bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trans*agrarian Marxisms?
Authors: Gagliano Jamie C. , Liebman Alexander
Published: May 2024

This article recasts agrarian studies’ concerns with nature, productivity, and subjectivity through the provocations raised by transgender Marxism. Transgender Marxism has interrogated how normative gender, sexuality, and racial dynamics are inseparable from the material and reproductive matrices required for capital. Critical agrarian studies has a long history of carefully tracing out the political economy of agrarian capitalism and resistance to it. Engaging with the unruly materialisms of transgender Marxism would further the work of critical agrarian studies, particularly in regard to the ways gender and sexuality are taken up in the field. The project of transgender Marxism offers a scathing critique of rights-based recognition, hetero- and homonormativity, apoliticized science, and the ways in which the biological family figures at the heart of capitalist reproduction. Such questions have been taken up in small corners of queer and feminist critical agrarian studies, particularly those rooted in the United States, but transgender Marxism offers a new opportunity to bring together the material and historical concerns of the ways agrarian capitalism takes place and creates conditions for unruly forms of resistance. The article demonstrates their possible interconnectivities by exploring three themes: theories of change, the centrality of gender/sex in the agrarian, and unruly, ungrounded materialisms. While primarily a theoretical intervention, the article draws some insights from the authors’ ethnographic work in Paraguay and Colombia to ground the theoretical possibilities in place.
We Are Castaways: Archipelagic Imagination in Our Trembling Échos-monde
Authors: Imafuku Ryuta , Kabir Ananya Jahanara , Raimondi Luca
Published: May 2024

This article, here translated from the author's original lecture in Portuguese, distills his experiences of fieldwork in Latin America and reading of Caribbean authors who took his “imagination to the creole seas,” from which emerged eventually a “vision of archipelago” as a space-time splintering conducted from underwater, anti-continental perspectives. Bringing the challenge of archipelagicity to the reconfiguring of time as well as space, the lecture traces his journey from creole toward archipelago. Traversing the Mississippi delta, island clusters, and coral atolls in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean worlds, gathering up the poetics of dialects, pidgins, creoles, and other errant tongues, it is an “unpacific” voyage that dredges up the author's East Asian, Pacific Rim identity as a divining rod for sensing archipelagic connections between differently creolized subjectivities. This meaningful web, generated through a shared awareness of not history but its lack, constitutes a new home: “a dwelling called archipelago.”
The Flight to Safety and International Risk Sharing
Authors: Kekre Rohan , Lenel Moritz
Published: May 2024

We study a business cycle model of the international monetary system featuring a time-varying demand for safe dollar bonds, greater risk-bearing capacity in the United States than the rest of the world, and nominal rigidities. A flight to safety generates a dollar appreciation and decline in global output. Dollar bonds thus command a negative risk premium, and the United States holds a levered portfolio of capital financed in dollars. We quantify the effects of safety shocks and heterogeneity in risk-bearing capacity for global macroeconomic volatility, US external adjustment, and policy transmission, as of dollar swap lines. (JEL E32, E43, E44, E52, F44, G11, G15)
Local Economic and Political Effects of Trade Deals: Evidence from NAFTA
Authors: Choi Jiwon , Kuziemko Ilyana , Washington Ebonya , Wright Gavin
Published: May 2024

Why have white, less-educated voters left the Democratic Party? We highlight the role of the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In event-study analysis, we demonstrate that counties whose 1990 employment depended on industries vulnerable to NAFTA suffered large and persistent employment losses after its implementation. Voters in these counties (and protectionist voters regardless of geography) turned away from the party of President Clinton, who promoted the agreement. This shift is larger for whites (especially men and those without a college degree) and social conservatives, suggesting that racial identity and social-issue positions mediate reactions to economic policies. (JEL D72, F15, F16, J15)
Κλινική σημασία της έκφρασης των υποδοχέων εφρινών (EΡΗ) Α2, -A4 , -Α6 στο οφθαλμικό μελάνωμα
Authors: Δάνα Εουγκέν
Published: May 2024

Τα οφθαλμικά μελανώματα αποτελούν τις πιο συχνές πρωτοπαθείς κακοήθειες του οφλθαλμού στους ενήλικες, με τον οφθαλμό να αντιπροσωπεύει τη δεύτερη πιο κοινή θέση για μελάνωμα, μετά το δέρμα. Εμφανίζονται συνήθως σε μεγαλύτερες ηλικίες από το δερματικό μελάνωμα, και η εμφάνισή τους σχετίζεται με σειρά παραγόντων κινδύνου, που αφορούν το φωτότυπο των ασθενών, την παρουσία δερματικών και οφθαλμικών σπίλων, καθώς και διάφορα κληρονομικά σύνδρομα. Η πρόγνωσή τους παραμένει κακή, με περίπου τις μισές περιπτώσεις να παρουσιάζουν μεταστατική νόσο τη στιγμή της διάγνωσης. Σχετικά με την παθογένεια της νόσου υπάρχουν περιορισμένα δεδομένα, σύμφωνα με τα οποία σε αυτήν εμπλέκονται τόσο σημειακές μεταλλάξεις (GNAQ, GNA11, BAP1, SF3B1 και EIF1AX) όσο και χρωμοσομικές ανωμαλίες (μονοσωμία 3, κέρδος 8q και 6p και απώλεια του 1p). Οι ανθρώπινοι ηπατοκυτταρικοί υποδοχείς που παράγουν ερυθροποιητίνη (EPHs) αποτελούν τη μεγαλύτερη γνωστή οικογένεια υποδοχέων τυροσίνης, οι οποίοι, μαζί με τους προσδέτες τους, τις εφρίνες, παίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο σε μια πληθώρα φυσιολογικών διεργασιών και εμπλέκονται σε βασικά στάδια καρκινογένεσης. Στην παρούσα μελέτη, διερευνήθηκε η ανοσοϊστοχημική έκφραση των EPHA2, EPHA4 και EPHA6 σε ιστούς οφθαλμικού μελανώματος και στη συνέχεια τα επίπεδα έκφρασής τους συσχετίστηκαν με σειρά κλινικοπαθολογοανατομικών παραμέτρων, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του σταδίου της νόσου και της συνολικής επιβίωσης των ασθενών (OS). Τα υψηλά επίπεδα έκφρασης EPHA2 συσχετίστηκαν σημαντικά με αυξημένο κάθετο πάχος του όγκου (p = 0,03) και την παρουσία διήθησης του σκληρού χιτώνα (p = 0,05), ενώ η αυξημένη πυρηνική χρωση EPHA6 συσχετίστηκε με μεγαλύτερη ηλικία κατά τη διάγνωση (p = 0,03) και απουσία αποκόλληση αμφιβληστροειδούς (p = 0,05). Σε μια πολυπαραγοντική ανάλυση επιβίωσης, η αυξημένη έκφραση EPHA4 συσχετίστηκε με μικρότερο OS μαζί με την παρουσία μετάστασης (p < 0,001) και μονοσωμίας 3 (p = 0,02). Σε ένα ξεχωριστό μοντέλο, διαπίστώθηκε ότι η ταυτόχρονη υπερέκφραση τουλάχιστον δύο από τις υπό μελέτη εφρίνες (HR = 14,7, p = 0,03) αποτελεί ανεξάρτητο δυσμενή προγνωστικό παράγοντα. Συμπερασματικά, τα αποτελέσματά μας εμπλέκουν αυτά τα συγκεκριμένα μέλη της ομάδας EPHA ως πιθανούς βιοδείκτες για την πρόγνωση της νόσου καθώς και ως πιθανούς στόχους για την ανάπτυξη νέων θεραπευτικών προσεγγίσεων.
Extracellular matrix of lung scaffolds submitted to different means of sterilization: a systematic review
Authors: Moura Ricardo S. , Afonso Joao Pedro R. , Fonseca Adriano L. , Cereta Andressa D. , Mello Diego A. C. P. G. , Oliveira Miria C. , Oliveira-Silva Iransé , Oliveira Rodrigo F. , Oliveira Deise A. A. P. , Vieira Rodolfo P. , Palma Renata K. , Insalaco Giuseppe , Oliveira Luis Vicente Franco
Published: May 2024

Chronic respiratory diseases often necessitate lung transplantation due to irreversible damage. Organ engineering offers hope through stem cell-based organ generation. However, the crucial sterilization step in scaffold preparation poses challenges. This study conducted a systematic review of studies that analysed the extracellular matrix (ECM) conditions of decellularised lungs subjected to different sterilisation processes. A search was performed for articles published in the PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and SciELO databases according to the PRISMA guidelines. Overall, five articles that presented positive results regarding the effectiveness of the sterilisation process were selected, some of which identified functional damage in the ECM. Was possible concluded that regardless of the type of agent used, physical or chemical, all of them demonstrated that sterilisation somehow harms the ECM. An ideal protocol has not been found to be fully effective in the sterilisation of pulmonary scaffolds for use in tissue and/or organ engineering.
The role of anthropometric variables in assessment of obesity among Tripuri women of North-East India
Authors: Das Piyali , Ghosh Kusum , Bose Arkopala , Chatterjee Diptendu , Bandyopadhyay Arup Ratan
Published: May 2024

Obesity is an etiologically complex and multifactorial phenotype, underpinned by genetic, environmental, socioeconomic and behavioural or psychological factors. Worldwide prevalence of obesity is reaching epidemic or pandemic proportions, which has resulted in an increased prevalence of obesity-related co-morbidities and financial burden that needs effective interventions. The prevalence of obesity varies significantly across the world, and several studies have been conducted in this regard in different regions on different age groups, but studies on the tribal female population of Northeast India are underrepresented, being mostly limited to schoolchildren. Under these circumstances, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of obesity among the tribal females of Tripura, Northeast India.
To achieve this purpose, the present study was conducted on 114 adult Tripuri females of Northeast India. Data were collected on anthropometric variables – height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) – by using the standard technique. Then, from these anthropometric measurements, a number of indices – waist-stature ratio (WSR), body mass index (BMI), conicity index (CI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. The necessary descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated by using SPSS version 18.
The present study vindicated that only 22% women were overweight as per BMI, but 88% and 72% women were in the high-risk category on the basis of WHR and WSR respectively. Moreover, 86% of the females were biconic, which indicates higher prevalence of central obesity among the studied population.
Therefore, it can be concluded that anthropometric variables can be used as one of the efficient tools to assess obesity and health status of the Tripuri women. More in-depth studies using large samples and other different anthropometric indicators are required for better insightful approach towards ethnic group specific public health policy making.
THE PROLONGED INFLUENCE OF ROOT DRESSING OF CAJANDER LARCH (LARIX CAJANDERY MAYR.) ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL SEEDLINGS WITH THE GROWTH STIMULANTS ZIRCON AND EPIN ON THEIR GROWTH AT FIFTEEN YEARS OF AGE
Authors: Ostroshenko Valentina Yu. , Ostroshenko Lyudmila Yu.
Published: May 2024

Cajander larch (Larix cajandery Mayr.) is the eastern race of Gmelin larch, the main forest-forming species in the Amur Region and the Primorsky Territory. It is widely used in the national economy. It is promising  for landscaping. However, as a result of improper felling and forest fires, the area and stocks of larch have been significantly reduced. Its accelerated artificial restoration is necessary. One of the ways to solve this problem is the use of growth stimulants. The aim of the research was to study the stimulating effect of aqueous solutions of growth stimulants Zircon and Epin at various concentrations of solutions on biometric indicators of annual seedlings and mature Cajander larch trees at the age of 15. In the spring of 2009, grown larch seedlings were transplanted into the previously prepared soil of school department of the nursery with the placement of 0.5 × 0.6 m. During the growing season they were fed twice with Zircon and Epin in concentrations of 0.01 and 0.001%. Seedlings that were not subjected to any treatment were taken as a control sample. Seedlings were measured in terms of height, height gain, diameter of the root neck, root length and dry weight. In the spring of 2012, in the vicinity of the Mountain-taiga station named after. V.L. Komarov, an alley was created from a part of Cajander larch seedlings along the road system. 10 years after the transplantation of seedlings, in June 2022, the state of larch cultures was assessed according to the scale given in the rules of sanitary safety [26], and the heights and diameters of the trunk at chest height were measured. The studies showed that root dressing with Epin solution at a concentration of 0.01% has the greatest effect on the growth of seedlings and mature larch trees.
Funding. The research was carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (theme No. 124012200183-8).
CYTOGENETIC EFFECTS Y-RADIATION IN THE CELLS OF THE ROOT MERISTEM OF ALLIUM CEPA
Authors: Smirnova Maria V. , Smirnov Andrey A.
Published: May 2024

Background. Environmental contamination with radioactive materials of geogenic and anthropogenic origin is a global problem. A variety of mutagenicity test procedures has been developed which enable the detection of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation. In the present study, we investigated the Allium test (the widely used plant-based genotoxicity bioassay) for the detection of genetic damage caused y-radiation. Received data indicate that this method is can be used for environmental biomonitoring. Aim of the present study was the investigation of y-radiation of the Allium test assay.
Materials and methods. The bulbs of the Stuttgarter Riesen onion (Allium cepa L., 2n = 16) were kept in a cool dark place (+4–5 °C). For each sample and control were taken 3 bulbs. Distilled water was used as a control. Y - irradiation of the bulbs was carried out with the Eu152 for 3 days in doses of 0.3, 1 and 3 Gy. After 3 days, the roots were cut and fixed in Clark’s and to be placed in sealable test-tubes for long-time storing in 80% ethanol. The roots were simultaneously hydrolyzed and colored in ceramic crucibles in acetoorcein solution were boiled in the flame of an alcohol lamp. The slides prepared from squashing the root meristems with one drop of 45% acetic acid. The number of dividing cells was determined in 1000 examined cells in the field of view, with phase and chromosome aberration.
Results. The appearance of giant cells, C-mitoses, nuclear buds, fragments, lagging and bridges, disturbances in the work of the fission spindle and micronuclei in irradiation at doses of 3 and 1 Gy were noted.
Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was shown that y - irradiation of the onion test object (Allium cepa L.) with doses of 3, 1 and 0.3 Gy led to the appearance of cytogenetic disorders, the proportion of which significantly differed from the control.
La importancia de la democracia ambiental para la implementación de los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible en América Latina y el Caribe
Authors: Barragán-Terán Daniel , Muñoz-Ávila Lina , Sanhueza-E. Andrea
Published: May 2024

Con base en lo anterior, este artículo, estructurado en tres grandes secciones, analiza las relaciones entre los derechos de acceso y los ODS y su importancia para la región de América Latina y el Caribe. La primera de ellas presenta algunas pautas conceptuales sobre los derechos de acceso en materia ambiental, incluyendo su relación con la democracia ambiental, los instrumentos de derecho internacional que los han materializado y los principales rasgos de su implementación. En segundo lugar, se aborda la “Agenda 2030 de Desarrollo Sostenible” y los retos de su ejecución para los próximos años. En tercer lugar, se analizan los derechos de acceso como un medio eficaz para el logro de los ODS y se justifica la importancia de los derechos de acceso a la información, a la participación y a la justicia ambiental para el logro de la Agenda 2030. También se trata específicamente el ODS número dieciséis, el cual está directamente relacionado con los derechos de acceso. Finalmente, se presentan algunas conclusiones relacionadas con la importancia del Acuerdo de Escazú sobre democracia ambiental para la implementación de los ODS y cómo este instrumento regional para América Latina y el Caribe tiene el potencial de ser una herramienta clave para aportar su materialización. El presente artículo de investigación es el resultado de la revisión de las fuentes bibliográficas más significativas producidas por académicos, organismos internacionales y organizaciones de la sociedad civil sobre derechos de acceso en materia ambiental y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. De igual manera, recoge aspectos relevantes de la experiencia de los autores por varios años en diferentes procesos nacionales e internacionales para la implementación del Principio 10 en América Latina y el Caribe, así como en el proceso de negociación del Acuerdo de Escazú sobre esta materia.
La responsabilidad extracontractual del Estado colombiano por las fumigaciones con glifosato: una batalla jurídica de más de 25 años en el Consejo de Estado entre el gobierno y la comunidad
Authors: Arenas Mendoza Hugo Andrés
Published: May 2024

Finalmente, quisiera recordar que este artículo es un humilde homenaje a una de las mujeres que más ha tenido impacto en la reciente historia colombiana, que con sus varias publicaciones se ha convertido en un referente obligatorio, principalmente, en los temas de medio ambiente, consulta popular y de estudios sobre indígenas. Sobre su sobresaliente carrera como académica se deben destacar sus grandes aportes en materia medioambiental en la Universidad del Rosario heredándonos, además de su gran obra, la Especialización y la Maestría sobre medio ambiente, sus muy importantes direcciones de trabajo de investigación y su gran trabajo en el merecido cargo de directora del Grupo de Derecho Público. Pero, sobre todo, Gloria Amparo es una gran persona y por todo esto, como su discípulo, le pido muy amablemente que continúe transmitiendo sus ideas tanto desde la academia como de su magistratura en la Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz.
Does Mining Fuel Bubbles? An Experimental Study on Cryptocurrency Markets
Authors: Lambrecht Marco , Sofianos Andis , Xu Yilong
Published: May 2024

We investigate how key features associated with the Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism of Bitcoin (commonly referred to as mining) affect pricing. In a controlled laboratory experiment, we observe that price bubble formation can be attributed to mining. Moreover, overpricing is more pronounced if the mining capacity is centralized to a small group of individuals. The order book data reveal that miners seem to play a crucial role in bubble formation. Further probing the mechanism in a second study, we find that both mining costs and decisions jointly with the sluggish rate of supply of the asset contribute to the bubble formation. Our results demonstrate that erratic pricing is an inherent feature of cryptocurrencies based on a mining protocol, thus seriously limiting any prospects for such assets becoming a medium of exchange.

This paper was accepted by Yan Chen, behavioral economics and decision analysis.

Funding: The funding provided by the University of Heidelberg, Hanken Foundation [Grant 271-6250], and Durham University is gratefully acknowledged.

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.01238 .
Application of Lean Manufacturing Using Kaizen Analysis: A Case Study
Authors: Surya Amit , Kumar Rakesh , Trehan Rajeev
Published: May 2024

Industrial production and operation have been completely transformed by lean methods made possible by lean management (LM) technologies in the industry. This paper investigates industry practices regarding the application of lean tools in the manufacturing sector. For the purpose of gathering data, a questionnaire survey was distributed among the manufacturing professionals in the organization where lean manufacturing has already been adopted. The purpose of the study is to highlight the perceived level of their contribution to operational performance. In order to access operational performance, the study uses lean tools such as root-cause analysis, kaizen hypothesis, and evaluation of kaizen hypothesis, as well as before and after comparison. The study confirms that widespread adoption of lean practices results in a decrease in setup time from 28 minutes to 6 minutes, an increase in productivity by 50 components per month, a reduction in average wheel damage, and average components being reworked.
Study of the Dependence of Ignition Temperature on the Outer Cone Angle of a Fuel Injector
Authors: Singh Subhkaran
Published: May 2024

Internal combustion engines are still a hot topic in research as there is still vast room for improvement. Compression ignition engine research is occurring very rapidly, new diesel blends are being experimented with every day, and duel fuel and tri-fuel diesel engines are becoming a norm. Most of the credit for this research goes to the computation modeling and rapid development of new numerical schemes. This research is one such attempt to capture the spray combustion, using n-heptane as a fuel, with OpenFOAM CFD code. The particles of heptane fuel are injected into the combustion chamber, where the combustion process occurs. The heat transfer between the spray combustion and the surrounding air is realized using the Ranz-Marshall heat transfer model, the mass transfer from the droplets to the surrounding gas due to evaporation and boiling is modeled using the evaporation and boiling model. A conical injector is used for the spray of the fuel and ignition temperature at 20∘/40∘/60∘/ 80∘/100∘ thetaOuter is recorded and the results are presented in the form of a graph, showing how 60∘ is an optimum angle where the ignition temperature is low(not the lowest) and maximum temperature achieved is the highest. This research would be very useful in finding the cone angle of a spray using the various values of thetaOuter, as just by changing the angle of the spray an adverse effect on ignition temperature and maximum temperature is observed. This would allow better ignition temperatures without even changing any other properties of the compression ignition engine. The mesh used is coarse to speed up the calculations, the recorded data shows a change in temperature with various angles, and a bird’s eye view of the flame propagation is also discussed as the change in angle profoundly affects the flame shape.
War crimes and questions on justice in asymmetric warfare
Authors: Hamourtziadou Lily , Skerritt Leon
Published: May 2024

The concepts of human rights and international justice are products of the 20th century and of the so-called enlightened Western civilisation. As the 21st century began, the War on Terror was declared by the US–UK coalition, leading to hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths in the Middle East, as well as long-lasting insecurity in all areas of human life. Yet more than 20 years on, justice and accountability are still pending, when it comes to state violence, while a policy of “kill-not-capture” has dominated responses to violent non-state actors, such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS fighters, hampering any efforts at reconciliation and peace, and adding to regional and global injustice and insecurity.
Chinese Investment Scope behind the "14+1" Initiative: The Effects of Chinese FDI and BRI Investment on CEE Exports
Authors: Gottwald-Belinic Martina , Sonora Robert
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Since the establishment of formal economic cooperation between China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies in 2012, the role of Chinese investment in the region has become increasingly scrutinized. The initial enthusiastic vision about the economic impact of Chinese direct investment and infrastructure project participation in the CEE has deteriorated since 2019, reaching its nadir in 2021 when Lithuania quit the formation. Recently, two other Baltic countries, Estonia and Latvia, stepped out from the format. This article investigates the economic impact of Chinese investments in CEE economies before the pandemic crisis. The model we use captures long-term incentives China might foresee in the region, promoting investment as a form of gateway access to the greater European Union (EU) economies. We measure investment over Chinese outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) and project investments in infrastructure, often labeled as the "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI). Using a gravity model, we estimate the export elasticity of Chinese FDI and BRI investments between 17 CEE countries and the Western EU countries. As expected, FDI estimates have an ex ante positive impact on export. Our results demonstrate that Chinese FDI in CEE economies has a larger impact on CEE exports to Eastern EU economies than to Western EU countries. This suggests export markets to Western EU economies are relatively mature compared to Eastern EU economies.
Chinese Investments in the European Energy Sector: From Merger Control to Investment Screening
Authors: Svetlicinii Alexandr
Published: May 2024

Abstract: The article discusses the application of two regulatory frameworks of the European Union to Chinese investments in the energy sector: merger control focused on the protection of market competition and foreign investment control based on the protection of security and public order. First, it analyzes the application of the EU-wide merger control to Chinese mergers and acquisitions with a particular focus on the role of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as primary actors in the implementation of China's industrial policies. Second, it discusses the evolution of the EU investment control framework aimed at addressing the security risks associated with foreign direct investment (FDI) in the European energy infrastructure and the acquisition of the associated critical technologies.
Prevalence and Impact of Adverse Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health in Heart Failure: Analysis of a Safety-Net Population
Authors: Zellmer Lucas , Chedid Maroun , Mohandas Appesh , Rodin Holly , Vickery Katherine Diaz , Shroff Gautam R.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Objective. To determine the impact of adverse social and behavioral determinants of health (SBDH) on health care use in a safety-net community hospital (SNCH) heart failure (HF) population. Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of HF patients at a single SNCH between 2018–2019 (N= 4594). Results. At least one adverse SBDH was present in 21% of the study population. Patients with at least one adverse SBDH were younger (57 vs. 68 years), more likely to identify as Black (50% vs. 36%), be male (68% vs. 53%), and have Medicaid insurance (48% vs. 22%), p<.001. Presence of at least one adverse SBDH (homelessness, substance use, or incarceration) correlated with increased hospitalizations (2.3 vs 1.4/patient) and ED visits (5.1 vs 2.1/patient), p<.0001. Adverse SBDH were independent predictors of HF readmissions. Prescribing of guideline-directed medical therapy was similar among all patients. Conclusions. In a SNCH HF cohort, adverse SBDH predominantly afflict younger Black men on Medicaid and are associated with increased utilization.
Health Care Utilization and Care-seeking Behavior Among Vulnerabilized Sexual Minority Women: A Social-ecological Approach
Authors: Huang Aimee K. , Nguyen Megan , German Danielle , Alexander Kamila , Charlton Brittany M. , Glick Jennifer L.
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Sexual minority women (SMW) experience worse health than their heterosexual counterparts but have largely been omitted from health services research. To address this gap, we conducted 25 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with SMW. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis, and findings were organized using a modified socioecological framework. Key themes at each socioecological level include (1) structural: stigma, sociocultural norms, health infrastructure; (2) organizational: stigma, patient-provider relationship, hours and location, linkage to care and co-location of services; (3) interpersonal: stigma and social support; (4) individual: internalized stigma, self-efficacy, socioeconomic status, health literacy, and intersecting identities. Stigma is the central theme affecting vulnerabilized SMW's experiences accessing care. Anti-stigma initiatives and factors that lead to personal resilience and can mitigate care access barriers were identified at each level. Interventions should focus on building inclusive policies/infrastructure and using SMW's unique social networks to empower and improve care access and health outcomes among vulnerabilized SMW.
Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus among Haitian Americans: A Hidden Epidemic
Authors: Bivins Balkys , Rodney Tamar , Bivins Marc H. , Ruffin Larider , Eliezer Carline P. , Lestage-Laforest Marlyn , Owusu Brenda , Baptiste Diana , Cineas Natalia , Duroseau Brenice , Bivins Priscilla , Singh Arvinder
Published: May 2024

Abstract: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Haitian American population remains an important question. A recent study revealed an alarming prevalence of 39.9%. To corroborate these data, between November 2021 and September 2023 a representative sample was collected among 401 Haitian Americans in Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. Results revealed a crude prevalence rate of 36.6% (95% CI 31.85, 41.55%). The age-adjusted prevalence was 29.7% (CI 19.71%, 39.63%). This study's prevalence is nearly double the 16.8% (Z=10.48, p<.0001) rate in non-Hispanic African Americans and nearly two and a half times the 12.0% (Z=14.99, p<.0001) rate in all Americans. The crude prevalence for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus was 13.38% (CI 10.19%, 17.14%), with 17.11% age-adjusted prevalence (CI 7.53%, 26.70%). The scope of the diabetes burden, especially the high rate of undiagnosed cases, indicates a need for better strategies for the prevention, screening, treatment, and management of diabetes among Haitian Americans.
Designing and Developing a Medical-Legal Partnership to Address Cancer Patients' Health-Harming Legal Needs
Authors: Dowling Allison B. , Girard Vicki W. , Gordon Megan E. , Sweeney Abigail , Gallagher Christopher M. , Ly Amy D. , Kessler Lisa P. , Perry Deborah F.
Published: May 2024

Summary: The Georgetown University's Cancer Legal Assistance and Well-being Project launched in 2020 as a medical-legal partnership that works with health care providers at a Washington, D.C. safety-net hospital to treat the health-harming legal needs of historically and intentionally marginalized patients with cancer.
Shituf : Primordial Partnership as Ontological Structure and Discursive Strategy in Medieval Spain
Authors: Chajes Levana Meira
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This study examines the central category of shituf in the medieval kabbalistic treatise, Ma‘arekhet ha-elohut . I argue that shituf is fundamental to the metaphysics of the Ma‘arekhet and demonstrate its significance to the hermeneutics, sefirotic theosophy, doctrine of emanation, and cosmology of this seminal work. This reflects its importance in the anonymous author’s historical context, even as his usage betrays undeniable idiosyncratic transvaluations that distinguish it from its functions in other contemporary texts—in the halakhic writings of his milieu, in Tibonine translations of medieval philosophical texts, and in the polemical writings of his apparent teacher, Shlomo Ibn Aderet. By comparing and contrasting its meanings in these variegated literary milieus, I expose the unusual discourse of unity found in the Ma‘arekhet , which betrays the author’s apparent intention to shift the orientation of the key term from its dominant usage in the era. Despite the novelty with which the author deploys the term shituf , I argue that polemical and halakhic associations lurk behind it and cast his unusual approach to the question of divine unity in sharp relief. The distinctive use of shituf in the Ma‘arekhet thus reflects a fraught moment in the early history of kabbalah, in which a kabbalist chose to deal with the issue of divine unity in a manner all his own. This examination thus provides a heretofore unexposed vantage point for the current reassessment of the intersectionalities of philosophy, theology, religious polemics, and kabbalah in this period.
Narrating Objects and Temporality in Postwar Bosnia
Authors: Horigan Kate Parker
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Building on Henry Glassie's assertion that "tradition is the creation of the future out of the past" (1999), folklorists have looked to tradition to see how people remember conflicted pasts and build hopeful futures. I extend this thread of scholarship, focusing on how three women use traditional skills—including gardening, sewing, cooking, and knitting—to reckon with the complexities of past, present, and future lives disrupted by the Bosnian war. Their understanding of temporality, as it emerges in their engagement with narrated landscapes and materials, is richly layered and raises questions about durability, ephemerality, affect, and folkloristic conceptions of tradition.
Pediatric Decision-Making for Children in State Custody
Authors: Paquette Erin Talati , Vinarcsik Lou
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT: In summer 2022, six points of consensus emerged from a symposium addressing the question, “In the context of U.S. pediatric care, what moral precepts ought to guide parents and clinicians in medical decision making for children?” (Salter et al. 2023). The authors of this statement wrote, however, that the points of consensus may require modification or may not apply in their entirety to children in state custody. This article addresses the consensus recommendations in the context of the thousands of children removed annually from the custody of their parents. While the consensus statements developed at the symposium provide a good starting point for decision-making in the context of these children, some alterations and nuance must be applied to attend to the specific needs of this population. The article works through what special considerations and changes ought to be made to expand the reach of the original points of consensus without neglecting the particular conditions of children in state custody, as well as their parents and caregivers.
Image-driven evaluation metric for a space-based infrared diurnal detection analysis for flying aircrafts
Authors: Jia Guorui , Li Jiyuan , Luo Weizhong , Zhao Huijie
Published: May 2024

The traditional evaluation calculation method fails to adequately consider the impact of image degradation and ignores the uncertainty caused by instrument noise on point target detectable status. This overestimates the detection capability of the system and cannot meet the needs of the point target detection evaluation under space-based observations. An image-driven evaluation metric (IDEM) is proposed in this paper, considering the effects of image degradation on the target, the background, and its clutter signals while providing coefficients of variation (CVs) for evaluation metrics. Image sequences of aircraft in different bands of the infrared imaging system were generated for cross validation. A comparative analysis against the traditional method shows that instrument noise significantly interferes with the point target signal in the image, and our method provides a more accurate and comprehensive evaluation of aircraft detectability under space-based infrared observations. Based on this, the IDEM maps under day and night in the mid- and long-infrared were computed and analyzed under space-based infrared observations of the flying aircraft. The results indicate that the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) is more sensitive to diurnal variation, whereas the long-wave infrared (LWIR) is more stable but has a lower daytime detectability compared to mid-infrared. Theoretically, both mid- and long-infrared enable night detection capabilities for point targets under the proper conditions, with mid-infrared offering higher detection potential. Our works provide new insight and approaches for the point target detection evaluation, system design, and on-orbit testing.
Chromium-based high-temperature selective solar absorber
Authors: Cao Yuchun , Feng Yongtao , Chen Ning , Liu Haotuo , Zhang Heng , Meng Zhaoqing , Wu Xiaohu
Published: May 2024

Selective solar absorbers play a pivotal role in harnessing renewable energy
sources and offer considerable potential for efficient photothermal
conversion. However, most highly efficient solar selective absorbers
require complex structural designs or combinations of multiple
materials to implement. Here, we design a spectrum selective solar
absorber using only chromium, featuring a cross-shaped square cavity
structure. The absorber exhibits a total solar absorption of 96.2%
while maintaining a total emissivity of 12%. The distributions of
electric field indicate that the outstanding spectrum absorption is
caused by the synergistic interplay between surface plasmon resonance,
cavity resonance, and guided mode resonance. Our study delves into how
different geometric parameters influence the spectrum absorption of
the absorber. Additionally, we investigate the performance of the
selective solar absorber in terms of absorption at various angles of
incidence. Remarkably, even at a substantial angle of 60°, it sustains
a high absorption of approximately 80%. At 100°C, the absorber
achieves an 86% photothermal conversion efficiency. Furthermore, as
the concentration factor increases, the impact of high temperature on
the absorber’s photothermal conversion efficiency diminishes. When the
concentration factor is 200, the absorber achieves a steady-state
temperature exceeding 753°C. This work holds importance in
photothermal conversion and thermophotovoltaics.
2-W Ho:LaF3 laser intracavity pumped with a Tm:YLF laser
Authors: Li Chun , Din Syed Zaheer Ud , Leng Yuxin , Li Shanming , Hang Yin , Ni Jiasheng
Published: May 2024

In this paper, we explore the laser properties of a 2.1 µm Ho:LaF3 laser intracavity pumped by a LD-pumped Tm:YLF laser. Ho:LaF3 crystals, with a doping concentration of 2%, have been verified as a novel type of laser gain material, whose luminescence lifetime of the 5I7 level was up to 25.7 ms. The Ho:LaF3 laser achieved an average output power of 2.07 W with a slope efficiency of 16.2%. The dual-wavelength output centered at 2089 nm and 2093 nm and exhibited excellent spot quality with M2x and M2y values of 1.19 and 1.23, respectively. Our results effectively demonstrate the impressive capability of Ho:LaF3 crystals for generating high-power 2.1 µm mid-infrared lasers.
Urbanization and malaria have a contextual relationship in endemic areas: A temporal and spatial study in Ghana
Authors: Savi Merveille Koissi , Pandey Bhartendu , Swain Anshuman , Lim Jeongki , Callo-Concha Daniel , Azondekon Gbedegnon Roseric , Wahjib Mohammed , Borgemeister Christian
Published: May 2024

In West Africa, malaria is one of the leading causes of disease-induced deaths. Existing studies indicate that as urbanization increases, there is corresponding decrease in malaria prevalence. However, in malaria-endemic areas, the prevalence in some rural areas is sometimes lower than in some peri-urban and urban areas. Therefore, the relationship between the degree of urbanization, the impact of living in urban areas, and the prevalence of malaria remains unclear. This study explores this association in Ghana, using epidemiological data at the district level (2015–2018) and data on health, hygiene, and education. We applied a multilevel model and time series decomposition to understand the epidemiological pattern of malaria in Ghana. Then we classified the districts of Ghana into rural, peri-urban, and urban areas using administratively defined urbanization, total built areas, and built intensity. We converted the prevalence time series into cross-sectional data for each district by extracting features from the data. To predict the determinant most impacting according to the degree of urbanization, we used a cluster-specific random forest. We find that prevalence is impacted by seasonality, but the trend of the seasonal signature is not noticeable in urban and peri-urban areas. While urban districts have a slightly lower prevalence, there are still pockets with higher rates within these regions. These areas of high prevalence are linked to proximity to water bodies and waterways, but the rise in these same variables is not associated with the increase of prevalence in peri-urban areas. The increase in nightlight reflectance in rural areas is associated with an increased prevalence. We conclude that urbanization is not the main factor driving the decline in malaria. However, the data indicate that understanding and managing malaria prevalence in urbanization will necessitate a focus on these contextual factors. Finally, we design an interactive tool, ’malDecision’ that allows data-supported decision-making.
Regaining policy attention for a health insurance capitation payment reform in Ghana: A prospective policy analysis
Authors: Abiiro Gilbert Abotisem
Published: May 2024

Capitation as a provider payment mechanism gained policy attention by the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2012 and was piloted in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Recent studies revealed that the policy was suspended in 2017 due to inappropriate policy framing, actor contestations, unclear policy design characteristics, and an unfavorable political context. However, the NHIS still has interest in capitation as a provider payment option. Using the modified political process model, a prospective policy analysis was conducted to explore how to: i) appropriately reframe policy debates; ii) create political opportunities; and iii) mobilize resources to reattract policy attention to capitation in Ghana. Cross-sectional qualitative data were gathered in December, 2019 from semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 18 stakeholders and complemented with four community-level focus group discussions with 41 policy beneficiaries in the pilot region. All data were tape-recorded and transcribed. The analysis was thematic, using the NVivo 12 software. The results revealed that an appropriate reframing of the policy requires policy renaming, refinement of certain policy design characteristics (emergency care, capitation rates, choice and assignment of providers) and refocusing policy communication and advocacy on the health benefits of capitation instead of its cost containment intent. To create political opportunities for policy re-implementation, a politically sensitive approach with broader stakeholder consultations should be adopted. Policy advocacy and communication should be evidenced-based and led by politically neutral agents. An equitable capitation policy implementation requires resourcing health facilities, especially the lower-level facilities, with improved infrastructure, consumables, improved information management systems and well-trained personnel to enhance their service delivery capacities. The study concludes that there exists stakeholder interest in the capitation policy in Ghana and calls for an effective reframing, creation of political opportunities, and mobilization of needed resources to regain policy attention.
Bacterial microbiota and proinflammatory cytokines in the anal sacs of treated and untreated atopic dogs: Comparison with a healthy control group
Authors: C. Bergeron Camylle , Costa Marcio Carvalho , Segura Mariela , de Souza Lucilene Bernardi , Bleuzé Marêva , Sauvé Frédéric
Published: May 2024

The pathogenesis of anal sacculitis has not been extensively investigated, although atopic dogs seem to be predisposed to the disease. The aim of this study was therefore to characterize and compare the bacterial microbiota and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the anal sacs of dogs from three groups (healthy dogs, untreated atopic dogs and atopic dogs receiving antipruritic treatment or allergen-specific immunotherapy) in order to determine whether changes could be at the origin of anal sacculitis in atopic dogs. Bacterial populations of anal sac secretions from fifteen healthy dogs, fourteen untreated and six treated atopic dogs were characterized by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using Illumina technology. Proinflammatory cytokines were analyzed with the Luminex multiplex test. Community membership and structure were significantly different between the anal sacs of healthy and untreated atopic dogs (P = 0.002 and P = 0.003, respectively) and between those of untreated and treated atopic dogs (P = 0.012 and P = 0.017, respectively). However, the community structure was similar in healthy and treated atopic dogs (P = 0.332). Among the proinflammatory cytokines assessed, there was no significant difference between groups, except for interleukin 8 which was higher in the anal sacs of untreated atopic dogs compared to treated atopic dogs (P = 0.02), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha which was lower in the anal sacs of healthy dogs compared to treated atopic dogs (P = 0.04). These results reveal a dysbiosis in the anal sacs of atopic dogs, which may partially explain the predisposition of atopic dogs to develop bacterial anal sacculitis. Treatments received by atopic dogs (oclacitinib, desloratadine and allergen-specific immunotherapy) shift the microbiota of the anal sacs towards that of healthy dogs. Further studies are required to identify significant cytokines contributing to anal sacculitis in atopic dogs.
Can pilot free trade zones policy force the green transformation of enterprises? Evidence from listed companies in China
Authors: Yusufu Gulinaer , Lu Zhi
Published: May 2024

In order to reveal the impact of pilot free trade zones policy on green development, we use multi-period difference-in-difference estimation and fixed effect model to explore the impact and impact mechanism of the establishment of free trade zones on the green transformation of enterprises from the micro perspective, based on the panel data of China’s A-share listed companies from 2009–2021, The results show that pilot free trade zones policy significantly improves the green transformation of enterprises in the zones. Pilot free trade zones policy affects the corporate green transformation through industrial agglomeration and financial constraints. The green transformation of state-owned enterprises, non-heavy polluting enterprises and high-tech enterprises are significantly impacted by pilot free trade zones policy. Urban innovation and green subsidies play a positive moderating role in the impact of free trade zones on enterprises’ green transformation. The research conclusions provide a valuable policy basis for how to promote the green transformation of enterprises under the free trade zones policy.
Exploring the influence of women’s leadership and corporate governance on operational liquidity: The glass cliff effect
Authors: Cao Dongli , Tahir Safdar Husain , Rizvi Syed Maisam Raza , Khan Khuda Bakhsh
Published: May 2024

This research investigates the glass cliff effect and the positions held by women in leadership roles, focusing on their impact on operational liquidity. The study delves into the relationship between corporate governance attributes and operational liquidity in 60 non-financial companies listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange during Covid-19. Utilizing Quine-McCluskey technique and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), it examines the combined effect of Women on the Board, Board Size, Ownership by Blockholders, Board Qualifications and Busy Directors on Operational Liquidity. The necessary condition analysis (NCA) emphasises that firms can operate without reliance on any particular variable taken in the study. The sufficiency analysis provided an expanded understanding of the three conditions leading to the same outcome both before and during the pandemic. This research highlights the significance of the glass cliff effect and emphasizes the pivotal role of women in effectively managing liquidity during times of crisis. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for policymakers regarding the impact of Covid-19 on the interplay between corporate governance characteristics and operational liquidity.