Unequal Division Research Articles

Ethics for Data Ownership in Social Science Funded Research

Over the last few years, there has been a resurgence of interest in addressing the problematic politics and ethics of global North/global South relations within social science research projects. This essay outlines the ethical concerns arising from the funded research in the Middle East, drawing attention to the relation between research and researched, outlining practices of power relations, positionality, and identity and insisting that these must be addressed within the context of an unequal global division of labor when it comes to social science research. It ends with some suggestions of a way forward to overcome these problems such as the democratization of data and funding transparency.

Parameter identification of Johnson–Cook constitutive model based on genetic algorithm and simulation analysis for 304 stainless steel

Addressing the significant discrepancy between actual experimental cutting force and its predicted values derived from traditional constitutive model parameter identification methods, a reverse identification research of the Johnson–Cook (J-C) constitutive model for 304 stainless steel was conducted via genetic algorithm. Considering actual cutting zone and the influence of feed motion on the rake (flank) angle, an unequal division shear zone model was established to implement the theoretical calculation for shear zone stress. Through cutting experiments, the spindle speed was negatively correlated with the cutting force at first, and then became positively correlated; The empirical formula (EXP model) for turning force was corrected, revealing that the EXP model was unable to provide optimal predicted values for cutting force. The influence of the J-C constitutive parameter C on the cutting morphology was firstly investigated through simulation analysis, and determined an appropriate value for C, then obtained the precise values for the other four constitutive parameters by genetic algorithm. Moreover, the simulated values of cutting force in JC1 model (obtained from the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar test) and JCM model (the improved model using genetic algorithm) were obtained by three-dimensional (3-D) simulation via FEM software. The results indicated that, the maximum error between actual experimental cutting force and its simulated values (by JCM model) was 14.8%, with an average error of 6.38%. These results outperformed the JC1 and EXP models, suggesting that the JCM model identified via genetic algorithm was more reliable.

Time poverty and women's participation in non-farm work: Evidence from rural Ethiopia

In most developing countries, rural women are still marginalized in many domains to work in the non-farm economy, partly because the persistent unequal division of domestic burdens leaves rural women time-constrained. Yet, time poverty has received little consideration in the context of women's participation in non-farm work. This study presents evidence on the effect of time poverty on rural women's participation in non-farm work based on cross-sectional data collected from 300 rural women. We use two-stage residual inclusion instrumental variable (2SRI-IV) and recursive bivariate probit methods to address potential endogeneity. We find that time poverty is prevalent with 6 out of 10 women having insufficient time for non-farm work. The empirical results indicate that time poverty reduces women's participation in non-farm work in rural Ethiopia. This study suggests that relaxing women's time constraints coupled with meaningful rural education and infrastructure access might be vital in spurring their participation in the non-farm sector.

Digitally intensive mothering and unequal emotional work of Chinese mothers

ABSTRACT Due to the unequal gender division of labour in parenting practices, intensive mothering has been further reinforced in the digital age, amplifying mothers’ otherwise implicit emotional work. Using data from 70 self-narration cases of Chinese mothers during lockdown learning, this study found that mothers experienced four kinds of negative emotions – anxiety, anger, frustration and guilt during online learning, and adopted two possible coping strategies – active self-reflection and passive intervention by others. This study foregrounded the unequal emotional work of Chinese mothers, especially the vulnerability in emotion management among mothers at lower socioeconomic levels. This study revealed how the ideological discourses constructed by intensive mothering influence Chinese mothers’ emotions in digital educational involvement and the digital inequality it may trigger.

Exact synthesis of couple‐line based wideband four‐way filtering power divider with unequal power division

AbstractIn this paper, a coupled‐line‐based wideband four‐way filtering power divider (FPD) with unequal power division is presented. It is composed of three groups of coupled lines (CLs), four types of open‐ended stubs, and three kinds of resistors. By setting the CLs in each group with different parameters, unequal power distribution is obtained. Besides, open‐ended stubs with different characteristic impedances are inserted to each output port to generate two extra transmission zeros, at the same time maintaining good impedance matchings. Resistors are inserted to each group of the CLs to improve the isolations. By applying twice parity mode analysis, the exact synthesis of the proposed FPD is first derived. For demonstration, a prototype with power division ratio of 1:1.2:1.5:1.8 is designed and manufactured. Measurement results verified that more than 60% fractional bandwidth (FBW) is obtained under the criterion of 10 dB return loss and 10 dB isolation. Besides, the 3 dB passband FBWs for the four outputs reach 70% with high frequency selectivity and low insertion loss. And more than 15 dB out‐of‐band rejections are achieved for both the lower and upper stopbands.

Theoretical design and implementation of equal and unequal split ultra-wide band Wilkinson power divider with Chebyshev impedance transform

Abstract In this study, we designed multi-section UWB Wilkinson power dividers for both equal and unequal power divider. The key innovation is successfully matching these power dividers using the Chebyshev method. The proposed method achieves very low insertion losses and high transmission coefficients across the ports. For the three-section equal power divider, Chebyshev polynomials were used to model the reflection coefficient, and the characteristic impedance for each section was calculated symmetrically. The design achieved a fractional bandwidth of 106% for a 20 dB return loss, with an insertion loss of 0.3 dB. For unequal multi-section dividers, power division ratios of 1.5:1 and 2:1 were chosen. Theoretical microwave calculations were used to determine the input and output transmission line impedances. Chebyshev approximation was then applied to design the three-section unequal power dividers. The return losses for these unequal dividers were measured at 17 dB and 15 dB, with fractional bandwidths of 120% and 126%. Both circuits had insertion losses of 0.25 dB. The consistent results from analytical calculations, simulations, and measurements confirm the effectiveness of the Chebyshev method for both equal and unequal power division.

Inverse Identification of Constitutive Model for GH4198 Based on Genetic-Particle Swarm Algorithm.

A precise Johnson-Cook (J-C) constitutive model is the foundation for precise calculation of finite-element simulation. In order to obtain the J-C constitutive model accurately for a new cast and forged alloy GH4198, an inverse identification of J-C constitutive model was proposed based on a genetic-particle swarm algorithm. Firstly, a quasi-static tensile test at different strain rates was conducted to determine the initial yield strength A, strain hardening coefficient B, and work hardening exponent n for the material's J-C model. Secondly, a new method for orthogonal cutting model was constructed based on the unequal division shear theory and considering the influence of tool edge radius. In order to obtain the strain-rate strengthening coefficient C and thermal softening coefficient m, an orthogonal cutting experiment was conducted. Finally, in order to validate the precision of the constitutive model, an orthogonal cutting thermo-mechanical coupling simulation model was established. Meanwhile, the sensitivity of J-C constitutive model parameters on simulation results was analyzed. The results indicate that the parameter m significantly affects chip morphology, and that the parameter C has a notable impact on the cutting force. This study addressed the issue of missing constitutive parameters for GH4198 and provided a theoretical reference for the optimization and identification of constitutive models for other aerospace materials.

‘I walk around with a list in my head’: qualitative research on perceived causes and consequences of the unequal gender division of mental labor in Croatian households

ABSTRACT The mental labor is the combination of cognitive and emotional labor, which is performed predominantly by women. It consists of anticipating needs, identifying options, making decisions, and monitoring their execution for all household members, and the emotional labor associated with this work. This qualitative study, conducted through focus groups, explores how women and men explain gender differences in mental labor, identifies the perceived consequences of such inequalities, and examines men’s perceptions on women’s mental labor. Thematic analysis yielded six key themes with the richest explanation of how women perform the greater share of mental labor because of stereotypical gender roles. Other explanations rely on efficiency, reliability, and managing conflicts. Most explanations are differentiated into essentialist and constructivist beliefs. Both the perceived consequences of mental labor and men’s perception are predominately negative, characterized by an over-evaluation of men’s initiatives and a devaluation of women’s mental labor. In qualitative research, the mental labor is identified as primarily female labor, leading to exhaustion among women, while it remains largely unrecognized and unappreciated by men.

The Double Burden: A Study on Women's Dual Roles in the Workplace and Household Responsibilities in Kerala

This study examines the dual roles of women in Kerala, India, balancing professional responsibilities with traditional household duties using Work-Family Conflict theory. Despite Kerala's educational advancements and higher sex ratio, cultural expectations impose significant pressures on women, causing self-doubt, anxiety, and mental fatigue. The research reveals that while some women receive spousal support, the unequal division of household chores exacerbates work-family conflicts. A descriptive research design with convenience sampling was used to select respondents, and Chi-square tests assessed the impact of gender on beliefs about societal norms causing emotional and mental conflicts. Pearson’s Correlation evaluated the relationship between spousal support and job pressure among women. Despite the crucial role of economic contributions from both partners, traditional gender roles continue to impede women’s career progression and overall well-being. The study highlights the need for supportive workplace policies and societal changes to ease the dual burden on women, enhance gender equality, and improve mental health.

Wideband Three-Way FPD With Unequal Division Ratio Based on Coaxial-to-RWG Transition

Wideband Three-Way FPD With Unequal Division Ratio Based on Coaxial-to-RWG Transition

From Formation to Evaluation: Optimising groupwork in STEM Degree Apprenticeships

Engineering degree apprenticeships provide three to six years of job opportunities and training that lead to university qualifications up to and equivalent of a postgraduate degree. Within an apprentice’s time in higher education (HE), many are required to complete groupwork projects which bring several benefits and some challenges. This paper explores the effects and limitations of group work in the context of degree apprenticeships whilst discussing a plethora of group selection and assessment method solutions. This includes student self-selection methods in comparison to teacher-selected and randomisation for group selection; a suitable method of selection should be unbiased and optimise advantages of collaborative working. Through understanding the most effective form of assessment for apprentices, an academic policy can be adapted and influenced – acknowledging the learning differences between undergraduate students and degree apprentices. As part of this work, a comprehensive literature review was carried and a survey was conducted and completed by the Bsc Digital and Technology Solutions students, BEng Applied Professional Engineering Programme students among others at the University of Warwick. The results of the survey provided quantitative and qualitative data surrounding group work. Furthermore, the paper suggests appropriate solutions to group work issues surrounding the effectiveness of group work for degree apprentices, optimal group selection-methods, group performance, ensuring equal contributions and assessment and grading methods. The paper addresses some of the problems encountered by apprentices during their studies such as the free-rider problem and unequal division of work - providing solutions towards minimising such problems, including the integration of web-based tools such as MS Planner.

Global Inequality Challenge: An Analysis of the Disparities in Wealth and Power

Global inequality is central to the explanation of the disparity between the global North and global South in terms of level of development. World systems theorists have pointed to colonial exploitation of the South by countries in the North as the cause of the disparities in wealth and power between regions. This paper examines global inequality challenges to identify the disparities in wealth and power between the North and the South. The study relied essentially on qualitative data predicated on secondary data. The paper adopted world systems theory as its framework of analysis. The paper showed that the unequal relationship between the global North and the global South was made possible by the colonial exploitation of the South by the North. By adopting the world system theory, the paper revealed how unequal division of labour, terms of trade imbalance, and Bretton Woods Institutions (IMF and World Bank) reinforced global inequality. The study recommended, amongst other things, that the South address internal conditions impeding their development; IMF and World Bank-assisted projects should not be attached with strict conditions.

Gender disparities in the labor market during COVID-19 lockdowns: Evidence from online job postings and applications in China

We investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on labor market gender differences using a unique dataset of job postings and job applicants in China. We find a “she-cession” in both the national lockdown period (the short run) and afterward (the medium run). Compared to the pre-COVID level, job postings in female (male) dominated industries on average decreased by 38.87 % (37.62 %) and 30.93 % (24.32 %) in the short and medium run, respectively, demonstrating a persistently widening gender gap in labor demand. On the labor supply side, the number of female (male) job applicants decreased by 30.28 % (27.04 %) in the short run but increased by 20.83 % (17.62 %) in the medium run, showing that females search for jobs more actively than males did when the national lockdown was lifted. Hence, the she-cession in China becomes more severe in the post-lockdown period, as more females are competing for fewer available positions. Reduced job openings in contact-intensive industries, unequal intra-household division of childcare responsibilities, and decreases in family savings all contribute to these patterns. Our results have general implications for understanding labor market gender differences in public health crises and economic downturns.

Miniaturized filtering equal/unequal Wilkinson power dividers

In this paper, two miniaturized Wilkinson power dividers with equal and unequal power division ratios capable of suppressing spurious harmonics over a wide frequency range are presented. First, an asymmetric high-low impedance resonator with coupled open-stubs and folded structure is employed to design the equal power divider. Then, how connecting an inductor in series with the introduced resonator can lead to affecting the transmission coefficient of the power divider branch and achieving an unbalanced power division ratio at output ports, is analytically clarified. In the third step, a combination of the resonator with folded structure and the inductor is utilized to design an unequal 2:1 divider. To validate the performed analysis, two equal and unequal Wilkinson power dividers at 900 MHz are fabricated and measured. Regarding S31, both dividers can suppress the 4th to 13th spurious frequencies and with respect to S21 of the unequal case, the 2nd-harmonic to 14th-harmonic are omitted. The occupied areas of the equal and unequal structures are 7.35 mm × 18.9 mm and 7.5 mm × 17.9 mm, respectively, which indicate almost 84 % size reduction in each case.

The feeding siblings questionnaire (FSQ): Development of a self-report tool for parents with children aged 2–5 years

Over the last decade, there have been repeated calls to expand the operationalisation of food parenting practices. The conceptualisation and measurement of these practices has been based primarily on research with parent-child dyads. One unexplored dimension of food parenting pertains to the evaluation of practices specific to feeding siblings. This study describes the development and validation of the Feeding Siblings Questionnaire (FSQ) – a tool designed to measure practices in which siblings are positioned as mediators in parents’ attempts to prompt or persuade a child to eat. Item development was guided by a conceptual model derived from mixed-methods research and refined through expert reviews and cognitive interviews. These interviews were conducted in two phases, where parents responded to the questionnaire primarily to test i) the readability and relevance of each item, and ii) its overall feasibility. The instrument was completed by 330 parents (96.1% mothers) in Australia with two children aged 2–5 years, and repeated by 133 parents (40.3%) two weeks later. Exploratory factor analysis was performed on baseline data. Internal consistency and test re-test reliability of the subsequent subscales were examined. Construct validity was assessed through comparisons with existing measures of food parenting practices and child eating behaviours. The final FSQ scale included 22 items, reflecting five food parenting practices: sibling competitiveness, active sibling influence, threatening unequal division of food, sibling role modelling, and vicarious operant conditioning. Internal consistency and test re-test reliability estimates were high, and there was some evidence of convergent construct validity. While its factor structure should be confirmed in a different sample, the FSQ offers a novel tool for assessing, monitoring, and evaluating feeding interactions beyond those confined to the parent-child dyad.

Eurocentric globalization of football. Coloniality, consumption, social distinction and identities of transnational fans in Latin America

ABSTRACT This paper examines the Eurocentric Globalization of Football (EGF), that is, the concentration of capital, broadcasts, players and coaches from around the world in the most powerful football leagues in Europe. It presents a historical analysis based on statistics and an ethnographic approach to three groups of fans of European clubs in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. It is concluded that EGF is defined by an unequal international division of labour that mainly benefits the European clubs and contribute to the reproduction of a kind of (neo)colonial world system. In Latin America, transnational fans are often seen as mere imitators of the so-called ‘first world’ lifestyles and traitors of the national culture. On the contrary, transnational fans conceive the EGF as an opportunity to transit freely through different cultural references, distinguish themselves socially, and build trans-scale identities that creatively challenge traditional ways of building identity in the globalized world.

Miniaturized equal/unequal Wilkinson power dividers capable of harmonic suppression utilizing microstrip π-shaped resonators modified by lumped elements

In this paper, modified π-shaped resonator composed of both microstrip transmission lines and lumped elements are employed to design a Wilkinson power divider. Utilizing these resonators leads to designing a compact divider featuring a selectable operating frequency with optional power division ratio and very wide-range harmonic suppression. To vary the operating frequency and the power division ratio, the values of just the utilized lumped elements are changed without manipulating the dimensions of microstrip lines. As a design sample, a miniaturized divider capable of operating at four frequencies i.e., 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2 GHz with optional equal or unequal power division and harmonic suppression ability at each of these frequencies is designed and simulated. Finally, as a feasible sample, another Wilkinson power divider which can optionally operate at 700 MHz with equal power division or 1.2 GHz with unequal power division is designed and implemented. Based on the measurement results, the spurious harmonics from 2nd to 25th in the 700 MHz-divider and 2nd to 15th in the 1.2 GHz-divider are suppressed. Moreover, almost 96% and 93% size reduction at 700 MHz and 1.2 GHz, respectively, are achieved. The S21 and S31of the unequal divider are − 8.8 and − 3.73 dB, which indicate an unequal 3.2:1 power division.

A Case of Sticky Gender? Persistence and Change in the Division of Household Labor during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Contemporary research finds that gender continues to provide an organizing framework for couples’ allocation of household labor. To explain this outcome, scholars focus on how structural arrangements and cultural beliefs contribute to the persistence of gender inequality in domestic labor. Yet scholarship has yet to fully clarify what combination of cultural and structural factors create persistent gender inequality in household labor. We use the COVID-19 pandemic as a naturally occurring event in which arrangements for childcare and work were upended, making it possible for many to rethink their household arrangements. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 81 respondents in heterosexual dual-earner couples, we examine how change in structural arrangements allowed some couples to develop a more egalitarian division of domestic labor. We also examine why an unequal division of labor persisted for most couples even amid the dramatic changes in their work and childcare arrangements and, for some, a strong desire to do so. We theorize that, taken alone, neither cultural attitudes nor shifts in the organization of work are sufficient to remove the stickiness of gender inequality in household work. Instead, structural change offers the possibility to change behavior, but only if cultural beliefs exist that make such change desirable.

Cytoplasmic genome contributions to domestication and improvement of modern maize

BackgroundStudies on maize evolution and domestication are largely limited to the nuclear genomes, and the contribution of cytoplasmic genomes to selection and domestication of modern maize remains elusive. Maize cytoplasmic genomes have been classified into fertile (NA and NB) and cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility (CMS-S, CMS-C, and CMS-T) groups, but their contributions to modern maize breeding have not been systematically investigated.ResultsHere we report co-selection and convergent evolution between nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes by analyzing whole genome sequencing data of 630 maize accessions modern maize and its relatives, including 24 fully assembled mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes. We show that the NB cytotype is associated with the expansion of modern maize to North America, gradually replaces the fertile NA cytotype probably through unequal division, and predominates in over 90% of modern elite inbred lines. The mode of cytoplasmic evolution is increased nucleotypic diversity among the genes involved in photosynthesis and energy metabolism, which are driven by selection and domestication. Furthermore, genome-wide association study reveals correlation of cytoplasmic nucleotypic variation with key agronomic and reproductive traits accompanied with the diversification of the nuclear genomes.ConclusionsOur results indicate convergent evolution between cytoplasmic and nuclear genomes during maize domestication and breeding. These new insights into the important roles of mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes in maize domestication and improvement should help select elite inbred lines to improve yield stability and crop resilience of maize hybrids.

Control of successive unequal cell divisions by neural cell fate regulators determines embryonic neuroblast cell size.

Asymmetric cell divisions often generate daughter cells of unequal size in addition to different fates. In some contexts, daughter cell size asymmetry is thought to be a key input to specific binary cell fate decisions. An alternative possibility is that unequal division is a mechanism by which a variety of cells of different sizes are generated during embryonic development. We show here that two unequal cell divisions precede neuroblast formation in the C lineage of Caenorhabditis elegans. The equalisation of these divisions in a pig-1/MELK mutant background has little effect on neuroblast specification. Instead, we demonstrate that let-19/MDT13 is a regulator of the proneural basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor hlh-14/ASCL1 and find that both are required to concomitantly regulate the acquisition of neuroblast identity and neuroblast cell size. Thus, embryonic neuroblast cell size in this lineage is progressively regulated in parallel with identity by key neural cell fate regulators. We propose that key cell fate determinants have a previously unappreciated function in regulating unequal cleavage, and therefore cell size, of the progenitor cells whose daughter cell fates they then go on to specify.