Comparative Literature Research Articles

Pulmonary artery sarcoma affecting the pulmonary valve mistaken as pulmonary vasculitis: a case report and comparative literature review

Pulmonary arterial sarcomas (PAS) are rare aggressive tumours occurring mainly in the pulmonary trunk. We report a case of PAS involving the pulmonary trunk wall and valve, with uniform wall thickening which represents an atypical imaging manifestation of this tumour. A 63-year-old male presented with vague respiratory symptoms with rapid progression. CTPA showed low density filling defects in both pulmonary arteries and PET scan showed increased uptake in the pulmonary trunk, which along with raised ESR suggested Pulmonary Vasculitis. Echo imaging showed Right ventricular hypertrophy and pulmonary stenosis. Response to steroid therapy was minimal and his symptoms worsened. A referral for second opinion was made and he was diagnosed with PAS. He underwent Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy with Pulmonary valve replacement. Post-operative histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. PAS is rare and frequently misdiagnosed. Surgical resection is not curative, but together with chemotherapy can prolong survival.

Exploring the Impact of Decoys on Decision‐Making by Young Children

ABSTRACTThe asymmetric dominance effect (or decoy effect) is a decision‐making phenomenon that occurs when preference for a target alternative shifts with the addition of a similar, yet inferior alternative dubbed the decoy. Despite the considerable number of studies examining the decoy effect with adult humans and animals, there is comparatively less research on context effects within the developmental domain. In this study, we explored the impact of a decoy on choice behavior by young children (3–9 years old) using a preferential choice task as well as a perceptual discrimination task. Introduction of an inferior decoy impacted choice behavior across 2‐alternative (binary) versus 3‐alternative (trinary) sets, such that inclusion of the dominated decoy in expanded sets decreased selection of the superior target alternative. This pattern of results indicates a reversal of the standard attraction effect, also known as the repulsion effect. We discuss these findings in light of the adult and comparative literatures on decoy effects as well as call for additional developmental studies exploring the impact of inferior alternatives in multialternative decision‐making.

THE HOUSING‐WELFARE REGIME AND THIRD‐SECTOR HOUSING IN HONG KONG AND SOUTH KOREA: A Historical Institutionalist Perspective

AbstractThe third sector has recently emerged, or re‐emerged, as a new housing provider for disadvantaged groups in Hong Kong and Korea, where affordable housing development has been predominantly directed by government. However, our knowledge of third‐sector housing in non‐Western contexts remains partial. In this article, we aim to provide, from a historical‐institutionalist perspective, a comparative account of the (re‐)emergence and implementation of third‐sector affordable housing delivery in Hong Kong and Korea. Based on the housing‐welfare regime framework, we discuss the socioeconomic and political contexts in which third‐sector housing has burgeoned in the two regions, and how the relationship between the government and the third sector has moulded the implementation of third‐sector housing. We highlight the significant power of the government in implementing third‐sector housing and third‐sector organizations’ continued complementary role to the government in supplying housing as welfare, which reflects the path‐dependent nature of housing and welfare policies in the two regions. Adopting a long view to understanding history and a broader framework that reflects the socioeconomic context contributes to advancing the comparative housing literature.

The Use of Quantum Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Diseases Treatment

This qualitative descriptive study explores the effectiveness of quantum stem cell therapy in addressing autoimmune diseases, with a specific focus on immune modulation and tissue regeneration. Conducted at the Vinski Regenerative Center, the study involved two female patients, aged 53 and 59, who underwent repeated stem cell injections over a specified period. Patient data, encompassing demographic information and disease characteristics, were collected through comparative literature reviews and laboratory analyses. Preliminary findings reveal promising therapeutic outcomes, manifesting as improvements in symptoms such as weakness, joint pain, skin rashes, and fever. Stem cell therapy exhibited potential for immune suppression and tissue repair, thereby offering a novel avenue for managing autoimmune diseases. Further research is imperative to refine treatment protocols and elucidate underlying mechanisms, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes in autoimmune disease management.

A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Business Model of Renewable Energy Services

Purpose: The main objective of this research is to investigate the ongoing scientific investigations into sustainable business models framework in the energy sector, with a particular focus on the shift towards renewable energy sources. This entails comprehending how firms may adjust to and propel the transition towards sustainability in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).   Theoretical Framework: The theoretical foundation of this study is anchored in the concept of the triple bottom line, which emphasizes the need for businesses to focus on three key areas: economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This approach is essential for achieving sustainable development, as it ensures that business models are designed to contribute positively to society and the environment, in addition to being economically viable. Methodology: A comparative literature review serves as the methodology for this research. This method involves systematically analyzing existing literature on sustainable business models in the energy sector to identify trends, gaps, and theoretical underpinnings. The comparative aspect allows for the evaluation of different approaches and the identification of best practices and areas for future research.   Findings: The research identifies that while there is a growing trend towards the adoption of renewable energy sources, significant challenges remain. These include technological limitations, regulatory barriers, and financial constraints. However, by refining the business model canvas to incorporate elements of sustainability, businesses can create adaptable frameworks that address these challenges. This revised canvas includes components that emphasize economic viability, socio-cultural values, and ecological integrity.   Research & Practical Implications: The conceptualization of a sustainable business model canvas is a key practical implication of this research. It offers businesses a clear and systematic way to integrate sustainable practices into their operations. This tool is designed to promote holistic sustainable development and informed decision-making by incorporating economic, socio-cultural, and ecological values into the business planning process. By doing so, it has the potential to facilitate the transition towards more sustainable business practices in the energy sector and beyond, thereby contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.   Originality: The originality of this study is grounded in its comprehensive approach to integrating sustainability into business models, its adaptation of existing frameworks to better suit sustainable development goals, and its forward-looking perspective that seeks to guide future research and practical applications in the energy sector and beyond.

Comparative Literature Analysis of National Security Management from The Global to Malaysia

The national security management structure is crucial to understand in ensuring whether the existing mechanisms are effective in dealing with national security issues and challenges. The country's approach, particularly through security agencies, should always carry out an assessment of internal and external threats from time to time, so that the integrity of the country's sovereignty remains guaranteed. The evolution of threat perception is in line with what is stated in the Malaysia Defense White Paper published in 2020 which is "the national interests in the present and future are tied to an uncertain security environment and the impact of an uncertain regional and global security environment, as well as an international strategic perspective become more complex and difficult to predict in the coming year.” Therefore, it is very important for a study to be carried out to see the comparison of national security management at the global and Malaysia so that good added value can be emulated, and the constraints faced can be used as lessons for improvement. The study uses Qualitative methods through library research which is the analysis of journals and online articles to obtain the views of past scholars on internal and external threats and security management structure, including the reformation required. The results of the analysis found that the threat that occurs in Malaysia same as the global except nuclear. Both globally and Malaysia face agency coordination problems due to national decisions and duplication of duties, state coordination issues due to the role being denied, reform failure and increased threats, weaknesses in reformation caused by political interference and there is a need for the involvement of all parties in national security management.

‘We’ve got this policy, now what?’ The security politics of implementing the Family Protection Law in Jordan

In this article, I bring together scholarship from feminist international relations and comparative gender politics to investigate how and why Jordan has implemented its policy addressing domestic violence, the 2008 Family Protection Law. Through a qualitative case study, I find that implementation is partial. Aspects of the policy that elevate Jordan’s status in the international arena and sustain domestic male privilege are implemented. Attempts at implementing aspects of the policy that grant greater autonomy to women are met with intense opposition, which is justified on the basis of preserving state stability. Taken together, this article demonstrates how international pressure and national security (i.e., state-centric) practices combine with domestic conservatism to produce unintended consequences: ineffective violence against women policies that are minimally implemented. The analysis adds nuance to both the feminist international relations and comparative gender politics literatures by demonstrating how domestic gender policymaking processes are influenced by national and international security politics.

To STEM or not to STEM: A cross-national analysis of gender and tertiary graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math, 1998–2018

The comparative literature on gender and higher education has increasingly focused on differences in access to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). We contribute to this literature through a cross-national analysis of STEM graduates by gender between 1998 and 2018 across 90 countries. Many earlier studies emphasize the positive influence of a global liberal culture on women. More recent scholarship contends that women may be steered away from attaining a STEM degree in more liberal and individualistic societies. Our study shows a lower percentage of women graduates in STEM in countries that are more liberal. However, we find that the opposite is the case for men. Our findings are consistent with the idea that individuals in more liberal cultural contexts are more likely to make degree decisions based on individual preferences that are influenced by gendered societal norms. Both women and men are more likely to “indulge in their gendered selves” in these cultural contexts. Our findings are inconsistent with the idea that liberal modernity influences men and women in STEM in a gender-neutral mode.

Redefining sustainable urban development: A critical analysis in the wake of COVID‐19

AbstractThis paper critically examines the concept of sustainable development, particularly in the context of urban challenges exacerbated by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Although the concept of sustainable development has been around for more than three decades, it faces ongoing global socio‐environmental crises that have been exacerbated by the rapid spread of COVID‐19 since 2019, which has highlighted the vulnerability of urban and interconnected cities. Our approach includes a comparative literature review to analyze the evolution and critique of sustainable development, focusing on its conceptual foundations, complementary strategies, and political‐economic implications. The paper addresses the urban implications of COVID‐19, emphasizing its direct impact on the Sustainable Development Goals and arguing for a comprehensive reassessment of sustainable urban development practices. We propose a transformative agenda that recognizes local specificities and draws on cities' experiences during the pandemic to build a more equitable and crisis‐resilient global society. This research highlights the urgency to rethink current sustainable development paradigms, especially in light of the human‐environment imbalance and lessons learned from the COVID‐19 crisis. It calls for a reformed global approach that incorporates local dimensions and draws on the experience of cities to address the inequalities and crisis‐prone structures in our societies, with the aim of a fundamental shift toward a more sustainable future in the post‐COVID‐19 era.

Rural Hollowing-Out Revisited: A Comparative Literature Review Between China and Japan

The issue of rural hollowing out is not unique to China, as various countries worldwide have witnessed different degrees of this phenomenon during the process of urbanization. Japan and China, among those nations grappling with rural hollowing out, share noteworthy similarities, rendering Japan's governance experience particularly instructive for China. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of Japan's issues with rural over-saturation and China's challenges with rural hollowing, revealing disparities in the formation mechanisms and timelines of these phenomena in the two countries. Notably, China experienced the hollowing-out problem later than Japan, and the process unfolded at a swifter pace. Examining governance policies, Japan advocates for the autonomous development of hollow villages in later stages. China stands to benefit by adopting Japan's supportive policies for rural areas, such as the 'one village, one product' initiative, which encourages hollowed villages to explore their unique strengths and specialize in products for endogenous development. In the realm of coordinating urban-rural relations, China can draw inspiration from Japan's strategy of "supporting rural areas with cities." This entails fostering rural development by investing in education and healthcare infrastructure in central cities, thereby promoting urban-rural integration.

Europe in Literature

Abstract This article examines the origin of the idea of Europe and its identity in relation to literature. It attempts to show that, before being a cultural, economic or political reality, Europe was a literary concept, whose origins are closely linked to the literary theories of the Romantics, particularly the German Romantics. The links between the idea of Europe and literature also associate Europe with the birth of comparative literature. But at the same time, the notion of World Literature, even if it has a Eurocentric background in Goethe and his successors, calls for the poet to transcend Europe and become a citizen of the world.

Roundtable Discussion: Translation in Creativity

This Forum, appearing in each issue of the Journal of Literary Multilingualism, aims to continue the conversation started in the very first issue, where we collected articles which assessed and debated the field of literary multilingualism studies. The Forum is a space for shorter, more informal reflections on the field and its future: position papers, dialogues between scholars, roundtable discussions, responses to articles within the journal, and responses to recent multilingualism conferences or events. We welcome proposals for contributions, particularly from marginalized perspectives or on neglected aspects of literary multilingualism. Please contact us directly to discuss ideas. For this Forum, we present a roundtable discussion, organized and moderated by Eugenia Kelbert, in which Vesna Goldsworthy, Matthew Reynolds, and Douglas Robinson share some of their ideas around the relationship between translation and multilingual writing, particularly in relation to their intersecting roles as writers, translators, and academics. The study of literary multilingualism exists within the context of recent attempts, by several scholars in comparative literature, to make sense of multilingual and/or global literary practices. From the translation zone (Apter) to born-translated (Walkowitz) or untranslatable fiction, these attempts have almost invariably involved translation, as a concept if not as a practice. What is, then, the place of translation when it comes to understanding multilingual and translingual writing? How does this theoretical debate relate to the actual practice of literary translation? And what happens to literary style when theorists of translation and translators experiment with multilingual writing or when translingual writers translate? The present discussion explores the hitherto undefined zone of creative interaction between translation and multilingual writing in the hope of contributing to the more conceptual debates from a hands-on perspective. It is based on the roundtable entitled “Stylistic Border Crossings in Multilingual and Translated (Con)texts” that was part of the Stylistic Border Crossings In and Beyond Translation conference held on March 9–10, 2023.1 The conference and the roundtable were organized by Eugenia Kelbert with the British Centre for Literary Translation and the East Centre, University of East Anglia. Each of the three guests wears a combination of multiple hats that bridge theory and practice and include “translingual writer,” “literary translator,” “translation studies scholar,” “writer,” and “literary scholar.” Eugenia Kelbert

Companion Plant Reading

Combining Donna Haraway’s call to acknowledge non-human significant others in her Companion Species Manifesto with the ‘biocentric form of literary criticism’11 Gagliano, Ryan and Vieira, ‘Introduction’, p. xi. advocated by critical plant studies, this essay uses the agricultural practice of companion planting as a Framework for reading beyond the canon of anglicised world literature. I analyse three short stories – Sofie Isager Ahl’s ‘Naboplanter’ (‘Companion Plants’, 2018), Can Xue’s ‘鸡仔的心愿’ (‘Chick’s Heart’s Desire’, 2020) and Audrey R. Hollis’ ‘Seedlings’ (2018) – that translate between the botanical and the human realms and use vegetal voices to challenge gendered social conventions, linguistic preconceptions and lingering anthropocentrism. By planting together texts in Chinese, Danish and English intermingled with the idiom of plants, I propose messy, multimodal and multilingual translation as a fundamental figuration in our pursuit of a planetary approach to comparative literature.

Decolonising neo-colonial hegemonies in Africa: A comparative case for socialist realism in the drama and law of Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa

Through a comparative investigation of the function of socialist realism in the drama and law of Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, this research investigates the decolonization of neo-colonial hegemonies in Africa. Using the drama and legal systems of Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa as comparative case studies, the research explores how African societies can challenge and demolish oppressive systems of domination sustained by colonial legacies and contemporary neo-colonial forces. Relying on the Socialist Realism and Critical Postcolonial theoretical frameworks which both support literary and artistic genre that encourages social and political transformation, the research deploys the case study analysis, comparative literature analysis and focused group discussion methods. Data obtained are subjected to content and thematic analysis. The study emphasizes how important the relationship between the legal and artistic worlds is to the fight against neo-colonialism. It further reveals the transformational potential of socialist realism as a catalyst for social change by looking at themes of resistance, social justice, and the amplifying of disadvantaged voices in drama and legal discourse. The research contributes to ongoing discussions about de-neo-colonization through this comparative case study, and emphasizes the role socialist realism plays in overthrowing neo-colonial hegemonies. The study sheds light on the distinct difficulties and opportunities these nations—and indeed, all of Africa—face in their pursuit of decolonial justice by examining the experiences of Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Reflecting on Evil and the Devil in Pentecostal Theodicy

Most Pentecostals, at least in the global South, believe that Satan and his demonic forces are responsible for much of the carnage and suffering that characterise life on earth. The broader context of the discourse is the challenge theodicy poses to Christian believers: if God is almighty and good, why do believers, just like unbelievers, suffer while living on earth? This paper aims to discuss Pentecostals’ response: they blame evil as Satan’s strategy to oppose God. They reason that his main goal is to handicap and double-cross creation because God threw him and his followers from heaven following his rebellion against the divine order. Thus, Satan is portrayed as the instigator of the first human couple, tempting them to sin, with all future generations implied by their choice and cursing human beings with a sinful nature at birth. Demonic forces employ human sinful nature to realise their ultimate goal, to separate humankind from the Creator by tempting them to sin while also threatening the rest of creation. This article investigates the Pentecostal theology of demonic forces in explaining the challenges posed by theodicy by comparing it to biblical data, using grammatical-historical exegesis and a comparative literature survey to evaluate their biblical grounding. It concludes that Pentecostals’ belief in such forces are justified if the the New Testament narratives are accepted as divine revelation. However, some Pentecostal speculations about demons’ origins, scope and reach are not biblically justified and complicates the response to theodicy, such as the origin of evil and its relation to human beings.

Evaluation of analytical performance of AQUIOS CL flow cytometer and method comparison with bead-based flow cytometry methods.

Given that method validation is mandatory for compliance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15,189 standard requirements, we evaluated the analytical performance of the AQUIOS CL system (Beckman Coulter) and compared it with two bead-based flow cytometry (FCM) protocols (BD FACSCAntoTM-II and Beckman Coulter DxFLEX). There are no comparative literature data on standardized protocols for counting lymphocyte subsets on the new-generation cytometer DxFLEX. We evaluated the AQUIOS CL's performance with regard to accuracy, linearity and stability by using dedicated control cell samples and patient samples. We also compared the lymphocyte counts measured on the AQUIOS CL (n=69 samples) with those measured on the BD FACSCAntoTM-II and DxFLEX FCM systems. For 61 samples, FCM results were compared with those measured on the XN-3000 Sysmex hematology analyzer. AQUIOS CL showed acceptable performance- even outside the manufacturer's quantification ranges- and strong correlations with bead-based FCM methods. The FCM techniques and the XN-3000 gave similar absolute lymphocyte counts, although values in samples with intense lymphocytosis (Bcell lymphoma/leukemia) were underestimated. The AQUIOS CL flow cytometer is a time-saving, single-platform system with good performance, especially when the manufacturer's instructions for use are followed. However, AQUIOS CL's possible limitations and pitfalls impose validation of a bead-based FCM method for immunophenotyping verification or as a back-up system. Although the DxFLEX flow cytometer is more time-consuming to use, it can provide standardized lymphocyte subset counts in case of aberrant results on AQUIOS CL or in the event of equipment failure.

Murakami Haruki’s America and the Specter of the Untranslatable

The world-famous Japanese novelist Murakami Haruki (1949-) has been said to write universally legible, made-to-be-translated fiction that is designed to circulate through the channels of global cultural commerce unimpeded by the thorny details of local specificity.  But this article explores a different side of Murakami—a side that is attuned to the particularity of socially contextualized language as he heard it spoken around him during his time living in the United States in the early 1990s.  Drawing on the scholar of comparative literature Michael Lucey’s approach to reading “the ethnography of talk,” my analysis focuses on how Murakami reconstructs a conversation about jazz that he had with a Black American interlocutor in New Jersey in the essay Bākurē kara no kaerimichi (“The Road Home From Berkeley”), which appears in his volume of essays about living in the United States titled Yagate kanashiki gaikokugo (The Sadness of Foreign Language, 1994).  As I compare the styles of speaking documented in Bākurē kara no kaerimichi with those that appear in the English- and Japanese-language versions of Miles Davis’s autobiography Miles (which Murakami discusses in Bākurē kara no kaerimichi) and J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (which Murakami translated himself), my analysis reveals how Murakami has reflected on the specter of the untranslatable that haunts the global circulations of literature and pop culture.

Hybrid Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm with Variable Neighborhood Search for Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem

Aiming at the capacitated vehicle routing problem, a hybrid integer programming model with goal of lowest path cost is constructed, and a hybrid artificial bee colony algorithm with variable neighborhood search based on the model and the characteristics of the CVRP problem is proposed to solve the problem. The hybrid algorithm integrates the artificial bee colony algorithm and the variable neighborhood search algorithm, embeds a multi-variable neighborhood operator in the local search link of the artificial bee colony to carry out iteration. And the operator contains targeted transformation operations on path nodes, strings, and sub paths to ensure the diversity of the bee population. In addition, a variable neighborhood perturbation strategy is used to strengthen the algorithm's ability to escape from local optima. The comparative analysis of the literature study set and its algorithm solution shows that the designed hybrid variable neighborhood artificial bee colony algorithm has strong global search ability and high solution accuracy, especially in solution stability. HABC-VNS can obtain 47 optimal solutions in 74 examples. The average minimum deviation of the optimal solution is 0.34%, and the average deviation of the average CVRP set is 0.57%. The overall performance is better than the algorithm in the comparative literature.

In response to global climate change goals, exploring the development strategy for decarbonizing the shipping industry in Taiwan

Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), and other gases are all greenhouse gases. However, the most significant contributor to climate change is CO2. Maritime decarbonization is a complex challenge with multiple pathways at different technological and operational readiness levels. As a concept, green shipping corridors are similar to special economic zones at sea. They provide a platform for stakeholders in the value chain to collaborate and implement new technologies and business models on a large scale. The most significant advantage of such an initiative is to help diverse and fragmented industries align and diversify their collective risks. The article employed a comparative literature analysis and interviewed relevant stakeholders to derive its conclusions. Based on this analysis, it advocates for taking action and implementing these measures by engaging stakeholders. Critical decisions concerning the green components of shipping corridors revolve around viable fuel pathways, policies and regulations, customer demands, and cross-value chain collaboration.

HRM, institutional complementarities, and performance: The case of the Healthcare sector in Jordan

Building on the comparative capitalism literature, we aim to understand the impact of HRM practice on hospitals performance within the healthcare sector in Jordan, and the role of HRM in mitigating and overcoming systemic shortfalls. Two different surveys were distributed for both hospital and HR managers across all hospitals. Our findings indicate that certain HR practices are positively associated with performance, despite contextual challenges such as informal networks and cultural limitations that could undermine efficiency. We further tested the potential impact of HR complementarities on performance; nevertheless, the results did not significantly surpass the explanatory power of the individual HR practices. It might have been anticipated that mutually supportive bundles of practices might compensate for systemic weaknesses. However, it may be the case that players have devised solutions in other areas of managerial practice that may be more effective than HRM in compensating for systemic limitations. Our study also highlights that in oligopolistically structured markets, common in private healthcare systems, the effectiveness of HR practices may be less crucial for profitability, though this does not diminish their broader relevance for societal and community outcomes which are beyond the scope of this work.