bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Epic Tragedy to Tragic Epic: Marina Carr’s Hecuba, Girl on an Altar, and iGirl
Authors: Paul Salomé
Published: February 2024

This article examines the genre of “epic tragedy” in two of the most recent adaptations of Greek tragedy by Marina Carr, Hecuba (2015) and Girl on an Altar (2022), as well as its reversal to produce a “tragic epic” in iGirl (2021). In the Poetics, Aristotle establishes a stark distinction between the genres of epic and tragedy. Yet, this distinction has been challenged throughout history in dramatic practices – in Euripides and Shakespeare’s tragic plays for instance – and theories – most notably by the emergence of epic theatre coined by Bertolt Brecht. Drawing from all these traditions, this article highlights Carr’s process of “epicisation” of tragedy through the implementation of a new form of dramatic speech and dramatisation of a narrative rather than a plot in Hecuba and Girl on an Altar. These strategies have influenced the creation of iGirl, which is a postmodern epic brought on stage through the lens of tragedy.
Monologue, Woman and Survival in Frank McGuinness’s Baglady
Authors: Kao Wei H.
Published: February 2024

Although it is true that women have received much attention since the mid-twentieth century and some have held major positions in public domains, not many theatrical works have given women a full spotlight on their less perceivable experiences, particularly those who are disadvantaged or struggling on the social margins. In those works that do indeed do so, descriptions of women’s conditions do not always reflect their exact experiences and challenges. This paper will explore Frank McGuiness’s Baglady (1985), which centres on a woman protagonist who discloses her painful memories and tries to cope with her suffering. In this play, the protagonist, stuck in the past, reveals her dark secrets in a narrative that is not always in a regular time sequence. Incidentally, by hearing how she makes sense of her troubles in everyday life, the audience seems to participate in the process of her self-examination and possible healing. This essay will also investigate how the character struggles with oppression in more radical ways, and how she fails or succeeds in breaking free from her hidden constraints.
Enhancing the Prediction of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Using Intravascular Ultrasound and Machine Learning: A Proof of Concept
Authors: Moayedi Yasbanoo , Rodenas-Alesina Eduard , Somerset Emily , Fan Chun Po S. , Henricksen Erik , Aleksova Natasha , Billia Filio , Chih Sharon , Ross Heather J. , Teuteberg Jeffrey J.
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is the leading cause of late graft dysfunction in heart transplantation. Building on previous unsupervised learning models, we sought to identify CAV clusters using serial maximal intimal thickness and baseline clinical risk factors to predict the development of early CAV.

METHODS:

This is a single-center retrospective study including adult heart transplantation recipients. A latent class mixed-effects model was used to identify patient clusters with similar trajectories of maximal intimal thickness posttransplant and pretransplant covariates associated with each cluster.

RESULTS:

Among 186 heart transplantation recipients, we identified 4 patient phenotypes: very low, low, moderate, and high risk. The 5-year risk (95% CI) of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation–defined CAV in the high, moderate, low, and very low risk groups was 49.1% (35.2%–68.5%), 23.4% (13.3%–41.2%), 5.0% (1.3%–19.6%), and 0%, respectively. Only patients in the moderate to high risk cluster developed the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation CAV 2-3 at 5 years (
P
=0.02). Of the 4 groups, the low risk group had significantly younger female recipients, shorter ischemic time, and younger female donors compared with the high risk group.

CONCLUSIONS:

We identified 4 clusters characterized by distinct maximal intimal thickness trajectories. These clusters were shown to discriminate against the development of angiographic CAV. This approach allows for the personalization of surveillance and CAV-directed treatment before the development of angiographically apparent disease.
Inactivation of Malic Enzyme 1 in Endothelial Cells Alleviates Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Luo Ya , Qi Xianmei , Zhang Zhenxi , Zhang Jiawei , Li Bolun , Shu Ting , Li Xiaona , Hu Huiyuan , Li Jinqiu , Tang Qihao , Zhou Yitian , Wang Mingyao , Fan Tianfei , Guo Wenjun , Liu Ying , Zhang Jin , Pang Junling , Yang Peiran , Gao Ran , Chen Wenhui , Yan Chen , Xing Yanjiang , Du Wenjing , Wang Jing , Wang Chen
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND:

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive cardiopulmonary disease with a high mortality rate. Although growing evidence has revealed the importance of dysregulated energetic metabolism in the pathogenesis of PH, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we focused on ME1 (malic enzyme 1), a key enzyme linking glycolysis to the tricarboxylic acid cycle. We aimed to determine the role and mechanistic action of ME1 in PH.

METHODS:

Global and endothelial-specific
ME1
knockout mice were used to investigate the role of ME1 in hypoxia- and SU5416/hypoxia (SuHx)–induced PH. Small hairpin RNA and ME1 enzymatic inhibitor (ME1*) were used to study the mechanism of ME1 in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Downstream key metabolic pathways and mediators of ME1 were identified by metabolomics analysis in vivo and ME1-mediated energetic alterations were examined by Seahorse metabolic analysis in vitro. The pharmacological effect of ME1* on PH treatment was evaluated in PH animal models induced by SuHx.

RESULTS:

We found that ME1 protein level and enzymatic activity were highly elevated in lung tissues of patients and mice with PH, primarily in vascular endothelial cells. Global knockout of
ME1
protected mice from developing hypoxia- or SuHx-induced PH. Endothelial-specific
ME1
deletion similarly attenuated pulmonary vascular remodeling and PH development in mice, suggesting a critical role of endothelial ME1 in PH. Mechanistic studies revealed that ME1 inhibition promoted downstream adenosine production and activated A
2A
R-mediated adenosine signaling, which leads to an increase in nitric oxide generation and a decrease in proinflammatory molecule expression in endothelial cells. ME1 inhibition activated adenosine production in an ATP-dependent manner through regulating malate-aspartate NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide plus hydrogen) shuttle and thereby balancing oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. Pharmacological inactivation of ME1 attenuated the progression of PH in both preventive and therapeutic settings by promoting adenosine production in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings indicate that ME1 upregulation in endothelial cells plays a causative role in PH development by negatively regulating adenosine production and subsequently dysregulating endothelial functions. Our findings also suggest that ME1 may represent as a novel pharmacological target for upregulating protective adenosine signaling in PH therapy.
A Persian Herald: The Reception of Tahirih by the Suffrage Movement of Britain, 1910–1913
Authors: Egea Amín
Published: February 2024

In the years preceding the First World War, the suffragist media paid important attention to the figure of the Persian poetess, Tahirih. This interest in her biography coincided with ‘Abdu’l-Bahā’s two visits to England when the leader of the Bahā’ī religion met with prominent members of the country’s major suffrage organizations. This article describes references to Tahirih by various suffragist leaders and attempts to show how she was presented as a herald to their cause and a heroine to be emulated.
Correlations between Trunk Control and Balance in Children with Bilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Tiwari Sapna , Rao Pratiksha Tilak , Karthikbabu Suruliraj
Published: February 2024

Impairments of postural responses are a salient feature of children with cerebral palsy (CP). While the systems approach describes balance in seven components, the relationship between trunk control and balance in children with CP has not been previously examined with all seven of these components. In this study, we aimed to identify correlations between trunk control and all seven systems approach balance components in children with bilateral spastic CP. Our participants were 30 children ( M age = 11.83, SD = 2.32 years) with CP having a Gross Motor Function Classification System level ranging from I to III. We assessed trunk control with the Trunk Control Measurement Scale, including static and dynamic balance (selective voluntary control and reaching). Balance in standing was assessed using Kids-Mini-BESTest involving four domains: anticipatory, reactive, sensory orientation and stability in gait. We used Spearman’s rank correlations to correlate trunk control and balance, and we obtained a moderate correlation between the trunk control measurement scale and the Kids-Mini-BESTest in children with both bilateral spastic CP (rs = .618, p < .001) and spastic diplegic CP (rs = .52, p = .02). Analysis of the correlations between separate domains of the Kids-Mini-BESTest and the trunk control measurement scale subscales revealed moderate correlations between the static sitting balance subscale and all four domains of the Kids-Mini-BESTest. The dynamic selective motor control subscale of the trunk control measurement scale moderately correlated with the anticipatory domain of the Kids-Mini-BESTest. The dynamic reaching subscale also correlated moderately with anticipatory and stability in gait domains. This correlation was statistically significant in the 13 to 17-year-old age group and was strong among females, whereas the correlation was moderate in males. Trunk control was moderately associated with balance considering all the systems theory components of balance in children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.
Let’s See Far by Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: National Economic Association (NEA) Presidential Address
Authors: Viceisza Angelino
Published: February 2024

In this presidential address, I discuss findings from a survey that was sent to all living past presidents ([Formula: see text]) of the National Economic Association (NEA). Based on 14 responses, I discuss potential strategies and action items for future NEA boards to consider. This text was spoken aloud during the presidential address.
Special collections for applying artificial intelligence techniques to encourage economic growth and maintain sustainable societies
Authors: Nanping Wu , Lee Tsung-Ju , Chen Li-Jiun , Kung Chih-Chun
Published: February 2024

Efficient resource use requires substantial evaluation and re-evaluation of production processes. Since not all production details can be properly and timely monitored and adjusted, improvement of resource allocation has long been a critical issue in commodity production, technique selection, and sustainable development. The progress of artificial intelligence (AI) offers a possibility. For example, with deep learning techniques and extensive data analysis, most previously unincorporated or unknown information associated with a firm's activities can be appropriately reflected and calculated. Once the firms take the report, a more efficient and economically friendly production strategy could be made. The central theme of this special collection is to invite studies on how the design and application of AI benefit not only the fields of computer science and information engineering but also the interdisciplinary fields, including renewable energy development, environmental protection, and economic analysis. Fourteen papers are published in this special collection.
An indoor airflow distribution predictor using machine learning for a real-time healthy building monitoring system in the tropics
Authors: Faridah Faridah , Utami Sentagi Sesotya , Wijaya Dinta Dwi Agung , Yanti Ressy Jaya , Putra Wahyu Sukestyastama , Adrian Billie
Published: February 2024

Indoor air quality is the foundation of a good indoor environment. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the importance of providing real-time airflow distribution information within the Building Environmental Monitoring System (BEMS) to minimize the risk of infectious airborne transmission. This paper discusses the process of developing a predictive model for indoor airflow distribution prediction with indoor and outdoor input parameters using machine learning and its implementation in healthy BEMS for a classroom in the tropical climate region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This paper encompassed field measurement and simulation involving outdoor climate conditions and the operational status of the classroom’s windows, Air Conditioning units, and fans. Three machine learning models were constructed using OLS, LASSO, and Ridge methods. Datasets for the modeling were generated from CFD model simulations in IES VE and were assessed for correlation. The mean temperature and velocity differences between the CFD model simulation and measurement results are 0.21°C and 0.083 m/s, respectively. Outdoor climate conditions and the operational status of the classroom’s utilities significantly influence the indoor airflow distribution characteristics. The three models indicate a relatively poor performance, where the classroom had a relatively low sensitivity to input changes. However, the best model performance was achieved using the LASSO method, with average values from post-normalization of [Formula: see text] and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.336 and 0.077, respectively. The model was implemented in healthy BEMS on the “Platform for Healthy and Energy Efficient Building Management System.”

Practical Application: This research proposed a machine learning model of indoor airflow characteristics of a classroom in Yogyakarta. The proposed model can be adapted to produce monitoring systems that best represent the related conditions. The method can be adopted to develop a relatively simple, low-cost sensor or model to monitor an indoor environment. Future studies may explore the results of the real-world implementation in a case study.
Factors Associated With Psychological Wellbeing in Home Care Older Adults With Alzheimer’s Disease: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Guo Yuqi , Shi Jingyi
Published: February 2024

The long-term symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease pose significant challenges to the psychological wellbeing of patients. This longitudinal study aims to analyze the effects of socioeconomic factors and physical health factors on the psychological wellbeing of older patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) receiving home care, as well as the moderating role of aging and care support in influencing their psychological wellbeing. Data from the Health and Retirement Study ( N = 628 older Alzheimer’s patients) were analyzed using pooled ordinary least squares fixed-effects models. Findings suggest that Alzheimer’s patients’ psychological wellbeing was significantly affected by factors including cohabitation, gender, assistance frequency, age, education, and daily activity challenges, with assistance and increasing age mitigating some daily difficulties. The findings underline the multifactorial nature of psychological wellbeing among older Alzheimer’s patients in home care and the critical role of social and physical health determinants in shaping these outcomes.
Exploring and Evaluating the Two-Factor Model of Perfectionism in Sport
Authors: Hill Andrew P. , Madigan Daniel J. , Curran Thomas , Jowett Gareth E. , Rumbold James L
Published: February 2024

Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality trait with two higher-order dimensions; perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. The purpose of the present study was to explore and evaluate the two-factor model for the first time using three instruments developed to measure perfectionism in sport. In doing so, we (i) assessed the fit of two-factor models when including and excluding various contentious subscales (other-oriented perfectionism, parental pressure, coach pressure, organisation, and negative reactions to imperfection) and (ii) compared two-factor models to alternative one-factor (or unidimensional) models. Participants were recruited from community and university sports clubs in the UK ( N = 527; M age = 18.07 years, SD = 0.49) and completed the Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2, the Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport, and the Performance Perfectionism Scale-Sport. Support was found for the two-factor model, with superior fit displayed each time the aforementioned subscales were excluded and, in all cases, when compared to a unidimensional model. The findings suggest that the two-factor model is an adequate representation of the underlying structure of instruments designed to measure perfectionism in sport with better fit and conceptual clarity offered by more parsimonious models.
Why Do Bystanders Report Intimate Partner Violence? Insights into Real-Life Reasoning from Those Who Actually Intervened
Authors: van Baak Carlijn , Eichelsheim Veroni , Weenink Don , Lindegaard Marie Rosenkrantz
Published: February 2024

As intimate partner violence (IPV) often remains unknown to police, bystanders can play a crucial role in prevention and further escalation of IPV. However, little is known about what brings them into action by reporting incidents of IPV to authorities. As such, we use statements of bystanders who filed reports about IPV incidents to an official domestic violence agency in the Netherlands ( N = 78), to investigate the reasoning and motivations for reporting their suspicions. Results show that the reasons for bystanders to report IPV differ depending on the relational dynamics between partners. In situations perceived as intimate terrorism, involving a hierarchical abusive relationship between a man offender and a woman victim, bystanders primarily reported when previous helping initiatives proved inefficient, and they did so to prevent further harm, often particularly in relation to the woman victim. In situations perceived as situational couple violence, involving a symmetrical abusive relationship, bystanders primarily reported when escalation appeared, and they did so to prevent further harm to involved children. We conclude that bystanders report IPV incidents when the need for help is clear, and their motivation for acting concerns the well-being of victims. Our findings add to the growing body of evidence about real-life bystander intervention in emergencies and highlight the need for understanding intervention as context-specific in order to design effective intervention initiatives.
A Qualitative Synthesis of Research on Professional Learning for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
Authors: Castillo Jose M. , Wolgemuth Jennifer R. , McKenna Meaghan , Hite Rachael , Latimer Joseph D.
Published: February 2024

Researchers and practitioners continue to call for professional learning (PL) for multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) to promote implementation with fidelity. Different PL interventions and MTSS frameworks raise questions about what types of PL support educators to engage in key practices. Questions also remain regarding educators’ perspectives and experiences with PL for MTSS and factors that facilitate or hinder educators’ learning. In this paper, we report findings from a qualitative research synthesis on PL for MTSS in the United States. We found 46 studies that explored educators’ perspectives and experiences with PL. Findings illuminated educators’ positive experiences with ongoing, job-embedded PL, particularly PL communities and coaching. Studies also illustrated the importance of collaboration and trust within learning communities as well as leaders who empower and trust educators. We discuss the implications of these findings in K–12 school settings.
How Career and Non-Work Goal Progress Affect Dual Earners’ Satisfaction: A Whole-Life Perspective
Authors: Abraham Elisabeth , Verbruggen Marijke , Hirschi Andreas
Published: February 2024

Many career self-management models assume that career goal progress promotes satisfaction, but research on the topic has yielded mixed results. Adopting a whole-life perspective, this study examines how career and non-work goal progress relate to career, non-work, and life satisfaction and explores crossover effects and gender differences between dual-earner partners. We tested our research model using Actor-Partner Interdependence Modeling on a two-wave dataset of 190 heterosexual dual earners (i.e., 95 couples). Career goal progress was not related to any of the satisfaction indicators. For men, non-work goal progress was marginally positively related to career and non-work satisfaction and positively related to life satisfaction. For women, non-work goal progress was not related to any satisfaction indicator. Between partners, men’s non-work goal progress was positively related to women’s non-work and life satisfaction, whereas women’s career goal progress was negatively related to men’s life satisfaction. Implications for research and career practice are discussed.
Social support as a mediator between mental health and stigma among newly HIV-positive men who have sex with men
Authors: Zhao Yafang , Khoshnood Kaveh , Sheng Yu
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The sociocultural context of China gives rise to unique experiences of HIV-related stigma and adverse impacts on mental health among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV. However, few studies have explored the stigma among families in the cultural context of China and the role of social support as a mediator to explain how HIV-related stigma results in poor psychological well-being. This study aims to test the mediating effect of social support between HIV-related stigma and family stigma on the mental health of MSM.

Methods

This cross-sectional study recruited newly MSM with HIV in two cities (Beijing and Wuhan) in China as participants from February 2021 to August 2022. A total of 257 MSM with HIV were recruited for the study. The mediating effects were examined using mediation models (SAS PROC CAUSALMED).

Results

The overall total effect of HIV-related stigma on mental health was β = −1.483 (bootstrap 95% CI = −1.881, −1.104 p < 0.001), and the mediating effect of social support was β = −0.321 (bootstrap 95% CI = −0.571, −0.167 p = .001). A higher level of stigma from family predicts lower mental health with an overall total effect of β = −1.487 (bootstrap 95% CI = −1.823, −1.101 p < 0.001), while the indirect effect (mediation effect) of social support on mental health is β = −0.281 (bootstrap 95% CI = −0.477, −0.142 p = .003).

Conclusions

Given the mediating effect of social support on mental health, programs enhancing social support and decreasing stigmatization should be designed to improve the mental health of MSM with HIV, the interventions are needed at both the family and community levels. Public health campaigns in China that frame HIV and same-sex behavior as chronic issues and normal phenomena can correct misinformation related to HIV and MSM that leads to stigma and negative emotional reactions.
A reference database of the pollen representation of the current vegetation in the Dry Puna of Argentina: Contributions to the interpretation of pollen fossil sequences and archeological evidence during the Holocene
Authors: Oxman Brenda Irene , Lupo Liliana
Published: February 2024

The present research is framed within an interdisciplinary archeological project that aims to reconstruct the environmental conditions in which human occupations developed in the locality of Barrancas, Dry Puna Argentina, during the Holocene. The aims of this work were to: (1) study the regional vegetation and the modern pollen dispersal-sedimentation process; and (2) generate a reference database for interpretation of the fossil pollen records of the Holocene in the Dry Puna (3) provide information for the study of the relationship between human populations and vegetation in the area during the Late-Holocene. The results show that the main pollen types that characterize the regional vegetation were represented in the surface samples (herbaceous steppe, shrub steppe, mixed steppe, and vegas). Also the environments with evidence of anthropic impact were identified by specific plant species and the corresponding pollen grain. The representation of the vegetation was quantified according to the different pollen types. The study used indices of association to establish relationships between modern pollen and vegetation, and showed a weak association for Solanaceae and Verbenaceae; an over-representation of Ephedrae, Alnus acuminata, Malvaceae, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae; an association of Asteraceae; the absence of association of Cactaceae and Portulacaceae; and a strong association of Poaceae. These results allow us to specify the interpretation of fossil records and past environments in relation to anthropic modifications on the landscape.
Survival Status and Predictors of Mortality Among Low-birth-weight Neonates in Southern Ethiopia: A Prospective Follow-up Study
Authors: Nigussie Jemberu , Girma Bekahegn , Mulugeta Tewodros , Sibhat Migbar , Molla Alemayehu
Published: February 2024

Background

Due to anatomical and physiological immaturity low-birth-weight (LBW) neonates are at risk for different complications which may lead to death at a specified period after birth. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the survival rate and predictors of mortality among LBW neonates.

Methods

A hospital-based prospective cohort study design was conducted among 768 LBW neonates. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to identify predictors of mortality among LBW neonates.

Result

The mortality rate of low birth weight was 38.8 (95% CI: 33.9–44.3) per 1,000 child-day observations. Parity (AHR = 1.47 [95% CI: 1.06–2.05]), Birth weight <1000 gram (AHR = 4.70 [95% CI: 2.36–9.35]), Birth weight <1500 gram (AHR = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.16–2.27]), Neonatal sepsis (AHR = 2.41 [95% CI: 2.25–2.91]), Birth asphyxia (AHR = 1.46 [95% CI = 1.02–2.08]), Kangaroo mother care (KMC) (AHR = 0.35 [95% CI: 0.24–0.49]), were statistically significantly associated with mortality.

Conclusions

The findings of this study revealed that the incidence rate of mortality among LBW neonates was high. Practising KMC for all LBW neonates and appropriate treatment of neonatal sepsis and birth asphyxia were strongly recommended to reduce mortality among LBW neonates.
Planning progress: Incorporating innovation and structural change into models of economic planning
Authors: Rochowicz Nils
Published: February 2024

This paper addresses the challenge of incorporating innovation and structural change in models of economic planning. Previous approaches to economic planning have mostly considered the static problem of the allocation of goods and services, leaving a secondary role (if at all) for the dynamic problem of innovation and change. However, Morozov (2021) argues that the key challenge for any alternative economic system, including planning, is to incorporate a model for progress that can rival the perceived innovative and dynamic nature of capitalism. Finding previous approaches to change in planned economies to be insufficient as central elements of planning technological progress, this paper introduces two new and complementary approaches to planning innovation: Democratic accelerated missions and screening and scaling technologies. Democratic accelerated missions act on the demand side of innovation, translating democratically formulated needs for new capabilities into research and development projects to fulfill these needs. Screening and scaling technologies act on the supply side, selecting promising new technologies based on democratically decided priorities and developing them towards finished products. Both approaches draw extensively on quantitative and qualitative evidence from different strands of literature on innovation to build an empirically grounded model, with a particular focus on (1) democratic decision-making in planning innovation, and (2) incorporating insights from technology prediction and the economics of innovation to steer technological progress. The proposed model demonstrates the feasibility of planning and directing technological progress, and is a first step towards designing institutional and algorithmic structures to this end.
Using “Super Apps” in Online Retailing Operations: Evidence From a Large Hotel Chain
Authors: Guo Chenhui , Zhang Bin , Chen Xi , Goes Paulo
Published: February 2024

The introduction of super app, a mobile application with comprehensive e-commerce and social media functions, creates a new retailing platform that enables customers to pay to businesses directly. The convenience of mobile payment, the richness of product information, and the easiness of online customer service may induce more demand. This study aims to quantify the effect of adopting a super app as a new platform on the sales revenue of multiple existing platforms. Using transaction data from a large hotel chain, we track the timing that customers started following the company's business account on the super app and identify the effect of adopting the super app as a retailing platform on hotel room reservations. Our results show that the adoption will cause customers to make significantly more reservations. However, a significant proportion of the increase attributes to more transactions through the existing platforms, as customers do not switch from existing platforms to the new super app platform. Interestingly, spillover primarily occurs both on the pre-existing offline platforms and digital payment enabled online platforms. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the economic implications of using a super app as a new retailing platform.
Impact of Channel Co-opetition and Taxes on a Multinational Firm’s Resilient Local Production Decision
Authors: Niu Baozhuang , Liu Yaoqi , Jin Yong , Wang Xin , Yue Xiaohang
Published: February 2024

Relevance: In this article, we focus on the decision of a multinational firm (MNF) on production strategies under the influence of national culture. The national culture of a country can result in a high preference for openness or self-reliance, and such a preference changes over time. The related government policies have a strong impact on the MNF’s decision whether to produce overseas and sell products in the domestic market or produce locally for domestic selling. Theory and methodology: We build a game-theoretical model comprising an MNF and a local retailer to investigate the MNF’s preference for production strategies with the consideration of the influence of national culture. Practice of the research: We find that when the factory establishment variable cost is low and the fixed cost is in a moderate range, the MNF’s preference over production strategies switches twice from local production to overseas production and then back to local production, as the channel substitutability increases. Interestingly, when the factory establishment variable cost is low and the fixed cost is high, the MNF’s preference is heavily dependent upon the tax disparity, exhibiting a threshold policy based on the channel substitutability. Our findings provide important insights for the MNFs into utilizing the national-culture-oriented tax policies and channel substitutability when establishing factories in foreign countries. We also reveal that the preferential local manufacturing policies originated from a high cultural preference for self-reliance may not attract more MNFs, which negatively impacts the policy effectiveness.
Network Revenue Management With Demand Learning and Fair Resource-Consumption Balancing
Authors: Chen Xi , Lyu Jiameng , Wang Yining , Zhou Yuan
Published: February 2024

In addition to maximizing the total revenue, decision-makers in lots of industries would like to guarantee balanced consumption across different resources. For instance, in the retailing industry, ensuring a balanced consumption of resources from different suppliers enhances fairness and helps maintain a healthy channel relationship; in the cloud computing industry, resource-consumption balance helps increase customer satisfaction and reduce operational costs. Motivated by these practical needs, this paper studies the price-based network revenue management (NRM) problem with both demand learning and fair resource-consumption balancing. We introduce the regularized revenue, that is, the total revenue with a balancing regularization, as our objective to incorporate fair resource-consumption balancing into the revenue maximization goal. We propose a primal-dual-type online policy with the upper-confidence-bound demand learning method to maximize the regularized revenue. We adopt several innovative techniques to make our algorithm a unified and computationally efficient framework for the continuous price set and a wide class of balancing regularizers. Our algorithm achieves a worst-case regret of [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes the number of products and [Formula: see text] denotes the number of time periods. Numerical experiments in a few NRM examples demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm in simultaneously achieving revenue maximization and fair resource-consumption balancing.
Building Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Operations and Supply Chains: Bringing Public Policy Back In
Authors: Bodrožić Zlatko , Gold Stefan
Published: February 2024

While we have seen some encouraging examples of firms that try to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices into their supply chains, progress has been frustratingly slow. We argue that a key impediment today and a potential enabler tomorrow—and thus an important subject of operations and supply chain management (OSCM) research—is the array of public policies that sets the “rules of the game” in OCSM. We differentiate three types of public policy regimes—laissez-faire, regulatory, and transformative—and analyze how each differentially affects DEI practices in OSCM. Our analysis suggests that the laissez-faire type may not offer sufficient incentives to trigger a comprehensive change in DEI practices, while the regulatory and transformative types offer more incentives but, in many instances, do not work as expected. By analyzing the effects of distinct public policy activities for DEI-related practices—for example, through comparative empirical studies or modeling and simulation—OSCM scholars can make important contributions to a more comprehensive implementation of DEI practices.
Making Early and Accurate Deep Learning Predictions to Help Disadvantaged Individuals in Medical Crowdfunding
Authors: Wang Tong , Jin Fujie , Hu Yu Jeffrey , Feng Lu , Cheng Yuan
Published: February 2024

Medical crowdfunding is a popular channel for people seeking financial assistance to cover their medical expenses, allowing them to collect donations from a large number of donors. However, a mismatch between the supply and demand of donations creates large heterogeneity in the fundraising outcomes across medical crowdfunding campaigns, and such uncertainty can impede the timely planning of treatment for patients. Providing early and accurate forecasts for medical crowdfunding performance can better inform fundraisers and assist them in optimizing timely interventions to improve fundraising outcomes. In this study, we propose a new approach that effectively combines time-varying features and time-invariant features in a deep learning model, to provide dynamic predictions of fundraising outcomes. When compared with a comprehensive set of baseline models, our model consistently demonstrates higher predictive accuracy while requiring a shorter observation window of data, thus achieving both accurate and early prediction objectives. We further conduct a temporal clustering analysis to analyze the heterogeneous patterns in how the time-varying features relate to fundraising outcomes. In addition, we perform simulation analyses to demonstrate that interventions from fundraisers can significantly improve the fundraising performance of disadvantaged cases that are predicted to receive the lowest donation amounts, particularly when the interventions are implemented early. These findings show that our deep learning prediction model and the actionable insights can provide timely feedback to fundraisers and promote equal access to resources for all. Our proposed approach is applicable to various contexts, enabling effective processing of diverse sources of data and facilitating early interventions.
A Nonparametric Learning Algorithm for a Stochastic Multi-echelon Inventory Problem
Authors: Yang Cong , Huh Woonghee Tim
Published: February 2024

We consider a periodic-review single-product multi-echelon inventory problem with instantaneous replenishment. In each period, the decision-maker makes ordering decisions for all echelons. Any unsatisfied demand is back-ordered, and any excess inventory is carried to the next period. In contrast to the classic inventory literature, we assume that the information of the demand distribution is not known a priori, and the decision-maker observes demand realizations over the planning horizon. We propose a nonparametric algorithm that generates a sequence of adaptive ordering decisions based on the stochastic gradient descent method. We compare the [Formula: see text]-period cost of our algorithm to the clairvoyant, who knows the underlying demand distribution in advance, and we prove that the expected [Formula: see text]-period regret is at most [Formula: see text], matching a lower bound for this problem.
When Gray Markets Meet “Made in China”: The Impacts of Global Markets and Value-Added Tax Refund
Authors: Jiang Zhong-Zhong , Zang Yuanji , Xu Jiayan
Published: February 2024

Motivated by the trend that a gray market such as overseas shopping is thriving on E-commerce platforms, this paper investigates the impacts of the gray market on global supply chain management. We consider a multinational firm (MNF) that outsources product manufacturing to a contract manufacturer (CM) in China and sells products in both the China market and overseas market. Owing to the price gap between the two markets, gray firms may purchase products in the low-price market and compete with the MNF in the high-price market. We build MNF-led Stackelberg game models under the two cases where the wholesale price between the CM and MNF is exogenously given or endogenously set by the CM. We also consider the impacts of China’s partial value-added tax (VAT) refund policy and consumers’ valuation discount for gray products. Our analysis shows that the gray market emerges if the two markets are highly asymmetric in size. Moreover, the gray market is more likely to emerge with lower values of valuation discount, substitutability, and VAT loss. We find that both the MNF and CM may be better off with the emergence of the gray market. When the gray market does not emerge but poses a threat, the MNF strategically adjusts her global pricing strategy to prevent the gray market. In this case, the threat of the gray market always hurts the MNF and CM under exogenous wholesale price, but may improve the MNF’s profit under endogenous wholesale price, since the CM is motivated to lower wholesale price to restore demand.
Capitalizing on the Moment: The Strategic Role of Information Disclosure in Online Crowdfunding
Authors: Bhargava Hemant K , Qu Xinxue (Shawn) , Son Yoonseock , Sun Daewon
Published: February 2024

Online crowdfunding platforms have created new avenues for investors to finance existing businesses or new business ventures of project creators. Project creators who launch crowdfunding campaigns can provide progress updates to potential investors throughout the fundraising process, helping to alleviate potential investors’ uncertainty about the project’s success. However, limited attention has been given to the strategic decisions of project creators on when to provide campaign updates. In this study, we focus on the timing strategy of information disclosure and investigate the effectiveness of campaign updates at different timing and performance level. Using a dataset from a leading online crowdfunding platform, we find that updates are more effective at the earlier stage of a crowdfunding campaign in attracting investors, and they play a different role depending on the project’s fundraising performance. For underperforming campaigns, the effectiveness of updates is more salient at the early stage of the campaign, whereas we find no differential impact at the later stage. By employing text analyses on the project descriptions and updates, we also derive insights about how the content of updates impacts their effectiveness at different stages of the campaign. Finally, our results also show that the timing of updates is more important for less experienced project creators, whereas the content of updates is more important for experienced project creators. These results provide important insights for project creators to strategically manage their campaigns in online crowdfunding platforms.
Ever Expanding Morphologic Patterns of Mesonephric-like Adenocarcinomas of the Uterine Corpus: A Report of Two Tumors and a Brief Review of the Literature
Authors: Quddus M. Ruhul , Mathews Cara A. , Singh Kamaljeet
Published: February 2024

Mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) of the endometrium shows a variety of morphologic appearances, including small glands, tubules with eosinophilic materials in the lumen, prominent papillary patterns, spindled cells, solid formations, and corded and hyalinized patterns. Unique morphology, characteristic immunohistochemical staining patterns, molecular alterations, and awareness of the pathologists make it possible to identify this tumor accurately. This report of two additional morphologic patterns, intestinal goblet cells mimicking intestinal-type mucinous carcinoma and squamous differentiation with spindle and epithelioid cells mimicking carcinosarcoma of the endometrium will expand the literature on MLA.
Internship Practices in Journalism and Mass Communication Programs: A Review of ACEJMC-Accredited Programs
Authors: Bowe Brian J. , Blom Robin , Lazoff Lena
Published: February 2024

The use of professional internships has long been a defining feature of journalism and mass communication programs, but the practice is also increasingly controversial for the financial burdens it places on marginalized students. This study examined accreditation reports for 120 institutions to gain a better understanding of current practices. Findings showed that almost all universities offer internships for credit, and about two fifths of the programs require them. Most programs use internship data to assess student learning outcomes.
Women's Representation in Canadian Municipalities
Authors: Artiles Alexandra , Franceschet Susan , Lucas Jack , Breux Sandra , Cloutier Meagan
Published: February 2024

This research note uses a new and comprehensive data set of 22,333 municipal elected positions in 3,363 municipalities across Canada to provide a systematic analysis of women's presence in municipal office. Drawing on findings from cross-national research about women's representation in local governments, we examine whether district type, council size, urban setting, women's workforce participation, and degree of conservatism among voters account for variation in the proportion of women elected as councillors and mayors. We find support for most, but not all, of the relevant factors in previous studies. Urban municipalities and municipalities with at-large and hybrid elections are associated with larger proportions of women mayors and councillors. Ideology also matters: the proportion of women in municipal office is smaller in conservative municipalities. Finally, we find no evidence that council size or women's labor force participation is related to women's representation among mayors or councillors.
An Intelligent Search & Retrieval System (IRIS) and Clinical and Research Repository for Decision Support Based on Machine Learning and Joint Kernel-based Supervised Hashing
Authors: Foran David J , Chen Wenjin , Kurc Tahsin , Gupta Rajarshi , Kaczmarzyk Jakub Roman , Torre-Healy Luke Austin , Bremer Erich , Ajjarapu Samuel , Do Nhan , Harris Gerald , Stroup Antoinette , Durbin Eric , Saltz Joel H
Published: February 2024

Large-scale, multi-site collaboration is becoming indispensable for a wide range of research and clinical activities in oncology. To facilitate the next generation of advances in cancer biology, precision oncology and the population sciences it will be necessary to develop and implement data management and analytic tools that empower investigators to reliably and objectively detect, characterize and chronicle the phenotypic and genomic changes that occur during the transformation from the benign to cancerous state and throughout the course of disease progression. To facilitate these efforts it is incumbent upon the informatics community to establish the workflows and architectures that automate the aggregation and organization of a growing range and number of clinical data types and modalities ranging from new molecular and laboratory tests to sophisticated diagnostic imaging studies. In an attempt to meet those challenges, leading health care centers across the country are making steep investments to establish enterprise-wide, data warehouses. A significant limitation of many data warehouses, however, is that they are designed to support only alphanumeric information. In contrast to those traditional designs, the system that we have developed supports automated collection and mining of multimodal data including genomics, digital pathology and radiology images. In this paper, our team describes the design, development and implementation of a multi-modal, Clinical & Research Data Warehouse (CRDW) that is tightly integrated with a suite of computational and machine-learning tools to provide actionable insight into the underlying characteristics of the tumor environment that would not be revealed using standard methods and tools. The System features a flexible Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) interface that enables it to adapt to aggregate data originating from different clinical and research sources depending on the specific EHR and other data sources utilized at a given deployment site.
Functional Enrichment Analysis of Tumor Microenvironment–Driven Molecular Alterations That Facilitate Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and Distant Metastasis
Authors: Abdolahi Mahnaz , Ghaedi Talkhounche Parnian , Derakhshan Nazari Mohammad Hossein , Hosseininia Haniyeh Sadat , Khoshdel-Rad Niloofar , Ebrahimi Sadrabadi Amin
Published: February 2024

Nowadays, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, and identifying the effective factors in causing this disease can play an important role in its prevention and treatment. Tumors provide effective agents for invasion and metastasis to other organs by establishing appropriate communication between cancer cells and the microenvironment. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) can be mentioned as one of the effective phenomena in tumor invasion and metastasis. Several factors are involved in inducing this phenomenon in the tumor microenvironment, which helps the tumor survive and migrate to other places. It can be effective to identify these factors in the use of appropriate treatment strategies and greater patient survival. This study investigated the molecular differences between tumor border cells and tumor core cells or internal tumor cells in HCC for specific EMT genes. Expression of NOTCH1, ID1, and LST1 genes showed a significant increase at the HCC tumor border. Targeting these genes can be considered as a useful therapeutic strategy to prevent distant metastasis in HCC patients.