Equal Value Research Articles

SONIC EQUITY

SONIC EQUITY This exposition investigates questions of inclusion, equity, and decolonisation through the central voice of the Brazilian berimbau. Drawing on the approaches of artistic research, musical case studies are employed to investigate the core concepts, including the solo berimbau work of Adriano Adewale, as well as duo dialogues between Adriano Adewale on berimbau and Nathan Riki Thomson on double bass, seen through the conceptual lens of third space. Findings emerge in terms of uncovering and reimagining the unique, experimental sonic possibilities of the berimbau and the ways they can be utilized for artistic expression in both solo and duo playing. Through shining a light on the unique possibilities of the berimbau, questions arise in terms of why this instrument and its interconnected traditions have not been given equal space and value within higher music education, highlighting the need for institutions to continually reassess their policies through the lens of decolonisation. The artistic investigations further reveal issues related to the need for equity in music and music education, pointing towards a decolonised future where marginalized instruments such as the berimbau are given space and valued equally alongside all forms of musical expression. This connects back to the fundamental human need to be seen, acknowledged, and valued in our world, which is a commonality we can perhaps all relate to. Key words: berimbau, equity, decolonisation, interculturalism, higher music education, third space.

Solving Wage Information Asymmetry: The Perspective of the European Union and Lithuania

The search for criteria and mechanisms for resolving the pay gap between men and women is one of the main directions of the equality policy of the European Union. More than half a century after the establishment of the principle of the right to equal pay for the same work or work of equal value, it became apparent that the pay gap between men’s and women’s wages remains unsealed. One reason is the wage information asymmetry between the employee and employer. This asymmetry was corrected in the Pay Transparency Directive of the European Union. The author examines the measures for adjusting information asymmetry on wages provided for in the directive. They are divided into three groups – the measures ensuring pay process transparency, the measures ensuring pay communication transparency, and the measures ensuring pay outcome transparency. Subsequently, obstacles and opportunities for the transfer of these measures to the Lithuanian legal system are discussed.

Poetic Disillusionment and Immortal Struggles: A Comparative Study of Lin Daiyu and Jane Eyre

Abstract: Lin Daiyu and Jane Eyre are both well-known characters in world literature. Though they are created by writers from different cultures in different times, many studies have found that they have many similarities and worth comparing. However, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding in Lin Daiyu and Jane Eyre's similarities and differences as well as the factors that influence them. Aiming to compare Lin Daiyu and Jane Eyre experiences and characteristics roundly, this essay not only summarizes previous studies, but also divides into three aspects to compare Lin Daiyu and Jare Eyre, which are personalities, love experiences and growth environment. It is found that Lin Daiyu and Jane Eyre both respect themselves as well as others, with strong self-esteem and the value of equality. At the same time, they both show their courage to resist unreasonable things in society. They both pursue pure love without material desires, while Lin Daiyu regards love as more important than Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre's harsh growth environment with simple relationships gives her tenacity, while Lin Daiyu's seemingly enjoyable growth environment with complicated relationships makes her more sensitive. The different experiences and values of the writers also have a significant influence on the characters they create. Comparing two famous characters from different cultures allows us to learn more about the themes of great literature works and witness the image of a group of people from different historical background.

The Differences between Chinese and Western Names and Their Cultural Implications

Names serve as more than mere identifiers; they embody cultural values, identity formation, and societal norms. This study examines the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western naming conventions, exploring how these practices reflect broader cultural, historical, and religious influences. Drawing on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, the research investigates how language—and consequently names—shapes worldviews and social structures. In China, naming conventions often emphasize familial ties, cultural heritage, and philosophical principles rooted in Confucian values and ancient traditions. In contrast, Western naming practices tend to prioritize individualism and personal expression, reflecting values of freedom and equality. The study highlights the importance of names in shaping identities and social interactions, particularly in a globalized context. Understanding these distinctions promotes intercultural dialogue and enhances mutual respect between Chinese and Western cultures. The findings suggest that names function as cultural markers, bridging personal identity with collective heritage, and tradition with modernity.

Debts of Gratitude in Cross‐Cultural Perspective: Confucian and Western Ethics

ABSTRACTThis article examines the contrasting conceptions of gratitude in Early Confucian and Western philosophy. It focuses on a key difference: the presence of the notion of ‘debts of gratitude’ in Western thought and its absence in Confucianism. We explore how this difference is rooted in contrasting ethical outlooks and values. Western philosophy often conceives of gratitude as a duty of reciprocation, furthering the values of social equality and individual autonomy. By contrast, Early Confucians viewed gratitude as proper acknowledgement that strengthens social relationships that are part of an ongoing collective project, spanning generations. This view reflects the importance of values such as community, harmony, and ritual propriety in Confucianism. Unlike the Western context, in the Early Confucian social world, there was no role for ‘debts of gratitude’ to play. There were no Confucian values that ‘debts of gratitude’ would help to realize, or would be responsive to, in the way that debts of gratitude further the values of equality and independence in the West. We conclude by noting that some Western philosophers express ideas about gratitude in collaborative contexts that align with Confucian ideas, suggesting some shared elements between Confucian and Western ethical outlooks.

The perils of ‘tech for good’ lie in its politics of helping

Vexing political questions of power, inequality and coloniality permeate the tech sector and its growing use of global ‘virtual’ assembly lines that see them penetrate even refugee camps in efforts to extract value. As a response, tech companies have been expanding non-commercial activities within a presumed framework of humanitarianism, in part, trying to outweigh the negative implications of unjust business practices often characterised by third-party avoidance of responsibility. This commentary focuses on tech companies’ engagement with people in the Global South – not as recipients of tech beneficence – but as labourers who make tech possible. First, we document why companies are brought into humanitarian crises, and then we briefly chart examples of the practices of tech companies in the Global South. Then, we argue that ‘tech for good’, often presumed as altruistic, instead reproduces an expansive history of questionable corporate social responsibility efforts that sustain inequalities more than assuaging them. We conclude by reflecting on the impact of commodifying compassion for humanitarian helping and argue that tech companies should stop trying to ‘help’ through self-perceived altruistic activities. Instead, corporations should focus on remaking their core business practices in an image of justice, protection, and equal value creation, particularly in contexts characterised by vulnerability.

A local perspective on the links between flora biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Northwest Highlands of Ethiopia

The main concern that this study attempts to address is the reason that the local people sustainably conserve church forests while aggressively exploiting biodiversity in common forests, shrublands, and grasslands. The study assesses the local perspective on the links between flora biodiversity and ecosystem services across a range of management options in the typical watershed of the Northwest highlands of Ethiopia. A mixed study design that included questionnaires, remote sensing, and hermeneutics was used because of the multidisciplinary character of the research. There has been a perceptible decline in flora biodiversity in the open-access shrublands, forests, and grasslands as a result of increased settlement encroachment, unchecked and continuous overgrazing, excessive firewood collection, and the cutting of living and dead tree and shrub biomass. Because of this, it was noticed that the availability of wild edible plants, medicinal plants, trees to produce tools, habitat for wild animals, and lumber production is drastically reduced. Alternatively, the church forests were preserved with responsive caring, which enables the outstanding performance of the majority of ecosystem services (except for collecting firewood and fibers) for the local community with the principles of equality and inclusiveness. Therefore, to restore open-access communal grazing ecosystems and the synergy of many ecosystem services in a given watershed, an effective institutional structure must be developed at the local administration level. To offer a range of ecosystem services and socioeconomic benefits, reforestation and planting of both exotic and native plants with enclosure management established on the values of justice, equality, inclusivity, and well-managed local governance with strict laws, sanctions, and enforcement must be the cornerstones of the management plan.

A Study on the Equal Pay for Equal Value Work and the Wage Transparency Institution in Brazil

A Study on the Equal Pay for Equal Value Work and the Wage Transparency Institution in Brazil

CHAPTER 4: the Place of Knowledge, Graduate Attributes and Technology in the 21st-Century Higher Education Curriculum

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the complexities and challenges for higher education curriculum transformation in the 21st century. More specifically, the focus is on the ways in which such transformation could place equal value to disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology. In other words, how to enable students to learn so that they can use acquired disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology to enable them to adapt to changes brought about by 21st-century demands. By means of a literature review as a research methodological choice, the chapter explores the value of placing disciplinary knowledge, graduate attributes, and technology side by side in the centre of the curriculum.

Should Patients Be Allowed to Pay Out of Pocket? The Ethical Dilemma of Access to Expensive Anti-cancer Treatments in Universal Healthcare Systems: A Dutch Case Study.

With the increasing prices of newly approved anti-cancer treatments contributing to rising healthcare costs, healthcare systems are facing complex economic and ethical dilemmas. Especially in countries with universal access and mandatory health insurance, including many European countries, the organizing of funding or reimbursement of expensive new treatments can be challenging. When expensive anti-cancer treatments are deemed safe and effective, but are not (yet) reimbursed, ethical dilemmas arise. In countries with universal healthcare systems, such as the Netherlands, this gives rise to a rather new ethical dilemma: should patients be allowed to pay out of pocket, using private funds, for medical treatments? On the one hand, to allow patients to pay for treatments out of pocket would be in line with the medical-ethical principles of beneficence and autonomy. On the other hand, allowing patients to pay out of pocket for anti-cancer treatments may lead to unequal access to medical treatments and could be considered unfair to patients who are less well-off. Thus, it could undermine the values of equality and solidarity, on which the Dutch healthcare system is built. Furthermore, out-of-pocket payments could potentially lead to financial hardship and distress for patients, which would conflict with the principle of non-maleficence. Does this mean that patients can rightfully be denied access to approved but not (yet) reimbursed anti-cancer treatments? In this article, we will use the Dutch healthcare system, which is based on equal access and solidarity, as a case study to draw attention to this-currently relatively unknown and unresolved-dilemma and to clarify the values at stake. This article contributes to current discussions about the societal problem of rising healthcare costs by informing policymakers, healthcare professionals, and ethicists about the ethical dilemma of out-of-pocket payments in universal healthcare systems, and aims to support health authorities, policymakers and health professionals in developing policy for whether to allow out-of-pocket payment-based access to newly approved but (too) expensive anti-cancer treatments.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle: Revaluing Academic Labor and Recognizing the Centrality of Carework

Abstract This paper examines the often-overlooked yet crucial role of carework within the academic ecosystem. Challenging the dominant paradigm that prioritizes research output, the paper argues for recognizing academic labor as a spectrum where teaching, research, and service hold equal value. Drawing on Rajan's (2023) framework of “academic carework,” the paper demonstrates the inseparable link between care and knowledge, highlighting how carework forms the foundation for knowledge production and reproduction. The analysis situates academic careworkers within the complex administrative landscape of higher education institutions, exploring the challenges posed by managerialism and external pressures. The paper introduces the “Argument from Shared Paradigm,” positing that academics, through their shared experiences and values, are uniquely positioned to advocate for and safeguard care-centered practices in research and teaching. By recognizing carework's essential contributions, this paper calls for a re-evaluation of academic reward systems and a shift towards a more inclusive academic culture.

Failure rate analysis and maintenance plan optimization method for civil aircraft parts based on data fusion

In the face of data scarcity in the optimization of maintenance strategies for civil aircraft, traditional failure data-driven methods are encountering challenges owing to the increasing reliability of aircraft design. This study addresses this issue by presenting a novel combined data fusion algorithm, which serves to enhance the accuracy and reliability of failure rate analysis for a specific aircraft model by integrating historical failure data from similar models as supplementary information. Through a comprehensive analysis of two different maintenance projects, this study illustrates the application process of the algorithm. Building upon the analysis results, this paper introduces the innovative equal integral value method as a replacement for the conventional equal interval method in the context of maintenance schedule optimization. The Monte Carlo simulation example validates that the equivalent essential value method surpasses the traditional method by over 20% in terms of inspection efficiency ratio. This discovery indicates that the equal critical value method not only upholds maintenance efficiency but also substantially decreases workload and maintenance costs. The findings of this study open up novel perspectives for airlines grappling with data scarcity, offer fresh strategies for the optimization of aviation maintenance practices, and chart a new course toward achieving more efficient and cost-effective maintenance schedule optimization through refined data analysis.

Неоколониальная политика заботы машин «за» и «против» человека

This study explores the relationship between man, nature, and technology through the construct of care identified by Martin Heidegger and in the correlation between care and vulnerability, the overcoming of which has served as a central catalyst for the evolution of the entire human history. In the article, the construct is defined as a dialogue between each of the designated elements of the triangle (nature and man, man and technology, technology and the environment) taking place in the field of power and mutual claims. Given the equal value of all three elements, the focus of attention is usually aimed at optimizing the state of knowledge primarily about a person and, if possible, adjusting the development trajectory. That is, having freed himself from the tutelage of nature, to compensate for his vulnerability a person resorts to the invention of tools and devices that promise safety and a reduced risk of dying in the clutches of predators or natural elements. But as tools and devices for defence improve, new challenges and threats arise from man’s own creations. So, eliminating one vulnerability leads to the emergence of new, even more complex forms. As a result, we can conditionally distinguish three basic instruments of care as something that 1) ensures the presence of a conditional thing; 2) declares the power of the one who cares over the one who finds himself in a cocoon of care; 3) can be transferred to another thing, dooming all past objects of attention to be left under the radar and ultimately to disappear.

Climate-resilience Readiness of Emerging Clean Energy Technologies for India’s Energy Transition: A Deep Dive into Select Technologies

Abstract Sustainability and decarbonization need to be a central component of economic development in the backdrop of climate change, mandates and stakeholder pressures. Climate-resilient infrastructure can significantly contribute to this sustainable and clean development. As energy lies at the heart of decarbonization, this study focuses on one of the critical infrastructures, power sector, and examines the climate-resilience readiness of select clean technologies in light of India’s decarbonization challenge. Battery Energy Storage System (BESS); offshore wind and green hydrogen are studied based on secondary data, incorporating an exploratory and descriptive research design, while using the logic of deduction. Research sets out the barriers faced by India’s power sector in climate-resiliency transition, identifies indicators for measuring climate-resilience and assesses select technologies for their climate-resilience readiness for India’s energy transition. Barriers fall under 5 key categories – technical, monetary, governance, data and social. Indicators for resilience measurement encompass themes of reliability, robustness and resourcefulness. Resilience assessment reveals that BESS, offshore wind and green hydrogen are climate-resilient technologies, albeit, not without gaps which demand policy interventions. Although climate-resilience readiness of clean energy technologies will be of significance, 4 levers of energy transition will hold equal value – policy and regulations, technology, sustainable financing and ESG considerations.

Citizens' rights in obtaining optimization of the implementation of the national health insurance program

This study aims to analyze the rights of citizens in obtaining optimization of the implementation of the national health insurance program. This research is in the form of normative or doctrinal legal research/library research, using a statutory approach and conceptual approach. The results of the study reveal that the implementation of the right to health based on the mandate of the 1945 Constitution in Indonesia has not been maximally implemented. This can be seen from the application in terms of facilities, health workers and the application in terms of the national health insurance system. Optimizing the implementation of the guarantee with the issuance of Presidential Instruction of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2022 concerning Optimizing the Implementation of the National Health Insurance Program was also found to be disharmonized with the principle of Portability and the non-fulfillment of the value of justice or equality of National Health Insurance participants, especially the rules on migrant workers. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an evaluation related to the fulfillment of citizens' rights to health, as well as to review the Presidential Instruction of the Republic of Indonesia Number 1 of 2022 concerning Optimizing the Implementation of the National Health Insurance Program, especially regarding the obligations of pilgrims and migrant workers to remain active participants, so that the value of the principle of benefits can be obtained by all JKN participants fairly.

Peran Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam (PTKIS) Dalam Pendidikan Perspektif Gender Menuju Indonesia Emas 2045

This paper reviews the role of Islamic Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in gender perspective education as a key component towards Indonesia Emas 2024. Gender education involves an understanding of gender roles and human rights. HEIs have a responsibility to integrate religious values with gender education, shaping leaders who are aware of gender equality, and able to address complex social challenges. HEIs can play a major role in addressing this. By understanding the concept of gender education, integrating it in the curriculum, and involving lecturers in the delivery of gender materials, PTKIS can create an inclusive and civilised educational environment. Through gender inclusivity policies, prevention of gender-based violence, and active student participation in gender equality, PTKIS has the potential to shape a more inclusive, just, and competitive society, in accordance with the vision of Indonesia Emas 2024 that reflects the values of justice, equality, and sustainable progress.

Fecal Immunochemical Test to Detect Colorectal Neoplasia in Lynch Syndrome: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Colonoscopy surveillance for Lynch syndrome is burdensome and postcolonoscopy colorectal cancers (CRCs) still occur. The noninvasive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) might guide optimal colonoscopy intervals. Prospective, multicenter observational study in which individuals with Lynch syndrome performed a quantitative FIT before high-quality surveillance colonoscopy. Diagnostic performance of FIT at various thresholds ≤20 μg Hb/g feces was assessed for relevant neoplasia, including advanced neoplasia (CRC, advanced adenomas [AAs] and advanced serrated lesions [ASLs]) and non-advanced adenomas (NAAs). Of the 217 included individuals (59% female, median age 51 years), 4 had CRC, 5 AA, 4 ASL, and 57 NAA as most relevant neoplasia. The lowest FIT positivity threshold (2.5 μg Hb/g feces, 14% positivity rate) maximized detection: 4/4 CRCs, 4/5 AA, 1/4 ASL, and 9/57 NAA were detected, resulting in a sensitivity and negative predictive value of, respectively, 89% and 99% for CRC plus AA, 69% and 97% for advanced neoplasia, and 26% and 72% for all relevant neoplasia (91% specificity for all groups). At equal sensitivity and negative predictive value, specificity for advanced neoplasia optimized to 94% at threshold 4.1 μg/g. Per 100 FITs at threshold 4.1 μg/g, 11 individuals would test positive and thus proceed to colonoscopy, 2 individuals with advanced neoplasia would be missed and 3 individuals would need colonoscopy to detect 1 advanced neoplasia. FIT at thresholds ≤4.1 μg Hb/g feces may be a promising strategy to postpone colonoscopy in approximately 9 of 10 individuals with Lynch syndrome. Large validation studies that also provide gene variant-specific outcomes should be prioritized.

Equity in national healthcare economic evaluation guidelines: Essential or extraneous?

BackgroundThe focus on health maximisation in a healthcare economic evaluation (HEE) – that is health gains are of equal value regardless of the recipient– has significant implications as health systems attempt to address persistent and growing health inequities. This study aimed to systematically compare and contrast the equity principles of different health technology assessment (HTA) agencies and how equity is addressed in HEE guidelines. MethodsHTA agencies were identified through the ISPOR, GEAR, iDSI, HTAi, INAHTA, HTAsiaLink, and RedETSA websites in June 2021 and updated in August 2023. Agencies websites were then searched to retrieve HEE guidelines. The guidelines were grouped into two categories: well-established and newly-developed agency guidelines, based on whether or not they published their first guidelines before 2009. Data extracted summarised the methodological details in the reference cases, including specifics on how equity featured and in what role. In those agencies where equity did not feature explicitly in the HEE guidelines, an additional search of the agency website was undertaken to understand if equity featured in those agencies’ decision-making frameworks. ResultsThe study included 46 guidelines from 51 countries. Only 30% of the guidelines were explicit about the equity assumptions. Health equity (using a broad definition) was mentioned in 29 guidelines and 14 included a specific definition while only seven recommended specific methods to incorporate inequalities. Addressing equity concerns was usually suggested as an additional analyses rather than a key part of the assessment. It was unclear how equity was incorporated into decision-making processes. In addition, equity was mentioned in other guidance – such as decision-making frameworks - provided by five agencies that did not mention it in the HEE guidelines, and 7 of 14 topic selection criteria that were identified. ConclusionEquity is given less attention than efficiency in HEE guidelines. This indicates that HTA agencies while subscribing to an extra-welfarist approach have a narrow evaluative space – focusing on maximising health and not considering the opportunity cost of the equity constraint. The omission of equity and the lack of systematic approaches in guidelines poses a threat to the international endeavours to reduce inequities. It is timely for HTA agencies to reconsider their positions on equity explicitly.

THE MEANINGFULNESS OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN THE ARGUMENTS OF THE FIRST INDONESIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DEBATE IN 2024

The realization of democratic values is a serious effort to alleviate some of the problems that occur in Indonesia. This matter was discussed in depth by three candidates for President of Indonesia in 2024; Anies Rasyid Baswedan, Prabowo Subianto, and Ganjar Pranowo at the inaugural debate event which took place on December 12 2023. In this regard, this research seeks to analyze the meaningfulness of democratic values contained in the debate arguments for the 2024 Presidential Candidates of the Republic of Indonesia as well as the driving factors. This research uses a content analysis method with a qualitative approach, focusing on democratic values in the first debate session of the 2024 Indonesian Presidential candidates. Data was collected through transcription of debate videos and other sources such as books and journal articles; national and international. Analysis was carried out using a thematic approach so that the validity of the data was obtained through diligent observation. The research results show that Anies Rasyid Baswedan's argument tends to include the value of equality before the law with six (6) findings, Prabowo Subianto's argument focuses more on respect for human rights with four (4) findings, and the same goes for Ganjar Pranowo who focuses its arguments towards respecting human rights with five (5) findings.Crucial issues such as unequal access to justice, human rights violations and corruption are the driving factors for the 2024 Indonesian Presidential candidates to raise debate arguments that contain democratic values.

Influence of ammonia and Brown gas injection on the iron ore sintering characteristics under biochar substitution

The influence of ammonia and Brown gas injection on the iron ore sintering characteristics was explored through sintering pot experiments based on biochar substitution to increase biochar substitution proportion and reduce fossil energy consumption. By dividing the high-temperature stage of the sintering bed, the heating rate and cooling rate were calculated, and the reasons for poor sintering quality under a high biochar substitution ratio were explored. The results showed that under the 40% biochar substitution ratio, the cooling rate of the sintering bed significantly increased, the high-temperature duration time was short, and the sintering quality deteriorated severely. Additional injection of 0.5–1% vol ammonia or 1–2% vol Brown gas can reduce the cooling rate, prolong the high-temperature duration, and optimize the sintering quality. Based on 1% vol ammonia or 2% vol Brown gas injection, reducing the proportion of biochar with equal calorific value further increases the sintering comprehensive index, which means that using 1% vol ammonia or 2% vol Brown gas injection to assist sintering can reduce the proportion of coke usage to 60%, while the proportion of biochar substitution is 33.76% and 32.47%, respectively. The research results provide an effective solution for low-carbon sintering.