inflation the Brazilian Central Bank (BACEN) used high real interest rates for a long time. Recently, before COVID crisis, BACEN reduced dramatically the interest rate and provoking an outstanding performance of the Brazilian stock market. We used monthly data from January/2010 to December/2022 and the macroeconomic variables applied are described as follows: IBOVESPA Stock Market Index (IBOV), Inflation Rate (IPCA), Real Exchange Rate (EER), Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br), Interest Rate (CDI) and Intermediate Money (M2/GDP). Research results indicate that the most powerful macroeconomic variables in the Brazilian stock market are EER, CDI and M2_GDP. There is strong evidence that monetary policy affects the Brazilian stock market not only through the interest rate channel but also through an unexpected change in the monetary aggregate levels. Liquidity levels in the economy expressed by an increase of monetary aggregates tends to affect the stock market stronger than by the reduction of interest rate level.
The 2020s Global Crises: A Discussion of How International Institutions are Responding to the Russia-Ukraine Crisis and Climate Change Crisis
Authors: Mbah Ruth Endam , Mbah Emmanuel Fonjindam , Hultquist Laura , Repp Rande
Published: April 2023

Humanity in the early 2020s has been endangered by several global crises like poverty, geopolitical unrest, inflation, pandemics, deepening inequality, supply-chain disruptions, climate change, and the Russia-Ukraine War; just to mention a few. The need for a social construct through the intervention of international institutions and non-state actors than individual state actors as postulated by Constructivists is essential. The purpose of this study is to review the response of various international organizations (IMF, World Bank, EU, UN, OECD, and NATO) to the global crises plaguing our world; specifically, Russia-Ukraine and Climate Change. We review the varied responses to the global impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war and Climate Change through the lens of Social Constructivism, an International Relations Theory. This theory emphasizes the impact of our actions on the world we live in and hence, the need for ‘rules’ that can guide our actions as well as reward those who follow the rules and punish those who do not. It also postulates the importance of international organizations/non-state actors in inducing our behaviors by lobbying or coaxing rather than individual state actors. Borrowing from the tenets of this theory, it is evident that our world needs the collaborative action of states through international relations and not individual state responses to combat these current global crises. This collaborative strategy is evident via the various responses (sanctions, emotional, material, weaponry) from the different international institutions listed in this study to the Russia-Ukraine war. Moreso, there continue to be diverse progressive collaborative conferences and policy reviews by member states of each of the international institutions listed in this study in response to the overwhelming impact of climate change. Even though this study focuses on international institutions' responses to just two of the global crises, there is an avenue for further review-research on the other crises.
Financing American Higher Education: Reviewing the Trend in Student’s Perceptions of Their Student Debt
Authors: Mbah Ruth Endam
Published: April 2023

This paper reviews existing pieces of literature on student debt, specifically perceptions of student debt and debt repayment strategies in the USA. The policy decision to shift from need-based grants as a means of financing college education to student loans in the 1990s changed the trajectory of higher education, especially for low-income families. Most American college students now have to rely significantly on student loan debt to finance higher education, especially among those who see these loans as an investment. While in school, most college students seem to be unrealistically optimistic about paying their debt upon graduation, which may be an explanation for the huge debt delinquency rate we record in the US. Many graduate colleges today with an unbearable outstanding amount of student loan debt. This explains the consistent correlation between student debt and financial anxiety or stress reported in most studies as student debt and credit card debt have become a significant part of the American college student. There is, therefore, a need for the incorporation of accurate financial literacy programs in our curriculums starting from high school.
What Influence Does the AI Strategy Have on Possible Outcomes of Chinese Foreign Policy and Economic Development?
Authors: Wenning Sebastian
Published: April 2023

This article examines the impact of China's AI strategy on the country's economic development, digitalisation and geopolitical relations in both a domestic and international context. The analysis shows that China's AI strategy, especially the Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan, promotes AI education and research, leading to an increase in AI-related scientific publications and success in international AI competitions. This development may lead to a further strengthening of China's position in the global power structure to an almost disruptive shift in geopolitical bloc relations. Digitisation through AI technologies is also showing significant impact on the country's economy. Increased productivity and efficiency in various industries, especially in the automotive and electronics sectors, is leading to increased creative destruction in this regard. While millions of new jobs are being created in the AI sector, up to twelve percent of jobs in Chinese industry can be replaced by automation. The introduction of AI technologies generates higher economic output and productivity in some regions, as exemplified by the Pearl River Delta. Here, the AI clusters play a decisive role in regional economic development. Through these developments, China will rely less on imports and expand its economic presence by exporting AI-based products and services to numerous countries and industries. The new trade opportunities burgeoning in this way create opportunities for rapprochement, but growing competition and trade conflicts with other technologically advanced nations is also likely, as the controversial expansion of the Digital Silk Road and the Made in China 2025 initiative demonstrate.
Mubi-Toram lexicon and Afro-Asiatic III: Lexemes with initial *ḅ-
Authors: Takács Gábor
Published: April 2023

The paper is another part of a planned longer series designed to step by step reveal the Chadic and wider Afro-Asiatic cognate heritage in the lexical stock of the Mubi-Toram languages which represent the easternmost (27th) group of the vast (6th) Chadic branch of the gigantic Afro-Asiatic family.
An efficient method for computing slope reliability calculation based on rigorous limit equilibrium
Authors: Chen Juxiang , Zhu Dayong , Zhu Yalin
Published: April 2023

Traditional rigorous limit equilibrium methods satisfy all equilibrium conditions and usually have high accuracy, however, which are less efficient for slope reliability analysis. The main reason is that the limit state functions are highly nonlinear implicit functions of safety factor. Complex numerical iterations are required, which may sometimes lead to computational convergence problems. A new method for computing slope reliability calculation with high efficiency and accuracy was proposed. This method was based on the rigorous limit equilibrium method by modifying normal stresses over the slip surface. The critical horizontal acceleration factor

K

c

{K}_{c}

, which can be expressed explicitly, was used to replace the implicit safety factor as a representation of slope stability. The difference between

K

c

{K}_{c}

and the known value

K

c
0

{K}_{c0}

was used as the limit state function. Two slope examples were analyzed. The results showed that the calculation results of this method were in good agreement with those of the traditional Morgenstern–Price limit equilibrium method, but the computational efficiency was significantly improved. When this method was combined with the subset simulation method, the calculation time was only a few seconds. Therefore, this method can be used for rapid calculation of slope reliability.
Green synthesis, characterization of silver nanoparticles using Rhynchosia capitata leaf extract and their biological activities
Authors: Zahoor Muhammad , Nisar Muhammad , Haq Sayyed Ijazul , Ikram Muhammad , Islam Noor Ul , Naeem Mohammad , Alotaibi Amal
Published: April 2023

Green production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using biological samples is the most cost-effective and environment friendly method. Plants and other biological resources might be exploited to create biologically active AgNPs. Rhynchosia capitata (an endangered species) leaf extract acted as reductant in fabrication of AgNPs in the current study; while, the fabricated particles have been characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). UV-visible spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the fabrication of the nanoparticles (NPs) via bioreduction. SEM revealed the formation of round and spherical AgNPs with sizes ranging from 2 to 60 nm. According to TGA, the synthesized R. capitata AgNPs were not much stable and high mass loss was observed at temperature from 40 to 80°C. The antioxidant potential was higher as estimated through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate assay with IC50 value of 60 µg/mL rather than 2,2-azinobis-[3-ethylbenzthiazoline]-6-sulfonic acid assay (IC50 120 µg/mL). The antibacterial potential against the selected bacterial strains for NPs was high as compared to aqueous extract, determined through agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration, and minimum bactericidal concentration methods. These findings demonstrated that R. capitata-based NPs had greater antibacterial and antioxidant properties than plant extract and it should be potentially used as antibacterial and antioxidant agents.
Thermal, structural and optical properties of Pb1−x
La
x
TiO3 prepared using modified sol–gel route
Authors: Dixit Anju , Kumar Avanish , Singh Devendra , Dobal Pramod S.
Published: April 2023

La doped lead titanate ceramic compositions Pb1−x
La
x
TiO3 (PLT) for x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 were synthesized by an acrylic acid modified sol-gel route. The microstructure, surface morphology, and optical properties of the resulting compositions were studied by using TGA, X-ray diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. It was found that the acrylic acid acts as a strong gelling agent and the organic residue gets removed completely below 450 °C. Very smooth ceramic powders characterized by single perovskite phase were obtained. A reduction in the tetragonality ratio from 1.0698 to 1.0033 was observed with increasing La content from x = 0.0 to x = 0.3. The effect of reduced tetragonality was corroborated by the peak shift of soft modes in Raman spectra and approximately 2 cm−1 downshift of E(TO1) mode was observed for each atomic weight percent La addition in lead titanate. The average grain size was found decreasing marginally with the increasing La content in PLT. Using the UV–vis data, a slight but systematic increase in the direct absorption edge (band gap) from 3.155 eV to 3.234 eV was observed with increasing La content in the PLT compositions.
Effect of nanoparticle on mechanical properties of activated tungsten gas welding of austenite stainless steel 316L and optimization of process parameters
Authors: Dakarapu Santha Rao , Maddili Praveena Chakravarthy , Revu Krishna Mohan
Published: April 2023

Austenite stainless steel 316L was developed to improve corrosion resistance and is widely used in automobile components, thermal power plants, and pressure vessels due to their superior toughness and intergranular corrosion resistance. The austenite stainless steel 316L has a low carbon content of 0.03%, which helps in minimizing harmful carbide precipitation during welding. The joint strength of welded joints is poor unless proper care is taken. As a result, an attempt was made to use an activated Tungsten Inert Gas (A-TIG) welding procedure to improve the joint strength of butt welded joints of austenitic stainless steel 316L. The process parameters such as current, the volume of flow, and filler diameter were chosen in the study and generated an L
9 design matrix using MINI Tab software. The welded joints were prepared as per the design matrix using the activated flux of aluminum oxide nano powder as per the combination of process parameters. The mechanical tests such as tensile strength, hardness, and impact strength were evaluated and microstructural evaluation of welded joints was also assessed. The input parameters were optimized for better tensile strength of joints using Taguchi S/N analysis. It is found from the optimization that the highest ultimate tensile strength of 690.40 MPa was obtained at a current of 90 A, shielding gas flow of 13 l min–1, and filler material diameter of 2.5 mm. The model was also validated by conducting experiments.
Steps toward a resilient future nurse workforce
Authors: Stubin Catherine A.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

The psychosocial needs of nursing students are a pressing matter as mental health disorders may affect nursing students’ journeys as professional nurses.

Literature Review

Psychological distress and burnout in nurses are threats to worldwide health care, as the stress associated with the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to an unstable future global nurse workforce.

Discussion

Resiliency training can positively impact nurse stress, mindfulness, and resilience, as resilient nurses are better able to manage their response to stress and adversity which will contribute to positive patient outcomes.

Implications for an International Audience

Educating faculty on resilience will aid nurse educators to create new student instructional approaches to improve mental health wellness.

Conclusions

Supportive faculty behaviors, self-care techniques, and resilience-building infused throughout the nursing curriculum may promote the effective transitioning of students into practice, providing the necessary foundation for improving workplace stress management and increasing longevity and satisfaction in the profession.
A Tabrīzī School of Īlkhānī Stucco Carving? A Comparative Analysis of Īlkhānī Miḥrābs in Urmia, Marand, and Tabrīz
Authors: McClary Richard , Danesh Leila
Published: April 2023

This article consists of a detailed study of the decoration and inscriptions on three stylistically related carved stucco miḥrābs in ʿIrāq-i ʿAjam. The ones in Urmia and Marand are dated to the Īlkhānī period and bear the names of craftsmen with a connection to Tabrīz. The fragmentary remains of the third, undated, miḥrāb in Tabrīz are then studied, followed by the upper stucco inscription band in the masjid-i jāmiʿ in Urmia. The final section highlights the connections between the material in Iran and related stucco in Mamlūk Cairo. The main aim of this article is to provide as full an account as possible of the decoration and inscriptions of these examples of Īlkhānī stucco, and also to demonstrate the existence of a distinctive regional school of stucco carving centered in Tabrīz. Several newly translated inscriptions are published here for the first time, and the analysis is based on a combination of archival material and new photographs and drawings of the subject structures.
Modeling and simulation of deposited energy gain via irradiation of heavy ion beams on the fusion reactor contains spherical fuel capsules with foam
Authors: Shakeri Abuzar , Heidari Ebrahim , Hosseini Motlagh Nasrin , Vanaie Hamid Reza
Published: April 2023

In heavy ion fusion using the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) approach, firstly, the deposited energy of heavy ions in the target and, secondly, the charged products resulting from fusion reactions in the plasma of the fuel capsule are key and necessary points. In this paper, we used the ICF method for the core of a spherical fusion reactor simulation filled with multi-layer fuel capsules with foam using symmetrical irradiation from 32 different directions by two heavy ion beams of Cs and Pb with radiation energies of 8 and 10 GeV, respectively. Then we simulated the process of penetration and deposited energy of the beams inside the core of this reactor using GEANT4 code. The results of our simulations show that if the atomic number of radiation beams increases, the amount of beam stopping power increases, which is in agreement with existing theories. Also, by changing parameters such as the type and energy amount of the radiation beam, thickness, and the type of material selected in the layers of the desired fuel capsules, the amount of the penetration depth, the produced secondary particles, the stopping power per unit volume of fuel capsule and the reactor core will change. Eventually, these variations will cause a change in deposited energy gain inside the core of a spherical fusion reactor. The obtained maximum deposited energy due to the two selective Pb+ and Cs+ beams with 8 and 10 GeV energies in this study is related to DT fuel compared to the two neutron free-fuels of D3He and P11B. It can be seen that energy gain increases significantly with changing beam energy from 8 to 10 GeV, but for both selected energy, the enhancement of DT energy gain compared to D3He and P11B is not so significant.
Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO2 fuel via two approaches
Authors: Roostaii Bahareh
Published: April 2023

A correlation for the volume porosity of irradiated UO2 fuel as a sum of the individual contributions of the pore and swelling porosity in terms of the local density and fractional matrix swelling is developed. By using the existing low temperature low burnup model of swelling, evolution of the matrix swelling and porosity terms are calculated for UO2 fuel in the low burnup but in the high burnup two various models are applied, the one with considering grain recrystallization and another without it but with the method of Xe depletion measurement. The purpose of the paper is comparison of fuel swelling behavior between two models at high burnups. The bulk swelling and porosity evolution in both methods are also validated by experimental data. Finally, one conclusion from this comparison is obtained, as the method which considering grain recrystallization has more rational behavior in the fuel swelling and porosity.
Potential opportunistic behavior of crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous (Carnivora, Canidae) in Itapuã State Park, RS, Brazil: possible cases of necrophagy
Authors: Santiago Victoria Maia , Ilha Júlia Gomes , Alfaya Laura Barbieri , Gaziero Lenara , Jardim Márcia M. A. , Trigo Tatiane Campos
Published: April 2023

In this study we document two records related to potential food opportunism in crab-eating fox, Cerdocyon thous. The records were made in Itapuã State Park, Viamão, RS, Brazil, and were obtained through camera traps. These showed individuals of C. thous carrying a brown howler monkey and an unidentified fish, both already lifeless. There are no records of howler monkey consumption by this species of carnivore, and fish are considered as unusual taxa in its diet. We assume that the captures occurred with the animals already dead, illustrating the food opportunism of the species and the potential occurrence of scavenging by this canid.