Equal Value Research Articles

Paternalism, Supported Decision-Making and Expressive Respect

It has been argued by disability advocates that supported decision-making must replace surrogate, or substituted, decision-making for people with cognitive disabilities. From a moral perspective surrogate decision-making it is said to be an indefensible form of paternalism. At the heart of this argument against surrogate decision-making is the belief that such paternalistic action expresses something fundamentally disrespectful about those upon whom it is imposed: that they are inferior, deficient or child-like in some way. Contrary to this widespread belief, I will argue that surrogate decision-making often expresses more respect for people with life-long, ‘severe’ or ‘profound’ cognitive disabilities than does the adoption of supported decision-making. Specifically, I argue that in some cases supported decision-making can arguably express that people with cognitive disabilities lack equal moral value. I also argue that supported decision-making for people with profound intellectual disabilities can arguably express that they lack complex and rich inner lives. If our aim is to ensure our behaviour and practices express respect for people with life-long cognitive disabilities, then sometimes surrogate rather than supportive decision-making will be a better option.

Maxileximin Envy Allocations and Connected Goods

Fair allocation of indivisible goods presents intriguing challenges from both a social choice perspective and an algorithmic standpoint. Due to the indivisibility of goods, it is common for one agent to envy the bundle of goods assigned to another agent and, indeed, envy-free solutions do not exist in general. In line with the classical game-theoretic concept of Nucleolus in coalitional games, we propose that a fair allocation should minimize the agents’ dissatisfaction profile in a lexicographic manner, where the dissatisfaction of an agent is defined as her maximum envy towards other agents. Therefore, we seek allocations that minimize the maximum envy. In cases where multiple solutions have an equal maximum value, we minimize the second-worst value, and so on. Additionally, as is customary in fair division problems, we also consider an efficiency requirement: among the allocations with the best agents’ dissatisfaction profile, we prioritize those that maximize the sum of agents’ utilities, known as maximum social welfare. Such allocations, referred to as maxileximin allocations, always exist. In this study, we analyze the computational properties of maxileximin allocations in the context of fair allocation problems with constraints. Specifically, we focus on the Connected Fair Division problem, where goods correspond to the nodes of a graph, and a bundle of goods is allowed if the subgraph formed by those goods is connected. We demonstrate that the problem is F∆P2 -complete, even for instances with simple graphical structures such as path and star graphs. However, we identify islands of tractability for instances with more intricate graphs, such as those having bounded treewidth, provided that the number of agents is bounded by a fixed number and utility functions use small values.

Estimation of Soil-Related Parameters Using Airborne-Based Hyperspectral Imagery and Ground Data in the Fenwei Plain, China

Hyperspectral remote sensing technology is an advanced and powerful tool that enables fine identification of the numerous soil reflectance spectrum characteristics. Heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) are the primary pollutants affecting the soil biodiversity and ecosystem services. Estimating HMs’ concentrations in soils using hyperspectral data is an effective method but is challenging due to the effects of varied soil properties and measurement-related errors inflicted by atmospheric effects. This study focused on typical mining areas in the Fenwei Plain (FWP), China. Soil-related data were collected by leveraging airborne- and ground-based integrated remote sensing observations. The concentrations of eight HMs, namely copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg), were measured by laboratory analysis from 100 in situ soil samples. Soil reflectance spectra were processed based on resampling and envelope methods. The combination datasets of the concentrations and optimal soil reflectance spectra were used to build the soil-related parameter retrieval models using three machine learning (ML) methods, and the feasibility of applying the high-performance retrieval model to estimate the HM concentrations in mining areas was evaluated and explored. Spectral analysis results show that four hundred and twenty-eight bands of five wavelength ranges are of high quality and obviously demonstrate the spectral characteristics selected to build the soil-related parameter models. The evaluation results of eight combination data subsets and three methods show that the preprocessing of spectral data (ground- and airborne-based reflectance) and soil samples with the random forest (RF) method can obtain higher accuracy than support vector machine (SVM) and partial least squares (PLS) methods, denoted as the AER-ACS-RF and GER-GCS-RF models (the average RMSE values of eight HMs were 2.61 and 2.53 mg/kg, respectively). The highest R2 values were observed in Cd and As, with an equal value of 0.98, followed by that of Pb (R2 = 0.97). The relative prediction deviation (RPD) values of Cu and AS were greater than 1.9. Moreover, the airborne-based AER-ACS-RF model presents a good mapping effect about the concentrations (mg/kg) of eight HMs in mining areas, ranging from 21.65 to 31.25 (Cu), 16.38 to 30.45 (Pb), 62.02 to 109.48 (Zn), 23.33 to 32.47 (Ni), 49.81 to 66.56 (Cr), 0.09 to 0.23 (Cd), 7.31 to 12.24 (As), and 0.03 to 0.17 (Hg), respectively.

STATUS DAN KEDUDUKAN SAKSI PEREMPUAN DALAM HUKUM ISLAM DAN KUHPerdata

Background. The issue of gender equality that arises essentially lies in human rights (al-kulliyyât al-Khaimah), by placing more equality before the law as the core of equality of opportunity, spreading in the aspect of women's testimony before the law. For this reason, it is important to underline that the main problem of testimony is inseparable from gender. Aim. This research focuses on women's testimony to Islamic law and the Civil Code. Methods. Using comparative techniques with descriptive analysis, the following research results were obtained: the status and position of women as witnesses in religious courts from the point of view of Islamic law, the status of the testimony of one man is the same as that of two women. Results. The point of the difference is not to doubt the ability of women, it's just because in the business world that is done during the day until night men should do the signing and testimony of all kinds of business. Suppose there is a woman who is a witness. In that case, she must have an additional woman who serves to strengthen the testimony they do, because it could be that at any time one of the two is unable to attend to give testimony or has forgotten the object he witnessed in the past. The equal value of male and female testimony in the Law of Civil Procedure in Religious Courts is because the witness is positioned as one of the evidence, the task of witnesses in civil procedural law is to prove the existence or absence of something legal action. In short, if the witness is positioned as a pillar, it must follow as specified in the Qur'an.

Sign properties and axiomatizations of the weighted division values

In this paper, we study axiomatic foundations of the class of weighted division values. Firstly, while keeping efficiency, additivity and the nullifying player property from the original axiomatization of the equal division value, we consider relaxations of symmetry in line with Casajus (2019) to characterize the class of (positively) weighted division values. Secondly, we show that the class of weighted division values can also be characterized by replacing linearity in three axiomatizations of Béal et al. (2016) with additivity. Finally, we show how strengthening an axiom regarding null, non-negative, respectively nullified players in these three axiomatizations, provides three axiomatizations of the class of positively weighted division values.

Study of p40 is superior to p63 for the diagnosis of pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma on cytological smears

Background: Histology and genetically driven management are the current standard in carcinoma lung. Adequate tissue is a challenge in a few cases. While liquid biopsy is an, it’s an always preferred to get an initial cyto/histo morphological confirmation. While the immune-histo chemistry (IHC) is a proven method to differentiate the squamous vs adeno carcinoma, the role of various “immuno-cyto-chemical” makers were not studied widely. Methods: This is a retrospective (July 2018 to December 2018) for random sample collection and prospective (Jan 2019-August 2019) study conducted from in the Department of pathology, govt. chest hospital Osmania medical college, Hyderabad as a part of PG dissertation, 120 subjects with cytological diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma were analyzed during this period and others were excluded. Results: Out of 120 cases 80-adenocarcinoma (ADC) and 40-squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Most of the patients are in 61-70 years, 20 are 71-80 years, 20 between 51-60 and 10 are between 40-50 years. In this study sensitivity of p63 and p40 is equal, but specificity and positive predictive value are higher for p40 for diagnosis of SCC. Conclusions: Immuno-cyto-chemistry is still a valid option in selected cases where getting a biopsy is difficult. Our findings recommend the use of p40 immuno staining rather than p63 as a squamous cell marker.

Problematic issues of gender equality in the European Union: administrative and legal aspect

The article is devoted to gender equality, one of the most relevant topics today, not only in Ukraine, but also in the European Union. Strategic planning of gender policy is an important aspect in achieving the values of equality between women and men. Building a quality strategy requires experience and expert work, in particular, data collection and processing, setting priorities and evaluating the effectiveness of already developed strategies.
 The aim of the work is a thorough study of gender equality policy in Ukraine and EU countries in law enforcement agencies.
 The methodological basis of the study. In the process of working on the scientific article, such scientific methods as the terminological, systemic-structural, formal-logical, comparative-legal method were used.
 Results. The European Union, in particular, the Commission on Gender Equality and Monitoring its Progress, already has some experience in strategic planning to achieve the goals of gender equality, which is implemented in all spheres of life. A review and analysis of this experience can help Ukraine improve approaches and practices for developing strategies in this area.
 In Ukraine, scientific research on gender aspects of state policy began in the 90s of the last century. The issue of gender equality should be central in the analysis, planning and adoption of political decisions, budgets, programs, and institutional structures.
 The article analyzes actions and trends in the field of gender equality in the EU and Ukraine with the aim of bringing the law enforcement sphere of Ukraine closer to European gender standards.
 Conclusions. It was determined that the observance of gender equality or parity democracy is a system of rights, freedoms and duties of a person and a citizen regulated by regulations and provided for by political and legal principles, ensuring the possibility of their equal implementation and observance in all spheres of state and public activity with the help of an appropriate implementation mechanism. Summarizing the European practice, new principles of gender policy are defined, which form the modern ideology of equality.

The Role of Social-Media as a Disseminator of Gender Equality Values for Women


 
 
 The purpose of this study is to determine the role of social media as a disseminator of gender equality values for women. The research method used in this research is mixed method with netnography method. Data collection techniques using questionnaires distributed online and structured interviews. The data analysis technique used was multiple linear regression test. The results showed that the role of social media is influential as a disseminator of gender equality values. In data analysis, it is shown that 0.5% of the role of social media has an effect as a disseminator of gender equality values.
 
 

Human Rights Education: Exploring the Safety of Teachers in South African Secondary Public Schools

This paper examined the extent and nature of safety for teachers in their different school settings and further underscored the importance of safety for teachers in the school context. The current school environment is violent owing to the increasing lack of teachers’ ability to maintain order in schools due to the uncertain alternatives to corporal punishment. This creates a hostile learning environment that weakens the teachers’ position of power and prohibits them from using their authority and fulfilling their duty to provide learners with compassionate monitoring. A qualitative interpretivist research paradigm was used in this study employing Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) as a research framework. A CER framework aims to strengthen the liberating, enlightening, emancipating, and empowering democratic values of equality and justice among the researcher and the participants in the research setting. A team of four teachers, a principal, and the School Governing Body (SGB) member from each school were purposively sampled to apply the principles of PAR in Lejweleputswa District in the Free State Province in South Africa. A focused group was employed to answer the following questions: What are the perceptions of secondary school teachers regarding their safety in the school setting? To what extent does learners’ violent behaviour threaten teachers’ safety at schools? And, how can teachers be assisted to change their minds regarding Human Rights Education as a tool for peaceful education? Data was analysed thematically. The findings of this research showed that teachers do not feel safe at their workplace, they fear both learners and parents who most of the time come to humiliate them physically and emotionally in front of their learners. The study contributes to a debate on the safety of teachers in schools for professional development. Keywords: Human Rights Education, Teacher-Learner Relationships, Teachers’ Safety, Parental Involvement.

The Relations Between Parents’ Gender Equality Values and (co)parenting: Examining Actor-Partner Effects in an Australian Community Sample

In most Western societies, parents’ gender roles and values have shifted significantly over the past decades. However, it is not yet clear whether parents’ gender-related values impact both their own and their partners’ coparenting and parenting practices. This study examined the relations between parents’ gender equality values, their coparenting, and parental warmth and hostility. Drawing 6745 families from an ongoing Australian panel study, we used actor-partner interdependence modeling to estimate the associations between mothers’ and fathers’ equality values and their (co)parenting. Results revealed a significant positive partner effect of mothers’ gender equality values on fathers’ warmth and coparenting, but no significant actor effects for mothers’ or fathers’ values. We also found that mothers’ work status moderated the relationship between parents’ values and coparenting. In conclusion, these findings suggest that it is important to consider mothers’ gender values and its transactional influence on fathers’ involvement for understanding contemporary parenting.

Ka-Band Substrate Integrated Waveguide Equalizer With Larger Equalization Value Based on Capacitive Loading Technology and Tiny Gap Effect

<i>Ka</i>-Band Substrate Integrated Waveguide Equalizer With Larger Equalization Value Based on Capacitive Loading Technology and Tiny Gap Effect

Cost effectiveness of immunotherapy combination therapies for endometrial cancer

Over the past five years (2019–2023), several new targeted therapies and immunotherapy has been approved in treating relapsed cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. Concurrently, there has been growing recognition of financial toxicity associated with cancer care during this time period. As such, we reviewed FDA approvals from 2019 to 2013 and identified the following approvals in gynecologic oncology: pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib, pembrolizumab for recurrent endometrial cancer that is MSI-H/dMMR, tisotumab vedotin, dostarlimab as single-agent therapy, and dostarlimab plus chemotherapy. We focused on approvals for endometrial cancer, and conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis for combination options approved in treating recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer (i.e. pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib versus placebo; dostarlimab plus chemotherapy versus placebo), and found neither regimen was cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per Equal Value of Life Years Gained (evLYG). While these costs may not necessarily be translated to an individual patient, these costs are absorbed by healthcare systems and insurance providers on a larger scale with downstream effects on individuals contributing to healthcare costs a whole.

Instilling gender equality values as a formulation for preventing bullying behavior

Indonesia currently holds the 5th position globally in reported bullying cases, showing a prevalence rate of 41.10%. The pervasive nature of bullying within the education sector affects nearly every school in the country. This service activity is designed to tackle this issue head-on by highlighting the crucial role of gender awareness values in preventing bullying. The strategy involves a comprehensive approach, incorporating socialization sessions and focus group discussions, primarily targeting high school students. The intervention commences with informative sessions covering essential aspects like gender concepts, bullying education, and the interconnectedness of gender equality and bullying behavior. Subsequently, interactive discussions are facilitated through focus group discussions. The resulting positive outcomes indicate an enhanced understanding among students regarding gender-related learning and its pivotal role in preventing bullying. The service output includes actionable solutions, such as advocating for education on gender awareness, eliminating the culture of silence, strengthening gender-based school programs, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, and establishing an effective digital complaint platform to address bullying more efficiently.

Working memory prioritisation effects in tactile immediate serial recall.

There is a growing body of evidence that higher-value information can be prioritised for both visual and auditory working memory. The present study examines whether valuable items can similarly be prioritised for the tactile domain. Employing an immediate serial recall procedure (ISR), participants reconstructed a 6-item tactile sequence by moving their fingers in the order of original stimulation. Participants were informed either that one serial position was worth notionally more points (prioritisation condition) or that all items were of equal value (control condition). For Experiment 1 (N = 48), significant boosts in correct recall were evident when serial positions 4 or 5 were more valuable (i.e., prioritisation effects). Experiment 2 (N = 24) demonstrated that the prioritisation effect persisted with concurrent articulation, suggesting that task performance was not a function of verbal recoding and rehearsal of the tactile information. Importantly, a significant recall cost for low-value (non-prioritised) items within the sequence was evident for both experiments. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that (1) prioritisation effects transfer to the tactile domain and (2) finite attentional resources can be deliberately and strategically redistributed to specific items within a sequence, dependent upon the prevailing task demands.

A principled approach to non-discrimination in cost-effectiveness

The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) prohibits the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from using standard quality-adjusted life-years or other value assessment methods that discriminate against the aged, terminally ill, or disabled when setting maximum fair prices for prescription drugs. This policy has reignited interest in methods for assessing value without discrimination. Equal value of life-years gained (EVL), healthy years in total (HYT), and Generalized Risk-Adjusted Cost-Effectiveness (GRACE) have emerged as proposals. Neither EVL nor HYT rests on well-articulated microeconomic foundations. We show that they produce decisions that are inconsistent over time in a variety of ways, including: (1) failure to support additivity and indirect comparison in cases where the standard-of-care therapy changes over time; (2) strictly negative value of survival gains that accrue from a new, better standard-of-care, particularly for the disabled themselves; (3) unbounded average value of survival gains; and (4) non-convex survival preferences. We propose an alternative method that relies on GRACE and its microeconomic foundations.

A Birthmother’s Counter-Story of Racism and Oppression in Children’s Social Work: Carving an Afro-Centric Space for Sawubona in Euro-Centric Social Work Education, Practice, and the Safeguarding System

Abstract In this article, I ask ‘What are the specific challenges and controversies that birth mothers of ethnic minorities (EM) experience in the safeguarding context’? The aim is to examine safeguarding practices and ascertain how power, racism and gender oppression are understood and experienced by mothers of EMs in social work. The literature highlighted complexities and ethical concerns regarding child protection services with EMs in England. Undertaking qualitative research, a case study approach was used, and purposive sampling was applied to recruit and interview six mothers of EM backgrounds. This article provides an empowering space for Miriam, an Asian mum recounting her lived experiences of statutory social work. Critical theory, critical race theory and intersectionality were the theoretical frameworks, and a framework approach was utilised for data analysis. Key findings revealed the insidious nature of racism, oppression and White dominance, constructing devastating, adversarial work practices that oppressed, excluded, and deprived Miriam. There was an urgent need for change. Drawing on my African heritage, I theorise that the Afro-centric philosophy of Sawubona could make a profound contribution to British social work. Elucidating, ‘I see the whole of you’, the Sawubona practice model illustrates social work values of equality, empathy, dignity, tolerance and respect.

Relationship between Corporate Governance, Leverage and Firm Value: Empirical Evidence from Indonesia

This research investigates the relationship between corporate governance using measurements of company ownership structure in upholding the values of transparency, accountability, equality, and leverage its influence on firm value, and placing growth as a control variable. The research method uses a quantitative approach, analyzing causal relationships through the formulation of hypotheses. The research sample is 175 manufacturing companies in Indonesia which were observed during 2017-2021 with N of 875 observations. The analysis technique uses ordinary least squares with panel regression. The results of the robustness test analysis of the model, growth as a control variable, robustly show that managerial ownership and institutional ownership represent the upholding of corporate governance values with a significantly positive response by investors. Apart from that, the leverage variable positively influences company value. The novelty of the results of this research, firstly, is the enforcement of manufacturing company governance values in Indonesia, represented by managerial ownership and institutional ownership. Second, the company funding structure policy supports the optimal capital structure theory (Modigliani F. and Miller M., 1963)

PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK AND PAY TRANSPARENCY

The European Pillar of Social Rights, jointly proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission, incorporates among its principles equality of treatment and opportunities between women and men, and the right to equal pay for work of equal value. The Union gave the guideline, principles and some mechanisms to regulate the real situation of discrimination, still existing in industrial labour relations. the normative act is Directive (EU) 2023/970.

Clarifying and Enhancing the Role of Equality in Youth Work Ethics: The Case for an Equality Studies Approach

ABSTRACT Implicitly or explicitly, youth work practitioners, scholars and advocates typically invoke a set of egalitarian values to explain, justify and promote the ethical basis of their work. Despite such commitments, there exists conceptual ambiguity surrounding equality across much of the youth work literature which has significant consequences for how youth work is framed and defended. This article introduces the interdisciplinary field of Equality Studies and argues that an Equality Studies approach provides a means to (i) clarify equality-related normative goals within the youth work field and (ii) enhance radically orientated youth work by strengthening the conception of equality at its core. It analyses three areas of conceptual ambiguity within the youth work literature with respect to the value of equality, in each case demonstrating how an Equality Studies approach can help remedy the problem. These areas are: (i) the assumption that equality means ‘sameness’; (ii) the limits of equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination; and (iii) the relationship between equality and other values. It then evaluates the concept of ‘equity’, arguing that it is a vague, inadequate and unnecessary vehicle for capturing egalitarian concerns. The article concludes with some comments on the feasibility of radically egalitarian youth work.

Ethos of Revisionist History in Krishna Sen Ichchhuk’s Poems

This study attempts to explore and analyze how Ichchhuk revisits the official history of Nepal and rewrites it from the perspective of marginalized group in his poems “Haata Lagyo Sunya” (Achieved Zero in Hand), “Machha-Machha Bhyaguto” (Fish-Fish Frog) and “Euta Gauleko Diary” (One Villager’s Diary). It also projects how the poet blurs the boundary between fact and fiction in the light of new-historicist perspective that gives equal value to both history and literature. This research seeks to find out how the poet brings forth the history from the below and problematizes the history from the top model that has been characterized with the deceptive discourse of freedom, equality, democracy and human rights. The paper displays what contributing factors are responsible to dismantle the mainstream history and write history of the people. It also depicts the poet’s appeal to people with optimistic feeling and revolutionary spirit to create unity among the people of the margin and fight back against the powerful rulers to bring new sunshine in human life being liberated from the oppressive clutch of the feudal and fascist leaders who always deceive the people with illusive fish history. This article demonstrates Ichchhuk’s courage, will power and life force to valorize the common people’s history and to defy the official history. To justify how history should be rewritten, the researcher uses the new-historicist ideas of Michel Foucault, Stephen Greenblatt and Catherine Gallagher. This research work shows how poets like Ichchhuk raise consciousness in marginalized people of the world and raise voice in order to establish an egalitarian human society dismantling the official history and writing the inclusive history of the people.