bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Public Wages on External Debt in Kenya
Authors: Naibei Remmy , Muriithi Dennis , Mbaabu Onesmus
Published: September 2024

Most developing Africa countries have a high need for capital projects that requires a lot of government spending and attention. However, it is unfortunate that in Kenya, borrowed cash intended for capital projects is diverted to recurrent requirements putting a damper on national investment in viable projects. This poses a significant threat to the economy's growth. The following goal served as a guideline for the study; to determine the influence of public wages on external borrowing debt in Kenya using both cointegration and error correction model. Causal research design was adopted to explain the influence of public wages on external borrowing in Kenya. The study period was from 1970 and 2019 from which a 50-year time series data was employed for analysis. The research relied on secondary data which was collected with the aid of a structured data collection checklist from Central Bank of Kenya, and Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and World Bank websites. Data analysis was done with an aid of stata, E-views and Ox-Metrics statistical software. Stationarity of variables was tested using PP unit root test where public wages was reported to be stationary at level form. The study employed the use of Ordinary Least Square (OLS) technique in the analysis. There was a significant negative association between public wages and external debt whereby a rise in public wage by 100% indicated decrease in external debt by 101.92%. The overall model was found to be significant since the F-statistic value generated in the analysis was 124.664 with a p-value of 0.000 < 0.05. Model was a good predictor of external borrowing, with an adjusted R2 of 0.946 for public wages explaining foreign debt. This research recommends the study recommends that SRC should free up resources using the austerity measures which include wage reductions for government employees. Secondly, the government through the ministry of treasury should raise tax base to increase revenues. Finally, the results of this study may be valuable to government stakeholders who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring economic development through public sector financing, also it is expected to provide important information to policymakers in order to maintain external debt at manageable levels.
Developing Physical Education Curricula Within the Framework of Digital Transformation to Achieve Sustainable Development
Authors: Oudah Awad , Abbood Ruaa , Shabib Sarah , Aldewan Lamyaa , Ghazi Mohammed
Published: September 2024

The importance of the study is due to improving the quality of learning and enhancing interaction and participation in the educational process. Achieving personalized and effective learning in the field of physical education. Enhancing self-learning and enabling students to better discover and develop their mathematical skills. The study aims: The goal of developing physical education curricula in the era of “artificial intelligence” is to improve the learning process and enhance students’ sports performance. Analysis of individual performance through the use of advanced technology and artificial intelligence. Study methodology: The researcher used the descriptive survey method and the experimental method due to its suitability to the nature of the study. Study design: The study was designed by collecting data through questionnaires in a way that allows for the collection of appropriate data to test the hypothesis. Data collection methods: Through interviews, questionnaires are distributed to specialists in developing curricula and methods of teaching physical education to most physical education teachers and in the Department of Curricula and Methods of Teaching Physical Education and in Arab and foreign countries. Their number is (80) experts in curricula and methods of teaching physical education. Communication was made via Academic communication sites ((Research Gate - Academy Gate - Google Scholar - sci space ai) The conclusions were that there were statistically significant differences between the means in favor of the experimental group. The effect size values were high, which indicates a significant positive impact of the smart system in improving the scientific and methodological nature of physical education. This indicates the effectiveness of using smart teaching systems in teaching physical education. It can be concluded that the effectiveness of using modern curriculum design methods in improving the curriculum design skills of students of the College of Physical Education. There is a need to develop similar training programs to develop the curriculum design skills of teachers and curriculum designers. The recommendations were: Adopting smart teaching systems and multimedia in teaching physical education courses due to their effectiveness Developing training programs to develop curriculum design skills among teachers and curriculum designers in physical education colleges. Reducing the number of students in classes and training teachers on an ongoing basis. Involving faculty members in developing physical education curricula and training teaching assistants. Paying attention to the continuous professional development of physical education teachers. Conducting further studies to measure the effectiveness of other strategies in improving the quality of teaching physical education courses
Improved Mung Bean (Vigna radiate L.) Technology Demonstration and Promotion Under North-West Ethiopia
Authors: Kebede Zeru , Kasim Birhanu
Published: September 2024

North-West Ethiopia, particularly metekel area, was conducive for the production of lowland pulses including mung beans. However, because of some known and unknown factors the productivity of mung beans was not that much improved regardless of the study area’s potential. Due to this, a two season field experiment was conducted to demonstrate and promote improved mung bean varieties under pawe district for 2021 and 2022 consecutive cropping seasons. During 2021 and 2022 main seasons, demonstration and promotion of improved mung bean varieties with the direct involvement of stakeholders (farmers, agricultural experts, government officials, researchers) field day event was carried out. The improved mung bean varieties demonstrated and promoted were NVL-1, N-26 (Rasa), Shoarobit (as a check) and MH-97-6 (Borda). Small scale farmers and agricultural experts even district government officials were purposely selected from the nearby district (pawe) followed that theoretical trainings about the production of mung bean, were given during the event. Each event participants have set their own variety selection parameters; with this majority of the participants selected and promoted N-26 (Rasa), NVL-1 mung bean varieties based on high grain yield, more number of pods per plant, larger grain size, uniformity and earliness, the rest of the participants preferred Shoarobit (as a check) based on high biomass and grain yield whereas MH-97-6 (Borda) was selected and promoted based on medium duration and high yield. The author suggested that, those selected and promoted mung bean varieties (mainly N-26 (Rasa), NVL-1 and MH-97-6 (Borda) have been recommended for production under the study area and similar agro-ecologies to satisfy the seed demand raised by small scale farmers and other agents.
Use of 400 µg/mL Peripheral Phenylephrine Infusions During Anesthesia: A Safety Initiative
Authors: Brook Karolina , Tcherepanova Alexandra , Gilio Andrade de Meneses Flavio , Gonzalez R. Mauricio , Vincent William , Sarg Mohamed T.
Published: September 2024

During a general anesthetic case, a patient was administered a 400 µg/mL infusion of phenylephrine as opposed to the 40 µg/mL solution typically used in most operating rooms. The patient experienced iatrogenic hypertension, which resolved once the cause was discovered and the phenylephrine was discontinued. A root cause analysis was performed, with multiple factors contributing to the error. The Department of Pharmacy advocated switching to one concentration of phenylephrine hospital-wide. After performing a literature review regarding the safety of using 400 µg/mL phenylephrine peripherally, the decision was made to switch the operating room to this concentration of phenylephrine. The switch has been successful, with only one known medication error and no adverse events occurring since implementation. This quality improvement initiative demonstrates that 400 µg/mL phenylephrine can be used as an infusion in the operating room, which has potential implications for patient safety and efficiency. This safety initiative may serve as an example for other operating rooms.
Negotiating fit into host country work settings: Understanding the interplay between the past and the present in the accounts of skilled refugees
Authors: Fernando Weerahannadige Dulini Anuvinda
Published: September 2024

How do marginalised cultural outsiders negotiate fit into new work settings? I draw on a discursive (re)positioning lens to examine qualitative interview accounts of a group of skilled refugees in Britain and provide insights into three temporal moves they make to portray themselves as unconstrained by a lack of host country cultural know-how, able to swiftly address gaps in knowledge and skills, and able to blend in. I theorise newcomer self-socialisation as a temporal (re)positioning dynamic that involves retrospectively defining oneself as a particular kind of person who has the potential to fit. I argue that temporal (re)positioning enables newcomers to maintain worth, secure external validation and impact on their contexts. I propose that the simultaneous foregrounding and minimising of the past is an important mechanism for skilled refugees to negotiate an ambivalent sense of fit into new work settings.
A novel approach for buckling optimization of stiffened piezolaminated composite plates
Authors: Goodarzimehr Vahid , Topal Umut , Bohlooly Fotovat Mehdi
Published: September 2024

This study presents a novel approach for optimizing the critical buckling load of the stiffened piezolaminated composite plates using a self-adaptive special relativity search (SASRS) algorithm. The fiber orientations in the layers are considered as design variables. The stability equations are first derived based on the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT) with von Karman nonlinearity. The optimization problem is implemented in MATLAB. The optimization results are obtained to indicate the effecs of various boundary conditions, applied voltages, grid shapes, angles of diagonal ribs, and plate aspect ratios on the optimal design. Numerical investigations are carried out for 10-ply symmetrical stiffened piezolaminated plates. The robustness and efficiency of the proposed SASRS algorithm in maximizing the critical buckling load of the stiffened piezolaminated plates are demonstrated by comparing the optimized results from the standard special relativity search (SRS) algorithm. It is found that the proposed optimization method has better performance than the SRS algorithm.
Intrapersonal, Cultural, and Community Assets among Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria Survivors: A Latent Profile Analysis
Authors: Cobb Cory L. , Salas-Wright Christopher P. , Oh Sehun , Maldonado-Molina Mildred M. , Brown Eric C. , Duque Maria , Bates Melissa M. , Rodriguez Jose , Schwartz Seth J.
Published: September 2024

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria decimated Puerto Rico and resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, the destruction of thousands of homes, and the mass migration of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland. Because of these events, Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors on the U.S. mainland are at risk for depressive symptomatology. The purpose of this study was to examine sources of protection against depressive symptoms in this population, with a focus on identifying protective assets and how such assets are differentially distributed across subsets of survivors. A sample of 319 Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors ( Mage = 38.5 years, 77% women) completed surveys of intrapersonal, cultural, and community assets, as well as a measure of depressive symptoms. Results showed that optimism and religiosity at the intrapersonal level, and collective efficacy and community safety at the community level, emerged as significant protective assets against depression. Results from a latent profile analysis revealed four classes of survivors based on their degree and type of protection: High Protection, Safe Community, Moderate Protection, and Low Protection. The High Protection class reported fewer depressive symptoms compared with the Moderate and Low Protection classes but reported similar levels of depressive symptoms as the Safe Community class. Findings suggest that intrapersonal cognitive factors, and community efficacy and safety factors may represent salient assets among hurricane survivors on the U.S. mainland. Findings also illustrate that subsets of Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors vary in their degree and type of protective assets.
Establishment of reference intervals of haematology and biochemistry analytes in ICR mice of different ages
Authors: Patel Suresh , Patel Satish , Kotadiya Ashvin , Patel Samir , Shrimali Bhavesh , Patel Tushar , Trivedi Harshida , Patel Vishal , Mahapatra Jogeswar , Jain Mukul
Published: September 2024

Outbred stocks of mice are widely used in pre-clinical research as these animals possess a diversified genetic background when compared with inbred strains of mice. It is crucial to assess particular alterations in the physiological and functional profiles of laboratory animals using haematological and biochemical indicators. These values can also differ between laboratories because they are influenced by many different factors. We aimed to provide normal values and reference intervals for selected haematology and biochemistry analytes of 570 ICR mice at three different ages: 6–8 weeks, 10–14 weeks and 6–9 months. Reference values were calculated by non-parametric methods. For comparisons between sexes, the independent-sample t-test and Mann–Whitney test were employed, and analysis of variance was used for age differences. The findings of the study revealed age-related declines in haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations. Mice aged 6–9 months had statistically higher platelet counts in their blood than mice of other ages. The white blood cell count had a significant age effect and progressively decreased with age. As mice get older, the percentage of neutrophils, monocytes and basophils increases, but the percentage of lymphocytes decreases. For the biochemical values, age-related significant differences in glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and albumin concentrations were found. It was also found that creatinine concentrations were comparable across all age ranges. The values presented in the present work can be used as a reference to interpret clinical pathology data for other studies and to evaluate health status.
Gender and Professional Identities in Businesswomen’s Negotiation
Authors: Cheng Chi-Ying , Lim Amy J. , Tan Yi Wen , Lee Fiona
Published: September 2024

Gender roles and expectations for women have been shown to account for why women tend to negotiate ineffectively in business settings. Drawing from the psychological literature on multiple identities, this paper examines how individual differences in perceived compatibility between gender and professional identities–captured by the construct Gender-Professional Identity Integration (G-PII)–shape businesswomen’s negotiation behaviors. Two studies examined how G-PII interacts with identity cues and cue valence to influence negotiation outcomes. We found that those who perceived their gender and professional identities as compatible (high G-PII) exhibited an “assimilation” effect–they negotiate more effectively when their professional identity was primed by professional identity cues and when prototypical female traits were positively linked to negotiation success, and negotiated less effectively when their gender identity was primed by gender identity cues and when prototypical female traits were negatively linked to negotiation success. However, businesswomen who perceived their gender and professional identities as incompatible (low G-PII) exhibited the opposite “contrast” effect. These findings suggest that the way women negotiate is influenced in part by individual differences in perceptions of compatibility between multiple identities.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Other Communicable Diseases Identified Among Evacuees From Afghanistan Arriving in Virginia and Pennsylvania, August to September 2021
Authors: Gearhart Shannon L. , Preston Leigh Ellyn , Christensen Deborah L. , Kinzer Michael H. , Ohlsen Elizabeth C. , Kim Christine , Palo Matthew R. , Rothney Erin , Klevos Andrew D. , Pieracci Emily G. , Hausman Leslie B. , Rey Araceli , Sockwell Denise , Lawman Hannah , Alvarado-Ramy Francisco , Brown Clive , Gertz Alida M.
Published: September 2024

In 2021, the US government undertook Operation Allies Welcome, in which evacuees from Afghanistan arrived at 2 US ports of entry in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Because of the rapid evacuation process, the US government granted evacuees an exemption to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requirement in place at that time—namely, that air passengers present a negative SARS-CoV-2 viral test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they boarded international flights bound for the United States. This study describes cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection detected among 65 068 evacuees who arrived at the 2 ports of entry in August and September 2021. Because evacuees were a population at increased risk for infection with diseases of public health concern, CDC staff helped coordinate on-site and on-arrival testing, visually observed evacuees for signs and symptoms of communicable disease, and referred evacuees for further evaluation and treatment as needed. CDC staff used antigen or nucleic acid amplification tests at the ports of entry to evaluate evacuees aged ≥2 years without documentation of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection. CDC staff isolated evacuees with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and quarantined their close contacts, consistent with CDC guidance at the time, before evacuees rejoined the repatriation process. Of 65 068 evacuees, 214 (0.3%) were confirmed as having SARS-CoV-2 infection after port-of-entry testing. Cases of measles, varicella, pertussis, tuberculosis, hepatitis A, malaria, leishmaniasis, and diarrheal illness were also identified. Although the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 infection was low in this evacuated population, communicable disease detection at US ports of entry, along with vaccination efforts, was an important part of a multilayered approach to mitigate the transmission of disease in congregate housing facilities and into US communities.
Factors Influencing Health Care Providers Payment Reforms in Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Ndayishimiye Costase , Tambor Marzena , Behmane Daiga , Dimova Antoniya , Dūdele Alina , Džakula Aleksandar , Erasti Barbora , Gaál Péter , Habicht Triin , Hroboň Pavel , Murauskienė Liubove , Palicz Tamás , Scîntee Silvia Gabriela , Šlegerová Lenka , Vladescu Cristian , Dubas-Jakóbczyk Katarzyna
Published: September 2024

Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have recently implemented reforms to health care provider payment systems, which include changing payment methods and related systems such as contracting, management information systems, and accountability mechanisms. This study examines factors influencing provider payment reforms implemented since 2010 in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. A four-stage mixed methods approach was used: developing a theoretical framework and data collection form using existing literature, mapping payment reforms, consulting with national health policy experts, and conducting a comparative analysis. Qualitative analysis included inductive thematic analysis and deductive approaches based on an existing health policy model, distinguishing context, content, process, and actors. We analyzed 27 payment reforms that focus mainly on hospitals and primary health care. We identified 14 major factor themes influencing those reforms. These factors primarily related to the policy process (pilot study, coordination of implementation systems, availability of funds, IT systems, training for providers, reform management) and content (availability of performance indicators, use of clinical guidelines, favorability of the payment system for providers, tariff valuation). Two factors concerned the reform context (political willingness or support, regulatory framework, and bureaucracy) and two were in the actors’ dimension (engagement of stakeholders, capacity of stakeholders). This study highlights that the content and manner of implementation (process) of a reform are crucial. Stakeholder involvement and their capacities could influence every dimension of the reform cycle. The nine countries analyzed share similarities in barriers and facilitators, suggesting the potential for cross-country learning.
Community-Driven Research with People Who Use Drugs: A Virtual Project During Multiple Epidemics
Authors: Brothers Sarah , Simon Caty , Vincent Louise
Published: September 2024

Sociological approaches to digital and community-engaged research experienced significant innovation in recent years. This article examines developing and implementing a primarily virtual community-driven research (CDR) project with the National Survivors Union, the American national drug-users union, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relationships between researchers and directly impacted people, such as people who use drugs, face many barriers. These issues were exacerbated during COVID-19 when in-person research decreased while drug-related harms increased. In response, this project modified the CDR model for drug-use research. The CDR model is particularly beneficial for studies with marginalized populations who may mistrust researchers. In CDR, impacted community members are fundamental project drivers. This project’s data are based on 29 months of weekly group meetings in National Survivors Union online spaces, group and individual text conversations, phone calls, and shared-document group work. The project co-developed methods for CDR with directly impacted people, including community-initiated research questions, low-threshold methods, collaborative writing strategies, coauthorship practices foregrounding directly impacted perspectives, and multiple dissemination forms. Modified CDR expands sociological methods for digital research, citizen science, and community-engaged research with vulnerable, criminalized groups. This approach may aid inclusive, innovative sociological scholarship and effective public health policy for reducing morbidity and mortality during multiple crises.
Colonial methodologies: a discourse analysis of medical students’ talk about psychology
Authors: Fadda Arianna Tello , Rafaely Daniella
Published: September 2024

The historical tension between the natural and social sciences, and the associated discourses of superiority and inferiority, remains prevalent today in academia and practice. This study analyses the discourses that medical students at a South African university employ in their talk about psychology. The analysis demonstrates the function of these discourses and locates them within historical debates surrounding the social and natural sciences. More importantly, it identifies how psychology is locked into Eurocentric assumptions of rigour and empiricism. We use discursive psychology to examine five online discussion board entries detailing medical students’ understanding of psychology. The findings suggest that definitions of psychology subvert the discipline under the guise of bolstering its value in ways that are comparable to colonial methodologies, thereby reconstituting and reinforcing historical notions of othering in social scientific discourses. This research therefore contributes to debates on the current role and position of psychology in South Africa and helps to destabilise dominant scientific discourses within and against which psychology is enacted in the academy. Through a critical interrogation of such hegemony, this study aims to forge new ways of doing and thinking psychology in South Africa.
Celebrating 30 years of masculinities scholarship in the South African Journal of Psychology
Authors: Langa Malose , Kane Christopher , Kabongo Tshisuaka E
Published: September 2024

The study of masculinities, and its intersection with psychology, has been a significant area of inquiry in South Africa. This article examines the development of masculinities scholarship in South Africa by analysing articles published in the South African Journal of Psychology between 1994 and 2024. Of the 165 gender-related articles published in the South African Journal of Psychology during this time, 66 specifically focused on men and masculinities. Utilizing Foucauldian Discourse Analysis, these articles were examined to identify three prominent discourses: (1) gender, sexuality, and violence; (2) health and wellness; and (3) fatherhood. The findings of the analysis reveal a discernible shift in the discourses surrounding masculinities over the last three decades. Specifically, there is a movement away from essentialist constructions of masculinity, towards more positive and egalitarian perspectives of masculinities that are non-hegemonic, non-violent, and non-risktaking. The study’s findings have significant implications for future research on masculinities in South Africa, particularly in the areas of decolonial African-centred masculinities studies.
Prison Personnel Views of the Effects of Solitary Confinement on the Mental Health of Incarcerated Persons
Authors: Aranda-Hughes Vivian , Mears Daniel P.
Published: September 2024

The use of extended solitary confinement (ESC) has received domestic and international condemnation for its potential effects on the mental health of incarcerated persons. Despite the criticism, prison systems continue to rely on the practice. To advance understanding of why the housing is used and how correctional personnel view it, this study develops a theoretical model, based on concepts of human agency, empathy, and punitiveness, to examine perceptions of ESC and its effects on the mental health of incarcerated persons. The study examines survey responses from prison personnel who have worked in ESC and finds that personnel hold mixed views about ESC’s harms. Structural equation modeling indicates that perceptions about agency and empathy influence views about ESC and whether it harms the mental health of incarcerated persons in the housing. These relationships are mediated by punitiveness and point to nuanced views that personnel hold about ESC’s impacts.
Civilian Control, Civil–Military Friction, and Foreign Military Intervention
Authors: Pickering Jeffrey , Kiyani Ghashia
Published: September 2024

The relationship between domestic civil–military relations and the use of foreign military force has been long debated. The two primary perspectives on the issue, civilian conservatism and military conservatism, are antithetical. The former maintains that military authorities are more likely to advocate for the use of military force than civilian counterparts, while the latter advances the opposite argument. Empirical research to date has added little clarity to the relationship. We shed new light on this long running controversy through analyses of a different, and arguably more appropriate, set of measures for the key variables of concern: civilian control, civil–military conflict, and the use of foreign military force. In zero-inflated negative binomial estimates of 165 countries from 1946 to 2010, we find consistent support for civilian conservatism. More specifically, when civilian control erodes or civil–military conflict reaches particularly high levels, the likelihood that a state will launch a foreign military intervention increases.
Black, Low-Income Undergraduates’ Perceptions of Course-Related Factors Associated With Reduced Academic Stress at a Predominantly White Institution
Authors: Clark Jacourie C. , Sutherland Brianna , Chute Nyla C. , Roehrig Alysia D.
Published: September 2024

Academic stress is a common struggle for learners of all ages. High levels of academic stress can sometimes relate to lower academic outcomes and higher attrition rates. Black college students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) face unique stressors such as discrimination and imposter syndrome. Being low-income can carry added stressors associated with a lack of access to resources. Prior literature indicates that support and stronger relationships with faculty are associated with lower stress levels and higher academic success. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of course-related factors that reduce academic stress among Black, low-income undergraduates at a PWI. Interviews with 19 Black undergraduates recruited from a department that servees low-income, first-generation students revealed a set of interrelated factors that produce greater feelings of support, relatedness, and competence, which aligns with a reduction in stressful experiences. A thematic analysis was used to create descriptive categories and produce a visual representation of these factors. Implications for university staff and faculty are discussed.
Distributing a Sane Beverage? The Social Differentiation of Access to Water in Paris
Authors: Kesztenbaum Lionel
Published: September 2024

Water management depends on both the physical and social structures of large cities. In Paris, these elements interacted to limit and constrain access to water for large segments of the population for long periods of time. The very unequal distribution of property in the city is central to understanding water regimes in Paris and their evolution over time. This article analyzes the evolution of water systems in Paris from the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, considering access to water (and its quality) as well as the provision of sewers to remove waste soiled materials. Important social variations in the modalities of access to water within the city persisted for a long time. They were a consequence of choices made in organizing the distribution of water in the city.
The Ecological Consequences of Developmentalist Modernism
Authors: Courtney Chris
Published: September 2024

This commentary argues that Stevan Harrell’s An Ecological History of Modern China offers valuable insights into the transformation of ecosystems, which reflect the lived experiences of Chinese people. It examines some of the more contentious claims found in the book, particularly its treatment of politics. It suggests that, while Harrell downplays the importance of party politics and ideological campaigns, the ecological transformations he describes are inextricable from the turbulent political contexts in which they unfolded, from the local politics of village governance to the global politics of the Cold War. It concludes by suggesting that it is Harrell’s extensive research experience as an ethnographer that has allowed him to write such a vivid and insightful history of modern China.
Reading Scripture in Latin America: An Evangelical Perspective From the Grassroots
Authors: Grajales Sergio Zapata
Published: September 2024

This essay illustrates the practices, methods, and commitments of New Testament interpreters in Latin America. The first section provides a theoretical framework and the second section provides an example of the kind of interpretation Latin American scholars practice, focused on the Gospel of John, specifically John 9. The main thesis of the essay is that New Testament interpreters in Latin America focus both on hearing God and practising the mission of God to all people. There are particular methods that best serve this interpretive purpose. Such methods focus on the text and on understanding history for the sake of engagement with the text. The role of the reader is not so much to define beforehand what a text says or to find passages that serve a particular purpose, but to engage with the many contexts that make a text what it is, with the aim to hear the God who is behind the text.
Mata o Masiasi (Face of Shame): Resituating Paul’s Fool’s Speech Within the Contours of Samoan Rhetoric
Authors: Fatilua Fatilua
Published: September 2024

This essay offers an example of Pacific Island biblical contextual reading. My approach draws on ‘Western’ methods (specifically sociorhetorical interpretation) but adapts and locates them for a Samoan cultural context. In this context, humour and derision can help save face in situations where violence and disorder may occur. The phrase mata o masiasi (face of shame) is utilized in Samoan society for such a purpose. This is an essential aspect of Samoan rhetoric, especially in a community where nurturing and sustaining the va (space-in-between, betweenness) is the sine qua non. The va is the relational space that is foundational to all relationships in society. Resituating the fool’s speech of 2 Corinthians 11.1–12.10 within an indigenous Samoan-inspired framework leads to new questions regarding the biblical text with the goal of resituating the biblical text to make sense in my Samoan context.
Nonlinear hysteresis system control based on sliding mode neural network and observer
Authors: Dai Zhenhao , Wang Sanxiu , Lu Qun , Ni Xiaopeng
Published: September 2024

In this paper, a sliding mode neural network controller with observer is presented and employed in a nonlinear hysteresis system to eliminate the system’s unknown hysteresis and uncertainties. First, a sliding mode controller is proposed for trajectory tracking, which simplifies the computational complexity and ensures robustness. Second, radial basis function neural network is applied for approximating unknown nonlinear function in the control system. Then, an observer is utilized to estimate and observe the hysteresis nonlinearity and cancel the effect of the hysteresis phenomenon. Based on the proposed control scheme, the influence of hysteresis is suppressed, and the system has robust stability and achieves high output tracking performance. Finally, theoretical analysis and numerical simulations confirm the effectiveness of the designed control law.
When a Partner Supports Your Sexual Autonomy: Perceived Partner Sexual Autonomy Support, Need Fulfillment, and Satisfaction in Romantic Relationships
Authors: Shoikhedbrod Ariel , Harasymchuk Cheryl , Impett Emily A. , Muise Amy
Published: September 2024

Sexual need fulfillment is central to well-being in romantic relationships. Self-determination theory suggests that perceiving a romantic partner as autonomously supportive is linked with greater well-being through supporting the fulfillment of basic psychological needs. The current research examines whether there are unique associations with need fulfillment and sexual and relationship satisfaction when people perceive their partner as autonomously supportive in the sexual domain. Across three multi-method studies ( N = 786), we developed a measure of perceived partner sexual autonomy support and demonstrated that perceiving sexual autonomy support from a partner in general, during sex, and over time were associated with greater sexual need fulfillment as well as sexual and relationship satisfaction for both partners over and above the association with general perceived autonomy support and perceived partner responsiveness during sex. Sexual need fulfillment also accounted for the positive associations between perceived partner sexual autonomy support and satisfaction across studies.
A Process Study of Evolving Paradoxes and Cross-Sector Goals: A Partnership to Accelerate Global Sustainability
Authors: Williams Amanda , Parker John N. , Kennedy Steve , Whiteman Gail
Published: September 2024

Cross-sector partnerships formed to address societal challenges are widely advocated and increasingly common. Joint goal setting is an essential phase in the collaborative process that can determine the course of a partnership. Yet, little is known about how cross-sector goals change and evolve because goal alignment between partners is often taken for granted. In this article, we qualitatively investigate a case of goal setting within a high-profile partnership across the academic and business sectors called Action2020, which aimed at accelerating global corporate sustainability action based on the planetary boundaries framework. We find that cross-sector goal setting is an iterative, multiphase process complicated by deep-seated sectoral differences that trigger paradoxes and conflict. Our main contribution is a process model of cross-sector goal setting comprising three phases: coalescing, protecting, and reconciling sectoral interests. Our model offers three unique insights that advance the cross-sector paradox literature: Altering the cross-sector goal can harness new opportunities of key turning points in the collaboration, shifting the opposing poles of paradoxes may be a necessary management approach to overcome collaborative barriers, and intermediaries may dampen the ambition of collaborative goals in order to temper paradoxes. We also contribute to the corporate sustainability literature and discuss the implications of moving from organization-centric to systems-based sustainability targets.
Revisiting the Nexus Between Oil Prices and Economic Activity for Asian Economies Using MIDAS
Authors: Karlsson Hyunjoo Kim , Månsson Kristofer
Published: September 2024

The objective of this paper is to re-examine the causal relationship between oil prices and economic activity for five Asian economies. We apply the unrestricted MIDAS (U-MIDAS) model using monthly data for real oil prices and quarterly data for real GDP for the period from 1998Q1 to 2019Q4. The causal nexus between oil prices and economic activity is also studied by means of wavelet analysis to investigate whether the relationship between the variables changes over different time scales. The key empirical results under the MIDAS approach show that there is a clear significant causal link from oil prices to economic activity, which is not as clearly found under the standard VAR approach. In addition, our results using impulse response functions suggest that the five Asian economies respond, in general, positively in economic activity to an oil price shock at shorter time horizons (less than two years), while the positive responses switch to mostly negative ones at longer time horizons (from two to four years). Our results, in general, support that the (theoretically) expected negative causal nexus between oil price fluctuations and economic activity for oil importers is dominant over longer time horizons for our dataset. An exception to this pattern is China, which has a dissimilar country profile in terms of its oil market and production structure from the profiles of the other Asian economies in the study.

JEL Classification: C32, E32, O53, Q43
Child development lags and learning trajectories in primary school in Uruguay: compensation or divergence? / Rezagos en el desarrollo infantil y trayectorias de aprendizaje en la enseñanza primaria de Uruguay: ¿compensación o divergencia?
Authors: Politi Santiago Cardozo , Biramontes Tania
Published: September 2024

We evaluate two rival hypotheses of: (a) divergent trajectories — or cumulative learning gaps — between children with severe and moderate developmental lags and developmentally on-track children; and (b) convergent trajectories — which predict the inverse pattern. We estimate growth curves using panel data from a cohort of students first assessed by the Early Years Evaluation (Uruguay) at the end of kindergarten (age five), assessed up to three times in language and mathematics on an annual basis during years three to five since their transition to first grade. By the third year in school, substantial differences are found in reading and maths skills between children that did and did not show early developmental lags (effects range between .31 and .46 sd). We find a prevalent pattern of divergence in learning gains between years three to five in school (gaps increase by .10 sd per year). Our results suggest that tackling academic gaps will require timely interventions based on early identification of children who are academically at risk. Uruguay has developed early developmental assessment tools and learning monitoring systems, both of which should serve as the basis of an effective early warning system to deal with learning disparities from early ages.
An investigation of Korean music teachers’ perceptions of technology in music classes
Authors: Shin Jihae , Jung Joo Yeon
Published: September 2024

This study explored Korean music teachers’ use of technology and views on integrating technology into music classrooms. Using a mixed methods approach, the researchers administered a survey to 105 music teachers and conducted semi-structured interviews with five music teachers. The results showed that about one-fourth of survey respondents indicated that they rarely incorporate music technology when teaching singing and playing, and generally, music teachers reported that they use music technology infrequently for main class activities. In addition, these Korean music teachers demonstrated limited knowledge of fourth industrial revolution smart technologies, despite viewing AI and the metaverse as potentially helpful for music teaching. Notably, this study found that music teachers consider it necessary to utilize music technologies that enable them to broaden the scope of music curricula.
Digital musicianship in post-pandemic popular music education
Authors: Cheng Lee , Moir Zack , Bell Adam Patrick , Humberstone James , Hein Ethan
Published: September 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about dramatic changes in popular music education, underscoring the importance of technology in both practice and transmission. Nevertheless, the celebration of technological integration as a one-stop solution has led to some challenges remaining overlooked and unsolved, resulting in an increasing mismatch between popular music education and the growth of online musical engagement among young people. Framed by the notion of digital musicianship, this position paper presents an overview of the adoption of technology in popular music education within the lockdown period, in the process raising concerns about whether such revisions can adequately address the challenges faced by popular music education. This leads to a discussion of a potential revamp of digital musicianship as a response to the continued and expanding presence of technology within popular music education and the post-pandemic teaching and learning environment. The authors assert that digital musicianship should encompass learners’ ability to perceive and adopt technologies for online and remote music-making, and critically evaluate their validity and quality in various contexts. Additionally, there is a need to critically address the homogeneity of musical cultures and technological determinism embedded within the design of music technology, alongside tackling the issues of inequality and accessibility.
Synthetic Census Microdata Generation: A Comparative Study of Synthesis Methods Examining the Trade-Off Between Disclosure Risk and Utility
Authors: Little Claire , Allmendinger Richard , Elliot Mark
Published: September 2024

There is growing interest in synthetic data generation as a means of allowing access to useful data whilst preserving confidentiality. In particular, synthetic microdata generation could allow increased access to census and administrative data. An accurate understanding of the comparative performance of current synthetic data generators, in terms of the resulting data utility and disclosure risk for synthetic microdata, is important in allowing data owners to make informed decisions about the choice of method and parameter settings to use. Synthesizing microdata can present challenges as the data typically contains predominantly categorical variables that standard statistical methods may struggle to process. In this paper we present the first in-depth evaluation of four state-of-the-art synthetic data generators originating from the statistical (synthpop, DataSynthesizer) and deep learning (CTGAN, TVAE) communities and each capable of dealing with microdata. We use four real census microdatasets (Canada, Fiji, Rwanda, UK) to systematically validate and compare the synthetic data generators and their parameter settings in terms of the utility and disclosure risk of the resulting synthetic data using statistical metrics and the risk-utility map for visualization. Our analysis shows that the performance of the synthetic data generators considered depends on their parameter settings and the dataset.
Reliability, reproducibility, and potential pitfalls of the O-RADS scoring with non-dynamic MRI
Authors: Kılıçkap Gulsum , Dölek Betül Akdal , Kaya Serhat , Çevik Numan Ilteriş
Published: September 2024

Background

The O-RADS scoring has been proposed to standardize the reporting of adnexal lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Purpose

To assess intra- and inter-observer agreement of the O-RADS scoring using non-dynamic MRI and its agreement with pathologic diagnosis, and to provide the pitfalls in the scoring based on discordant ratings.

Material and Methods

Adnexal lesions that were diagnosed using non-dynamic MRI at two centers were scored using O-RADS. Intra- and inter-observer agreements were assessed using kappa statistics. Cross-tabulations were made for intra- and inter-observer ratings and for O-RADS scores and pathological findings.

Results

Intra- and inter-observer agreements were assessed for 404 lesions in 339 patients who were admitted to center 1. Intra-observer agreement was almost perfect (97.8%, kappa = 0.963) and inter-observer agreement was substantial (83.2%, kappa = 0.730). The combined data from center 1 and center 2 included 496 patients; of them, 295 (59.5%) were operated. There was no borderline or malignant pathology for the lesions with O-RADS 1 or 2. Of those with an O-RADS score of 3, 3 (4.1%) lesions were borderline and none were malignant. The O-RADS scoring in discriminating borderline/malignant lesions from benign lesions was outstanding (area under the ROC curve 0.950, 95% CI = 0.923–0.971). Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of O-RADS 4/5 lesions for borderline/malignant lesions were 96.2%, 87.1%, 72.8%, and 98.4%, respectively.

Conclusion

The O-RADS scoring using non-dynamic MRI is a reproducible method and has good discrimination for borderline/malignant lesions. Potential factors that may lead to discordant ratings are provided here.
Effect of isothermal cooling on solidification behaviour of peritectic steel under in situ observation
Authors: Wang Weian , Yang Yongkun , Zhu Jiayu , Wang Yang , Wang Jianli , Li Xiaoming
Published: September 2024

In order to improve the volume shrinkage of peritectic steel during solidification, the solidification path of peritectic steel was changed by adjusting the cooling mode in this article. The solidification behaviour of peritectic steel under isothermal cooling conditions was studied by in situ observation experiment. The transformation shrinkage degree was reflected by sample surface roughness. The results show that the solidification path under the isothermal cooling is L→L+δ-Fe→δ-Fe→δ-Fe+γ-Fe without peritectic reaction. Moreover, the sample surface morphology was flat under isothermal cooling, and no granular morphology was observed. The surface roughness was 2.55 μm under isothermal cooling, which is much lower than that under different continuous cooling conditions. The surface roughness decrease indicates the solidification volume shrinkage is reduced. Therefore, the risk of cracking can be decreased by adjusting the cooling mode to control the solidification pattern of peritectic steel.