Ethnic Characteristics Research Articles

Historical African ethnic class stratification systems and intergenerational transmission of education

ABSTRACT This paper examines the role of precolonial class inequality systems in the intergenerational transmission of education processes amongst ethnic groups in Africa. Using ethnographic and household survey data from six African countries and grouping ethnic groups by the historical class system that existed within them, I observe variations in intergenerational persistence between them with varying levels of significance in the different countries included. The findings suggest that understanding intergenerational mobility within African countries should take into account the different historical ethnic group characteristics, although the mobility process does not evolve uniformly across countries. Country-specific colonial administrative systems and the immediate post-independence education policies are critical factors that also need to be taken into account to understand the changes in education-based intergenerational persistence from the precolonial to the contemporary period.

Prenatal wildfire exposure associates with differential placental DNA methylation and pregnancy traits

Background and Aim: As the effects of anthropogenic climate change increase the frequency and severity of wildfires in arid regions, the impacts of prenatal wildfire smoke exposure (WFE) on prenatal health will become relevant to an increasing number of pregnant women. Prior investigations have found associations between WFE and pregnancy complications, and postulated DNA methylation as a potential contributing mechanism for this effect. This preliminary study will investigate the placental DNA methylation changes associated with prenatal WFE, and search for differential methylation patterns that could inform the relationship between prenatal WFE and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: DNA was extracted from 136 unique placental samples (124 not exposed to 2008 CA wildfires during pregnancy, 12 exposed) associated with metadata on wildfire exposure as well as other traits of interest. DNA underwent bisulfite conversion and subsequent whole genome bisulfite sequencing to reveal placental methylome. Placental methylomes were used to perform comethylation network analysis via the Comethyl package, generating modules of correlated methylation patterns across samples. Comethylation modules were then tested for association with sample metadata, including wildfire exposure. Results: Four comethylation modules (darkorange, darkred, saddlebrown, and plum2) were associated (p<0.05) with prenatal WFE. Two of these modules (darkorange and plum2) were also associated with maternal weight gain or gestational diabetes, with these modules being enriched for genes implicated in endothelial, vascular, neuronal, and DNA repair pathways. The darkred comethylation module was also associated with child and paternal Hispanic ethnicity characteristics, with the module itself being enriched for genes involved in mitochondrial chain respiratory pathways. Conclusions: A significant association exists between prenatal WFE, placental DNA methylation, and maternal weight gain. Larger cohorts of WFE samples are required to bolster the associations identified in this discovery analysis. Keywords: wildfires, prenatal, methylation

ЭКСПЕДИЦИОННЫЕ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ Р.Г. КУЗЕЕВА ПО ИЗУЧЕНИЮ БАШКИРСКИХ РОДОПЛЕМЕННЫХ ЗНАКОВ В 1975-1982 ГГ.

One of the little-studied documents of the scientific heritage of the outstanding scientist-ethnologist R.G. Kuzeev are his field diaries. They are the result of many years of expedition research by the scientist and cover the period from 1952 to 1982. They contain information concerning ethnogenesis, ethnic history, tribal structure, land use system, customary law, history of settlements, toponymy of Bashkirs. A lot of interesting and valuable things can also be learned in them about Bashkir economic occupations and crafts, settlements, dwellings, decorative and applied arts, historical legends, legends. Field diaries also show that their content directly depended on the scientific tasks that the researcher set for himself. In 1953-1955, as well as in 1965-1974, R.G. Kuzeev collected materials on the history of settlement, tribal composition, remnants of the patriarchal-tribal way of life, tribal signs, customary law, land use system, land relations and social organization of Bashkirs. In 1956-1961, together with colleagues from Leningrad and Ufa, he joined in the collection and generalization of materials on the decorative and applied art of Bashkirs. In 1975-1982, the scientist focused his attention on a systematic and large-scale study of Bashkir tamgas - tribal signs. This publication tells about how the scientist, since the 50s of the twentieth century, nurtured this idea and implemented it during expedition research in the 70-80-ies of the twentieth century. Although R.G. Kuzeev did not have time to complete the monograph on this topic to the end, he made a significant contribution to the collection, accumulation and scientific interpretation of the phenomenon of Bashkir tamgas, and also drew attention to their inexhaustible source value. In addition, he left behind a unique body of expedition drawings and photographs, which in all their diversity reflect the ethnic and regional characteristics of the tribal signs of the Bashkirs in the Southern Urals.

Enfermedad pulmonar intersticial difusa y su relación con el humo de leña estimado por un índice de exposición anual IEAHL

Introduction: lung diseases that affect the interstice have multicausal etiology where exposure to biomass using firewood as a fuel source in food preparation continues to be rooted in our communities. Objective: to describe an index that quantifies the risk of developing diffuse interstitial lung disease, ILD, in relation to the degree of exposure to wood smoke, according to the number of main meals cooked with said method, multiplied by the number of years exposed, IEAHL. Material and Method: study of cases and controls. We analyzed 37 cases of ILD patients and their relationship to wood smoke based on our own proposal for an annual exposure index and 33 controls admitted for surgical treatment in general surgery, with ethnic characteristics, age and sociocultural status similar to the cases studied. For IEAHL, the range 50 to 99 was chosen for moderate degree exposure and more than 100 severe degree. Results: severe (OR=26 95%CI 2.63 – 270) and moderate (OR=9.6795%CI 1.32 – 70.97) IEAHL are associated with ILD type non-specific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP), while usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP) only to a severe degree (OR=20 95%CI 2.04 – 196.03). Conclusion: the index of annual exposure to wood smoke IEAHL is presented as an objective and simple alternative to determine the risk of suffering from diffuse interstitial lung diseases and was found to be associated with NSIP and UIP, thus establishing a relationship between severity of exposure and ILD development.

Lifetime discrimination in low to middle income mothers and cellular aging: A prospective analysis

BackgroundExperiences of discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, and other characteristics are associated with adverse health outcomes, including elevated rates of morbidity in later life and earlier mortality. Acceleration of biological aging is a plausible pathway linking discrimination to disease risk. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of self-reported lifetime and everyday discrimination to women's telomere length several years after birth of a child in a longitudinal cohort study. MethodsThe Community Child Health Network (CCHN) conducted a community-based participatory research project focused on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in maternal and child health. Data for the current substudy are from a longitudinal cohort study in 3 of the 5 project sites. This multi-site community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Lake County, IL north of Chicago, Washington, D.C., and rural North Carolina. Participants were low to middle-income mothers (N = 103) with a primary identity of Hispanic/Latina, Black, or non-Hispanic White who rated their experience of everyday and lifetime discrimination during an at-home interview one-month postpartum. Buccal samples were collected to assay buccal cell telomere length several years later when a consecutive child was 3–5 years of age. Telomere length derived from buccal cells was used as a biomarker indicating cellular aging and a risk factor for age-related disease. ResultsMothers (18–39 years old) who reported higher lifetime discrimination had shorter telomere length an average of 5.6 years later (B = −0.22 [SE = 0.04], p < 0.001). Mother's reports of everyday discrimination were not significantly related to telomere length (0.01[0.01], p = 0.15). ConclusionsThese findings suggest that lifetime exposure to discrimination, but not necessarily current reports of everyday discrimination, may increase biological aging as indicated by shorter buccal cell telomere length, providing evidence of a plausible route through which discrimination contributes to increased risk for earlier onset aging and age-related disease in women.

Disparities in Geographic Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation in Los Angeles County.

Background Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is known to reduce morbidity and mortality for patients with cardiac conditions. Sociodemographic disparities in accessing CR persist and could be related to the distance between where patients live and where CR facilities are located. Our objective is to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and geographic proximity to CR facilities. Methods and Results We identified actively operating CR facilities across Los Angeles County and used multivariable Poisson regression to examine the association between sociodemographic characteristics of residential proximity to the nearest CR facility. We also calculated the proportion of residents per area lacking geographic proximity to CR facilities across sociodemographic characteristics, from which we calculated prevalence ratios. We found that racial and ethnic minorities, compared with non-Hispanic White individuals, more frequently live ≥5 miles from a CR facility. The greatest geographic disparity was seen for non-Hispanic Black individuals, with a 2.73 (95% CI, 2.66-2.79) prevalence ratio of living at least 5 miles from a CR facility. Notably, the municipal region with the largest proportion of census tracts comprising mostly non-White residents (those identifying as Hispanic or a race other than White), with median annual household income <$60 000, contained no CR facilities despite ranking among the county's highest in population density. Conclusions Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic characteristics are significantly associated with lack of geographic proximity to a CR facility. Interventions targeting geographic as well as nongeographic factors may be needed to reduce disparities in access to exercise-based CR programs. Such interventions could increase the potential of CR to benefit patients at high risk for developing adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Determination of cephalometric parameters according to the COGS method, which characterize the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures depending on the types of faces in Ukrainian young men and young women with an orthognathic bite

An aesthetically pleasing face is one of the main goals of orthodontic treatment. However, in the case of severe pathology, in order to achieve the harmony of the complex of soft and hard tissues of the face, it is necessary to carry out not only orthodontic but also surgical intervention, i.e. orthognathic surgery. A cephalometric analysis for orthognathic surgery (COGS) is an effective element necessary for planning such treatment. The purpose of the study is to establish the peculiarities of cephalometric parameters that characterize the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures according to the COGS method in Ukrainian young men and young women with an orthognathic bite, depending on the type of face. 46 young men (aged 17 to 21) and 72 young women (aged 16 to 20) who belonged in three generations to residents of Ukraine of the Caucasian race and had an orthognathic bite, underwent cephalometry according to the COGS method. OnyxCeph³™ software, version 3DPro, Image Instruments GmbH, Germany, was used for cephalometric analysis of indicators characterizing the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures. According to the value of Garson's morphological index, the type of face was determined. Statistical processing of the obtained results was carried out in the license package “Statistica 6.0” using non-parametric estimation methods. Between young women with different types of face, the following reliable or trends of differences in linear and angular indicators, which characterize the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures according to the COGS method, were established: in young women with a very wide face type, smaller values of the distances 1u-NF, 1l-MP, 6u-NF and the OP-HP angle (compared to medium and narrow face types), as well as the 6l-MP distance (compared only to the medium face type); young women with an average face type have larger values of the 6l-MP distance (compared to narrow face types), as well as the OP-HP angle (compared to wide and narrow face types). Between young men with different types of faces, there are practically no reliable or trends of differences in linear and angular indicators that characterize the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures according to the COGS method. Manifestations of sexual dimorphism of linear and angular indicators, which characterize the position of individual teeth relative to cranial structures according to the COGS method, have been established: in young men, the values of most linear dimensions are higher in representatives with very wide, wide and narrow face types; young women with different types of faces have larger values of the OP-HP angle. The obtained results will allow dentists to provide the necessary assistance to the patient at a modern level, taking into account not only the age, sex and ethnic characteristics of a person, but also the type of his face.

China national food safety standards of cadmium in staple foods: Issues and thinking

<p indent="0mm">Cadmium (Cd), as a class one carcinogen, is easily transferred from soil to the food chain, representing a potential threat to human health. Rapid industrialization in China during the last three decades has caused widespread contamination in agricultural soils. As a result, a considerable proportion of the rice grain in some areas of southern China has concentrations of Cd exceeding the Chinese food safety standard. This problem has raised a widespread concern regarding food safety and brought a big debate in China about whether the current food safety standard is reasonable. The food safety standard of Cd is not only critical for assessing soil environmental quality, but also important to reduce the current elevated dietary Cd intake for the general population. In this perspective, we summarize the history of establishment and revision in Chinese food safety standards of Cd in staple foods and discuss whether the current Cd safety limits for both rice and wheat are reasonable in terms of the tolerable limit for dietary Cd intake, dietary pattern, the current exposure level of Cd for the general pollution, and social-economic and international trading factors. The dietary Cd intake for the general population has doubled over the last <sc>25 years,</sc> from <sc>13.8 μg/d</sc> in 1990 to <sc>32.7 μg/d</sc> in 2011–2015, with the latter being approximately 61% of the provisional tolerable intake recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The growing body of evidence suggests no safe Cd intake limit for human health and consequently, dietary intake of Cd should be reduced as much as possible. The milling (i.e., polishing) process has an uncertain effect on change in Cd concentration in polished rice compared to the brown rice because of the uncertainty of the Cd spatial distribution pattern in rice grain. Furthermore, polished rice has higher bioavailability of Cd to humans than brown rice. These differences should be considered when extrapolating the food safety standard between brown rice and polished rice. According to the current exposure level and risk of Cd through consumption of rice, we contend that the current food safety limit for rice grain <sc>(0.2 mg/kg)</sc> in China is lenient for both the southern and northern general populations. It is unadvisable to be looser in further revisions of Chinese food safety standards. For wheat grain, the current safety limit <sc>(0.1 mg/kg)</sc> is reasonable for the northern population but strict for the southern population. Given the current contamination status and national food security and safety, the principle of ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) should be applied to guild the amendment of the national food safety standard of Cd. There are several scientific perspectives to be further studied. First, epidemiological studies are required to establish the tolerable intake limit suitable to the Chinese ethnic characteristics and dietary patterns. Second, the new food safety standard should consider the subgroup populations with high Cd exposure risk, including infants, children, and local farmers who mainly consume home-grown rice with elevated Cd concentrations in Cd-contaminated regions. To reduce Cd exposure to the local population, effective mitigation strategies include exchanging high Cd home-grown rice with low Cd rice and increasing dietary nutrients and human nutrition.

Racial and ethnic characteristics and cancer-specific survival in Primary Malignant Cardiac Tumors.

BackgroundThere is limited insight into the epidemiological characteristics and effect of race and ethnicity on Primary Malignant Cardiac Tumors (PMCTs).ObjectivesComparison of clinical characteristics and cancer-specific survival outcomes of major races in the United States from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Result (SEER) registry.MethodsICD-O-3 codes were used to identify PMCTs for the years 1975 to 2015. Three major races were identified—“White”, “Black”, and “Asian/Pacific Islander”. Cancer-specific survival outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis across and amongst races, based on tumor histology. A subgroup analysis of cancer-specific survival was performed between “Hispanics” and “non-Hispanics.”ResultsSeven hundred and twenty patients were identified−47% females and 79% White, mean age at diagnosis (47 ± 20 years). Black patients were significantly younger (39 ± 18 years) and presented more commonly with angiosarcomas (53%). Non-angiogenic sarcomas and lymphomas were the most common tumors in the White (38%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (34%) cohorts. For a median follow-up period of 50 (IQR3-86) months, cancer-specific survival (mean ± SD, in months) was worse in Blacks (9 ± 3) as compared to Whites (15 ± 1) and Asian/Pacific Islander (14 ± 1) (p-value; Black vs. White <0.001; Black vs. Asian/Pacific Islanders = 0.017, White vs. Asian/Pacific Islanders = 0.3). Subgroup analysis with 116 (16%) Hispanics (40% females; mean age of 40 ± 20 years) showed a longer mean cancer-specific survival of 16.9 ± 2.4 months as compared to 13.6 ± 1.1 months in non-Hispanics (p = 0.011).ConclusionBlack and non-Hispanic patients have poorer cancer-specific survival in PMCTs.

Exploring linguistic stereotyping of international students at a Canadian university

ABSTRACT Although international students often report satisfaction with their studies and view Canada as being tolerant and multicultural, increasing anti-Asian sentiment triggered by the global pandemic has highlighted the importance of exploring whether international students, especially from South and East Asia, experience discrimination. This study examines how university students perceive the speech characteristics (accentedness, comprehensibility), status attributes (e.g. competent, intelligent), and solidarity traits (e.g. pleasant, attractive) of international students from Europe, China, and South Asia along with their interest in participating in academic activities with international students. Eighty university students in Canada evaluated short speech samples from six fellow students from Mandarin Chinese, European (Romanian, German), and South Asian (Urdu) backgrounds, with the voices presented with an image matching or mismatching the speaker’s ethnic features. Results showed that the Chinese and South Asian students were rated as more accented and less comprehensible than the European students. They were also viewed less favorably in status and solidarity and received lower academic engagement ratings. Students whose speech was easier to understand received higher status, solidarity, and academic engagement ratings. The findings are discussed in relation to various ways in which universities can reduce prejudicial and discriminatory behaviors toward international students.

Study of Surface Roughness of Cutting Isothermally Hardened Ductile Iron in Tosa Knife Forging Technique Based on Intelligent Calculation

With a long history of more than 600 years of development, the Achang Tosa knives have always been handmade and made in strict accordance with tradition and absorbing the essence of foreign cultures. It is not only a tool or a gift, but also a “knife culture” and a local “folk culture” with local ethnic characteristics in Yunnan. In this paper, we begin our research on the Achang Tosa knives by compiling literature and conducting field research to investigate the “knife culture” jointly created by the Achang and neighboring ethnic groups by studying the forging process of the Achang Tosa knives. Three sets of specimens were prepared and the mechanical properties were determined by combining the existing isothermal quenched ductile iron (ADI) material production, and a high-speed cutting test was carried out with a CC650 ceramic tool to investigate the relationship between the machined material, tool material, and cutting dosage-surface roughness during high-speed cutting of ADI; based on the particle swarm algorithm, a theoretical model between surface roughness and cutting parameters was established to provide theoretical guidance for the optimal production process of ADI in high-speed cutting. It provides more valuable experience for the protection of intangible cultural heritage of ethnic minorities and also provides reference for the development and protection of unique crafts of other ethnic minorities.

Analysis of the association of FTO, PPARG and PPARGC1A gene polymorphisms with carbohydrate metabolism disorders

Background. Conducting molecular and genetic studies to investigate susceptibility to multifactorial and polygenic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes melitus and pre-diabetic conditions, is of great importance for the development of personalized prevention programs and the choice of optimal treatment. Taking into account regional and ethnic features, the study of polymorphic markers of candidate genes for fat and carbohydrate metabolism has a great practical value.&#x0D; Aim. To investigate associations of polymorphisms of the FTO rs9939609, PPARG rs180128, PPARGC1A rs8192678 genes with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetic conditions in residents of the Republic of Tatarstan.&#x0D; Material and methods. An observational single-stage single-center controlled study was conducted in patients with various disorders of carbohydrate metabolism: prediabetes (n=138) and a confirmed diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=134). Molecular genetic analysis of rs9939609 polymorphism of the FTO gene, rs8192678 polymorphism of the PPARGC1A gene and rs1801282 polymorphism of the PPARG gene was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The distribution of patient genotypes and alleles was compared with the Russian population. Statistical data processing included nonparametric correlation analysis using Pearsons coefficient, calculation of Student's and 2 tests, odds ratios, arithmetic mean values and their standard deviations using GraphPad InStat software.&#x0D; Results. The A allele of the rs9939609 polymorphism of FTO gene increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus and early carbohydrate metabolism disorders (OR=2.73, p=0.00007 and OR=4.17; p=0.00002, respectively). The GG genotype of the rs180128 polymorphism of the PPARG gene is associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR=2.77, p=0.02).&#x0D; Conclusion. The expected association of the rs9939609 FTO polymorphic marker, which determines the development of insulin resistance, with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and the presence of early carbohydrate metabolism disorders was obtained.

Spatial Distribution and Tourism Activation of Traditional Villages in Yunnan Province

Using ArcGIS to analyze the spatial distribution of traditional villages in Yunnan Province in combination with the actual local conditions of traditional villages, the purpose of this study is to determine the development model suitable for their characteristics. The results show several important features of traditional village distribution. (1) The traditional villages in Yunnan Province have spatial structural characteristics of unbalanced cohesive distribution, and they are mainly distributed in the higher-level cities and prefectures such as northwest Yunnan, west Yunnan and south Yunnan. Among them, the traditional villages of Baoshan City have the highest distribution density of 66.33 per 10000 km2. This is followed by Dali Prefecture and Honghe Prefecture, where the densities of traditional villages are 44.13 per 10000 km2 and 37.66 per 10000 km2, respectively. (2) The factors affecting the spatial distribution structure of traditional villages in Yunnan Province are natural geographical factors, humanistic historical factors and transportation factors. Among them, the natural geographical conditions with a large vertical gap in Yunnan Province gave birth to the human settlement environment of traditional villages. The history of a farming civilization that has been passed down from generation to generation has laid a brilliant and splendid humanistic foundation for traditional villages, and the high-altitude areas are relatively primitive. The transportation conditions have delayed the destruction of traditional villages by urbanization and industrialization. In summary, these factors have affected the spatial distribution pattern of traditional villages in Yunnan Province to some extent. (3) According to the law of the spatial distribution of traditional villages in Yunnan Province, it is necessary to explore the activation path of traditional village tourism with regional characteristics and ethnic characteristics, and also to carry out differentiated development according to the different endowment characteristics of local resources, that is to develop a series of activation modes including agricultural tourism, cultural tourism and ecological tourism.

Determinants of treatment and survival in sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary (294)

Determinants of treatment and survival in sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary (294)

Gender and race classification using geodesic distance measurement

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;Gender and ethnicity classifications are a long-standing challenge in the face recognition’s field. They are key-demographic traits of individuals and applied in real-world applications such as biometric and demographic research, human-computer interaction (HCI), law enforcement and online advertisements. Thus, many methods have been proposed to address gender or/and race classifications and achieved various accuracies. This research improves race and gender classification by employing a geodesic path algorithm to extract discriminative features of both gender and ethnicity. PCA is also utilized for dimensionality reduction of Gender-feature and race-feature matrices. KNN and SVM are used to classify the extracted feature. This research was tested on the face recognition technology (FERET) dataset, with classification results demonstrating high-level performance (100%) in distinguishing gender and ethnicity.&lt;/span&gt;

Racial differences in transfusion practices: Time to address structural racism

See article on page 1519–1526, in this issue

Blood routine reference value range should be adjusted according to regional and ethnic characteristics.

ObjectiveTo further understand the influence of regional and ethnic factors on blood routine indicators.MethodsThe routine blood test (RBT) results of 617 healthy men aged 18–45 years old of the Li, Tibet, and Han nationalities living in the city of Sanya, Hainan Province (200 m), the city of Xining, Qinghai Province (2,300 m), and Maduo County of Qinghai Province (4,300 m) for a long time were studied. Eight indexes, such as the red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), and platelet (PLT) counts, were compared and analyzed.ResultsWith an increase in altitude, the RBT index values and change trends of the different ethnic groups were different. When the altitude increased by 2,000 m, the RBC and Hb increased by 6.6 and 8.1%, respectively, and the PLT decreased by 16.8%. However, the RBC, Hb, and PLT of the Tibetan subjects decreased by 7.4, 5.1, and 3.0%, respectively. In the same region, there were also significant differences in the RBT index values among the ethnic groups. The RBC increased, Hb decreased, and PLT did not change in the Li nationality in Sanya compared with the Han nationality. The RBC, Hb, and PLT of Tibetans in the Xining area were significantly higher than those of the Han population. Referring to the current RBT reference value range in China, the abnormal rates of the various RBT index values of the enrolled population were high. By utilizing Hb as an example, 27.7% of the Li nationality in Sanya was low, 67.0% of the Tibetan nationality in Xining was high, and 89.4% of the Maduo Han nationality was high. The PLT was lower in the Sanya Li nationality (13.8%) and the Maduo Han nationality (88.3%).ConclusionRegional and ethnic factors have a significant impact on the RBT, and the current range of normal values of the RBT in China needs to be revised and adjusted.

Enhancing MSME Performance through Market Sensing Capability, Innovation Capability, and Iconic Ethnic Product Development

Facing competition from global batik producers with prices that tend to be cheaper, MSME Batik Jonegoroan faces serious problems in its sales performance. This study aims to analyze the development of comparative product advantages sourced from the company's market sensing and innovation capabilities. Products with comparative advantage based on regional ethnic characteristics are expected to reclaim market share from Jonegoroan Batik. A total of 194 owners of SMEs producing Jonegoroan batik were sampled in this study. Structural equation modelling analysis with smart-PLS software shows that market sensing capability, innovation capability, and iconic ethnic product positively affect MSME performance. The indirect effect test proves that iconic ethnic products perform a mediating function in the relationship innovation capability and MSME performance. Meanwhile, the iconic ethnic product is not a mediating variable for the influence of market sensing capability on MSME performance. This finding implies that MSMEs with innovation capabilities should emphasise the orientation of developing comparative advantages of products based on ethnic characteristics to increase innovation and ultimately achieve company performance. The research limitation is related to data collection, which only involves one of the many MSME sectors that may affect the generalization of the research results.

Kazakh "free women" grit-Chinese Kazakh women's clothing image in the context of multicultural integration of silk road.

In recent years, Chinese clothing cultural heritage and knowledge genealogy along the Silk Road have become the research headline attracting public attention. In particular, Kazakh clothing in Northwestern China has become the focus of today's traditional national culture. Kazakh, located at the intersection of the Silk Road, has an important position. The traditional clothing made by various social factors reflects the style and identity integration throughout history in cultures along the Silk Road, taking women's clothing as an example. Kazakh women are good at crafts, which is reflected in their strong grit. They gradually changed their role and traditional values, which has guided their social role. At the same time, it also reflects the awakening of Kazakh women's feminist consciousness to a large extent, and complies with Confucianism, along with the mainstream value of “advanced gender culture” of the world's outstanding civilization achievements. This paper summarizes the form, color, and patterns of Kazakh women's clothing by analyzing the garment, headdress, and footwear in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, Aksai Kazakh National Museum, and Capital Museum of China. Through the analysis, this paper further probes into the multicultural integration between Kazakh and the regions along the Silk Road and interprets the idea represented by the forms, colors, and patterns in the clothing to promote the inheritance and development of traditional and regional cultures together with ethnic features along the Silk Road.

Ethnicity, Poverty, Race, and the Unequal Distribution of US Safe Drinking Water Act Violations, 2016-2018

ABSTRACT The current study examines whether social and economic factors affect the geographic distribution of safe drinking water act (SDWA) violations at the county-level, 2016–2018. Our research controls for a variety of factors in an effort to assess whether community ethnicity, poverty, and racial characteristics appear to be related to the geographic distribution of SDWA violations. The results indicated that populations that are exposed to unsafe drinking water are clustered in certain areas. There appears to be a “contaminated drinking water belt” in the Southwest and South regions, which are concentrated in California’s Central Valley, the Texas colonias, and the rural South. Consistent with the spatial cluster results, the zero-inflated count regression model showed that the percentage of Hispanics was a significant predictor of SDWA violations. In addition, the results indicated that counties with SDWA violations and persistent poverty co-occur, suggesting that concentrated poverty matters, and has a negative impact on local drinking water quality.