Partial Agreements Research Articles

Partnering for energy justice: Indigenous–corporate relationships in renewable energy industries in Australia

Around the world Indigenous communities are involved in the renewable energy industries. Relationships with for-profit corporations are integral to this development. Indigenous communities are entering into partnership with renewable energy corporations or developing their own renewable energy corporations. Relying on doctrinal, desk and case study methodologies, this article analyses six case studies and identifies three Indigenous–corporate relationships in the renewable energy sector in Australia. These include (1) renewable energy corporations that have proposed partial agreements with Indigenous communities; (2) Indigenous-led partnerships with non-Indigenous corporations; and (3) Indigenous-owned renewable energy projects. We interrogate these Indigenous–corporate relations in the context of energy justice with a focus on fairness in procedure, recognition, and distribution of benefits. We conclude by highlighting the gaps in energy justice in the current practices of Indigenous–corporate relations in renewable energy industries in Australia. Accordingly, this article is significant because it fills a gap in the scholarly literature on Indigenous and corporate relationships. Furthermore, it sheds light on the practices in the field that play an important role in government and community policy development centred around the improvement of Indigenous and corporate relationships – and settler colonial interactions more generally.

An evaluation of the surveillance system for monitoring and reporting adverse events following immunization in Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria: a mixed method approach

IntroductionDespite the benefits of periodic evaluation of the vaccine safety surveillance system, no formal assessment, to our knowledge, has been conducted in Nigeria. Hence, this study evaluated the surveillance system for adverse events following immunization (AEFI) to ascertain the system’s functionality to inform vaccine safety considerations and guide communication strategies for demand generation.Materials and methodsThe study employed a mixed-method approach. Survey questionnaires were administered to 274 routine immunization service providers in Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria, and data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS. In this study, 10 Key Informant Interviews and two Focus Group Discussions were conducted with senior officers and managers at sub-national and national levels within the immunization and surveillance landscape in Nigeria. The interview recordings were cleaned minimally, transcribed, and manually analyzed thematically. Finally, methodological triangulation was done to improve research rigor and provide a better understanding of the phenomena under investigation.ResultsOf the respondents, 201(73.4%) reported that the surveillance system can inform vaccine safety considerations while 170(62%) reported that the AEFI surveillance system can determine the magnitude of AEFI within the population. Further, 173(63%) reported that the surveillance system can provide timely feedback about causality assessment. However, 158(58%) of the respondents stated that the surveillance system is competent in informing communication strategies to improve immunization demand. Triangulation was done which showed dissonance in AEFI surveillance and vaccine safety considerations but partial agreement in immunization demand generation. Further, AEFI surveillance system attributes’ triangulation revealed agreements (convergence) on simplicity and timeliness; partial agreements on acceptability, data quality, sensitivity, flexibility, and completeness; dissonance on representativeness and silence on stability, indicating a sub-optimal performance of the AEFI surveillance system in the study setting. Finally, the study unearthed some underlying health system factors impeding the AEFI surveillance system from fully fulfilling its objectives.ConclusionThe AEFI surveillance system in Northern Nigeria is well established but functioning sub-optimally. Based on the study findings, the capacity to provide information on vaccine safety exists but it is not robust enough to generate sufficient and convincing vaccine safety data and guide communication strategies for vaccine demand generation, especially for new vaccines and those under emergency authorization use.

Differences between Chinese and Western English-speaking teachers in providing disagreement in EFL teaching in China

ABSTRACT Disagreement is face-threatening but necessary for teachers to correct errors and prompt learning. However, little research has examined how teachers employ disagreement as feedback, especially from a multimodal perspective. This study investigated the differences in linguistic markers (LMs) and accompanying nonverbal behaviours (NVBs) associated with disagreements between Western English-speaking teachers (L1 teachers) and Chinese English teachers (L2 teachers). The classes of four L1 teachers and four L2 teachers were video-recorded and analysed. Follow-up interviews were analysed to examine the possible factors pertaining to the differences between the two groups. The results showed that both groups preferred to employ questions and counterclaims but differed in terms of the forms or contents they used. L1 teachers tended to use downtoners and humour as mitigators, while L2 teachers were inclined to employ token agreements and partial agreements. Smiling and gazing were the primary accompanying NVBs employed by the L1 teachers, whereas gazing and postures dominated the L2 teachers’ data. Possible factors for such differences were identified, such as perceived students’ needs and views on the functions of disagreements. The pedagogical implications for L1 and L2 teachers are also discussed.

The dual interactions-driven consensus model: Probing the non-cooperative behavior through order effects

An improved consensus mechanism is designed with decision-makers (DMs) to pursue the possibility of working with different partial agreements on the evaluations of alternatives. Existing works focus on static cooperation and non-cooperation behaviors in the consensus-reaching process but ignore the individual dynamic cooperation degree caused by trusted information. Since the cooperation and non-cooperation behaviors of DMs affect each other, a quantum model is developed to manipulate such a phenomenon, with an emphasis on the order effects that occur when DMs contact the interference information with different orderings. Four cases are analyzed to determine how the individual state vectors about cooperation evolve and are structured, and a series of optimization models are built to obtain the updated cooperation degrees of DMs. To reflect the effect of interaction between evaluation criteria and mutual inference between DMs on the consensus, a multi-objective consensus model with a two-fold consensus level based on the Choquet integral is constructed to obtain the optimized modified information. The built models can be applied in decision problems with interactions between criteria and between DMs when individual cooperative attitudes in group negotiations change dynamically due to information interference. In the constructed consensus model, the willingness of individual modification and the satisfaction of each DM with the group consensus are fully integrated. Therefore, it is seen as an expansion of the conventional consensus model in the quantum decision-making environment. Furthermore, result and comparison analysis are performed to illustrate the advantages of the proposed model.

Physicians differ in their perceptions of sensitive medical records: Survey and interview study.

Physician categorizations of electronic health record (EHR) data (e.g., depression) into sensitive data categories (e.g., Mental Health) and their perspectives on the adequacy of the categories to classify medical record data were assessed. One thousand data items from patient EHR were classified by 20 physicians (10 psychiatrists paired with ten non-psychiatrist physicians) into data categories via a survey. Cluster-adjusted chi square tests and mixed models were used for analysis. 10 items were selected per each physician pair (100 items in total) for discussion during 20 follow-up interviews. Interviews were thematically analyzed. Survey item categorization yielded 500 (50.0%) agreements, 175 (17.5%) disagreements, 325 (32.5%) partial agreements. Categorization disagreements were associated with physician specialty and implied patient history. Non-psychiatrists selected significantly (p = .016) more data categories than psychiatrists when classifying data items. The endorsement of Mental Health and Substance Use categories were significantly (p = .001) related for both provider types. During thematic analysis, Encounter Diagnosis (100%), Problems (95%), Health Concerns (90%), and Medications (85%) were discussed the most when deciding the sensitivity of medical information. Most (90.0%) interview participants suggested adding additional data categories. Study findings may guide the evolution of digital patient-controlled granular data sharing technology and processes.

Value assessment of medicinal products by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and French National Authority for Health (HAS): Similarities and discrepancies.

The evaluation of pharmaceutical innovation and therapeutic value is an increasingly complex exercise for which different approaches are adopted at the national level, despite the need for standardisation of processes and harmonisation of public health decisions. The objective of our analysis was to compare the approaches of the AIFA (Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco) and the HAS (Haute Autorité de Santé) in assessing the same medicinal products. In Italy, the 1525/2017 AIFA Deliberation introduces a transparent scheme for the evaluation of innovative status (innovative, conditional, not innovative) based on the therapeutic added value (TAV), therapeutic need, and quality of evidence. In contrast, in France, the HAS makes judgements using the effective clinical benefit (Service Médical Rendu) and improvement of effective clinical benefit (Amélioration du Service Médical Rendu, ASMR). This analysis focused on medicinal products evaluated both by the AIFA and by the HAS from July 2017 to September 2021. Similarities between AIFA and HAS evaluations were investigated in terms of the TAV, recognition of innovativeness, and the ASMR. Both total and partial agreements were considered relevant. Therefore, raw agreement, Cohen's kappa (weighted and unweighted), and Bangdiwala's B-statistic were estimated. A total of 102 medicinal products were included in this study. Out of these, 38 (37.2%) were orphan drugs, while 56 (54.9%) had a clinical indication for the treatment of cancer. The AIFA and HAS reached a higher level of agreement on the innovativeness status compared with the TAV. A moderate total agreement emerged in the recognition of innovativeness (k = 0.463, p-value ≤0.0001), and partial agreement was substantial (equal weight k = 0.547, squared k = 0.638), while a lack of agreement resulted in a comparison of the TAV according to the AIFA and the ASMR recognised by the HAS. Indeed, whereas the AIFA determined the TAV to be important, the HAS considered it to be moderate. In addition, whereas the AIFA identified a bias towards a moderate TAV, the HAS identified a bias towards a minor ASMR. A higher level of agreement was reached, both on the TAV and on innovative status, for less critical medical products (non-cancer-related, or non-orphan, or with a standard European Medicines Agency approval). These results underline the importance of implementing European procedures that are more broadly aligned in terms of value definition criteria.

Dynamic Reference Point-Oriented Consensus Mechanism in Linguistic Distribution Group Decision Making Restricted by Quantum Integration of Information

We present a consensus improvement mechanism based on prospect theory and quantum probability theory (QPT) that enables the manifestation of irrational and uncertain behaviors of decision makers (DMs) in linguistic distribution group decision making. In this framework, the DMs pursue the possibility of working with different partial agreements on prospect values. Considering that the reference information should be comprehensive and accurate as it guides information modification and affects consensus efficiency, objective and subjective information is integrated to obtain the information. Several studies have verified that the interference effect will occur when the brain beliefs flow towards the different decision classification paths. To address this problem, QPT is introduced into the information integration and the optimized value of the interference term can be acquired by the designed multi-objective programming model based on the maximum individual utility. Finally, as the reference point changes during the preference adjustment process, a dynamic reference point-oriented consensus model is constructed to obtain the optimized modification. A case study is performed on the emergency plan for the selection of designated hospitals, and comparative analyses are performed to demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of the proposed model. Several important insights are offered to simulate the most likely possibility of consciousness flowing into different decision classifications for DMs and moderators.

Мирный процесс: к содержательному определению

Мирный процесс: к содержательному определению

Peace processes, violence, and de facto states: introduction

Only a quarter of outcomes of armed conflicts that ended during the first two decades of the 21st century resulted from negotiated peace or ceasefire agreements. While comprehensive, final, and conclusive peace agreements are in relative decline, ceasefires, limited, or partial, accords, and local agreements proliferate. The dynamics of peacemaking and the critical interplay of talks and violence during peace processes become increasingly nonlinear, complex, and unpredictable. In this special issue, a mix of actors, dynamics and factors at the interface of peace processes and violence is narrowed down to contexts that involve de facto states, most of whom experience both an ongoing or stalemated peace process and recurring violence of different types and varying degree of intensity. The article provides the analytical context for the special issue and discusses basic terminology and concepts, such as “peace processes” and “de facto states”, and some of the global data-based trends and research literature on the volume‟s subject. The first part of this article focuses on peace processes and the interplay of peacemaking and violence, the second one looks into the “state of the art” on de facto states, while the third one presents a summary of, including the main take-off from, the authors‟ contributions to this special issue.

Ground-state and isomeric-state cross-sections for 92Mo(n,α)89Zr and 95Mo(n,p)95Nb reactions in the 13–15 MeV energy region

Abstract The (n,α) and (n,p) cross-sections and their isomeric ratios (σ m /σ g ) were measured at 13–15 MeV for 92Mo and 95Mo by activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometry. The activated Mo samples combined with Al foils were used to obtain the cross-section values and the neutron flux, generated using the 3H(d,n)4He reaction. The cross-sections of the ground states were obtained using the metastable state absolute cross-sections and the residual nuclear decay rule. The excitation functions, total cross-sections, and isomeric ratios for the 92Mo(n,α)89m,gZr and 95Mo(n,p)95m,gNb reactions were calculated using the TALYS-1.95 software. 92Mo(n,α)89m + gZr and 95Mo(n,p)95m + gNb reaction excitation functions were obtained using the EMPIRE-3.2.3 package. These simulation results were compared with the corresponding experimental data and with the evaluated data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, CENDL-3, and ROSFOND libraries. Only partial agreements were observed.

A pilot comparison of medical records sensitivity perspectives of patients with behavioral health conditions and healthcare providers.

This pilot study compares medical record data sensitivity (e.g., depression is sensitive) and categorization perspective (e.g., depression categorized as mental health information) of patients with behavioral health conditions and healthcare providers using a mixed-methods approach employing patient's own EHR. Perspectives of 25 English- and Spanish-speaking patients were compared with providers. Data categorization comparisons resulted in 66.3% agreements, 14.5% partial agreements, and 19.3% disagreements. Sensitivity comparisons obtained 54.5% agreement, 11.9% partial agreement, and 33.6% disagreements. Patients and providers disagreed in classification of genetic data, mental health, drug abuse, and physical health information. Factors influencing patients' sensitivity determination were sensitive category comprehension, own experience, stigma towards category labels (e.g., drug abuse), and perception of information applicability (e.g., alcohol dependency). Knowledge of patients' sensitivity perceptions and reconciliation with providers could expedite the development of granular and personalized consent technology.

Using Submaximal Exercise Heart Rate for Monitoring Cardiorespiratory Fitness Changes in Professional Soccer Players: A Replication Study.

To assess the value of monitoring changes in fitness in professional soccer players, using changes in heart rate at submaximal intensity (HR12km/h) over the velocity at a lactate concentration of 4mmol/L (v4mmol/L). The authors reexamined (1)a range of threshold magnitudes, which may improve detecting substantial individual changes and (2)the agreement between changes in these 2 variables. On at least 2 occasions during different moments of the season, 97 professional soccer players from Germany (first, second, and fourth division) completed an incremental test to determine HR12km/h and v4mmol/L. Optimal thresholds for changes in HR12km/h and v4mmol/L were assessed, using various methods (eg,smallest worthwhile change + typical error [TE], successive reiterations approach). Agreement between both variable changes was examined for the whole sample (225 comparisons), 4 different subgroups (depending on the moment of the season), and in an individual over 6 years (n = 23 tests). Changes of 4.5% and 6.0% for HR12km/h and v4mmol/L, respectively, were rated as optimal to indicate substantial changes in fitness. Depending on the (sub)groups analyzed, these thresholds yielded 0% to 2% full mismatches, 22% to 38% partial agreements, and 60% to 78% full agreements in terms of fitness change interpretation between both variables. When lactate sampling during incremental tests is not possible, practitioners willing to monitor adult professional soccer players' (Germany; first, second, and fourth division) training status can confidently implement short, 3-minute submaximal runs, with 4.5% changes in HR12km/h being indicative of true substantial fitness changes, with 60% to 78% accuracy. Future studies should investigate the potential role of confounding factors of HR12km/h to improve changes in fitness prediction.

Ático Beistegui: bifurcaciones superpuestas

<p align="left">Este artículo pone sobre la mesa diferentes reflexiones sobre el Ático Beistegui de Le Corbusier, con objeto de construir un enfoque nuevo sobre las decisiones proyectuales. Cinco epígrafes plantean una serie de disyuntivas encadenadas, relacionadas con diversas aportaciones de autores que se han aproximado al significado de la obra de Le Corbusier en su contexto socioeconómico y político-cultural. Estas disyuntivas se refieren a su visión sobre el papel de la arquitectura ante la transformación del medio habitado bajo el avance tecnológico tras la revolución industrial y como parte de las nuevas técnicas de regulación política de la sociedad de masas enfocada al consumo, ahora basadas en la unión de la cultura y los medios. Con este trasfondo implícito, se contrastan las aportaciones de relevantes autores del s. XX con otras más recientes y dos puntos de vista: la experimentación trans-escalar de Le Corbusier con el montaje y su significado para el propio Beistegui. decorador, coleccionista y ciudadano del globo, que no duda en intervenir en el diseño. La idea de que la reinvención<em> </em>de las técnicas de proyecto responde a una voluntad de control se abre a otra posibilidad: la búsqueda de acuerdos parciales y provisionales, en medio de las contradicciones e incertidumbres de un presente en transición.</p>

Peace agreements in armed conflicts: focusing on finding a solution to the conflict incompatibility

The Uppsala Conflict Data Program’s (UCDP) Peace Agreement Dataset was first published in 2006. Its main goal was to provide the research community with a dataset on peace agreements that was not linked to conflict termination, i. e. included both successful and failed agreements. The latest update of the dataset includes 355 peace agreements concluded in the 1975–2018 period. A number of studies have been based on the dataset over the years. The dataset is unique in its strict connection to the UCDP conflict data and in its focus on the conflict dyad, actors, and the conflict incompatibility. The dataset’s focus on only those agreements that involve the dyadic relationship between primary warring parties – between governments and rebel groups or between two governments – has direct policy implications, as it is exactly these parties who need to change their stances on incompatibilities in order to solve a conflict. Also, the Peace Agreement Dataset’s focus on agreements that address the key incompatibilities contested by the parties allow it to distinguish peace agreements on other negotiated deals, including ceasefires, and to differentiate between full, partial and peace process agreements. Finally, the analysis of key trends in peace agreements is presented. It shows that in contrast to the previous historical peak in the number of armed conflicts back in the early 1990s that corresponded to the peak in annual numbers of peace agreements, the new peak in annual numbers of armed conflicts in the late 2010s was not matched by a similar rise in peace agreements.

Impact of cytological pitfalls in the Bethesda System of Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, on surgical decision‐making of patients with thyroid nodules: Can these pitfalls be avoided?

The purpose was to assess diagnostic accuracy of the Bethesda System of Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, reasons for disagreement and cytological pitfalls with impact on surgical decisions in patients with thyroid nodules. Cases of thyroid cytology with histological follow up were included followed by cytological-histological correlation and were reviewed to look for reasons for discrepancies. The impact of disagreements and partial agreements on surgical decision was evaluated. Overall and complete diagnostic accuracy were calculated along with sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for malignant and neoplastic lesions. Of 446 cases included in the study, there was complete agreement in 358 cases, partial agreement in 22 cases and disagreement in 66 patients. Overall diagnostic accuracy was 98.5% with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 80%, 99.6%, 100%, 72.7% and 94.3% respectively for malignant lesions. Overall diagnostic accuracy was highest for the malignant category. Follicular patterned lesions, Hürthle cell-rich smears and overlapping cytological features between benign and malignant follicular neoplasm were the main reason of discrepancy. The discrepancy in cytological diagnosis altered the decision of type of surgery performed in 13.6% of the patients. Fine needle aspiration cytology remains a powerful screening tool to aid decision-making in the majority of the patients. Histological-cytological discrepancy can adversely impact the management of patients. Factors causing an adverse impact on surgical management were rare and potential avoidable reasons for them were identified. Cytological pitfalls may be avoided through screening for minor components, clinico-radiological correlation and experience.

Menachem Begin and the Israel-Egypt Peace Process: Between Ideology and Political Realism

Menachem Begin and the Israel-Egypt Peace Process: Between Ideology and Political Realism

De la teoría a la práctica: evaluando las consultas sobre hidrocarburos en el Perú desde la perspectiva de los estándares internacionales de derechos humanos

Este artículo analiza las actas concernientes a los procesos de consulta previa sobre hidrocarburos, con el objetivo de determinar si el Estado peruano cumplió con las normas internacionales de derechos humanos o, por el contrario, si el derecho a la consulta previa se redujo a un proceso informativo que legitima al estado peruano para que proceda con la exploración o explotación de hidrocarburos en territorios indígenas. Las actas pertenecen a las etapas de Evaluación Interna y de Diálogo. En las Actas de Evaluación Interna están plasmadas la reflexión y deliberación de las comunidades indígenas sobre la medida propuesta. En las Actas de Consulta —denominadas así por ley— se plasman los acuerdos totales o parciales alcanzados durante el diálogo entre representantes de las comunidades indígenas, quienes transmiten el contenido de las Actas de la Evaluación Interna, y los representantes de la entidad que promueve la aprobación de la medida.Recibido: 06 marzo 2020Aceptado: 14 mayo 2020Publicación en línea: 26 junio 2020

Pilot evaluation of sensitive data segmentation technology for privacy

BackgroundConsent2Share (C2S) is an open source software created by the Office of the National Coordinator Data Segmentation for Privacy initiative to support electronic health record (EHR) granular segmentation. To date, there are no published formal evaluations of Consent2Share. MethodStructured data (e.g. medications) codified using standard clinical terminologies (e.g. RxNorm) was extracted from the EHR of 36 patients with behavioral health conditions from study sites. EHRs were available through a health information exchange and two sites. The EHR data was already classified into data types (e.g. procedures and services). Both Consent2Share and health providers classified EHR data based on value sets (e.g. mental health) and sensitivity (e.g. not sensitive. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were used to compare differences between data categorizations. ResultsFrom the resulting 1,080 medical records items, 584 were distinct. Significant differences were found between sensitivity classifications by Consent2Share and providers (χ2 (2, N = 584) = 114.74, p = <0.0001). Sensitivity comparisons led to 56.0 % of agreements, 31.2 % disagreements, and 12.8 % partial agreements. Most (97.8 %) disagreements resulted from information classified as not sensitive by Consent2Share, but sensitive by provider (e.g. behavioral health prevention education service). In terms of data types, most disagreements (57.1 %) focused on procedures and services information (e.g. ligation of fallopian tube). When considering value sets, most disagreements focused on genetic data (100.0 %), followed by sexual and reproductive health (88.9 %). ConclusionsThere is a need to further validate Consent2Share before broad use in health care settings. The outcomes from this pilot study will help guide improvements in segmentation logic of tools like Consent2Share and may set the stage for a new generation of personalized consent engines.

Inpatient teledermatology: Diagnostic and therapeutic concordance among a hospitalist, dermatologist, and teledermatologist using store-and-forward teledermatology

Inpatientdermatology has been shown to improve patient outcomes at a reduced cost. Few hospitals have dermatologists available. Teledermatology may allow dermatologists to assess hospitalized patients remotely. To examine the diagnostic concordance between a hospitalist, dermatologist, and teledermatologist using store-and-forward teledermatology. For 100 consecutive patients requiring inpatient dermatology consultation, a survey was conducted by all 3 raters to convey diagnostic impressions and therapeutic recommendations. Complete and partial agreements were assessed using the Cohen kappa statistic. Inpatient dermatology consultation often resulted in a change in diagnosis (50.9%) and a change in systemic therapy (41.5%). Likewise, virtual teledermatology consultation would have resulted in a change in diagnosis (54.7%) and a change in systemic therapy (47.2%) at similar rates. Comparing the dermatologist and teledermatologists, diagnostic complete and partial agreement were 52.8% and 84.9%, respectively. Systemic therapy agreement was 77.4%. Teledermatologists recommended biopsy more often (68.5% vs 43.5%). Small sample size, tertiary academic medical center, single rater for inpatient teledermatology with specific inpatient niche. Teledermatologists performed comparably to an in-person dermatologist for the diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients with skin conditions. Teledermatology may be a suitable alternative for delivery of inpatient care if no dermatologist is available.

Stability of hydrophobic colloids: Perspectives and current opinion

Stability of hydrophobic colloids is an important phenomenon in colloid science. The hydrophobic colloids are known to get destabilized by the counterions of electrolytes leading to coagulation guided by Schulze–Hardy (S-H) rule. There are exceptions to this rule; effective improvement has been attempted but not with good success. Recently, the role of coions in the coagulation process was considered: an inverse Schulze–Hardy (iS-H) rule has been proposed. We have discussed the basics of colloid solutions, and colloid stability: also have tested the S-H and iS-H rules in terms of a number of positively and negatively charged hydrophobic colloids. Critical coagulation concentrations, zeta-potential, charges of coions and counterions, and ionic strengths have been separately (as well as together) considered to correlate the coagulation phenomenon. Partial agreements with the rules are only found. The article summarizes the fundamentals of the field of colloid stability, and its current status. Analysis of experimental findings in a new perspective (in terms of a new analytical procedure) has been proposed with a view to its projection toward future studies.