bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accident Analysis and Identification of Black Spots on the Motorways in Pakistan - a Reliability Analysis Approach
Authors: Hussain Muhammad , SHI Jing , Ali Yousaf
Published: October 2021

The objective of this study is to explore the contributory factors responsible for road accidents and identifies the black spots on the three motorways; M1 (Peshawar-Islamabad), M2 (Islamabad-Lahore), and M3 (Pindi BhattianFaisalabad) in Pakistan. Five years’ road accident data was obtained from the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), Pakistan. The database of this study included six hundred road accidents on a total of 574 kilometers long routes of M1, M2 and M3. The reliability analysis approach was used to locate black spot locations on each motorway. For the visualization and mapping of black spots on each motorway, a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used. The results explored that vehicle condition was the significant contributory factor responsible for the maximum number of road accidents on M1 and M3, while for M2, it was drowsy driving. It is also found that a maximum number of road accidents on M2 and M3 occurred in late-night, while for M1, it was day timing. Furthermore, road accidents were relatively higher in May-July and December on M1 and M2, which shows that extreme weather influences the occurrence of road accidents. On the contrary, no substantial variation of road accidents was examined for M3 month-wise. Finally, black spots on each motorway were located and their georeferenced coordinates were presented for future use. As a result, precautionary measures and provisions are suggested for concerned authorities to mitigate road safety problems.
Experimental Study on Influence of Methylcellulose on Tensile and Flexural Strength of Normal Strength Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete
Authors: Ahmed Ali , Ahmad Shakir , Mannal Kaleem Muhammad , Zahid Muhammad Bilal
Published: October 2021

Current study explores the possibility of improvement in various categories of concrete’s strengths (including tensile strength, flexural strength etc.) by using methylcellulose as an additive. The effect of methylcellulose on concrete’s compressive strength has also been investigated experimentally. Concrete samples were casted with several methylcellulose to binder ratios varying from 0.002 to 0.01 by weight of cement. Several tests were performed on concrete specimens including concrete cylinder and cube compression tests, split cylinder tests and modulus of rupture tests. Results showed that addition of methylcellulose increased the tensile strength of concrete. Addition of 0.2% of methylcellulose increased the tensile strength of concrete by 16%. This increase in tensile strength reached up to 73% of the control sample on addition of 1% methylcellulose. It was observed that the effect of methylcellulose on compressive strength of concrete depends upon the type of samples being tested (cube or cylinder). The compressive strength of concrete cylinders showed a plateau behavior with peak at 0.4% methylcellulose content with an increase of 18.7%. Effect of methylcellulose on concrete cylinder strength becomes insignificant beyond 0.6%. It was observed that addition of methylcellulose reduces the modulus of rupture values. The reduction in MOR was only 3% at 0.2% methylcellulose content but it grew to 30% at 1% methylcellulose content. The research presents an effective way of increasing tensile strength of concrete but without significant effect on concrete’s compressive strength and modulus of rupture values. These findings can be used to determine optimum content of methylcellulose to achieve desired performance from concrete depending upon the intended use.
Effect of Varying Initial Processing Temperature on Mechanical Properties of Carbon Epoxy Composites
Authors: Khan Wajid Ali , Khalid Jawad , Raja Arsalan
Published: October 2021

Use of composite materials for structural application has greatly flourished in last three decades. Mechanical properties of carbon composite are largely dependent on the processing parameters like processing temperature, compaction pressure, resin flow and fiber orientation. Processing temperature has an important and decisive role in defining the properties of the composites and absence of proper temperature can cause reduced mechanical properties and defects like wrinkles and voids. This study focuses on varying the initial processing temperature for carbon laminates and documents the effect on mechanical properties of the composite produced. The testing range of temperature was specified by the choice of resin. It was found that the mechanical properties like tensile, bending and shear strength increased non-linearly with increasing initial temperature of processing. Increase of fiber volume fraction, fiber weight fraction and density were observed which along with better resin distribution, resin flow and increased laminate compaction can be attributed as key reasons of increased mechanical properties
Productivity Enhancement at Molding Compound Manufacturing Plant by Applying Time and Motion Analysis
Authors: Waseem Muhammad , Ghani Usman , Habib Tufail , Noor Sahar , Khan Tauseef
Published: October 2021

Commercial boundaries have been erased by markets globalization. Companies around the world compete with each other and thus are enforced to improve their products and processes. These improvements depend on a number of factors such as proper management, working environment, and available technology, etc. Inappropriate design of the working environment is one of the main reasons for lower productivity. Inadequate and incomplete working environments caused by ignoring standard methods in planning level, persistent physical disorders and increase mistakes impact the productivity in the working environment. Maximum productivity, with less physical load and energy consumption, is achieved when the compliance occurs between worker and task. This paper aims to optimize ineffective time and eliminate undesired operations at Molding Compound Manufacturing plants using the time and motion study techniques. The results represent a significant improvement in the production process in productivity and cycle time to optimize the system. There is a substantial increase in the production of the product by simplifying the working method and changing the work sequence. Productivity is improved by eliminating unnecessary movements, simplifying individual tasks and changing operations sequence. Results show that time for each milling operation reduced from 36.3 minutes to 22.5 min, the number of machines reduced from 4 to 3.48 and productivity improved from 5 bags per hour per worker to 7.14 bags per hour per worker.
Extraction of Hydroxyapatite from Caprine Bones and its Anti-Bacterial Study
Authors: Rehman Mujeeb Ur Rehman , Qureshi Ayatullah , Baloch Muhammad Moazam
Published: October 2021

Bones are mineralized connecting tissues consisting of 70% of Hydroxyapatite (HAP); it is the major component of the bone. Hydroxyapatite (HAP) is most important biomaterial possessing all distinguish features such as antibacterial activity, bioactive and non-inflammatory behavior. Hydroxyapatite is mainly synthesized by two routes i.e. i) using inorganic substances and ii) by exploiting natural sources. The aim of this study is to extract hydroxyapatite using solid waste (animal bones) and to investigate its antibacterial activity. The extraction consisted of alkaline technique and calcination methods. During alkaline process bones became very soft and were easily converted into powder using mortar and pestle without utilizing any milling process and anti-bacterial response was higher when compared to previous studies. The characterization techniques that were utilized are; X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in order to reveal phase composition, functional groups and surface morphology of HAP. Antibacterial activity was checked by zone of inhibition
GaN Based HEMT Power Amplifier Design with 44.5dBm Output Power Operating at 5-7GHz
Authors: Hussain Syed Mudassir , Mir Talha
Published: October 2021

The next-generation wireless communication systems including satellite, radar, and mobile communications need application-specific power amplifiers that can operate at very high frequencies and high power with the overall minimum power consumption from the system. To meet such stringent requirements there is a rising interest in amplifier designs based on GaN transistors. This paper presents an improved design of a high power amplifier based on GaN HEMT transistor operating at the frequency band 5GHz – 7GHz with optimized output power level. The presented design is based on a 12 Watt Discrete Power GaN on SiC HEMT from TriQuint. In this manuscript, we have considered the stability of the amplifier for the whole operating frequency band, its input and output matching impedance, gain, and maximum output power. The design of the Radio Frequency (RF) power amplifier and its overall performance are carried out using an advanced design system (ADS). The simulation results of the device stability and the output power level achieved provides a good comparison with the parameters and specifications of the device used. For better correlations in the simulation results and measurements, the accuracy of passive element designs are also considered. The simulation and experiment results show that the designed high power amplifier has achieved an output power level of 44.5 dBm at 1 dB compression point.
Mutations in Burnt-Clay Brick Properties attributable to Waste Glass
Authors: Ali Ahsan , Hanif Fatima , Ali Nazam , Nadeem Muhammad , Rashid Muhammad Usman
Published: October 2021

Recently, the need of high living standards and developments in modern technology have significantly increased the usage of throwaway glass products. The use of these waste glass products in the production of construction materials (especially bricks) is ultimately very wholesome approach towards sustainable development. In this study, wasted glass up to 20% by weight was added to observe its impacts on bricks. The bricks containing powder glass were burnt along with ordinary bricks (with no powder glass) in same kiln and under same condition (type of fuel, temperature, duration etc.). The results illustrated that the properties of bricks vividly improved such as areal density, water absorption and efflorescence. The 20% increase of waste glass in the brick samples resulted in 14% decrease in areal density. The addition of fine powder glass filled the pores and reduced porosity of bricks. The substantial reduction in water absorption of 26.14% were observed with 20% addition of waste glass content. Also efflorescence was less in specimens having less quantity of waste glass burnt at higher temperatures. The present study presented a comprehensive analysis of waste glass as a mixing component for producing light weight sustainable bricks with improved water absorption properties.
The impact of climate change on the water requirement of grasslands in Serbia
Authors: Stricevic Ruzica , Simic Aleksandar , Vujadinovic-Mandic Mirjam , Sokolovic Dejan
Published: October 2021

Due to the air temperature increase, longer growing seasons and erratic
rainfalls in the last two decades, natural grasslands like meadows or
pastures grow in unfavourable climatic conditions that disable the
regeneration. The aim of this work is to assess the impact of climate
changes on the water requirement of grasslands in Serbia. The results of
ensembles of nine regional climate models from the EURO-CORDEX database were
used to analyse future climatic conditions. As the most probable value, the
median of scores obtained for each ensemble member was considered. The
period of 1986-2005 was used as the reference. The time slices in future
periods are: 2016-2035 (the near future), 2046-2065 (the mid-century) and
2081-2100 (the end of the century). Analyses were conducted for two
scenarios of GHG emissions: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Permanent grasslands will be
more prone to drought risks in the future. Water shortage could be expected
at the end of May when the water stored in the soil will be depleted by the
duration of drought until September heavy rains. According to both
scenarios, an increment of water requirement of 7% could be expected in the
near future. The RCP4.5 scenario projects an increase in the water
requirement in the range of 10.7-24.2% from the mid to the end of the
century. The less favourable but more realistic RCP8.5 scenario projects a
water need increment in the range from 4% to 14 % in the mid-century and
28.4-41.9% toward the end of the century. Recent research indicates that
drought resistance will be developed through natural diversity and the
spread of species resistant to high temperatures and water scarcity.
Cicero’s mission of transferring Greek philosophy into Latin language and the creation of Latin philosophical terminology
Authors: Andrijasevic Marina
Published: October 2021

Marcus Tullius Cicero is considered to be one of the greatest Roman statesmen
and orators, however, this lucid creator?s philosophical writings lie in the
shadow of his highly valued speeches, rhetorical writings and letters. He is
widely regarded as a politician, lawyer, orator, yet few consider him a
philosopher. This seems unjustified, having in mind that he received an
outstanding philosophical education, wrote about numerous philosophical
subjects, translated and explicated Greek authors and their philosophical
doctrine. The goal of this paper is to show Cicero?s contribution to the
transfer of Greek philosophy onto Latin soil, illuminate his role in the
creation of Latin philosophical terminology, as well as reasons which
motivated him to do so. Our subject will be presented from a
linguoculturological aspect with the analysis of some of the terms, which
Cicero imported into Latin philosophical vocabulary.
The separation of church and state as the foundation of religious toleration in Locke’s political thought
Authors: Matic Ivan
Published: October 2021

The subject of this paper will be the analysis of the question of religious
toleration in the political thought of seventeenth century English
philosopher John Locke. The first part of the paper will discuss the
foundational principles of Locke?s political thought, particularly his
contract theory. The second part will be dedicated to situating his
positions on freedom of religion within the domain of that theory,
accentuating the moment of separation between church and state. The final
part will analyze the implications of religious toleration, as well as its
limits, upon which Locke?s criterion of freedom of religion will be
critically examined.
The standard narrative of early modern philosophy: The main flaws and Kant’s influence
Authors: Smajevic-Roljic Milica
Published: October 2021

During the twentieth century, a standard narrative of early modern philosophy
was established in the English-speaking world, according to which all
authors of this period were divided into two schools of thought: rationalist
and empiricist. The main goal set in this text is to examine the central
features of this narrative to show its incompleteness and inadequacy in
presenting the relations that existed between the figures of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries. We will see that convincing critiques of this
theory have been made in the last few decades, which point out its main
flaws. The second goal of this paper is to show, by analyzing the texts of
Immanuel Kant, that he is not responsible for the creation and dissemination
of this narrative, although in the secondary literature the opposite is
often claimed.
Performance Monitoring of a Sulphur Recovery Unit: A Real Start- up Plant
Authors: AY Ibrahim
Published: October 2021

A Sulphur recovery unit at a refining plant in the Middle East, which began official production in 2020, treats all acid gas to elemental Sulphur. Acid gas cannot be released into the atmosphere because of stringent environmental regulations. To test some essential parameters, the plant was simulated using a special Sulphur package in HYSYS called SULSIM. One of the most critical keys, the (H 2 S/SO 2 ) ratio, was checked after simulation validation. The optimal ratio is 2. Any deviation from this ratio results in serious issues in the process, such as catalyst ageing in the reactors. The effect of reducing the ratio from 2 to 0.22 was investigated in a case study. The temperature of the reduction reactor's outlet rose from 279.73 o C to 314.34 o C, which was higher than normal. The performance of the catalyst was measured on six separate days. The temperature difference and the pressure difference through the bed are the two most important parameters in catalyst monitoring. The ΔT designs for the first Claus reactor, second Claus reactor, and Reduction reactor are 51, 20 and 24 o C, respectively. 0.04, 0.14, and 0.04 kg/cm 2 g are the ΔP designs in the first Claus reactor, second Claus reactor, and Reduction reactor, respectively. The actual parameters were found to be in the normal range. Sulphur production is calculated in two ways: by the level of the Sulphur production tank and by calculating the material balance by laboratory analysis. Based on a comparison in four days the calculations are precise because of the levels, and large deviations are revealed by laboratory analysis. The percentage deviation error was found to be (-36.4, 70.7, -7.6, -10.5) percent by the laboratory analysis.
Real Time Emissions Monitoring: The Foundation of a Blockchain Enabled Carbon Economy
Authors: P Nielsen
Published: October 2021

With 49% of the world’s GDP under net zero goals, the global community is changing in how it treats emissions and carbon releases, with shareholders, stakeholders and investors demanding transparency on current performance and strategies to reduce or offset emissions. High frequency, reliable data empowers an organisation to strategically optimise and track emissions to reach committed goals from the asset level to the board room and across direct, indirect and supply chain sources (Scope 1, 2 and 3). A carbon footprinting solution, which provides a holistic view of total greenhouse gas emissions, requires a combination of carbon accounting, control system integration, emissions monitoring and greenhouse gas reporting software, to deliver an automated, reliable and verifiable real-time emissions/carbon reporting solution. This solution is also critical in providing managed data which can be utilised in the carbon economy and when combined with a Blockchain platform, results in a holistic data transfer chain for emissions reporting which is secure, transparent and trusted throughout industry and government. The role of comprehensive, connected environmental monitoring will be explored in the role of effective emissions offset and carbon trading economies with Blockchain supported technologies being presented as an enabling aspect of the overall solution. Smart contracts embedded within a Blockchain solution could automate trading mechanisms however require quality emissions monitoring data as a foundation for successful implementation. The role of quality emissions monitoring and governance in this process will be presented together with implications for industry and government for the carbon economy.
Research on the Change Law of the Annular Pressure for the Deepwater Riserless Mud Recovery System during Drilling Operations
Authors: X Li
Published: October 2021

The precise control of the annular pressure involves drilling safety and drilling cost, which have always been the focus of drilling engineering. In this paper, combined with the characteristics of the Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR) System, the calculation method of equivalent circulating density (ECD) and annulus pressure of the RMR system is proposed. According to the characteristics of the heat exchange of the RMR system, a mathematical model of the thermal field in the annular is established. The variation law of thermal field in the annular of some well sections was simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. Comparing the CFD analysis results with the calculation results of mathematical models, the feasibility of the mathematical model is verified, and the temperature variation curve in the annulus is obtained. Based on the drilling data of a vertical well in the South China Sea, this paper analyzes the effects of seawater depth, equivalent static density (ESD) of drilling fluid, cuttings concentration, and discharge capacity on the annular pressure and ECD of the RMR system.
(Not) Knowing and (Not) Caring About Animal Research
Authors: McGlacken Renelle
Published: October 2021

Animal research remains a practice marked by controversy and moral dilemma. However, UK science-society dialogues on the issue are increasingly managed via one-way transmissions of information which construct publics as passive and attribute their concerns to a lack of ‘correct’ knowledge. Challenging such assumptions, this paper questions how and why people actively manage their interactions with animal research through entangled practices of knowing and caring. Based on an analysis of writing from the UK Mass Observation Project, this paper explores difficulties and discomforts associated with animal research which can cause strategic withdrawals from engagements with the topic. In doing so, it extends existing concepts of ‘uncomfortable knowledge’ (Rayner) and ‘strategic ignorance’ (McGoey) to develop novel concepts of ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘strategic’ care. Finally, in examining desires to respond to animal research, I engage with Haraway’s notion of ‘response-ability’ to introduce the concepts of ‘responsive caring’ and ‘responsive knowing’
Insect Affects
Authors: Santaoja Minna
Published: October 2021

With increasing interest in citizen science, this paper discusses how amateur naturalism, especially amateur entomology, is placed within citizen science discourses. Through a case study of amateur entomology in Finland, the paper discusses amateurs' diverse motivations for engaging with nature. The paper discusses especially the affective and ethical aspects of amateur entomology and its implications for citizen science. The discussion is based on an ethnographic study of an entomologist society. The paper suggests that amateur naturalism cannot be reduced to any single definition of citizen science, but amateur entomologists enact different epistemologies as knowledge producers and active citizens. The amateurs are often motivated by an ethical 'first contract' with nature. The rich amateur culture may democratize and 're-enchanting' science, provided the scientist worldview of superior data is not allowed to conceal the diversity of amateur motivations.
Model Penyebaran Perilaku Merokok Berdasarkan Faktor Biologis dan Lingkungan Provinsi Riau
Authors: Suryani, M.Sc Irma , Soleh Mohammad , Kelana Habibul
Published: October 2021

Paper ini membahas tentang penyebaran perilaku merokok berdasarkan faktor biologis dan faktor lingkungan di Provinsi Riau. Model  mempunyai dua titik ekuilibrium yaitu titik ekuilibrium bebas rokok dan titik ekuilibrium endemik rokok. Titik ekuilibrium ditentukan dengan menyelesaikan persamaan pada model dan diuji kestabilannya dengan kriteria nilai eigen dan Routh Hurwitz. Hasil yang diperoleh dari penelitian ini adalah titik ekulibrium bebas rokok dan titik ekuilibrium endemik stabil asimtotik lokal
Legal functional literacy: the concept and levels
Authors: Iliukhina Vera , Gertsog Tamara , Demichev Alexey
Published: October 2021

The purpose of the article is to determine the essence of such a socio-legal phenomenon as functional legal literacy, as well as to identify and characterize its levels. The main methods on which the research has been based are the dialectical method of cognition, which allows studying socio-legal phenomena in their development and interaction, as well as a systematic approach that makes it possible to consider legal functional literacy as a set of interrelated elements. The authors conclude that legal functional literacy is a universal socio-legal phenomenon peculiar to any society. However, it always has specific content, depending on historical and geopolitical conditions, belonging to a certain legal family and other circumstances. The article substantiates the position that legal functional literacy is a structural component of functional literacy, which is a complex personal and group education, which is based on a system of theoretical knowledge and practical skills focused on the effective implementation of legal relations in society.
Exploring emoji as a viable cultural tool in WhatsApp communications among Malaysian undergraduates
Authors: Sabri Ahmad Fakrusy Syakirin Ahmad , Yusoff Siti Zanariah , Hassan Isyaku
Published: October 2021

An emoji is a form of a symbol in communication available on almost all social media platforms. Its convenience brings potential implications for its usage in digital communication. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of emojis in WhatsApp communication and the influence of culture on emoji usage among undergraduates in Malaysia. The study employed a qualitative approach in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight undergraduates of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA). The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Overall, the findings revealed that emojis increase communication efficiency. The participants have positive attitudes towards emoji usage. They describe emojis as viable symbols that help them to maintain social relations and express feelings. Additionally, the findings showed that Malaysian culture influences emoji communication by promoting harmony and relationships as well as instilling high context values in emoji usage. This research concludes that emojis can influence WhatsApp Communication positively if utilized correctly.
Measures to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and the permissibility of human rights restrictions
Authors: Mendzhul Mariya
Published: October 2021

Following the declaration of a pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the EU and Ukraine have taken various measures to prevent infection and protect the health of citizens, including: mandatory obervation (most countries); introduction of the rules of responsibitity for violation of quarantine restrictions (usually administrative, but criminal liability is also possible); closure of educational and entertainment facilities, as well as public catering establishments (remote operation of educational facilities is allowed, as well as operation of public catering establishments with food delivery); obligation to wear masks; prohibition of movement of groups of persons; maximum transfer of employees to remote work; ban on operation of most companies (introduced by Italy and Spain); closing borders; curfew (introduced in Italy, Spain and Georgia); self-isolation of persons belonging to risk groups. Ukraine has implemented all these measures, except for curfew and closure of all enterprises.

Implemented measures in most countries have restricted: freedom of movement and peaceful assembly of citizens; the right to private and family life; protection of personal data; freedom of religion (most European countries and Ukraine have banned services and other religious ceremonies with gatherings); the right to medical care (in many countries, citizens have limited access to non-life-saving medical services, including dental, preventive medical services, non-urgent operations, etc.) and others.

In the context of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, states relied on various types of measures, which allowed us to distinguish three models: "hard" model (USA and most European countries and Ukraine); the "minimum intervention" model (introduced in South Korea); the "maximum public awareness" model (in Sweden). The question of the proportionality of measures taken by the state to counter the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered by the ECtHR regardless of whether the state has made a declaration of derogation, and the establishment of a violation of a particular right will depend on the specific situation in the country, scope and length of applied measures, as well as their feasibility and effectiveness.
A STUDY OF EUPHEMIZED ABUSIVE JAVANESE TERMS AND THEIR FIGURATIVE MEANINGS
Authors: Budiyana Yoseph Edmundus , Dagsani Rakhmadati
Published: October 2021

Speech community frequently uses language for insulting. This study deals with a perspective to find out the classification of the euphemized abusive Javanese terms based on Huang and Warren (1993) and their figurative meanings. By using qualitative method, the writer collected nine public documents related to the euphemized abusive Javanese terms. Then, they were examined and validated by five Javanese experts such as lecturers, puppeteers, and teachers to check their accuracy. The results show that based on Huang and Warrens theory, abstract and spirit provenance for insult attacking physical shortcomings; intellectual shortcomings; character and personality deviations; and personal behavior and social deviations are absent. Secondly, the euphemized abusive Javanese terms for insult attacking physical shortcomings are not found. Thirdly, new provenance, emotion is found in insult attacking characters and personalities. Lastly, from figurative meaning facet, the majority of the euphemized abusive Javanese terms have metaphorical meanings, while the others belong to irony and simile.
Lying, computers and self-awareness
Authors: Castro Paulo
Published: October 2021

From the initial analysis of John Morris in 1976 about if computers can lie, I have presented my own treatment of the problem using what can be called a computational lying procedure. One that uses two Turing Machines. From there, I have argued that such a procedure cannot be implemented in a Turing Machine alone. A fundamental difficulty arises, concerning the computational representation of the self-knowledge a machine should have about the fact that it is lying. Contrary to Morris’ claim, I have thus suggested that computers – as far as they are Turing Machines – cannot lie. Consequently, I have claimed that moral agency attribution to a robot or any other automated AI system, cannot be made, strictly grounded on imitating behaviors. Self-awareness as an ontological grounding for moral attribution must be evoked. This can pose a recognition problem from our part, should the sentient system be the only agent capable of acknowledging its own sentience.
Vulnerable Patient Outreach Program (VPOP)
Authors: Kellner Thomas , Hereford Brittainy , Stephens Mark
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted many traditional patient care delivery models. To help meet patient needs, the Penn State Health Department of Family and Community Medicine started a medical student-run Vulnerable Patient Outreach Program (VPOP). This program pairs medical students with providers to address healthcare needs for the most vulnerable patients. At the program outset, a total of 125 patients were identified and 64 agreed to participate. All patients were over the age of 65 and had multiple medical comorbidities. This study reviews the impact of VPOP on the care of 34 participants. Each participant completed pre-structured satisfaction surveys over the phone. The results indicate a high degree (94%) of patient satisfaction. Patients were particularly comfortable communicating their health needs to medical students and specifically highlighted medical student professionalism. Medical students also found this program to be beneficial, citing an ability to help during pandemic times in a clinically meaningful way. The highly positive reactions from both patients and medical students suggest that outreach programs, like this one, are one way to meet the needs of vulnerable patients. These findings also suggest that, as a longitudinal experience beyond COVID-19, medical students may benefit from participation in vulnerable patient outreach programs.
Home as Workplace: A Spatial Reading of Work-Homes
Authors: Sohane Nidhi , Lall Ruchika , Chandran Ashwatha , Hasan Lala Rasha , Kapoor Namrata , Deepak Gajjar Harshal
Published: October 2021

When home serves as workplace, the interface of domestic and productive spheres has spatial and social effects on various users of the space, scaling at times to the neighbourhood and the city. This study looks at all the ways in which home aids work — spatially and infrastructurally — and illustrates the role of various factors and actors in engaging with and shaping the work-home boundary. Work-homes in the Global South often engage transversally with formal planning. Users of work-homes exercise their agency in complex ways to maneuver the work-home boundary, often making post-facto modifications to the work-home. The study collates a repository of spatial and temporal innovation strategies devised by users to balance domestic and productive spheres in their homes, as a site to derive lessons for planning, housing policy and architecture. It investigates the role of the state in spatially enabling or limiting work-homes, and using the Indian context as an illustrative example, suggests enabling frameworks in planning that address the spatial particularities of work-homes
Effects Of Minocycline Combined With Tinidazole For Treatment Of Chronic Periodontitis
Authors: Huang Jiangjian , Xue Jianping , Gu Jinchao
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effects of minocycline combined with tinidazole in the treatment of chronic periodontitis (CP).
Methods: Seventy-three CP patients treated May 2018–December 2019 at Yuyao People’s Hospital (Yuyao, China) were enrolled in this study: 34 were treated with minocycline alone (control group; CG) and 39 were treated with a combination of minocycline and tinidazole (observation group; OG). Both groups were treated continuously for four weeks and plaque index (PLI), bleeding index (BI), periodontal pocket depth (PD), periodontal attachment level (PAL) and alveolar bone height were compared before and after treatment. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Levels of TNF-α and IL-6 before and after treatment were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Adverse reactions were compared.
Results: In each group, PLI, BI, PD, PAL and alveolar bone height were lower after treatment (P<0.05), and those in OG were lower than those in CG (P<0.05). TNF-α and IL-6 levels in both groups were lower after treatment (P<0.05), and the levels in serum of the OG were lower than those of the CG (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS in OG was lower than that of CG (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in adverse reactions between groups (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Minocycline combined with tinidazole was more effective in treating CP than minocycline alone. This drug combination improved the periodontal indexes and inflammatory reaction of CP and relieved their pain. No significant difference in adverse reactions was seen.
Convergence of Spanish Regions, 1990-2003. A New Approach Using Stochastic Dominance Techniques
Authors: García Carmelo , Ahamdanech Ismael , Prieto Mercedes
Published: October 2021

The traditional analysis of economic convergence between countries or regions is usually performed by comparing distribution means, such as per-capita income. This kind of analysis, which is intimately related to the economic welfare of a society, presents, however, only a partial approach to measuring economic convergence, given that the disparities within regions or countries are not considered. The empirical methodology used in this article complements the traditional convergence approach, introducing efficiency and inequality aspects of income distribution. Using first and second stochastic dominance, the convergence among Spanish regions from 1990 to 2003 is studied by means of two new statistics developed here. Per-capita income data taken from the Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares (EPF [the Spanish Household Budget Survey]) of 1990-1991 and the Spanish Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) of 2003 are employed to make the comparisons. We find that a divergence process is taking place in Spain between rich and poor regions
Employment-Based Health Insurance and Pension Benefits: Trends and Inequalities in Accessibility and Participation, 1987-2001
Authors: Brady Peter , Lin Emily Y.
Published: October 2021

This paper documents changing patterns in employment-based health insurance and pension benefits among private-sector wage and salary workers between 1987 and 2001 and examines the trends by workforce characteristics. The results show that benefit differentials across educational groups increased in terms of both accessibility and participation rates during this period. The differential in pension accessibility and health insurance coverage rose primarily prior to 1993, whereas the differential in pension participation expanded consistently throughout the period. Using decomposition methods, we evaluate the importance of shifts in the relative employment distribution and changes in unobserved differences in explaining these trends.
Trends in Intergenerational Earnings Mobility in the U.S.
Authors: Fertig Angela R.
Published: October 2021

This paper examines the trend in intergenerational earnings mobility by estimating ordinary least squares, quantile regression, and transition matrix coefficients using five cohorts from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The results indicate that mobility in real earnings increased for sons with respect to fathers and remained constant for all other parent-child pairs. The findings from the father-son sample also suggest that the difference between the mobility levels of the rich and the poor narrowed over this period. These results suggest that a rise in equality of opportunity for sons accompanied the recent growth in inequality.
The Changing Profile of Poverty in Germany after Unification: Cross-Section and Panel Views
Authors: Bishop John A. , Zeager Lester A.
Published: October 2021

We compare poverty among former East and West Germans and foreign guest workers in 1992 and 1996 using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP). We find reversals in poverty rankings between former East Germans and foreign guest workers using headcount ratio and a Sen poverty index. With the more comprehensive Sen measure, we find convergence in poverty between the former East and West Germans. A probit analysis uncovers the changing characteristics of the poor over time. A longitudinal analysis of income sources for former East Germans who were poor in 1992 reveals alternative escape routes from poverty.
Sampling Errors and Cross-Country Comparisons of Income Inequality
Authors: Aaberge Rolf
Published: October 2021

The growing interest in cross-national comparisons of income inequality is primarily a result of the establishment of the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) database and the wide range of studies on income inequality based on LIS data. The majority of these studies suffer, however, from a major weakness since sampling errors are neither reported nor taken into account when nations are ranked according to estimates of the Gini coefficient or some alternative measure of inequality. This paper discusses the impact of accounting for sampling errors when making comparisons of income inequality across nations.
How to Decompose Sen-Shorrocks-Thon Poverty Index: A Practitioner’s Guide
Authors: Xu Kuan , Osberg Lars
Published: October 2021

The Sen-Shorrocks-Thon index of poverty intensity is a useful measure of poverty intensity, but the link between the index and its decompositions is not necessarily transparent. This guide documents our experience using the index and is written to assist other policy analysts to compute and understand this index and its decomposition with simple mathematics, numerical examples and geometrical figures.
Inequality in Ireland 1987-1994: A Comparison Using Measures of Income and Consumption>
Authors: O’Neil Donald , Sweetman Olive
Published: October 2021

This article provides a detailed description of recent trends in inequality in Ireland. To date most of the analysis of inequality in Ireland has used income data. We supplement this with detailed data on individual expenditure taken from the Household Budget Survey. While the results on inequality are not sensitive to the choice of resource measure used, we find that the composition of the low-spending group and the low-income group differ.
Measuring Poverty Using Both Income and Wealth
Authors: Zagorsky Jay L.
Published: October 2021

Since official U.S. poverty measures are based solely on income, the amount of wealth held by a family is immaterial in determining their poverty status. This research expands the poverty definition to encompass a family’s total financial resources. While most income-poor families have little or no wealth, approximately one-third have significant holdings. Using total financial resources both lowers average U.S. poverty rates over selected years from 15.2% of all families to a range between 8.8% and 11.3% and provides a measurement tool for tracking the effects of government wealth-building programs on families under the poverty line.
The Beaman Distribution: A New Descriptive Model for the Size
Distribution of Incomes
Authors: Maclachlan Fiona C. , Reith John E.
Published: October 2021

A new two-parameter descriptive model for the size distribution of
incomes is presented. The Beaman distribution, originally found to describe
the relationship between prices and sales volumes of textiles and
related products, is shown to fit closely US Census data on individual
incomes over the past twenty years. The two parameters of the model
represent the minimum and median levels of income. An important advantage
of the Beaman distribution over other two-parameter models
is that negative incomes can be accounted for.
How the Distribution of After-Tax Income Changed Over the
1990s Business Cycle: A Comparison of the United States,
Great Britain, Germany and Japan
Authors: Burkhauser Richard V. , Oshio Takashi , Rovba Ludmila
Published: October 2021

Using kernel density estimation we find that over the 1990s business
cycles in the United States and Great Britain the entire distribution
of after-tax (disposable) income moved to the right while inequality
declined. In contrast, Germany and Japan experienced less growth, a
rise in inequality, and a decline in the middle mass of their distributions,
that spread mostly to the right, much like in the United States
over its 1980s business cycle. Inequality fell within the older populations
of all four countries; inequality also fell within the younger populations
of the United States and Great Britain, but it rose substantially
in Germany and Japan.
Wage Inequality in Post-Reform Mexico
Authors: Airola Jim , Juhn Chinhui
Published: October 2021

Using the ENIGH covering 1984-2002, we analyze wages and employment
in Mexico after trade liberalization and domestic reforms.
We find that wage inequality and returns to post-secondary schooling
increased rapidly during 1984-1994 but stabilized since that period.
The end of inequality growth was due to a severe macroeconomic crisis
which adversely impacted the better educated, an increase in education
levels at the end of the 1990s, and a slowdown in skill demand in the
latter half of the 1990s. Between industry shifts, consistent with tradebased
explanations, account for a part of the increase in skill demand
during 1984-1994, but these types of movements actually reduced the
demand for skill in the latter part of the 1990s. The equalizing impact
of trade was offset by within-industry demand shifts which continued
to favor more educated workers. The Mexican experience in the 1990s
suggests that market-oriented reforms have a sharp initial impact on
inequality which dissipates over time but further that opening the economy
to trade, foreign capital, and global markets does lead to a more
long-run increase in the demand for skill.
More on Non-White Poverty and Economic Growth
Authors: Hoover Gary A , Collins Sondra R , Yaya Mehmet E.
Published: October 2021

We use Seemingly Unrelated Regressions (SUR), to explore the impact of three different measures of economic activity -- growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment, and manufacturing employment -- on poverty among whites, blacks and Hispanics in the United States. This analysis is unique in that we further disaggregate the data, by looking at the impact of growth across racial/ethnic groups in four census regions. We find that the impacts of the various measures of economic activity vary greatly by the group and the region. In particular, Hispanic poverty tends to be strongly related to changes in the unemployment rate, while white poverty tends to be strongly related to changes in manufacturing.
A Consumption Model of Income Inequality
Authors: Wessels Walter J.
Published: October 2021

This article focuses on the inequality of incomes between the very
rich and the rest of society. Accordingly, it measures inequality as the
ratio of the share of national income of the top five percent of households
over the share of the rest of society. It shows that this measure
of inequality increases when productivity grows in the manufacturing
sector and decreases when productivity grows in the nonmanufacturing
sector. These results suggest the rich earn relatively more when productivity
lags in the nonmanufacturing sector. A model is presented
that provides an explanation for these results. With complete markets,
risk-averse individuals will hold a portfolio of assets that effectively
produces the goods they intend to consume in order to insure they get
the consumption mix they want. Since the rich spend relatively more
on superior goods, they will hold relatively more assets in the superior
good sector. When productivity grows in the necessity sector, the relative
price of superior goods increases and the rich, holding relatively
more of the assets producing superior goods, will become richer. The
opposite occurs when productivity grows in the superior-good sector.
Evidence suggests that nonmanufactured goods are superior goods.
The Impact of Cross-Border Commuters on Occupational Wages: Comparison of Some Nonparametric Tests and Their Application to Geneva’s Labor Market
Authors: Saez-Rodriguez Alberto
Published: October 2021

In this article, we are interested in the statistical methods that can be used to test for the wage differential between local workers and cross border commuters at the low end of the pay scale. This paper uses numerical simulations and recently developed tests for distribution crossing (CDF). The present study applies the model to data for Geneva. Numerical simulations suggest that recently developed tests for distribution crossing are powerful even when the two distributions being studied are fairly similar and that these tests can be usefully combined with more typical quantile tests to characterize the wages of unskilled workers at the bottom of the income distribution. Although the present analyses demonstrated no obvious cross point between native and cross-border wages, future studies should explore the extent to which volunteer samples are, in general, representative of the larger population of local workers.
Growth, Employment and Poverty in South Africa: In Search of a Trickle-Down Effect
Authors: Odhiambo Nicholas M
Published: October 2021

In this article we examine the dynamic causal relationship between economic growth, employment, and poverty reduction in South Africa -- using the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing procedure. The study attempts to answer one critical question: does economic growth in South Africa trickle down to the poor through job creation? The study uses two proxies to measure the incidence of poverty in South Africa, namely household consumption per capita and infant mortality. The empirical results of the study fail to support the trickle-down effect between economic growth and poverty reduction in South Africa. Moreover, the results show that there is no causal relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction in either direction. The results apply irrespective of whether the poverty level is measured by the real per-capita consumption or by the infant mortality rate.