Substantial Changes Research Articles

Subverting the “Default Settings” of Cis-Heteronormativity in Social Work Praxis with Trans Clients

ABSTRACT The past several years have brought about a steep increase in hostile legislation targeting queer and trans people, specifically policies that threaten the ability of trans people to receive gender-affirming care. Social workers provide more services related to addressing psychosocial needs than any other group of mental health professionals, and as the number of trans people continues to rise, so will the need for providers who are competent in working with them. Transness is currently an identity culturally and clinically defined by suffering, but that does not need to be the case, and in an ideal future it will not be. In considering how to reconceptualize social work praxis to decenter cis-heteronormativity, the field can look to theories of disability, sexuality, gender, race, and abolition for models of how practitioners can work with trans clients from an asset-based perspective, at once more effectively supporting them and creating a less oppressive and repressive society for everyone. Social workers who identify as allies to, or a part of, the queer and trans community must move away from a posture of performativity, which often perpetuates notions of normativity, and instead work toward substantive social change by subverting the “default settings” we are all socialized into. Achieving this end requires meaningful engagement with trans people and their varied lived experiences, internal, interpersonal, and in their interfacing with institutions, as well as a commitment to challenging our society’s rigid values surrounding gender, to reconceptualize social work praxis with trans people.

Experiencing the executive: Gender, ministers and institutions in Scotland

Women are historically under-represented amongst government ministers. While most research on gender and executives concentrates on who gets to (and stays at) the top, we examine the executive as a gendered institution, investigating how ministers experience the ‘heart of the machine’ once they get there. Using documentary sources and interviews with former ministers, we explore these dynamics through a case study of the early years of the (then) Scottish Executive (1999-2007), examining how men and women ministers navigated the complex rules and relationships of government in a new institution, and moving the research agenda on gender and the executive in the UK beyond Westminster and Whitehall. While we find evidence of both nominal and substantive change – in terms of ministerial recruitment, portfolio allocation and different ways of working – our findings highlight the continuing drag of the Westminster model on the ‘making’ of the Scottish Executive, limiting possibilities for innovation.

From Strategic Partner to Systemic Rival? EU-China Relations in Recent Times

The author examines the different formulas that have guided the EU’s stated view of the PRC during the last years. He studies the conceptual continuities and discontinuities expressed by these various formulas and particularly whether and to what extent they rely on a logic of “compartmentalization”, a term adopted from psychology referring to the effort of keeping cognitions that seem to conflict with each other apart in one’s mind. As he states, not every new formula that has guided EU-China relations has meant a substantive change, while keeping to one and the same formula may still translate into rather different emphases.

SPECIFICS OF THE EU DEVELOPMENT POLICY

The article deals with the current stage of EU development policy. The evolution of the EU aid system is retrospectively analyzed. Attention is also paid to the key EU documents wherein the principles of current development policy are set forth. The background the EU is delivering its aid against is outlined. It involves political and economic crises, competition with the «rising» donors, including China, discussions on strategic autonomy, rise of the far-right parties. The pivotal changes in EU development policy are investigated, which are a new financial instrument, geographical redistribution of ODA flows, introduction of the Team Europe and Global Gateway initiatives, substantive change to the EU normative power concept. EU development policy is revealed to be increasingly acquiring a tactical character, with the focus having shifted onto the neighborhood and EU mainstream issues. Aspiration to make the aid system more flexible to rapidly respond to crises is noted as well.

Breaking the Saffron Wave?

In recent years, thousands of Buddhist monastics have marched in antiregime protests across South and Southeast Asia. Among the largest and most influential nonstate organizations in the region, monastic communities appear to be powerful agents for political change. Yet, like similar movements over the last half-century, recent monastic protests did not produce broader political resistance among the monkhood, nor did they lead to substantive political change. What explains this? Why has antigovernment activism among Buddhist monks been less durable or impactful than other types of monastic activism, such as the varieties of chauvinistic nationalism that have risen to prominence in recent years? This article draws on three case studies—Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka—to offer one answer: sangha capture, the strategic use of law, bureaucracy, patronage, and coercion by governing elites to induce compliance among monastics while also muffling and marginalizing would-be critics.

Antibiotic use among extremely low birth-weight infants from 2009 to 2021: a retrospective observational study

ObjectiveTo assess trends in antibiotic use across a large cohort of extremely low birth-weight (<1000 g; ELBW) infants admitted to academic and community neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the...

Hierarchical Bidirected Graph Convolutions for Large-Scale 3-D Point Cloud Place Recognition.

In this article, we present a novel hierarchical bidirected graph convolution network (HiBi-GCN) for large-scale 3-D point cloud place recognition. Unlike place recognition methods based on 2-D images, those based on 3-D point cloud data are typically robust to substantial changes in real-world environments. However, these methods have difficulty in defining convolution for point cloud data to extract informative features. To solve this problem, we propose a new hierarchical kernel defined as a hierarchical graph structure through unsupervised clustering from the data. In particular, we pool hierarchical graphs from the fine to coarse direction using pooling edges and fuse the pooled graphs from the coarse to fine direction using fusing edges. The proposed method can, thus, learn representative features hierarchically and probabilistically; moreover, it can extract discriminative and informative global descriptors for place recognition. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed hierarchical graph structure is more suitable for point clouds to represent real-world 3-D scenes.

The Perception of Working Women on Women's Empowerment

Women’s empowerment, according to World Vision Australia can be defined as “promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.” Organisations around the world have recognized the value women bring to the table and have made several attempts in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in order to support and foster women’s empowerment in the workplace. While these measures are commendable, it is imperative that we look at them from the perspectives of those who are affected by them the most, i.e. women in the corporate sector. To conduct this study, a survey was circulated to 32 female participants working in the corporate sector, above the age of 20, residing in Delhi, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, using convenient sampling methods. The findings suggest that although many respondents reported the existence of initiatives aimed at empowering women in their workplaces, a significant portion did not experience any benefits from these efforts. These findings carry significant implications that underscore the urgency for organisations to transcend superficial gestures and instead adopt comprehensive strategies that challenge long-standing norms and practices. The study emphasises the importance of genuine commitment and transformative measures as instrumental drivers in bringing about substantive change. In conclusion, this research accentuates the imperative for businesses to prioritise gender diversity in leadership roles, ensuring equal opportunities for all employees while advancing work-life balance and fostering an inclusive corporate culture.

A Critical Analysis of the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax

ABSTRACT The corporate alternative minimum tax, enacted as part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, intends to impose a minimum level of taxation on profitable large corporations using financial statement income as a tax base. Although both alternative tax bases and the usage of financial statement income in taxes have a long history in the United States, the tax represents a substantial change in the current corporate tax law. Although the corporate alternative minimum tax is predicted to raise billions of dollars from a small subset of the largest corporations, its design raises concerns about long-term efficacy. In this article, we summarize the development of the corporate alternative minimum tax in light of its historical predecessors and compare its design against accepted standards of good tax policy, ultimately identifying multiple inadequacies in its construction and implementation. We conclude by making policy recommendations. JEL Classifications: H21; H25; K34.

Main contents and implications of the 2023 revision of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises*

Purpose This study aims to provide the main contents of the revision of the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and suggest implications for the Korean government and multinational enterprises.Design/methodology/approach Following the brief history of the revision of OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, this study reviews and evaluates major substantive and procedural revisions of the 2023 OECD Guidelines, and then suggests countermeasures for Korean government and businesses.Findings The most significant substantive change of the 2023 revision is that expectations for environmental due diligence and disclosure obligations, including climate change and biodiversity, for multinational enterprises have been expanded and strengthened. Regarding procedural changes, the biggest change is the introduction of a basis rule for the National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct (NCPs for RBC) to judge each issue and a rule that the final statement must include follow-up details and deadlines, which is expected to strengthen the effectiveness of the NCP dispute resolution mechanism.Originality/value This study is the first academic paper to introduce major substantive and procedural revisions to the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in Korea. This study also provides implications for the Korean government and companies following the 2023 revised OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises as follows. First, the Korean government must establish a public–private partnership to closely communicate to prevent Korean companies from being harmed by failing to meet strengthening international Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) standards. In addition, Korean government should actively participate in ESG-related international forums, including the OECD, and strive to reflect the needs and interests of Korean companies. Second, the Korean NCP should strengthen its activities to prevent potential damage by expanding education and promotions for Korean businesses on related overseas legislative trends and NCP dispute case studies so that Korean companies can effectively deal with the strengthened ESG standards. Third, Korean multinational enterprises should preemptively establish an advanced ESG management system to seize new opportunities in the global supply chain previously concentrated in China and India in the process of reorganizing global supply chains according to the trend of strengthening ESG standards and the US value alliance strategy.

A New Era for Ethnic Studies: Hearing From Early-Career Educators

In 2030 Ethnic Studies will be a required course for all high schoolers in California's public schools. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of this milestone and how the future of Ethnic Studies can impact the U.S. education system as a whole. Through highlighting the history of Ethnic Studies and presenting the perspectives of eight early career Ethnic Studies teachers and counselors, this study showcases the importance of Ethnic Studies in providing spaces for students of Color to see themselves in school curricula, build community, and envision substantive change through their teaching.

Network Pharmacology and Intestinal Microbiota Analysis Revealing the Mechanism of Punicalagin Improving Bacterial Enteritis.

The Chinese medicine punicalagin (Pun), the most important active ingredient in pomegranate peel, has significant bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. The potential mechanisms of Pun for bacterial enteritis, however, are unknown. The goal of our research is to investigate the mechanism of Pun in the treatment of bacterial enteritis using computer-aided drug technology, as well as to investigate the intervention effect of Pun on mice with bacterial enteritis using intestinal flora sequencing. The targets of Pun and Bacterial enteritis were obtained by using the specific database, and cross-targets were screened among these targets, followed by PPI and enrichment analysis of the targets. Furthermore, the degree of binding between Pun and key targets was predicted through molecular docking. After successfully establishing the bacterial enteritis model in vivo, mice were randomly assigned to groups. They were treated for 7 days, the symptoms were observed daily, and the daily DAI and body weight change rate were calculated. Following administration, the intestinal tissue was removed, and the contents were separated. The tight junction protein expression was detected in the small intestine by the immunohistochemical method; ELISA and Western Blot (WB) were performed to detect the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin- 6 (IL-6) in the serum and intestinal wall of mice. The 16S rRNA sequence was used to determine the composition and diversity of the intestinal flora of mice. In total, 130 intersection targets of Pun and disease were screened by network pharmacology. The enrichment analysis showed cross genes were closely related and enriched in the cancer regulation and the TNF signal pathway. The active components of Pun could specifically bind to the core targets TNF, IL-6, etc., determined from molecular docking results. In vivo experiment results showed that the symptoms in the PUN group mice were alleviated, and the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly reduced. A Pun can cause substantial changes in the intestinal flora of mice in terms of structure and function. Pun plays a multi-target role in alleviating bacterial enteritis by regulating intestinal flora.

Education and awareness: keys to solid waste reduction

In the research, education, and awareness were focused on as essential pillars to successfully address the problem of reducing solid waste. The objective is to implement educational and awareness solutions within the community to encourage a substantial change in behavior toward the reduction of solid waste. The design thinking methodology was applied to develop effective solutions. To measure the level of public awareness, we conducted interviews using the Atlas ti22 which allowed us to triangulate with the surveys that revealed that 60% of those surveyed agreed with the policies regarding environmental impact, 55% agreed that the authorities take preventive measures regarding public health and 58% stated that the participation of the citizens in recycling programs. Then, innovative prototypes were developed that satisfied the real needs of users and experts in their evaluation, thus laying a solid foundation. It was concluded that citizens as well as authorities must be aware that by working collaboratively, we can contribute to society.

A tribute to François Gros, a committed scientist

As an eminent scientist, fully aware of his social responsibilities, François Gros has been consulted on several occasions on how to make better use of science in the service of society. One of the first reports asked of him was by President Giscard d'Estaing on the social and industrial consequences of the rise of biology (1979). A few years later, at the request of President François Mitterrand, he chaired the National Conference on Research and Technology (1981-1982), which led to substantial changes in the way French public research was organised.

Construction of N–doped carbon encapsulated Mn2O3/MnO heterojunction for enhanced lithium storage performance

Owing to high theoretical capacity, low cost and abundant availability, manganese oxides are widely viewed as promising anodes for lithium–ion batteries (LIBs). Nonetheless, their practical application is significantly hindered by poor electrical conductivity, sluggish reaction kinetics and substantial volume change. In this work, an ingenious polypyrrole encapsulation followed by pyrolysis strategy is proposed to produce N–doped carbon encapsulated Mn2O3/MnO heterojunction (Mn2O3/MnO@NC) by using mechanically ground Mn3O4/C3N4 mixture as the precursor. The results show that the selection of precursor plays a pivotal role in the successful preparation of Mn2O3/MnO@NC hybrid. It is revealed that the uniform encapsulation by N–doped carbon significantly enhances the conductivity and structural stability of the final product. Concurrently, the Mn2O3/MnO heterojunction within the resultant hybrid exhibits a unique quantum–dot size, which effectively shortens ion transport pathways and exposes the active sites for lithium storage. Additionally, experimental observations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the built–in electric fields generated at the interfaces of Mn2O3/MnO heterojunction accelerate the charge transfer and ion diffusion, thereby enhancing the electrochemical reaction kinetics. As a result, the Mn2O3/MnO@NC hybrid displays much enhanced lithium storage performance. Evidently, our work offers a good guidance for the design and synthesis of advanced transition metal oxide/carbon anodes for LIBs.

Looking for a broader mindset in psychometrics: the case for more participatory measurement practices.

Psychometrics and the consequences of its use as the method of quantitative empirical psychology has been continuously criticized by both psychologists and psychometrists. However, the scope of the possible solutions to these issues has been mostly focused on the establishment of methodological-statistical best practices for researchers, without any regard to the pitfalls of previous stages of measurement as well as theory development of the targeted phenomenon. Conversely, other researchers advance the idea that, since psychometrics is riddled with many issues, the best way forward is a complete rework of the discipline even if it leaves psychologists and other practitioners without any way to measure quantitatively for a long period of time. Given these tensions, we therefore advocate for an alternative path to consider while we work on making substantive change in measurement. We propose a set of research practices focusing on the inclusion and active participation of groups involved in measurement activities, such as psychometrists, researchers but most importantly practitioners and potential participants. Involving a wider community while measuring in psychology could tackle some key issues that would take us closer to a more authentic approach to our phenomenon of interest.

Reindeer herding of Chukotka ethnicities in the end of the 20th — first quarter of 21st century

In Chukotka, reindeer herding is the most important element of traditional subsistence for the Chukchi, Koryak, Even and Yukaghir peoples. Despite substantial changes in reindeer herding, associated with modernization and commercialization of the industry, the herders of Chukotka were able to preserve their traditions, rituals and ethnic celebrations, associated with nomadic culture. The purpose of this work is to characterize contemporary reindeer herding as the most important component of ethnic culture in Chukotka. The article is based on the authors’ field materials collected in 1999–2023 among the reindeer herders of Anadyr, Bilibinsky, Iultinsky, Chaunsky and Chukotsky districts of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, interviews with agricultural specialists, statistical and analytical documents, scientific literature on the history and ethnography of reindeer herding. Chukchi reindeer herding developed on traditional basis until the first third of the 20th century. Then, under the influence of political and economic changes, a sharp transformation and breakdown of traditional management occurred among the indigenous peoples of the Northeast. Such intervention into the centuries-old system of nature management resulted in significant changes in the lifestyle of the Chukchi reindeer herders, system of their values, and brought significant social consequences. Nowadays, rein-deer herding in Chukotka is vital and the most important agricultural sector that provides food security for the region; it is also the element of traditional subsistence management, which preserves and develops the ethnic culture of the indigenous minority peoples of the North. Together with all the positive changes in reindeer herding during the Soviet era, it is worth emphasizing that during the crises periods of the 1990s and early 2000s, the herding enterprises with strong cultural traditions, such as social organization of camps, preservation of a nomadic family, development of riding reindeer husbandry, preference for the “old” nomadic way of life and its attributes – dwelling, fur clothing, vehicles – proved to be the most stable.

Task Specialization and Group Study on Students’ Achievement and Attitude in Physics

This study investigates the impact of cooperative learning strategies, particularly task specialization and group study, on student achievement and attitude in Physics among Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students. Motivated by diffusion of responsibility, the research employed a One-Shot Pre-test Post-Test Research Design over three weeks. Students were divided into groups and assigned roles as managers, investigators, or recorder-reporters. The effectiveness of these roles was evaluated using the Student Physics Test and the Physics Attitude Inventory. Results indicated a significant improvement in student achievement (t-test = 14.65) but no substantial change in attitudes towards Physics (t-test = -0.47), suggesting pre-existing favorable attitudes in STEM students. The study concludes that while task specialization and group study effectively enhance achievement by reducing the diffusion of responsibility and promoting active participation, they do not significantly alter students’ attitudes toward Physics. The findings recommend implementing these strategies across various subjects and educational strands to increase student achievement. Further research is suggested to explore the broader implications of these strategies on student attitudes, validate results over extended periods, and examine the effects of varying roles and group cooperation. Keywords: action research, cooperative learning, task specialization and group study, achievement, attitude, Sto. Nino National High School, Iriga City, Philippines

Biologically Important Areas II for cetaceans within U.S. and adjacent waters - West Coast Region

Here we update U.S. West Coast Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) that were published in 2015 using new data and approaches. Additionally, BIAs were delineated for two species that were not delineated in the 2015 BIAs: fin whales and Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). While harbor porpoise BIAs remained the same, substantial changes were made for other species including identifying both larger overall areas (parent BIAs) and smaller core areas (child BIAs). For blue, fin, and humpback whales we identified, delineated, and scored BIAs using the overlap between the distribution and relative density from three data sources, leveraging the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches: 1) habitat density models based on Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) line-transect data from systematic ship surveys conducted through 2018, 2) satellite tag data from deployments conducted by three research groups, and 3) sightings of feeding behavior from non-systematic effort mostly associated with small-boat surveys for photo-identification conducted by Cascadia Research Collective. While the previous BIAs were based solely on a more subjective assignment from only the small boat sightings, here we incorporate the other two data sources and use a more rigorous, quantitative approach to identify higher density areas and integrate the data types. This resulted in larger, better-supported, objective BIAs compared to the previous effort. Our methods are also more consistent with the delineation of BIAs in other regions. For SRKWs, the parent BIA was based on a modification of the Critical Habitat boundaries defined by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada; a core BIA highlighting areas of intensified use was identified using both NOAA’s Critical Habitat and kernel density analyses of satellite tag data. Gray whale BIAs were re-evaluated for the migratory corridor of Eastern North Pacific gray whales, for Pacific Coast Feeding Group feeding areas, and for gray whales that feed regularly in Puget Sound.

Deconstructing the Blueprint for Infringement: Remedying Flawed Interpretations of the § 120(a) Exception to Architecture Copyrights

Deconstructing the Blueprint for Infringement: Remedying Flawed Interpretations of the § 120(a) Exception to Architecture Copyrights