Domestic Environment Research Articles

When terrorists attempt politics: an evaluation of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s pursuit of political transformation

ABSTRACT In recent years, the United Nations (UN) designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a group with links to the Pakistani security establishment, has been pursuing a strategy of political transition. This paper explores whether existing counter-terrorism frameworks such as the UN-led disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) and state-led de-radicalization and disengagement programs adequately explain the transition of terrorist organizations into the political arena. It is argued that a lack of organizational consensus, the failure to evolve an ideological consensus for renouncing violence and endorsing democracy, and unpromising domestic and international political environments are the strongest predictors of difficulties in achieving successful transformation.

The Development of Disinfectant Tolerance in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Disinfectants are a critical infection control measure that are relied upon globally in a range of settings including healthcare, food production, and domestic environments. However, bacteria have been shown to survive disinfectant treatments when harboured in dry surface biofilms or when disinfectants are used ineffectively. This provides an opportunity for organisms to develop low-level tolerance to various disinfectants. The capability of bacteria to develop adaptations to non-antibiotic antimicrobial agents is often overlooked. This study investigates the ability of Klebsiella pneumoniae NDM-1 strain NCTC 13443 to adapt to a range of common chemical disinfectants (benzalkonium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium chloride, polyhexamethylene biguanide, chlorocresol and bronopol) via serial passage exposure method. After long-term adaptation K. pneumoniae developed tolerance to all tested disinfectants, exhibiting a minimum inhibitory concentration increase of between 30-413% compared to the untreated parent samples. Characterisation of disinfectant cross-tolerance showed that while cross-tolerance can occur, most adapted samples became more susceptible to the second disinfectant treatment, likely because of the fitness cost of adaptation. Observed cross-tolerance/increased susceptibility was not always reciprocated between disinfectant-tolerant samples, indicating that the order of disinfectant exposure is important during tolerance development. This has significant implications for disinfectant cleaning routines, and is likely due to variations in the underpinning tolerance mechanisms, even when the disinfectants display similar mechanisms of action. This study reports the capability and readiness of clinically relevant K. pneumoniae to adapt to common disinfectants that are relied upon every day across the world, delivering much-needed insights into an often-overlooked aspect of antimicrobial resistance.

From the Perspective of Cultural Turn Theory: An Analysis of Movie Subtitle Translation

Film is an indispensable entertainment activity in People's Daily life, and it is an important spiritual food for modern people. With the gradual development of China's opening to the outside world and the influence of the domestic and foreign environment, more and more excellent foreign films enter the domestic market, and the demand for film subtitle translation also expands gradually. People's understanding of the film depends on the subtitle translation of the film, so the subtitle translation of the film occupies a very important position. Under the guidance of Susan Basnet's cultural turn theory, this paper takes the film Harry Potter as the research object and analyzes the subtitle translation.

Non-trade issues in preferential trade agreements and global value chains

How do labor and environmental provisions (also known as non-trade issues) that are increasingly part of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) affect investment patterns within global value chains (GVCs)? In this article, we explore how the design of these provisions and the local regulatory environments of trading partners influence the geography of production. By employing a difference-in-difference analysis of quantitative data on the design of non-trade issues in 478 PTAs and mergers and acquisitions between 1948 and 2018, we assess the influence of labor and environmental provisions in PTAs on GVCs. Building on the legal and business studies literatures, we expect and empirically find that when countries join PTAs, enforceable non-trade clauses interact with domestic regulatory environments and induce changes in GVCs, especially in Global North hosts. Our findings provide nuance to our current understanding of the interconnections across trade agreement design, domestic regulations, and vertically integrated multinational production.

Food gatekeepers: a reflection on gender roles in domestic environments

Food gatekeepers: a reflection on gender roles in domestic environments

Quality Indicators of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Korea

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that requires abundant clinical experience and endoscopic skills, and can lead to various complications, some of which may progress to life-threatening conditions. With expanding indications and technological advancements, ERCP is widely utilized, enhancing procedural accessibility. However, without proper quality management, the procedure can pose significant risks. Quality management in ERCP is essential to ensure safe and successful procedures and meet societal demands for improved healthcare competitiveness. To address these concerns, the Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed a Korean-specific ERCP quality indicator reflecting domestic medical environments and realities. Initially, based on a review of foreign ERCP quality indicators and related literatures, key questions were formulated for five preprocedural items, three intra-procedural items, and four post-procedural items. Descriptions and recommendations for each item were selected through peer evaluation. The developed Korean-specific ERCP quality indicator was reviewed by external experts based on the latest evidence and consensus in this fields. This Korean-specific indicator is expected to significantly contribute to improving ERCP quality in Korea, as it is tailored to local needs.

Distribution of Air pollutant Concentration and Ammonium conversion rate in Livestock Areas: Focusing on Boryeong

Objectives:The association between the generation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ammonia is well-established, highlighting the importance of managing ammonia as a primary means to reduce particulate matter. However, domestic research on ammonia emissions, particularly in livestock areas, which are major sources of ammonia, is insufficient. This study aims to contribute to pollutant management on a national scale by conducting air pollutant measurements and analyses in livestock areas. Methods:Real-time analysis and monitoring of air and weather conditions were carried out in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do, from 2021 to 2022. Statistical analysis was then employed to investigate the correlation between observed air pollutants (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone and particle matters) and PM2.5. Results and Discussion:As a result of the analysis, the concentration of air pollutants in Boryeong showed a seasonal tendancy to decrease in summer and increase after that. Most substances such as NO2, SO2, and PM10 were observed within the standard values. In the case of ammonia, domestic air environment standards are not in place, but the annual average was found to be 61.5 ± 55.3 ppb, higher than in other research results. This discrepancy is attributed to the influence of nearby livestock houses. It was also observed that PM2.5 exceeded the annual standard value of 15 μg/m3 in spring (30.1 μg/m3), summer (18.3 μg/m3), autumn (25.3 μg/m3) and winter (31.7 μg/m3), respectively. During this period, ammonium (NH4+, 32.8%), nitrate (NO3-, 35.9%), and sulfate (SO42-, 19.7%) comprised the majority of particulate pollutants in PM2.5. The ammonia-ammonium conversion rate (NHR) was 0.08 annual average, and it was found that gas/ion phase changes were affected by seasonal weather conditions (temperature and relative humidity). As a result of analyzing the NHR according to the PM2.5 concentration, it was found that the higher the PM2.5 concentration, the higher the NHR. Furthermore, although the measurement area of this study exhibited high ammonia concentration, the NHR was low. This suggests that the contribution rate of ammonia to PM2.5 was relatively low compared to the other studies.Conclusion:As a result, there is a need for measures to reduce the high concentrations of ammonia in livestock areas. Simultaneously, considering the diverse mechanisms involved in particulate matter formation, it is suggested that management of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides including ammonia should be implemented.

Obesogenicity perception of food environments in adults: A cross-sectional study in urban areas of Santiago, Chile.

In Chile, there is a high prevalence of obesity, and most people have an inadequate quality of food. Food environments can constitute barriers that prevent healthy food choices and lead to overweight and obesity, as well as diet-related non-communicable diseases. There are international instruments that allow the characterization of food environments. In Chile, there are no studies on the perception of food environments. This study aimed to characterize the perception of obesogenicity of food environments in the urban Chilean population using an instrument previously validated in Chile. This is a cross-sectional study with probabilistic sampling. The "Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey", based on the Chilean model of food environments, was applied to 256 participants from two urban communities of the Metropolitan Region. Scores were calculated for the instrument items, which allowed calculating scores by environments included in the Chilean model of Food Environments. Negative scores were related to a higher obesogenic level. The results show that the domestic food environment is perceived as less obesogenic (median of 15.8 points), with more than 90% of households having fruits, vegetables, and legumes, even though the supply food environment was negative (median -0.19 points). However, about 50% of households had ultra-processed foods. The street food environment was perceived as the most obesogenic (median -1.91 points), with more than 60% of the participants indicating difficulty finding healthy options. According to the level of obesogenicity of the environments studied, it is necessary to have public policies that improve them and ensure the availability and physical and economic access to healthy food, particularly in the food supply and public road environments.

Accidental Detection of Cocaine in Urine in Pediatric Patients: Case Series and Literature Review

Infantile occult exposure to cocaine in domestic environments represents a complex clinical and medico-legal problem, which can be associated with abuse and neglect and with potential short- and long-term health risks for children. The authors present a retrospective study on 764 children under 14 years old who accessed the Emergency Department of IRCCS Meyer from 2016 to 2023 and were included in the GAIA (Child and Adolescent Abuse Group) protocol for suspected maltreatment and abuse, and for which a urine toxicology analysis was performed. The aim is to discuss the medico-legal implications and highlight the need for a thorough evaluation and management of such situations. Urine screening tests for substances of abuse (e.g., cocaine, opiates, etc.) were performed with an EMIT® Siemens VIVA-E drug testing system (Siemens, Newark DE) in 124 cases for which the child’s clinical condition raised suspicion of intoxication, or the family context indicated distress or substance abuse dependency. The screening results revealed the presence of cocaine and its main metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in the urine of 11 children. In one case, a single girl was brought to the Emergency Department by staff from the facility where she and her mother were staying. In most of the cases, children were brought to the Emergency Department by their parents who accessed the Emergency Department due to various clinical manifestations (drowsiness, agitation, seizures, hypotonia, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.), except for one case of eye trauma suspected to be caused by abuse or neglect by one of the parents. Three of the children did not have signs or symptoms attributable to substance exposure, whilst eight of the cases presented some of the symptoms associated with occult infant exposure to cocaine, such as neurological manifestations, seizures, gastrointestinal symptoms, and respiratory depression. The probable mode of intake was mostly through breastfeeding and continuous environmental exposure due to domestic contamination or inhalation of “crack”. In the case of a 12-hour-old infant, there was probable prenatal in utero exposure. All the children were hospitalized, some for medical reasons and others solely as a precautionary measure for proper care. In all cases, a report was made to the Prosecutors as required by the Italian Penal Code, as well as to the Court of Minor. The study highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach involving pediatricians, social workers, and forensics, as well as close collaboration with the relevant authorities, as the Gaia service at IRCCS Meyer offers. The occasional detection of cocaine in cases that showed no suspicion of intoxication led to a modification of the procedure and the development of a standardized protocol at IRCCS Meyer both in terms of prevention and in the detection and interception of hidden cases, in order to intervene early and initiate the necessary care pathways (secondary prevention). This protocol includes routine toxicological urine testing in all suspected or confirmed cases of child abuse, not just in those where symptoms might suggest a suspicion of intoxication.

Are we preparing healthy & responsible adolescents? Exploratory qualitative study to understand the health and social issues of adolescent living in Karachi, Pakistan.

This study aimed to understand the lives of adolescents living in squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan regarding their assigned roles and responsibilities, health and social issues, their decision-making process, and mechanism and channels of information. An exploratory descriptive qualitative study design was employed. Purposive sampling techniques were used to carry out Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with adolescents (n = 10, Participants = 190), adolescents' parents (n = 10, Participants = 180), and In-Depth Interviews of with key adolescent stakeholders (n = 20). Adolescent stakeholder mapping was conducted for enrolling participants. The data were analysed thematically using deductive and inductive approaches. Based on gender norms parents assign specific roles and responsibilities to adolescent girls and boys. Due to societal norms, communication gap exists between adolescents and their parents. The most popular information channels are social media platforms and friends. Adolescents reported being subjected to a variety of physical, sexual, mental, social, and environmental pressures. Lack of guidance from parents, inadequate knowledge and skills to deal with physical, sexual, mental, social and environmental hazards, and misuse of social media lead to risky decisions, injuries, and social instability. This study underlines the urgent need for targeted interventions for addressing gender issues and improving adolescents' decision-making and life skills. We recommend Behavior Change Communication interventions to dismantle gender stereotypes and support a balanced domestic environment for children's education and well-being, awareness raising among parents, teachers, and healthcare providers about adolescent risks emphasizing their role in youth guidance, and advocacy for youth-led forums to co-create educational content engaging parents, educators, and health professionals focusing on life skills. These strategies would turn demographic transitions into productive dividends.

Infection Frequency and Allelic Variants of Toxoplasma gondii in Wildlife from the Panama Canal Zone

Panama has a large number of wild animal species, which could host a highly diverse amount of genetic variants of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). In this context, we highlight the importance of understanding the population structure of T. gondii in Panamanian wildlife and the genetic variants that can be rapidly transferred to domestic environments. This study analyzed the infection frequency and allelic composition of T. gondii in different tissue samples from wild animals. The infection frequency was measured by the PCR technique using the B1 gene as a molecular marker. The results showed a high frequency (65.6%) of infection in tissue samples collected from 221 wild animals. Stratified analyses for bird and mammal samples showed positivity rates of 67.2% and 70.12%, respectively, with no statistically significant differences. Infection frequency was also measured in five types of organs (brain, liver, heart, lung, and skeletal muscle), which showed homogeneous frequencies. The genetic diversity of the T. gondii population contained in the tissues of wild animals was analyzed by the Multilocus Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique, using five genes called SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, and Apico. This analysis revealed the presence of alleles of these genes corresponding to T. gondii lineages I, II, and III. Allele III was only identified with the Apico gene in a single reptile individual analyzed. Our findings indicated diverse allelic distribution at the analyzed loci, suggesting that the tissues were probably infected by non-archetypal individuals of T. gondii.

Environmental enrichment for gerbils in the veterinary and domestic environment

Small exotics, commonly referred to as ‘small furries’, include hamsters, gerbils, rabbits and an array of other species. Gerbils are one of the easiest rodents to maintain and manage due to their typically non-aggressive nature. Usually found in deserts and semi-arid geographical regions of the world, the Mongolian gerbils available today originated from 20 pairs of captured animals. These were maintained in 1935 in a closed, random-bred colony at the Kitasato Institute in Japan.

군사경찰의 대테러 위기 협상 발전방안

Negotiations by police agencies are activities to resolve situations through dialogue and compromise rather than physical forces such as forced suppression in various crisis situations. Police negotiations have been developed in the United States since the 1970s as the need for measures to minimize sacrifices in crisis situations was raised after unsuccessful outcomes following suppression-centered operations in the process of resolving terrorism and various hostage situations. The Republic of Korea operated a negotiation team as one of the dedicated organizations for responding to the 1988 Seoul Olympics terrorist threats, and the negotiation team was cultivated in the National Police Agency. The Korean police negotiation team has been expanded and evolved from anti-terrorism negotiations to crisis negotiations in response to changing domestic security environment and is actively operating in crisis situations such as various crimes and suicide. Negotiations by the military police has been mainly focused on countering terrorism and their approaches and tactics in various military crisis situations have not been discussed so far. This study was conducted for the purpose of diagnosing problems of the military police negotiation team by analyzing its operation status and deriving a development plan. In particular, by clarifying the types of military police negotiations, it was intended to establish a foundation for differentiating negotiation techniques that are applicable not only in response to terrorism but also in various military-related crisis situations.

플로팅 건축을 활용한 공간 디자인의 특성에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to explore the design characteristics of floating architecture, which is gaining attention both domestically and internationally, and to find ways to implement spatial philosophy and address the issues of modern cities. Through theoretical consideration, the study first examines concepts related to sustainability, ESG, and spatial design, setting the main direction of the research. In the main part, various domestic and international cases of floating architecture in residential, commercial, and cultural contexts are reviewed, and eight criteria based on the design characteristics of floating architecture are derived. These criteria are then applied and analyzed according to different categories of case study sites. The results indicate a need for measures to address the lack of planning standards and design guidelines for floating architecture suitable for the domestic environment. It also highlights the necessity of a customized design approach that considers regional characteristics and the surrounding space. Finally, the study suggests the need for spatial design techniques that incorporate ESG concepts in floating architecture, such as energy independence, marine ecosystem protection, and the use of sustainable materials. This research aims to contribute to the active development of studies in the emerging field of floating architecture.

Association between domestic animal exposure and diarrhea prevalence in under- five children in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDiarrheal disease is still the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children, despite significant progress in diarrhea interventions. Zoonotic transmission is the main cause of the emergence and re-emergence of diseases. Domestic animals are often close to humans, particularly in resource-poor countries. Despite evidence of environmental contamination, there have been limited studies conducted to examine the association between domestic animal exposure and diarrheal disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis examines the association between domestic animal exposure and diarrheal disease in children under five years of age in LMIC.MethodsThe search strategy followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for the reporting of systematic reviews. All appropriate databases were searched to find relevant articles. Research studies were selected for review if they reported an outcome variable that measured diarrhea and exposure variables of any domestic animals. A data extraction form was used to extract information from each study. The quality of the individual articles was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI’s) critical appraisal tools. Publication bias was checked using a funnel plot, Egger’s regression test, and Begg’s test. The heterogeneity of studies was checked using the Galbraith plot and the I-squared test. A sensitivity analysis was conducted, and a meta-analysis was conducted using STATA 17.ResultsAfter reviewing 113 articles, 11 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria hence considered for meta-analysis. The finding of these 11 studies revealed that study participants who had animal exposure had 1.95 higher odds of diarrhea as compared to participants who hadn’t animal exposure (OR: 1.95, 95%CI: 1.25, 2.66).Conclusions and recommendationsThis study reported that diarrheal disease was associated with study subjects who had domestic animal exposure. Therefore, more comprehensive research is needed on specific behaviors and interventions surrounding animal husbandry that may affect the transmission of pathogens between animals and humans; this would facilitate the design and implementation of measures to reduce animal exposure in the domestic environment.

Why Does Institutional Opening-up Promote the Enhancement of Innovation Capabilities in Chinese Enterprises?

China’s involvement in global economic governance has been a progressive and step-by-step ascent. While the domestic and international environment has undergone major changes, the process of economic globalization has taken on new trends, and China has entered a new stage of high-level opening up. This paper’s theoretical analysis suggests that high-level opening up helps enhance the quality of foreign capital utilization, thereby addressing the challenges associated with the lower technological benefits of previous foreign capital utilization and further facilitating the enhancement of innovation capabilities in Chinese enterprises. Guided by this theoretical framework, this study has measured the level of opening up in Chinese provinces from 2013 to 2022 using web crawling technology. Econometric tests conducted with Chinese enterprise panel data reveal that: firstly, First, it effectively promotes the improvement of the total innovation output of enterprises and significantly improves breakthrough innovation capabilities. This result still holds true under a series of robustness and endogeneity tests; secondly, it mainly improves local advantages and high-quality international The attraction of foreign capital and multinational companies enables local companies to achieve breakthroughs and catch-up in core technologies by learning and competing with advanced foreign companies, thereby enhancing their technological innovation capabilities; thirdly, for companies in different industries and different ownership attributes The impact of improving innovation capabilities may vary. This study helps promote a new paradigm of innovation-driven development in the context of high-level opening-up.

Artificial Intelligence for the Evaluation of Postures Using Radar Technology: A Case Study.

In the last few decades, major progress has been made in the medical field; in particular, new treatments and advanced health technologies allow for considerable improvements in life expectancy and, more broadly, in quality of life. As a consequence, the number of elderly people is expected to increase in the following years. This trend, along with the need to improve the independence of frail people, has led to the development of unobtrusive solutions to monitor daily activities and provide feedback in case of risky situations and falls. Monitoring devices based on radar sensors represent a possible approach to tackle postural analysis while preserving the person's privacy and are especially useful in domestic environments. This work presents an innovative solution that combines millimeter-wave radar technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to detect different types of postures: a series of algorithms and neural network methodologies are evaluated using experimental acquisitions with healthy subjects. All methods produce very good results according to the main parameters evaluating performance; the long short-term memory (LSTM) and GRU show the most consistent results while, at the same time, maintaining reduced computational complexity, thus providing a very good candidate to be implemented in a dedicated embedded system designed to monitor postures.

Quality Indicators of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Korea

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure that requires abundant clinical experience and endoscopic skills, and can lead to various complications, some of which may progress to life-threatening conditions. With expanding indications and technological advancements, ERCP is widely utilized, enhancing procedural accessibility. However, without proper quality management, the procedure can pose significant risks. Quality management in ERCP is essential to ensure safe and successful procedures and meet societal demands for improved healthcare competitiveness. To address these concerns, the Korean Society of Pancreatobiliary Endoscopy has developed a Korean-specific ERCP quality indicator reflecting domestic medical environments and realities. Initially, based on a review of foreign ERCP quality indicators and related literatures, key questions were formulated for five pre-procedural items, three intra-procedural items, and four post-procedural items. Descriptions and recommendations for each item were selected through peer evaluation. The developed Korean-specific ERCP quality indicator was reviewed by external experts based on the latest evidence and consensus in this fields. This Korean-specific indicator is expected to significantly contribute to improving ERCP quality in Korea, as it is tailored to local needs.

Why do some African firms export? The role of regional economic communities?

AbstractThis article examines whether African manufacturing firms are strategically located for regional market access. The study uses a large dataset from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys and is based on 6800 firms from 26 African countries. The study findings show that firms located in countries with dual membership to Regional Economic Communities (RECs) exhibit a significantly higher propensity to export than firms in countries affiliated with a single REC. Additionally, our findings suggest that RECs enhance export participation by mitigating customs delays. However, constraints in the business environment can hinder the propensity of firms to export. In particular, the study identifies informal competition and power outages as substantial barriers that increase the cost of doing business and diminish the potential benefits of REC membership. These results underscore the importance of advancing economic integration across Africa to bolster export participation. Additional improvements in the domestic business environments should address the constraints that hinder firms' international competitiveness.

Changes in Protein Levels during the Storage and Warming of Breast Milk in a Domestic Environment.

Background/Objectives: Storage and warming can impact the protein concentration of breast milk (BM). This study aimed to explore the effects of routine BM handling, from storage to warming, on BM protein concentration. Methods: Forty BM samples were collected from 40 mothers with full-term infants. Fresh BM samples were analyzed within 24 h of expression as a baseline. Additional samples were stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days and in either a freezer compartment of a refrigerator with a separate door (refrigerator freezers) or a deep freezer for up to 6 months. We compared four warming techniques: rapid thawing in water at 25 °C and 37 °C immediately after freezer removal, and slow thawing in a refrigerator for 12 h, followed by warming in water at 25 °C and 37 °C. The protein concentration was measured using the Lowry method. Results: No significant decrease in BM protein concentration was observed across all storage conditions compared to baseline. BM with a higher protein content benefited more from storage in deep freezers than in refrigerator freezers. Thawing immediately after removal from the freezer at 25 °C preserved significantly higher total protein levels compared to alternative heating techniques. Conclusions: Our findings support the recommendation for mothers to store BM in either type of freezer for up to 6 months. Our results suggest that rapid thawing at 25 °C is the most effective method for preserving protein levels compared to other thawing techniques used in our study.