Period Of Expansion Research Articles

A Re-evaluation of Global Financial Outlooks and Prospects in the Telehealth Industry Amidst the Transition to a Post-Pandemic Era

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic propelled the telehealth sector into a period of rapid expansion, with web-based care emerging as a crucial tool for ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare providers alike. However, with the introduction of vaccines, the perceived need for telehealth services appeared to diminish, leading to a decline in value for telehealth companies. This shift prompted both existing players and newcomers in the telehealth space to innovate and redefine their value propositions in order to regain investor and customer confidence and stand out amidst increasing competition. The struggle to reshape the perception of telehealth from a pandemic-era necessity to a valuable complement to traditional in-person care has been reflected in the volatility of stock prices and declining valuations. This dynamic has underscored the need for telehealth companies to differentiate themselves through technological advancements and the convenience they offer. Analyzing the market through qualitative secondary research, incorporating insights from contemporary sources, financial data from platforms like Yahoo! Finance, and peer-reviewed literature, it becomes evident that the telehealth market experienced a surge in 2020, reaching $17.9 billion in the US alone, and is projected to grow to $140.7 billion by 2030. This growth was accompanied by a nearly twofold increase in digital health venture funding, reaching $14.1 billion in total funding. However, this rapid expansion led to an oversaturation of the market, with supply outpacing demand, resulting in a significant drop in valuations as vaccination rates rose in 2021. In response to this rebalancing, telehealth companies must chart a course for the post-pandemic era. The current role of suppliers in the telehealth space, whether they are established healthcare industry incumbents or innovative "telehealth-first" challengers, will influence the growth strategies they pursue. Moreover, identifying medical specialties and patient demographics that are best suited for web-based care will be critical for long-term success in the evolving healthcare delivery system. Looking ahead, investors should anticipate a bullish market characterized by growing share prices. Success in the telehealth industry is likely to hinge on fundamentally transforming care delivery models rather than simply transitioning traditional care to a web-based format. As the market consolidates, established telehealth giants capable of adapting to the changing landscape are expected to thrive, albeit amidst continued growth at a slower pace.

The impact of the affordable care act and Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening: Evidence from the 5th year of Medicaid expansion.

Colorectal cancer screening rates remain suboptimal, particularly among low-income populations. Our objective was to evaluate the long-term effects of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 354,384 individuals aged 50-64 with an income below 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System from 2010 to 2018. A difference-in-difference analysis was employed to estimate the effect of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening. Subgroup analyses were conducted for individuals with income up to 138% of the FPL and those with income between 139% and 400% of the FPL. The effect of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening was examined during the early, mid, and late expansion periods. The primary outcome was the likelihood of receiving colorectal cancer screening for low-income adults aged 50-64. Medicaid expansion was associated with a significant 1.7 percentage point increase in colorectal cancer screening rates among adults aged 50-64 with income below 400% of the FPL (p < 0.05). A significant 2.9 percentage point increase in colorectal cancer screening was observed for those with income up to 138% the FPL (p < 0.05), while a 1.5 percentage point increase occurred for individuals with income between 139% and 400% of the FPL. The impact of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening varied based on income levels and displayed a time lag for newly eligible beneficiaries. Medicaid expansion was found to be associated with increased colorectal cancer screening rates among low-income individuals aged 50-64. The observed variations in impact based on income levels and the time lag for newly eligible beneficiaries receiving colorectal cancer screening highlight the need for further research and precision public health strategies to maximize the benefits of Medicaid expansion on colorectal cancer screening rates.

IMPACT OF OIL SHOCKS ON THE OIL, AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INDUSTRY - QUANTILE AND OLS REGRESSION

This paper determines the impact of Brent oil shocks on the price of shares of companies from the oil, agricultural and food industries that includes the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, they use a quantile regression approach and compare its findings with a standard Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model. Moreover, in this research they use quantile regression, which enables them to analyze different quantiles of share prices of companies from the oil industry, the agricultural industry, and the food industry. They observe three different periods - a period of recession, a normal period and a period of expansion. Finally, empirical evaluations using quantile regression and OLS models show us that shocks from the oil market are more pronounced in companies from the oil industry compared to companies from the agricultural and food industries. The findings of this research provide important information for investors, economic policy makers, and other parties.

Influence of scissors difference of money growth rate on stock market return in different financial cycles

We use TVP-VAR model to study the relationship between the scissors difference of money growth and stock returns in different financial cycles from February 2001 to October 2022. The results show that the scissors difference of money growth rate has a positive effect on the stock return rate that lags behind for one month, but a negative effect on the stock return rate that lags behind for three months. The impact on the half-year lag is almost negligible. In addition, during the financial cycle contraction, the scissors difference of money growth rate has a greater impact on stock returns; In the period of financial cycle expansion, its impact is small. During the financial shock, its impact is between the first two.

Горцы на стороне Российской империи в вооруженном противостоянии на Кавказе

The article reveals the circumstances of recruiting highlanders of the North Caucasus to serve in the ranks of the Russian army during the period of expansion of imperial power in the region. The Russian government saw this practice as a way to reduce their hostile belligerence, which they tried to use in their own interests. The motivation of people who agreed to swear allegiance to the state and fight against its enemies with arms in hand is analyzed. The difficulty of the choice was due to the fact that the enemy in this case could be co-religionists who did not want to recognize the new order established by Russia. There were frequent cases of going over to the enemy&amp;#x27;s side. This applied both to those highlanders who swore allegiance to the empire and to their rivals. The Russian command has not formed an unambiguous assessment of the effectiveness of such measures. There were those who expressed uncertainty about the loyalty of the police units involved. Others, on the contrary, saw this as serious assistance, strengthening the capabilities of the regular army. It seems that the main result of this practice was the gradual formation of a new perception of reality among the highlanders, and over time they began to feel themselves part of the imperial community.

A low pollution surface pretreatment of PC‐ABS under acidic conditions

AbstractIn the present study, the low pollution acidic potassium permanganate system has been used in the study of its micro‐etching effect on polycarbonate‐acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC‐ABS). Prior to micro‐etching using a N methyl pyrrolidone (NMP)‐glycol butyl ether solution was used as the swelling system of PC‐ABS. Reasonable swelling conditions were determined, a 2‐min expansion period at a temperature of 35°C with an NMP concentration of 80%. After the swelling processes, the effects of the volume ratio of :, micro‐etching temperature, and micro‐etching duration on the PC‐ABS surface morphology, surface roughness, surface hydrophilicity, and peel strength, have been investigated. It was finally determined that the best micro‐etching effect could be obtained by reacting at : = 1:2 and a temperature of 60°C for 25 min. The surface of the PC‐ABS copolymers was characterized by x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the micro‐etching process changed the morphology of the PC‐ABS surface and generated cavities. In addition, the surface roughness increased from the initial Ra = 9.69 to Ra = 197 nm. Also, the water contact angle on the PC‐ABS surface decreased from 92.2° to 28.6°, and the peel strength increased to 0.98 kN/m.

Ban-the-box laws: Fair and effective?

Ban-the-box (BTB) laws are a widely used public policy rooted in employment law related to unnecessarily exclusionary hiring practices. BTB laws are intended to improve the employment opportunities of those with criminal backgrounds by giving them a fair chance during the hiring process. Prior research on the effectiveness of these laws in meeting their objective is limited and inconclusive. In this article, we extend the prior literature in two ways: we expand the years of analysis to a period of rapid expansion of BTB laws and we examine different types of BTB laws depending on the employers affected (e.g., public sector). Results indicate that BTB laws, any type of BTB law or BTB laws covering different types of employers, have no systematic or statistically significant association with employment of low-educated men, both young and old and across racial and ethnic groups. We speculate that the lack of effectiveness of BTB laws stems from the difficulty in enforcing such laws and already high rates of employer willingness to hire those with criminal histories.

Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals the Mechanism of Auxin Regulation during Root Expansion in Carrot.

Carrot is an important vegetable with roots as the edible organ. A complex regulatory network controls root growth, in which auxin is one of the key players. To clarify the molecular mechanism on auxin regulating carrot root expansion, the growth process and the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the roots were measured in this experiment. It was found that the rapid expansion period of the root was from 34 to 41 days after sowing and the IAA content was the highest during this period. The root growth then slowed down and the IAA levels decreased. Using the transcriptome sequencing database, we analyzed the expression of IAA-metabolism-related genes and found that the expression of most of the IAA synthesis genes, catabolism genes, and genes related to signal transduction was consistent with the changes in IAA content during root expansion. Among them, a total of 31 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 10 IAA synthesis genes, 8 degradation genes, and 13 genes related to signal transduction. Analysis of the correlations between the DEGs and IAA levels showed that the following genes were closely related to root development: three synthesis genes, YUCCA10 (DCAR_012429), TAR2 (DCAR_026162), and AMI1 (DCAR_003244); two degradation genes, LPD1 (DCAR_023341) and AACT1 (DCAR_010070); and five genes related to signal transduction, IAA22 (DCAR_012516), IAA13 (DCAR_012591), IAA27 (DCAR_023070), IAA14 (DCAR_027269), and IAA7 (DCAR_030713). These results provide a reference for future studies on the mechanism of root expansion in carrots.

The Investigation of Stock Price Prediction Based on Machine Learning

As the global economy experiences unprecedented growth, the stock market is undergoing a period of expansion and prosperity. Driven by the allure of high risks and high returns, a significant number of individuals have committed themselves to stock trading. In the age of the Internet of Everything, the trajectory of the stock market is intertwined not only with the fortunes of individuals and businesses but also deeply influences the fate of nations and societies. However, stock market forecasting is quite a hard task owing to its volatile nature, where even seemingly unrelated factors can lead to dramatic changes. Therefore, the importance of constructing reliable stock prediction methods is self-evident. In recent years, scholars have mainly focused on machine learning and deep learning methods to complete this task. After literature review, this article summarizes and discussed several commonly used and effective methods, such as Linear Regression, Random Forest, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), etc. The advantages, disadvantages and applications of different methods are discussed, like the shortcoming of Linear Regression to handle non-linear models well and the relatively excellent ability of LSTM to predict long sequences. This article would be helpful for emerging scholars to have a grasp of the characteristics, advantages and scope of application of these methods, and facilitate the development of future research.

Dual production of human mesenchymal stromal cells and derived extracellular vesicles in a dissolvable microcarrier-based stirred culture system

Background & aimsCell therapies based on mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have gained an increasing therapeutic interest in the context of multiple disorders. Nonetheless, this field still faces important challenges, particularly concerning suitable manufacturing platforms. Here, we aimed at establishing a scalable culture system to expand umbilical cord-derived Wharton's jelly MSC (MSC(WJ)) and their derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) by using dissolvable microcarriers combined with xeno(geneic)-free culture medium. MethodsMSC(WJ) isolated from three donors were cultured at a starting density of 1 × 106 cells per spinner flask, i.e., 2.8 × 103 cells per cm2 of dissolvable microcarrier surface area. After a 6-day expansion period of MSC(WJ), extracellular vesicles (EVs) were produced for 24 h. ResultsTaking advantage of an intermittent agitation regimen, we observed high adhesion rates to the microcarriers (over 90% at 24 h) and achieved 15.8 ± 0.7-fold expansion after 6 days of culture. Notably, dissolution of the microcarriers was achieved through a pectinase-based solution to recover the cell product, reducing the hurdles of downstream processing. MSC identity was validated by detecting the characteristic MSC immunophenotype and by multilineage differentiation assays. Considering the growing interest in MSC-derived EVs, which are known to be mediators of the therapeutic features of MSC, this platform also was evaluated for EV production. Upon a 24-h period of conditioning, secreted EVs were isolated by ultrafiltration followed by anion-exchange chromatography and exhibited the typical cup-shaped morphology, small size distribution (162.6 ± 30.2 nm) and expressed EV markers (CD63, CD9 and syntenin-1). ConclusionsTaken together, we established a time-effective and robust scalable platform that complies with clinical-grade standards for the dual production of MSC(WJ) and their derived EV.

Impact of Western transmission of the Peking Gazette on Late-Qing China’s information security

The Peking Gazette, as a widespread and effective medium for the dissemination of important information from the Qing government, played a significant role in the internal governance of the empire. In the 19th century, Western missionaries, diplomats, and businessmen in China respected the authenticity and authority of the content in the Gazette, and carried out large-scale translations of political, social, cultural, economic, and military-diplomatic information into English. Western transmission of the Peking Gazette to some extent promoted cultural exchanges between China and the West and also provided the Western powers, which were in a period of expansion, with a wealth of political and military intelligence. The internally focused Qing dynasty was initially unaware of the Western transmission of the Peking Gazette and later took a series of doomed measures, leading to severe damage to national information security and political safety. The historical lessons of the Qing empire are enlightening for countries worldwide today: there is a need not only for openness and transparency but also for balancing the relationship between information disclosure and national security.

Crater radius analysis after dual droplets successive oblique impact on liquid film

Droplet impact is a common occurrence in nature, agriculture, and industry. The research on the multi‐droplet impact is fundamental to understanding the tangled nature of reality. This paper numerically studies the successive oblique impact of dual droplets on the liquid film by building an effective three‐dimensional model. The leading and trailing droplets are set to pass a certain impact point with the same velocity. The main contribution of this paper is the investigation of the effects of Weber number, liquid film thickness, impact angle, and impact time interval on the interface morphology evolution after the droplet impact. Results show that splash pattern conversion of the primary or secondary crown occurs with the change of these factors. Besides, the variations of the maximum crater radius in upstream, lateral, and downstream directions with time are quantitatively analyzed. The crater radius analysis is carried out from three perspectives, the variation during the single droplet impact, the change during the dual droplets impact, and the comparison between them. It is found that the crater of dual droplets impact exhibits shape distortion in the deformation period and appears a marked dimensional increase in the secondary expansion period.

Differential Effects of Expansions and Recessions on Social Assistance Duration: The Case of Regional Minimum Income Programmes in Spain

In this paper we study the effects of the business cycle on welfare benefit duration and successful exits from the welfare programs. We construct durations for households entering these programs using administrative data for the total population participating in 2005-2016 in Minimum Income Integration programs in Spain,and combine these with province-level data on aggregate unemployment rate. We estimate discrete hazard models to analyse whether different labour conditions at entry to the program significantly affect the length of participation, and whether favourable conditions increase or decrease the hazard of a successful leaving the program. Our results show that higher unemployment rates are related to lower probability of successful exit from the program, and this effect becomes larger during recessions than in expansion periods.

Unraveling Korea’s Energy Challenge: The Consequences of Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Energy Use on Economic Sustainability

This research delves into the effects of carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption on economic growth in Korea from 1980 to 2022, employing a sophisticated nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model. The study unveils pivotal findings, most notably the positive association between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth, suggesting that periods of economic expansion in Korea have been accompanied by surges in emissions. Furthermore, the investigation highlights a significant, albeit asymmetrical, positive impact of primary energy consumption on economic growth, illuminating the critical role of energy in the nation’s economic trajectory. The analysis also identifies essential economic determinants—namely, the labor force, gross fixed capital formation, and net inflows of foreign direct investment—underscoring their pivotal contributions to economic proliferation. The reliability of these insights is corroborated through advanced econometric techniques, including fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares methods. A noteworthy discovery emerges from the Toda–Yamamoto causality test, revealing bidirectional Granger causality between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth, as well as between energy consumption and economic growth. Moreover, it uncovers a unidirectional causality flowing from labor, capital formation, and foreign direct investment towards economic growth. These findings elucidate the complex interplay between environmental and economic elements, highlighting the critical need for sustainable energy policies and proactive environmental stewardship in Korea. By advocating for a synthesis of economic advancement and environmental sustainability, this study presents indispensable insights for policymakers. It calls for a judicious approach to balancing Korea’s economic ambitions with its ecological responsibilities, thereby charting a sustainable path forward for the nation. Through its comprehensive analysis, this research contributes valuable perspectives to the discourse on economic development and environmental sustainability, offering guidance for Korea’s strategic planning and policy formulation.

The variation in preventable hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes in Kentucky before and after the Medicaid expansion.

Hospitalizations are more resource intensive and expensive than outpatient care. Therefore, type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization are a major topic of research efficiency in the healthcare system. Analyze county level variation in type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization rates in Kentucky before the Medicaid expansion (2010-2013) and after the Medicaid expansion (2014-2017). Geographic mapping and cluster analysis. Data for a state of the United States of America. We used the KID data to generate geographic mapping for type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalizations to visualize rates. We included all Kentucky discharges of age 18 years and older with the ICD9/10 principal diagnosis code for type 2 diabetes. Then, we conducted cluster analysis techniques to compare county-level variation in type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization rates across Kentucky counties pre- and post-Medicaid expansion. County type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization pre- and post-Medicaid expansion. From 2010-2017, type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization discharge rates reduced significantly in the period of the post-Medicaid expansion (P=.001). The spatial statistics analysis revealed a significant spatial clustering of counties with similar rates of type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization in the south, east, and southeastern Kentucky pre- and post-Medicaid expansion (positive z-score and positive Moran's Index value (P>.05). Also, there was a significant clustering of counties with low type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization rates in the north, west, and central regions of the state pre-Medicaid expansion and post-Medicaid expansion (positive z-score and positive Moran's Index value (P>.05). Kentucky counties in the southeast have experienced a significant clustering of highly avoidable hospitalization rates during both periods. Focusing on the vulnerable counties and the economic inequality in Kentucky could lead to efforts to lowering future type 2 diabetes-related preventable hospitalization rates. We used de-identified data which does not provide insights into the frequency of hospitalizations per patient. An individual patient may be hospitalized several times and counted as several individuals.

Can Common Institutional Investors in Supply Chains Decode the Bullwhip Effect? Evidence From Order Backlog Mispricing

This paper examines the role of supply chain common institutional investors (i.e., who own stocks of both upstream suppliers and their downstream customers in a supply chain) in the valuation of upstream supplier firms’ order backlog information. Based on the theory and evidence that backlog orders’ predictive power is diminished further in a supply chain due to the bullwhip effect, we hypothesize and find that the overpricing of order backlog is mainly driven by upstream rather than downstream firms. More importantly, we use both hedge portfolio methods and Fama-MacBeth regressions to show that common institutional investors in a supply chain can utilize their knowledge to better incorporate the bullwhip effect and mitigate the magnitude of order backlog mispricing. Further, we find that the overpricing of second-tier suppliers’ backlog orders and thus, the role of supply chain common institutional investors is more pronounced during expansion periods than during recession periods. Overall, we highlight the role of institutional supply chain knowledge in improving pricing efficiencies of complex supply chain dynamics.

Post-invasion selection acts on standing genetic variation despite a severe founding bottleneck

Invasive populations often have lower genetic diversity relative to the native-range populations from which they derive.1,2 Despite this, many biological invaders succeed in their new environments, in part due to rapid adaptation.3,4,5,6 Therefore, the role of genetic bottlenecks in constraining the adaptation of invaders is debated.7,8,9,10 Here, we use whole-genome resequencing of samples from a 10-year time-series dataset, representing the natural invasion of the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) in Australia, to investigate natural selection occurring in the aftermath of a founding event. We find that Australia's A.cerana population was founded by as few as one colony, whose arrival was followed by a period of rapid population expansion associated with an increase of rare variants.11 The bottleneck resulted in a steep loss of overall genetic diversity, yet we nevertheless detected loci with signatures of positive selection during the first years post-invasion. When we investigated the origin of alleles under selection, we found that selection acted primarily on the variation introduced by founders and not on the variants that arose post-invasion by mutation. In all, our data highlight that selection on standing genetic variation can occur in the early years post-invasion, even where founding bottlenecks are severe.

Analysis and Quantification of the Distribution of Marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight &amp; Arn.) in Valle de los Ingenios, Cuba: A Remote Sensing Approach

Cuba is struggling with a growing environmental problem: the uncontrolled spread of the allochthonous weed species marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea) throughout the country. Over the last 70 years, marabou has become a formidable invasive species that poses a threat to Cuban biodiversity and agricultural productivity. In this paper, we present a free and affordable method for regularly mapping the spatial distribution of the marabou based on the Google Earth Engine platform and ecological surveys. To test its accuracy, we develop an 18-year remote sensing analysis (2000–2018) of marabou dynamics using the Valle de los Ingenios, a Cuban UNESCO World Heritage Site, as an experimental model. Our spatial analysis reveals clear patterns of marabou distribution and highlights areas of concentrated growth. Temporal trends illustrate the aggressive nature of the species, identifying periods of expansion and decline. In addition, our system is able to detect specific, large-scale human interventions against the marabou plague in the area. The results highlight the urgent need for remedial strategies to maintain the fragile ecological balance in the region.

Quality of Public Open Spaces in Tirana

With the fall of the communist regime and the start of land privatization, Tirana went through a period of rapid urban expansion that generated an unprecedented explosion of informal settlements and the loss of public/collective spaces. This transformation is reflected in urban form and spatial configuration/perception of the public spaces. To measure the performance of public spaces, it is important to avoid on-size-fits-all, as Carmona states, while pointing out principles for public space design. This research investigates how public spaces succeed in creating a sense of belonging and, thus, creating places. To address this research question, we highlight the qualities of Tirana’s public space through a proposed model of analysis. It develops from the attributes of placemaking with theoretical reference to Kent and GPTs. Attributes are composed of entities measured or quantified to be used as indicators of the quality and livability of public spaces. Compare the four case studies with each other to frame public spaces in relation to their spatial configuration, confronting the project proposal both for its design and the state of livability. The results of this evaluation process will serve as a basis to address future improvement intervention for the community and for the planning practitioners.

The good, the bad, and the not-so-ugly of credit booms?: capital allocation and financial constraints

We provide international empirical evidence that periods of rapid expansion in credit—credit booms—lead to both a relaxation of financial constraints and a worsening of capital allocation. These two effects are related, suggesting a more prominent role for the investor sentiment views of the credit cycle. Firms more likely to be financially constrained because of their size, industry, or country experience stronger misallocation in booms. At the macro level, credit booms with higher capital misallocation result in a higher probability of experiencing a banking crisis and poor economic and financial performance after the boom ends.