Theory States Research Articles

Religion and public administration at the micro level: The lens of street‐level bureaucracy theory in democracies

AbstractThe dynamics between religion and state in public administration implementation theories has garnered scholarly interest over the past decade. However, these two realms of study are rarely combined. In this research note, I explore religion and, more specifically, the implementation of religion‐based policies by street‐level bureaucrats, as a public service like any other. I point to the more commonly studied aspect of this realm, namely the influence of personal religious tendencies on the exercise of discretion by the individual street‐level bureaucrat. Further, I discuss the supply of religion‐based services by street‐level bureaucrats in democracies, and the actions they are willing to take (such as promote co‐production or policy entrepreneurship) when religion constraints them from supplying certain public services.Points for practitioners Street‐level bureaucrats are influenced by their religious perceptions during policy implementation. These workers may also be constrained by religion‐based policies during implementation, hence provide inadequate public services or not supplying them at all. Citizens may be dissatisfied with the inadequate services and the burdens it imposes on their lives. Street‐level bureaucrats who cannot supply certain services due to religion‐based constraints may take on co‐production or policy entrepreneurship strategies outside the standard scope of their job description in order to supply them.

Prediction of Base-Catalyzed Hydrolysis Kinetics of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins by Density Functional Theory Calculations.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), comprising 75 congeners, have gained considerable attention from the general public and the scientific community owing to their high toxic potential. The base-catalyzed hydrolysis of PCDDs is crucial for the assessment of their environmental persistence. Nonetheless, owing to the substantial number of congeners and low hydrolysis rates of PCDDs, conducting hydrolysis experiments proves to be exceedingly time-consuming and financially burdensome. Herein, density functional theory and transition state theory were employed to predict the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of PCDDs in aquatic environments. Findings reveal that PCDDs undergo base-catalyzed hydrolysis in aquatic environments with two competing pathways: prevailing dioxin ring-opening and reduced reactivity in the hydrolytic dechlorination pathway. The resultant minor products include hydroxylated PCDDs, which exhibit thermodynamic stability surpassing that of the principal product, chlorinated hydroxydiphenyl ethers. The half-lives (ranging from 17.10 to 1.33 × 1010 h at pH = 8) associated with the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of PCDDs dissolved in water were shorter compared to those within the water-sediment environmental system. This observation implies that hydroxide ions can protect aquatic environments from PCDD contamination. Notably, this study represents the first attempt to predict the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of PCDDs by using quantum chemical methods.

Rényi entanglement asymmetry in ( 1+1 )-dimensional conformal field theories

In this paper, we consider the Rényi entanglement asymmetry of excited states in the (1+1) dimensional free compact boson conformal field theory (CFT) at equilibrium. We obtain a universal CFT expression written by correlation functions for the charged moments via the replica trick. We provide detailed analytic computations of the second Rényi entanglement asymmetry in the free compact boson CFT for excited states Ψ=Vβ+V−β and Φ=Vβ+J with Vβ and J=i∂ϕ being the vertex operator and current operator, respectively. We make numerical tests of the universal CFT computations using the XX spin chain model. Taking the non-Hermite fake reduced density matrices into consideration, we propose an effective way to test them numerically, which can be applied to other excited states. The CFT predictions are in perfect agreement with the exact numerical calculations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Mental Health and Marginalization Stress in Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults: Differences between Urban and Non-Urban Experiences.

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face high rates of psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and suicide risk. Further, TGD individuals living outside of urban areas experience additional disparities compared to their urban counterparts. Minority stress theory states that minority stressors (termed marginalization stressors for this paper), such as experiences of discrimination and internalized transphobia, lead to psychological distress. The current study compared marginalization stressors across rural (population less than 2,500), urban cluster (population between 2,500 and 50,000), and urban (population greater than 50,000) samples and tested the degree to which these stressors account for differences across areas of residence. Participants were 225 TGD individuals who completed an online survey that included measures of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation marginalization stress, and protective factors. In the first model, mental health outcomes, marginalization stressors, and protective factors differed between areas. Urban cluster participants reported experiencing higher levels of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and rural participants reported experiencing higher levels of depression suicidal ideation than urban participants. Both rural and urban cluster participants reported more experiences of several marginalization stressors. In the subsequent path model, indirect effects between area and marginalization stress variables were significant, but urban cluster participants still reported higher depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation symptoms (p-values < .05). We demonstrate that marginalization stress processes appear to account for some of the differences between TGD individuals living in urban, rural, and urban cluster areas. The differences between areas largely persist, however, after controlling for marginalization stress, especially when comparing urban with urban cluster areas.

DuPont analysis among European dentistry companies to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Although health economics belongs to the highly respected economic disciplines within the research literature, there is a considerable gap related to the investigation of dentistry in particular, even after the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease. Fundamentally, the DuPont framework is a well-known complex analysis to evaluate companies from the point of view of financial performance. The investigation of the return on equity as a relation between the return on assets and the equity multiplier, simply called the leverage effect, is presented in this paper. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the effect of leverage and its changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic among dentistry companies in selected European countries with different healthcare insurance systems. This comparative investigation focused on the generalised method of moments with dynamic panel data from Orbis, the Bureau van Dijk financial database for 1,128 dentistry companies in nine European countries. Methodologically, concerning those post-estimation techniques to evaluate over- and underestimation of the models. It has been differentiating between companies with a high or low ownership concentration structure. The results have shown differences in the leverage effect during the pandemic, assuming that companies with a major owner increased their equity, while the debt leverage increased among those companies with dispersed ownership and vice versa. If economic theory states that debt financing is more effective for a company than using internal sources, it is apparently different in the case of dentistry during the pandemic. However, dispersed ownership is more often related to dentistry, according to mergers in this particular business industry.

Trace relations and open string vacua

We study to what extent, and in what form, the notion of gauge-string duality may persist at finite N. It is shown, in the half-BPS sector, that the states of D3 giant graviton branes in AdS5 × S5 are holographically dual to certain auxiliary ghosts that compensate for finite N trace relations in U(N) N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 4 super Yang-Mills. The complex formed from spaces of states of bulk D3 giants is observed to furnish a BRST-like resolution of the half-BPS Hilbert space of U(N) N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{N} $$\\end{document} = 4 SYM at finite N. We argue that the identification between the states of certain bulk D-branes and the auxiliary ghosts in the boundary holds rather generally at vanishing ’t Hooft coupling λ = 0. We propose that a complex, which furnishes a BRST-like resolution of the finite N Hilbert space of a boundary U(N) gauge theory at λ = 0, should be identified as the space of states of the dual string theory in the α′ → ∞ limit. The Lefschetz trace formula provides the holographic map in this regime, where bulk observables are computed by taking the alternating sum of the expectation values in an ensemble of states built on each open string vacuum. The giant graviton expansion is recovered and generalized in a limit of the resolution.

How do ageism, death anxiety and ageing anxiety among medical students and residents affect their attitude towards medical care for older patients: a systematic review

BackgroundAlthough the number of older patients requiring medical care is increasing, caring for older patients is often seen as unattractive by medical trainees (i.e., medical students, residents, interns, and fellows). Terror Management Theory states that people have a negative attitude towards older people, because they remind people of their own mortality. We hypothesize that ageism, death anxiety, and ageing anxiety among medical trainees negatively affect their attitude towards medical care for older patients. This review aimed to examine and generate an overview of available literature on the relationship between ageism, death anxiety, and ageing anxiety among medical trainees and their attitude towards medical care for older patients.MethodsA systematic review was performed with a review protocol based on the PRISMA Statement. PubMed, Ebsco/PsycInfo, Ebsco/ERIC and Embase were searched from inception to August 2022, using the following search terms, including their synonyms and closely related words: “medical trainees” AND “ageism” OR “death anxiety” OR “ageing anxiety” AND “(attitude AND older patient)”.ResultsThe search yielded 4072 different studies; 12 eligible studies (10 quantitative and 2 qualitative) were identified and synthesized using narrative synthesis. Findings suggest that a positive attitude towards older people was related to a positive attitude towards medical care for older patients among medical students. The available literature on the relationship between death anxiety and/or ageing anxiety and attitude towards medical care for older patients among medical trainees was limited and had a heterogeneity in focus, which hindered comparison of results.ConclusionOur findings suggest that a positive attitude towards older people in general is related to a positive attitude towards medical care for older patients among medical students. Future research should focus on further exploring underlying mechanisms affecting the attitude towards medical care for older patients among medical trainees.

Conflicts up in the air: cabin crew resistance in Argentina and Portugal through the lens of the body

AbstractWe reflect upon labour conflicts over changes in the flagship airlines in Argentina and Portugal through the lens of the body. In our qualitative, empirical study we refer to these changes as part of a global tendency in the civil aviation sector to intensify the workload and undermine occupational health and safety standards. Defining this as “Ryanairisation”, we argue that the flagship airlines are pushed towards a neoliberal labour model. Via an embedded and relational comparison, we want to highlight labour conflicts in transnational corporations as a relevant sub-discipline of peace and conflict studies along two research questions: Firstly, what corporal impact does Ryanairisation have on cabin crew workers in Argentina (Aerolíneas Argentinas) and Portugal (TAP) during the first stages of renationalisation processes? Secondly, how do cabin crew workers resist the impact at the scale of their bodies? To answer both questions, we combine concepts from Social Reproduction Theory (SRT) and materialist state theory. Despite increasing salaries and improving general working conditions in both countries, we see how nationalised companies relied on the intensification of labour and are pushing workers’ very physical and mental boundaries. We aim to highlight less visible conflicts at workplaces, a) at a rather individual level, b) hybrid collaborative workplace action, and c) organised in trade unions via open confrontations. Workers address the encroachment on their boundaries in diverse ways, from individual to organised forms of resistance. We examine how this also became relevant in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Entropic characterization of stabilizer states and magic states

Quantum states with minimum or maximum uncertainty are of special significance due to their extreme properties. Celebrated examples are coherent states induced from certain Lie groups and intelligent states for various uncertainty relations. In this work, by virtue of the Maassen-Uffink entropic uncertainty relation, we introduce an entropic quantifier of uncertainty and use it to characterize several important families of states in the stabilizer formalism of quantum computation. More specifically, we show that the stabilizer states and T-type magic states stand at the two extremes of the entropic quantifier of uncertainty: The former are precisely the minimum entropic uncertainty states, while the latter are precisely the maximum entropic uncertainty states. Moreover, interpolating between the above two extremes, the H-type magic states are the saddle points of the entropic quantifier of uncertainty. These entropic characterizations reveal some intrinsic features of stabilizer states, H- and T-type magic states, and cast novel light on the resource-theoretic viewpoint of regarding the stabilizer states as free states and the T-type magic states as the most precious source states in the stabilizer quantum theory.

Social reproduction theory and critical state theory after the COVID-19 syndemic

This article offers an insight into the challenges faced by social movements when attempting to politicize the crisis of reproduction which took place during the COVID-19 syndemic in the city of Barcelona. The analysis provided here expands on the analysis of social reproduction theory and, more broadly, on Marxist feminist approaches. In fact, one of the factors accounting for the absence of politicization during the syndemic is the type of responses given to the emergency by the authoritarian neoliberal state, which were beyond those envisaged by the 10th thesis theorized by Marxism-Feminism and social reproduction theory. Thus, in this article, we argue that this situation is an opportunity to establish a dialogue between critical state theory and Marxism-Feminism to understand how the agency of the state may condition the social reproduction of life and block the emancipatory possibilities of care and the social struggles regarding the crisis of care, complementing thus the10th thesis of Marxism-Feminism.

A novel model of divergent predictive perception.

Predictive processing theories state that our subjective experience of reality is shaped by a balance of expectations based on previous knowledge about the world (i.e. priors) and confidence in sensory input from the environment. Divergent experiences (e.g. hallucinations and synaesthesia) are likely to occur when there is an imbalance between one's reliance on priors and sensory input. In a novel theoretical model, inspired by both predictive processing and psychological principles, we propose that predictable divergent experiences are associated with natural or environmentally induced prior/sensory imbalances: inappropriately strong or inflexible (i.e. maladaptive) high-level priors (beliefs) combined with low sensory confidence can result in reality discrimination issues, a characteristic of psychosis; maladaptive low-level priors (sensory expectations) combined with high sensory confidence can result in atypical sensory sensitivities and persistent divergent percepts, a characteristic of synaesthesia. Crucially, we propose that whether different divergent experiences manifest with dominantly sensory (e.g. hallucinations) or nonsensory characteristics (e.g. delusions) depends on mental imagery ability, which is a spectrum from aphantasia (absent or weak imagery) to hyperphantasia (extremely vivid imagery). We theorize that imagery is critically involved in shaping the sensory richness of divergent perceptual experience. In sum, to predict a range of divergent perceptual experiences in both clinical and general populations, three factors must be accounted for: a maladaptive use of priors, individual level of confidence in sensory input, and mental imagery ability. These ideas can be expressed formally using nonparametric regression modeling. We provide evidence for our theory from previous work and deliver predictions for future research.

Modulating pancreatic cancer microenvironment: The efficacy of Huachansu in mouse models via TGF-β/Smad pathway

Ethnopharmacological relevanceHuachansu (HCS) is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from the dried skin glands of Bufo gargarizans and clinical uses of HCS have been approved in China to treat malignant tumors. The traditional Chinese medicine theory states that HCS relieves patients with cancer by promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis. Clinical observation found that local injection of HCS given to pancreatic cancer patients can significantly inhibit tumor progression and assist in enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy. However, the material basis and underlying mechanism have not yet been elucidated. Aim of the studyTo investigate the therapeutic potential of HCS for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in in situ transplanted tumor nude mouse model. Furthermore, this study sought to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its efficacy and assess the impact of HCS on the microenvironment of pancreatic cancer. To identify the antitumor effect of HCS in in situ transplanted tumor nude mouse model and determine the Chemopreventive mechanism of HCS on tumor microenvironment (TME). MethodsUsing the orthotopic transplantation nude mouse model with fluorescently labeled pancreatic cancer cell lines SW1990 and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), we examined the effect of HCS on the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) microenvironment based on the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/Smad pathway. The expression of TGF-β, smad2, smad3, smad4, collagen type-1 genes and proteins in nude mouse model were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. ResultsHCS significantly reduced tumor growth rate, increased the survival rate, and ameliorated the histopathological changes in the pancreas. It was found that HCS concentration-dependently reduced the expression of TGF-β1 and collagen type-1 genes and proteins, decreased the expression of Smad2 and Smad3 genes, and downregulated the phosphorylation level of Smad2/3. Additionally, the gene and protein expression of Smad4 were promoted by HCS. Further, the promoting effect gradually enhanced with the rise of HCS concentration. ConclusionsThe results demonstrated HCS could regulate the activity of the TGF-β/Smad pathway in PDAC, improved the microenvironment of PDAC and delayed tumor progression. This study not only indicated that the protective mechanism of HCS on PDAC might be attributed partly to the inhibition of cytokine production and the TGF-β/Smad pathway, but also provided evidence for HCS as a potential medicine for PDAC treatment.

Pseudoentropy for descendant operators in two-dimensional conformal field theories

We study the late-time behaviors of pseudo-(Rényi) entropy of locally excited states in rational conformal field theories. To construct the transition matrix, we utilize two nonorthogonal locally excited states that are created by the application of different descendant operators to vacuum. We show that when two descendant operators are generated by a single Virasoro generator acting on the same primary operator, the late-time excess of pseudoentropy and pseudo-Rényi entropy corresponds to the logarithm of the quantum dimension of the associated primary operator, in agreement with the case of entanglement entropy. However, for linear combination operators generated by the generic summation of Virasoro generators, we obtain a distinct late-time excess formula for the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy compared to that for (Rényi) entanglement entropy. As the mixing of holomorphic and antiholomorphic generators enhances the entanglement, in this case, the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy can receive an additional contribution. The additional contribution can be expressed as the pseudo-(Rényi) entropy of an effective transition matrix in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The Role of Conservation Environment to Establish Sustainable Ecopreneurship Intention

The concept of green entrepreneurship combines profit-oriented business with innovative technology that can help humans reduce negative impacts on the environment. This study analyses and examines the research gap and inconsistencies between factors that influence ecopreneurship intentions through the theory of planned behavior approach. This theory states that a person intends to perform a behavior. The sample of this research is 150 students who will intend to do environmentally friendly business obtained through screening questions in the Universitas Negeri Semarang environment. The existence of the Universitas Negeri Semarang, which applies conservation insights, is appropriate to be used as a research sample. The results of the study show that the factors that influence entrepreneurial intentions have a direct effect.&#x0D; Keywords: ecopreneurship intentions, entrepreneurial orientation, entrepreneurial knowledge, university environment

Entropy of the Canonical Occupancy (Macro) State in the Quantum Measurement Theory.

The paper analyzes the probability distribution of the occupancy numbers and the entropy of a system at the equilibrium composed by an arbitrary number of non-interacting bosons. The probability distribution is obtained through two approaches: one involves tracing out the environment from a bosonic eigenstate of the combined environment and system of interest (the empirical approach), while the other involves tracing out the environment from the mixed state of the combined environment and system of interest (the Bayesian approach). In the thermodynamic limit, the two coincide and are equal to the multinomial distribution. Furthermore, the paper proposes to identify the physical entropy of the bosonic system with the Shannon entropy of the occupancy numbers, fixing certain contradictions that arise in the classical analysis of thermodynamic entropy. Finally, by leveraging an information-theoretic inequality between the entropy of the multinomial distribution and the entropy of the multivariate hypergeometric distribution, Bayesianism of information theory and empiricism of statistical mechanics are integrated into a common "infomechanical" framework.

CRITICAL EVALUATION AND APPLIED ASPECT OF SWABHAVOPARAMVADA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE THEORY OF INNATE DESTRUCTION.

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems and remains one of India’s traditional healthcare systems, as it is based on ancient writings that rely on a natural and holistic approach to physical and mental health. As per Ayurvedic philosophy, we know that the leading cause of any disease is Imbalance in the body, and so the treatment pattern also includes lifestyle management with natural therapies to attain and regain the balance between the body, mind, soul, and Prakriti, i.e., environment. The theory of natural destruction or self-healing process is termed ‘Swabhavoparamvada,’ where the term ‘Swabhav’ means the nature of a substance and ‘Uparama’ implies destruction.¹ This theory states that the physiological events in our body are unavoidable. Kala, i.e., time moves continuously, passes away, and is irreversible. The wear-and-tear theory states that bodies wear out over time. This theory can easily make sense when considering inanimate objects, from cars to clothes, that wear out and become less functional with time. Jara (Old) and Mrityu (Death) are Swabhavik vyadhi (natural), and these cannot be stopped. Tear and wear are the law of nature. This means the dhatu of the body is destroyed naturally, and this cannot be controlled by any process indicating Swabhavoparamvada. Understanding the concept of Swabhavoparamvada is very important for a physician to advise a good diet and lifestyle in continuity along with necessary interventions.

“Dual‐pressure theory” in pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic neuropathy from the Beijing intracranial and intraocular pressure study

AbstractThe mechanical theory of glaucoma indicates that high intraocular pressure (IOP) leads to glaucomatous optic nerve damage. However, nearly half of primary open‐angle glaucoma patients with normal intraocular pressure also exhibit progression of what appears to be glaucomatous optic nerve damage. Our earlier prospective study identified for the first time that the relatively low intracranial pressure (ICP) is also an important risk factor for progressive glaucomatous injury of normal‐tension glaucoma. When considering the results of studies in nonhuman primates, clinical research, large‐scale natural‐population studies, and basic laboratory investigations, a new understanding of the pathophysiology of glaucoma, the “Dual‐Pressure Theory”, has been proposed. This theory states that “either high IOP or low ICP contributes to increasing the translaminar cribrosa pressure difference; it is the pressure difference rather than the IOP alone that results in the glaucomatous optic neuropathy”. Here, we provide a systematic introduction to Dual‐Pressure Theory relating to glaucoma, the form of a research map, an outline of basic laboratory investigations, the main methodology, and research updates.

Solving two-dimensional adjoint QCD with a basis-function approach

We apply a method (“eLCQ”) to find the asymptotic spectrum of a Hamiltonian from its symmetries to two-dimensional adjoint QCD. Streamlining the approach, we construct a complete set of asymptotic eigenfunctions in all parton sectors and use it in a basis-function approach to find the spectrum of the full theory. We are able to reproduce previous results including the degeneracy of fermionic and bosonic masses at the supersymmetric point, and to understand the properties of the lowest states in the massless theory. The approach taken here is continuous at fixed parton number, and therefore complementary to standard formulations, e.g. discretized light-cone quantization (DLCQ). Despite its limitation to rather small parton numbers, it can be used to test and validate conclusions of other frameworks in an independent way. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Intersubjective Discoveries on Parenting Autistic Sons: Challenges to Ableist, Normative Narratives of Deficit

This article argues that the deficit-based narrative surrounding autism, shaped by the historical context, is often internalized as ableism and unconscious bias, leading to autistic masking and poor mental health. Parent-child relationships develop within the milieu of this narrative, impacting the scripts of both individuals. Drawing on their experience as mothers and therapists, the authors examine the relationship between themselves and their autistic children, the mutuality of their experience, and its impact on their cocreated script. Vignettes are included throughout to illustrate the points made. Models of disability, ableism, and the history of autism research and clinical practice are integrated with TA theory, including script and ego states. The work of autistic authors, in particular Milton’s ideas of the double empathy problem, is used to support readers to challenge their unconscious bias and create space for authentic autistic expression.

Institutional responses to the challenges of the Russian agro-industrial complex

The work is devoted to the complex issues of the influence of the theoretical prerequisites of institutional and neo-institutional economic theory on the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the scientific theoretical foundations of institutional and neo–institutional economic theories as the basis for regulating the agricultural sector. The methodological basis of the study is an integrated approach, which examines the challenges facing the Russian agro-industrial complex and possible institutional solutions to emerging barriers. The conceptual foundations of the institutional movement at the first stage of its development and their relation to state regulation are shown. The main provisions of the theory of dirigisme and new industrial society are shown. The scientific foundations of the neo-institutional school of economic theory are formulated. It is shown that the main institutions require maximum attention from the state to ensure their functioning, sustainable long-term development of the economic system, and the social well-being of the country’s citizens. The main functions of the state, its boundaries and effectiveness conditions in the new institutional theory are defined. The main institutional mechanisms for improving institutions in the Russian agricultural sector to ensure long-term sustainable economic growth are identified: market institutions; national institutes of economic development; state institutions of economic growth in the agricultural sector; institutes for reducing volatility. The presented model allows, unlike traditional approaches, to be based on the historical development of the institutional environment, which allows to assess the justification for changing institutions in agriculture; allows to assess the compatibility of ongoing institutional changes with the established institutional environment.