Patna is among the cities high populated at risk of ecological and environmental deterioration due to a variety of human activities,such as poor land cover management.One of the most crucial elements of a successful l...Patna is among the cities high populated at risk of ecological and environmental deterioration due to a variety of human activities,such as poor land cover management.One of the most crucial elements of a successful land resource management plan is the evaluation of Land Use Land Cover(LULC).Over the past 20 years,our planet’s land cover resources have undergone substantial changes due to rapid development.The Land Use Land Cover(LULC)categories of the Patna Urban Agglomeration(PUA),including water bodies,agricultural land,barren land,built-up areas,and vegetation,were identified using Geographic Information System(GIS)techniques.Three multi-temporal images were analyzed and classified through supervised classification using the maximum likelihood method.By comparing three separately created LULC categorized maps from 1990 and 2024,temporal changes were analyzed.In order to update land cover or manage natural resources,it is vital to use change detection as a tool to identify changes in LULC over time in PUA,Patna between 1990,2010 and 2024.According to their respective Kappa coefficients,the accuracy rates for 1990,2010 and 2024 LULC are 91.66 and 94.93,respectively.An accuracy evaluation was conducted to determine the correctness of the classification system and to determine the efficacy of the LULC classification maps.One hundred reference test pixels were identified.There have been found significant changes in the LULC were built up area has increased doubled in last thirty-four years of timeline.展开更多
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on respecting and protecting human rights constitute the theoretical core of contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights,being considered as the representative...General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on respecting and protecting human rights constitute the theoretical core of contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights,being considered as the representative discourses and the fundamental guiding ideology of China’s human rights discourse system.The“substantive nature”theoretically signifies the“people-centeredness”of the Chinese path to human rights and contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights.It emphasizes the goal-oriented nature of human rights protection,with its essence lying in the balance of theory and the unity of subjectivity and objectivity of human rights.The“substantive nature”of contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights is primarily manifested in its theoretical opposition to“politicization of human rights”;its emphasis on the theoretical starting point of human rights protection and its focus on truly and effectively upholding human dignity;its proposal of more reasonable and feasible pathways for human rights protection;and its more scientific delineation of the goals and directions of human rights protection.“Living a happy life is the primary human right.”The representative assertion of the“substantive”contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights represents a theoretical transcendence of the“formalistic”Western human rights perspectives.展开更多
In the last forty years,the rise of HIV has undoubtedly become a major concern in the field of public health,imposing significant economic burdens on affected regions.Consequently,it becomes imperative to undertake co...In the last forty years,the rise of HIV has undoubtedly become a major concern in the field of public health,imposing significant economic burdens on affected regions.Consequently,it becomes imperative to undertake comprehensive investigations into the mechanisms governing the dissemination of HIV within the human body.In this work,we have devised a mathematical model that elucidates the intricate interplay between CD4^(+)T-cells and viruses of HIV,employing the principles of fractional calculus.The production rate of CD4^(+)T-cells,like other immune cells depends on certain factors such as age,health status,and the presence of infections or diseases.Therefore,we incorporate a variable source term in the dynamics of HIV infection with a saturated incidence rate to enhance the precision of our findings.We introduce the fundamental concepts of fractional operators as a means of scrutinizing the proposed HIV model.To facilitate a deeper understanding of our system,we present an iterative scheme that elucidates the trajectories of the solution pathways of the system.We show the time series analysis of our model through numerical findings to conceptualize and understand the key factors of the system.In addition to this,we present the phase portrait and the oscillatory behavior of the system with the variation of different input parameters.This information can be utilized to predict the long-term behavior of the system,including whether it will converge to a steady state or exhibit periodic or chaotic oscillations.展开更多
Mpox disease is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days while symptoms and signs may persist f...Mpox disease is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days while symptoms and signs may persist for 2 to 5 weeks. Although, the clinical features are usually less severe when compared to the deadly smallpox, the disease can be fatal with case fatality rate between 1% and 10%. In Imo State, Nigeria, there has been a changing epidemiology of the disease in the last 6 years and the frequency and geographic distribution of cases have progressively increased. This study aims to conduct a review of the disease epidemiology between 2017 and 2023 and implications for surveillance in Imo State. Surveillance data from the Surveillance Outbreak Response and Management System (SORMAS) was extracted between January 2017 and December 2023 across the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Imo State. A line list of 231 suspected cases was downloaded into an excel template and analyzed using SPSS<sup>®</sup> version 20 software. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and associations were tested using Fischer’s exact at 0.05 level of significance. Of the 231 suspected cases, 57.1% (132) were males, 42.9% (99) were females and the modal age group was between the ages of 0 - 4 (32.5%). Eight (8) LGAs (districts) accounted for 71% (n = 164) of all the suspected cases. 21.2% (49) were confirmed positive, 27 males (55.1%) and 22 females (44.9%) (p > 0.05). Modal age group was 20 - 24 (22.4%, n = 11), 18% (9) were children under 14 years, p > 0.05. Case fatality rate was 8% (n = 4). There was no significant association between mortality and age group. Five (5) LGAs accounted for about 60% (29) of all confirmed cases. These LGAs contribute only 20% to the total population in the State. Only 5.6% and 4% of suspected and confirmed cases, respectively, had knowledge of contact with an infectious source. The study described the epidemiology of Mpox outbreaks between 2017 and 2023 and the findings have significant implications on detection and outbreak response activities.展开更多
This paper introduces a framework of in-out duality, merging insights from quantum mechanics with social sciences to illuminate the complex interplay between internal potentialities and external manifestations. It art...This paper introduces a framework of in-out duality, merging insights from quantum mechanics with social sciences to illuminate the complex interplay between internal potentialities and external manifestations. It articulates foundational, mathematical axioms (Entanglement, Homogeneity, Emergence, and Measurement) that underpin the dynamics of systems, emphasizing the interconnectedness and emergent behaviors resulting from internal and external interactions. By exploring quantum concepts like coherence, entanglement, and superposition, the paper proposes an interdisciplinary approach termed Quantum Social Mechanics. This approach challenges classical paradigms, advocating for a reevaluation of conventional notions through the lens of quantum principles. The paper argues that understanding the universe’s complexities requires a synthesis of motion states and potential states, suggesting a paradigm shift towards integrating quantum mechanics into the philosophical foundation of social theory. Through this comprehensive framework, the paper aims to foster a deeper understanding of the universe’s interconnected nature and the dynamic processes that govern the emergence of complex systems and behaviors.展开更多
In this work we propose a centrality measure for networks, which we refer to as Laplacian centrality, that provides a general framework for the centrality of a vertex based on the idea that the importance (or centrali...In this work we propose a centrality measure for networks, which we refer to as Laplacian centrality, that provides a general framework for the centrality of a vertex based on the idea that the importance (or centrality) of a vertex is related to the ability of the network to respond to the deactivation or removal of that vertex from the network. In particular, the Laplacian centrality of a vertex is defined as the relative drop of Laplacian energy caused by the deactivation of this vertex. The Laplacian energy of network G with?n?vertices is defined as , where ?is the eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix of G. Other dynamics based measures such as that of Masuda and Kori and PageRank compute the importance of a node by analyzing the way paths pass through a node while our measure captures this information as well as the way these paths are “redistributed” when the node is deleted. The validity and robustness of this new measure are illustrated on two different terrorist social network data sets and 84 networks in James Moody’s Add Health in school friendship nomination data, and is compared with other standard centrality measures.展开更多
Purpose: The main goal of this study is to outline and analyze the Danish adoption and translation of the Norwegian Publication Indicator. Design/methodology/approach: The study takes the form of a policy analysis mai...Purpose: The main goal of this study is to outline and analyze the Danish adoption and translation of the Norwegian Publication Indicator. Design/methodology/approach: The study takes the form of a policy analysis mainly drawing on document analysis of policy papers, previously published studies and grey literature. Findings: The study highlights a number of crucial factors that relate both to the Danish process and to the final Danish result underscoring that the Danish BFI model is indeed a quite different system than its Norwegian counterpart. One consequence of these process-and design differences is the fact that the broader legitimacy of the Danish BFI today appears to be quite poor. Reasons for this include: unclear and shifting objectives throughout the process; limited willingness to take ownership of the model among stakeholders; lack of communication throughout the implementation process and an apparent underestimation of the challenges associated with the use of bibliometric indicators. Research limitation: The conclusions of the study are based on the authors’ interpretation of a long drawn and complex process with many different stakeholders involved. The format of this article does not allow for a detailed documentation of all elements, but further details can be provided upon request. Practical implications: The analysis may feed into current policy discussions on the future of the Danish BFI. Originality/value: Some elements of the present analysis have previously been published in Danish outlets, but this article represents the first publication on this issue targeting a broader international audience.展开更多
President Donald Trump's 1 June 2017 decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord understandably generated significant concern about the future of the planet.To be sure,the US withdrawal is...President Donald Trump's 1 June 2017 decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord understandably generated significant concern about the future of the planet.To be sure,the US withdrawal is an unfortunate setback in the global effort to address climate change;it is a missed opportunity to exercise leadership and advance the interna-展开更多
Habitat loss and fragmentation of the wildlife species due to anthropogenic developments have been becoming serious issues in biological conservation. Alborz wild sheep, listed as threatened by IUCN, is distributed in...Habitat loss and fragmentation of the wildlife species due to anthropogenic developments have been becoming serious issues in biological conservation. Alborz wild sheep, listed as threatened by IUCN, is distributed in relatively small and isolated patches in an increasingly human dominated landscape in the north-central Iran and east of Tehran. We used maximum entropy modeling to identify habitat areas of the wild sheep, across Jajrud protected area and its neighbouring protected areas including varjin, lar, koohsefid and the surroundings. Regarding to seasonal variation of the species home range, winter, summer and multi seasonal (annual) habitats were predicted. To estimate habitat connectivity, we used models of connectivity based in electrical circuit theory. Applying core areas of multi season for connectivity analysis, movement pattern of the species was predicted and important connective areas for conservation were identified. Species distribution maps revealed that the summer and winter habitats were approximately occurred in similar areas. Distance to eco-guards’ post was the most important predictor for both habitat models of summer and winter. The annual model, which is a combination of summer and winter, shows that the largest suitable habitat patches are located in the north, south and west of the study area. Maximum current flow map demonstrates that the areas among patch pairs are covered in low current, reflecting low rates of the species dispersal. This map presented bottlenecks to the species movement across major roads and along extending human settlements. Cumulative current flow map displayed that current was highest in Jajrud north of Mamloo extending to the northern Jajrud. Overall, our study demonstrated a prediction of habitat suitability and connectivity for Alborz wild sheep in east of Tehran, which can be used to direct conservation endeavours dealing with maintenance of the wild sheep metapopulation dynamics.展开更多
Increasing populations of large carnivores are leading to tension and conflicts with livestock production,a situation that potentially might escalate.In Norway the objective of the large carnivore policy is two-folded...Increasing populations of large carnivores are leading to tension and conflicts with livestock production,a situation that potentially might escalate.In Norway the objective of the large carnivore policy is two-folded:to ensure viable carnivore populations and to secure a sustainable grazing industry.The main instrument is zonation,with carnivore management zones(CMZs)prioritized for reproduction of the large carnivore species separated from other areas prioritized for grazing livestock.The objective of this paper is to describe current knowledge about the impact of the zoning management strategy on the grazing industry.This is done by documenting status and changes in sheep production,losses of livestock to predating carnivores,and the use of grazing areas inside and outside the CMZs.CMZsoffering protection for lynx,wolverine,bear and wolf cover 55%of the Norwegian mainland.30%of the sheep and 50%of the Sami reindeer grazing areas are found inside the CMZs.Livestock(semi-domestic reindeer excluded)is using 59%of the available natural pasture areas outside the CMZs,but only 26%inside the CMZs.The lowest use of available grazing areas was found inside zones for wolves(12%)and brown bears(6%).Livestock in these zones are confined to fenced enclosures,mostly on the farm itself,or moved to pastures outside the management zone for summer grazing.Livestock losses increased in the affected regions during the period when carnivores were reestablished.Later,losses declined when CMZs were established and mitigation efforts were implemented in these zones.The bulk of sheep and reindeer killed by carnivores are now found in boundary areas within 50 km off the CMZs,where sheep are still grazing on open mountain and forest ranges.Therefore,instruments to protect livestock in areas close to the CMZs are also needed.The number of sheep declined inside the CMZs from 1999 to 2014,but increased outside the zones.The reduction in the absolute number of sheep in the CMZs is balanced by a similar increase outside,thus the total sheep production in Norway is maintained.We conclude that although of little consequence for the total food production in Norway,the economic and social impact of the large carnivore management strategy can be serious for local communities and individual farmers who are affected.There is a need for more exact carnivore population monitoring to quantify the carnivore pressure,better documentation of reindeer losses,and a clearer and stricter practicing of the zoning strategy.Increased involvement of social sciences is important in order to understand the human dimension of the carnivore conflicts.展开更多
Purpose： The main goal of this study is to provide reliable comparison of performance in higher education. In this respect, we use scientometric measures associated with faculties of medicine in the six health studie...Purpose： The main goal of this study is to provide reliable comparison of performance in higher education. In this respect, we use scientometric measures associated with faculties of medicine in the six health studies universities in Romania.Design/methodology/approach： The method to estimate the minimum necessary size, proposed in in Shen et al.（2017）, is applied in this article. We collected data from the Scopus data-base for the academics of the departments of medicine within the six health studies universities in Romania during the 2009 to 2014. And two kind of statistic treatments based on that method are implemented, pair-wise comparison and one-to-the-rest comparison. All the results of these comparisons are shown.Findings： According to the results： We deem that Cluj and Tg. Mure？ have the superior and inferior performance respectively, since their reasonably small value of the minimum representative size, in either of the kinds of comparison, whichever indexes of citations, h-index, or g-index is used. we can not reliably distinguish differences among the rest of the faculties, since the quite large value of their minimum representative size.Research limitations： There is only six faculties of medicine in health studies universities in Romania are analyzed.Practical implications： Our methods of comparison play an important role in ranking data sets associated with different collective units, such as faculties, universities, institutions, based on some aggregate scores like mean and totality. Originality/value： We applied the minimum representative size to a new emprical context- that of the departments of medicine in the health studies universities in Romania.展开更多
Climate clubs are valuable platforms for international and public-private collaboration in global climate governance;however,not all climate clubs enjoy durable support from their members.The existing literature attri...Climate clubs are valuable platforms for international and public-private collaboration in global climate governance;however,not all climate clubs enjoy durable support from their members.The existing literature attributes the varied fates of climate clubs to factors like legitimacy and club goods.We further argue that the norm-making function of clubs,the perceived value of club goods,and the costs of club good production collectively affect club development.We present a comparative study on two U.S.-initiated climate clubs-the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate(APP)and the Clean Energy Ministerial(CEM).While legitimacy concerns had some marginal influence on both clubs,the niche clubs occupy and the costs of club goods provision were crucial factors that influenced the two clubs’different fates.The APP’s failure was due to its focus on norm-making and providing information-oriented assistance to the private sector.As government interest in norm-making declined,the APP’s value declined accordingly.Moreover,assistance to private sector actors was costly and less attractive to governments.In comparison,the CEM found its niche by focusing on facilitating policymaking in the clean energy sector in a cost-efficient manner.To make clubs durable,constructing an action-oriented working environment and providing value-added and low-cost services to key stakeholders are of great importance.展开更多
This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techn...This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection.A sequentially embedded mixed design that gives priority to quantitative data was used.We also employed a multistage sampling technique to select respondents from three districts or woredas,namely Debark,Janamora,and Beyeda woredas.Finally,397 participants were involved in the study from a random selection of three villages from each district or woreda.Data were gathered using a survey questionnaire,interviews,and focus group discussions.Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods,including means,standard deviations,analysis of variance(ANOVA),and logistic regression models.The findings from a logistic regression analysis revealed that ecotourism participation had a significant relationship with gender(B=1.850,P=0.023),level of education(B=0.238,P=0.032),geographical location(B=0.420,P=0.041),and occupation(B=0.920,P=0.019).This investigation suggested that males and individuals with a higher educational background are more likely to possess optimistic perspectives concerning the impacts of ecotourism.Furthermore,individuals residing in districts relatively near ecotourism destinations,those engaged in tourism-related work,and younger participants were recognized as having optimistic viewpoints regarding the impacts of ecotourism.In conclusion,the study highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to maximize ecotourism’s benefits and minimize negative effects in SMNP.To achieve this,it is recommended that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency,the Ministry of Tourism,and local government should work together to develop sustainable tourism plans that enhance local livelihoods and park conditions.Efforts should focus on increasing the participation of females and individuals with lower education levels through training and resource provision.展开更多
In life insurance business, longevity risk, i.e. the risk that the insured population lives longer than the expected, represents the heart of the risk assessment, having significant impact in terms of solvency capital...In life insurance business, longevity risk, i.e. the risk that the insured population lives longer than the expected, represents the heart of the risk assessment, having significant impact in terms of solvency capital requirements (SCRs) needed to front the firm obligations. The credit crisis has shown that systemic risk as longevity risk is relevant and that for many insurers it is actually the dominant risk. With the adoption of the Solvency II directive, a new area for insurance in terms of solvency regulation has been opened up. The international guidelines prescribe a market consistent valuation of balance sheets, where the solvency capital requirements to be set aside are calculated according to a modular structure. By mapping the main risk affecting the insurance portfolio, the capital amount able to cover the liabilities corresponds to each measured risk. In Solvency II, the longevity risk is included into underwriting risk module. In particular, the rules propose that companies use a standard model for measuring the SCRs. Nevertheless, the legislation under consideration allows designing tailor-made internal models. As regards the longevity risk assessment, the regulatory standard model leads to noteworthy inconsistencies. In this paper, we propose a stochastic volatility model combined with a so-called coherent risk measure as the expected shortfall for measuring the SCRs according to more realistic assumptions on future evolution of longevity trend. Finally empirical evidence is provided.展开更多
This paper provides an intuitive introduction to cluster analysis. Our targeting audience are both scholars and students in Political Science. Methodologically, we use basic simulation to illustrate the underlying log...This paper provides an intuitive introduction to cluster analysis. Our targeting audience are both scholars and students in Political Science. Methodologically, we use basic simulation to illustrate the underlying logic of cluster analysis and we replicate data from Coppedge, Alvarez and Maldonado (2008)?[1]?to classify political regimes according to Dahl’s (1971)?[2]?polyarchy dimensions: contestation and inclusiveness. With this paper, we hope to help novice scholars to understand and employ cluster analysis in Political Science empirical research.展开更多
Despite legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and good pre-conditions for progressive climate action, emissions in Austria are on the rise. This article explores the reasons why climate change poli...Despite legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and good pre-conditions for progressive climate action, emissions in Austria are on the rise. This article explores the reasons why climate change policy is so ineffective in Austria. We show that the social partnership has contributed significantly to the standstill in renewable energy production and the rejection of more ambitious reduction targets concerning greenhouse gas emissions, and consider the role of experts and expertise in climate change policies. The ineffectiveness of climate policy in Austria is largely due to corporatist actors who often act like an ex-ante filter or selective mechanism for what is politically acceptable or possible and what is not. Climate change is for the most part successfully kept off the political agenda and (climate sceptical) politicization does not take place. Insights from the literature on corporatism are enhanced by the concepts of strategic and epistemic selectivity to analyse not only access to the state terrain but also the domination of specific knowledge forms, problem perceptions, and narratives over others.展开更多
The research examines the way in which members of the U.S. House of Representative represent themselves on the social network site Facebook. Each member’s activity is observed on seven different occasions and the fre...The research examines the way in which members of the U.S. House of Representative represent themselves on the social network site Facebook. Each member’s activity is observed on seven different occasions and the frequency and substantive character of posts made during the second half of 2013 are established. The focus is on position-taking posts versus posts which mention the district the member serves in. Our expectation is that members from electorally safe districts will be more likely to advertise their policy positions while members from marginal districts will be more inclined to advertise their district connections. We control for minority party status, gender, and ideological extremism among other concerns and learn electoral safety is a good predictor of both “position-taking” and “district mentions”. Consistent with an electoral motive, we also find members from the minority party less likely to take positions on the issues of the day and more likely to mention the district they serve in.展开更多
Developments of these last two decades in Albania after the fall of communism are associated with major changes both in terms of socio-economic and environmental simultaneously. In the context as for environmental cha...Developments of these last two decades in Albania after the fall of communism are associated with major changes both in terms of socio-economic and environmental simultaneously. In the context as for environmental change, Albania is one of the countries with a wide range of problems that have been and are constantly in the focus of attention not only state institutions but also non-governmental organizations operating in authors＇ country. In this city that appears to approach a problem from the stand point of the environment is Tirana. Tirana as the capital of this country has experienced two decades such an extra ordinary transformation that has not been without its environmental costs. Human activities have transformed the environment in Tirana. Greater quantities of waste generated especially solid waste are those caused by major construction boom in Tirana performed. Considerable amount of clinical waste involved in urban waste, in places where hospital, sand clinics, and though a part of Tirana clinical waste burned in special places. With the economy in this city, this volume will increase. In this context, authors＇ theme will focus on a more extensive treatment of these problem, sand forecasts above are provided in the future as well as measures to reduce them to levels required by the EU and to have a quality of life good.展开更多
文摘Patna is among the cities high populated at risk of ecological and environmental deterioration due to a variety of human activities,such as poor land cover management.One of the most crucial elements of a successful land resource management plan is the evaluation of Land Use Land Cover(LULC).Over the past 20 years,our planet’s land cover resources have undergone substantial changes due to rapid development.The Land Use Land Cover(LULC)categories of the Patna Urban Agglomeration(PUA),including water bodies,agricultural land,barren land,built-up areas,and vegetation,were identified using Geographic Information System(GIS)techniques.Three multi-temporal images were analyzed and classified through supervised classification using the maximum likelihood method.By comparing three separately created LULC categorized maps from 1990 and 2024,temporal changes were analyzed.In order to update land cover or manage natural resources,it is vital to use change detection as a tool to identify changes in LULC over time in PUA,Patna between 1990,2010 and 2024.According to their respective Kappa coefficients,the accuracy rates for 1990,2010 and 2024 LULC are 91.66 and 94.93,respectively.An accuracy evaluation was conducted to determine the correctness of the classification system and to determine the efficacy of the LULC classification maps.One hundred reference test pixels were identified.There have been found significant changes in the LULC were built up area has increased doubled in last thirty-four years of timeline.
文摘General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on respecting and protecting human rights constitute the theoretical core of contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights,being considered as the representative discourses and the fundamental guiding ideology of China’s human rights discourse system.The“substantive nature”theoretically signifies the“people-centeredness”of the Chinese path to human rights and contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights.It emphasizes the goal-oriented nature of human rights protection,with its essence lying in the balance of theory and the unity of subjectivity and objectivity of human rights.The“substantive nature”of contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights is primarily manifested in its theoretical opposition to“politicization of human rights”;its emphasis on the theoretical starting point of human rights protection and its focus on truly and effectively upholding human dignity;its proposal of more reasonable and feasible pathways for human rights protection;and its more scientific delineation of the goals and directions of human rights protection.“Living a happy life is the primary human right.”The representative assertion of the“substantive”contemporary Chinese perspective on human rights represents a theoretical transcendence of the“formalistic”Western human rights perspectives.
文摘In the last forty years,the rise of HIV has undoubtedly become a major concern in the field of public health,imposing significant economic burdens on affected regions.Consequently,it becomes imperative to undertake comprehensive investigations into the mechanisms governing the dissemination of HIV within the human body.In this work,we have devised a mathematical model that elucidates the intricate interplay between CD4^(+)T-cells and viruses of HIV,employing the principles of fractional calculus.The production rate of CD4^(+)T-cells,like other immune cells depends on certain factors such as age,health status,and the presence of infections or diseases.Therefore,we incorporate a variable source term in the dynamics of HIV infection with a saturated incidence rate to enhance the precision of our findings.We introduce the fundamental concepts of fractional operators as a means of scrutinizing the proposed HIV model.To facilitate a deeper understanding of our system,we present an iterative scheme that elucidates the trajectories of the solution pathways of the system.We show the time series analysis of our model through numerical findings to conceptualize and understand the key factors of the system.In addition to this,we present the phase portrait and the oscillatory behavior of the system with the variation of different input parameters.This information can be utilized to predict the long-term behavior of the system,including whether it will converge to a steady state or exhibit periodic or chaotic oscillations.
文摘Mpox disease is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days while symptoms and signs may persist for 2 to 5 weeks. Although, the clinical features are usually less severe when compared to the deadly smallpox, the disease can be fatal with case fatality rate between 1% and 10%. In Imo State, Nigeria, there has been a changing epidemiology of the disease in the last 6 years and the frequency and geographic distribution of cases have progressively increased. This study aims to conduct a review of the disease epidemiology between 2017 and 2023 and implications for surveillance in Imo State. Surveillance data from the Surveillance Outbreak Response and Management System (SORMAS) was extracted between January 2017 and December 2023 across the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Imo State. A line list of 231 suspected cases was downloaded into an excel template and analyzed using SPSS<sup>®</sup> version 20 software. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and associations were tested using Fischer’s exact at 0.05 level of significance. Of the 231 suspected cases, 57.1% (132) were males, 42.9% (99) were females and the modal age group was between the ages of 0 - 4 (32.5%). Eight (8) LGAs (districts) accounted for 71% (n = 164) of all the suspected cases. 21.2% (49) were confirmed positive, 27 males (55.1%) and 22 females (44.9%) (p > 0.05). Modal age group was 20 - 24 (22.4%, n = 11), 18% (9) were children under 14 years, p > 0.05. Case fatality rate was 8% (n = 4). There was no significant association between mortality and age group. Five (5) LGAs accounted for about 60% (29) of all confirmed cases. These LGAs contribute only 20% to the total population in the State. Only 5.6% and 4% of suspected and confirmed cases, respectively, had knowledge of contact with an infectious source. The study described the epidemiology of Mpox outbreaks between 2017 and 2023 and the findings have significant implications on detection and outbreak response activities.
文摘This paper introduces a framework of in-out duality, merging insights from quantum mechanics with social sciences to illuminate the complex interplay between internal potentialities and external manifestations. It articulates foundational, mathematical axioms (Entanglement, Homogeneity, Emergence, and Measurement) that underpin the dynamics of systems, emphasizing the interconnectedness and emergent behaviors resulting from internal and external interactions. By exploring quantum concepts like coherence, entanglement, and superposition, the paper proposes an interdisciplinary approach termed Quantum Social Mechanics. This approach challenges classical paradigms, advocating for a reevaluation of conventional notions through the lens of quantum principles. The paper argues that understanding the universe’s complexities requires a synthesis of motion states and potential states, suggesting a paradigm shift towards integrating quantum mechanics into the philosophical foundation of social theory. Through this comprehensive framework, the paper aims to foster a deeper understanding of the universe’s interconnected nature and the dynamic processes that govern the emergence of complex systems and behaviors.
文摘In this work we propose a centrality measure for networks, which we refer to as Laplacian centrality, that provides a general framework for the centrality of a vertex based on the idea that the importance (or centrality) of a vertex is related to the ability of the network to respond to the deactivation or removal of that vertex from the network. In particular, the Laplacian centrality of a vertex is defined as the relative drop of Laplacian energy caused by the deactivation of this vertex. The Laplacian energy of network G with?n?vertices is defined as , where ?is the eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix of G. Other dynamics based measures such as that of Masuda and Kori and PageRank compute the importance of a node by analyzing the way paths pass through a node while our measure captures this information as well as the way these paths are “redistributed” when the node is deleted. The validity and robustness of this new measure are illustrated on two different terrorist social network data sets and 84 networks in James Moody’s Add Health in school friendship nomination data, and is compared with other standard centrality measures.
文摘Purpose: The main goal of this study is to outline and analyze the Danish adoption and translation of the Norwegian Publication Indicator. Design/methodology/approach: The study takes the form of a policy analysis mainly drawing on document analysis of policy papers, previously published studies and grey literature. Findings: The study highlights a number of crucial factors that relate both to the Danish process and to the final Danish result underscoring that the Danish BFI model is indeed a quite different system than its Norwegian counterpart. One consequence of these process-and design differences is the fact that the broader legitimacy of the Danish BFI today appears to be quite poor. Reasons for this include: unclear and shifting objectives throughout the process; limited willingness to take ownership of the model among stakeholders; lack of communication throughout the implementation process and an apparent underestimation of the challenges associated with the use of bibliometric indicators. Research limitation: The conclusions of the study are based on the authors’ interpretation of a long drawn and complex process with many different stakeholders involved. The format of this article does not allow for a detailed documentation of all elements, but further details can be provided upon request. Practical implications: The analysis may feed into current policy discussions on the future of the Danish BFI. Originality/value: Some elements of the present analysis have previously been published in Danish outlets, but this article represents the first publication on this issue targeting a broader international audience.
文摘President Donald Trump's 1 June 2017 decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord understandably generated significant concern about the future of the planet.To be sure,the US withdrawal is an unfortunate setback in the global effort to address climate change;it is a missed opportunity to exercise leadership and advance the interna-
文摘Habitat loss and fragmentation of the wildlife species due to anthropogenic developments have been becoming serious issues in biological conservation. Alborz wild sheep, listed as threatened by IUCN, is distributed in relatively small and isolated patches in an increasingly human dominated landscape in the north-central Iran and east of Tehran. We used maximum entropy modeling to identify habitat areas of the wild sheep, across Jajrud protected area and its neighbouring protected areas including varjin, lar, koohsefid and the surroundings. Regarding to seasonal variation of the species home range, winter, summer and multi seasonal (annual) habitats were predicted. To estimate habitat connectivity, we used models of connectivity based in electrical circuit theory. Applying core areas of multi season for connectivity analysis, movement pattern of the species was predicted and important connective areas for conservation were identified. Species distribution maps revealed that the summer and winter habitats were approximately occurred in similar areas. Distance to eco-guards’ post was the most important predictor for both habitat models of summer and winter. The annual model, which is a combination of summer and winter, shows that the largest suitable habitat patches are located in the north, south and west of the study area. Maximum current flow map demonstrates that the areas among patch pairs are covered in low current, reflecting low rates of the species dispersal. This map presented bottlenecks to the species movement across major roads and along extending human settlements. Cumulative current flow map displayed that current was highest in Jajrud north of Mamloo extending to the northern Jajrud. Overall, our study demonstrated a prediction of habitat suitability and connectivity for Alborz wild sheep in east of Tehran, which can be used to direct conservation endeavours dealing with maintenance of the wild sheep metapopulation dynamics.
基金funded by the Norwegian Research Council as part of project no.267982/E50 Grazing resources,carnivores and local communities(Local Carnivore)
文摘Increasing populations of large carnivores are leading to tension and conflicts with livestock production,a situation that potentially might escalate.In Norway the objective of the large carnivore policy is two-folded:to ensure viable carnivore populations and to secure a sustainable grazing industry.The main instrument is zonation,with carnivore management zones(CMZs)prioritized for reproduction of the large carnivore species separated from other areas prioritized for grazing livestock.The objective of this paper is to describe current knowledge about the impact of the zoning management strategy on the grazing industry.This is done by documenting status and changes in sheep production,losses of livestock to predating carnivores,and the use of grazing areas inside and outside the CMZs.CMZsoffering protection for lynx,wolverine,bear and wolf cover 55%of the Norwegian mainland.30%of the sheep and 50%of the Sami reindeer grazing areas are found inside the CMZs.Livestock(semi-domestic reindeer excluded)is using 59%of the available natural pasture areas outside the CMZs,but only 26%inside the CMZs.The lowest use of available grazing areas was found inside zones for wolves(12%)and brown bears(6%).Livestock in these zones are confined to fenced enclosures,mostly on the farm itself,or moved to pastures outside the management zone for summer grazing.Livestock losses increased in the affected regions during the period when carnivores were reestablished.Later,losses declined when CMZs were established and mitigation efforts were implemented in these zones.The bulk of sheep and reindeer killed by carnivores are now found in boundary areas within 50 km off the CMZs,where sheep are still grazing on open mountain and forest ranges.Therefore,instruments to protect livestock in areas close to the CMZs are also needed.The number of sheep declined inside the CMZs from 1999 to 2014,but increased outside the zones.The reduction in the absolute number of sheep in the CMZs is balanced by a similar increase outside,thus the total sheep production in Norway is maintained.We conclude that although of little consequence for the total food production in Norway,the economic and social impact of the large carnivore management strategy can be serious for local communities and individual farmers who are affected.There is a need for more exact carnivore population monitoring to quantify the carnivore pressure,better documentation of reindeer losses,and a clearer and stricter practicing of the zoning strategy.Increased involvement of social sciences is important in order to understand the human dimension of the carnivore conflicts.
文摘Purpose： The main goal of this study is to provide reliable comparison of performance in higher education. In this respect, we use scientometric measures associated with faculties of medicine in the six health studies universities in Romania.Design/methodology/approach： The method to estimate the minimum necessary size, proposed in in Shen et al.（2017）, is applied in this article. We collected data from the Scopus data-base for the academics of the departments of medicine within the six health studies universities in Romania during the 2009 to 2014. And two kind of statistic treatments based on that method are implemented, pair-wise comparison and one-to-the-rest comparison. All the results of these comparisons are shown.Findings： According to the results： We deem that Cluj and Tg. Mure？ have the superior and inferior performance respectively, since their reasonably small value of the minimum representative size, in either of the kinds of comparison, whichever indexes of citations, h-index, or g-index is used. we can not reliably distinguish differences among the rest of the faculties, since the quite large value of their minimum representative size.Research limitations： There is only six faculties of medicine in health studies universities in Romania are analyzed.Practical implications： Our methods of comparison play an important role in ranking data sets associated with different collective units, such as faculties, universities, institutions, based on some aggregate scores like mean and totality. Originality/value： We applied the minimum representative size to a new emprical context- that of the departments of medicine in the health studies universities in Romania.
基金We acknowledge financial support from Shanghai Pujiang Program[Grant number.2020PJC010]the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
文摘Climate clubs are valuable platforms for international and public-private collaboration in global climate governance;however,not all climate clubs enjoy durable support from their members.The existing literature attributes the varied fates of climate clubs to factors like legitimacy and club goods.We further argue that the norm-making function of clubs,the perceived value of club goods,and the costs of club good production collectively affect club development.We present a comparative study on two U.S.-initiated climate clubs-the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate(APP)and the Clean Energy Ministerial(CEM).While legitimacy concerns had some marginal influence on both clubs,the niche clubs occupy and the costs of club goods provision were crucial factors that influenced the two clubs’different fates.The APP’s failure was due to its focus on norm-making and providing information-oriented assistance to the private sector.As government interest in norm-making declined,the APP’s value declined accordingly.Moreover,assistance to private sector actors was costly and less attractive to governments.In comparison,the CEM found its niche by focusing on facilitating policymaking in the clean energy sector in a cost-efficient manner.To make clubs durable,constructing an action-oriented working environment and providing value-added and low-cost services to key stakeholders are of great importance.
文摘This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic,sociocultural,and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park(SMNP),Ethiopia.We combined qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection.A sequentially embedded mixed design that gives priority to quantitative data was used.We also employed a multistage sampling technique to select respondents from three districts or woredas,namely Debark,Janamora,and Beyeda woredas.Finally,397 participants were involved in the study from a random selection of three villages from each district or woreda.Data were gathered using a survey questionnaire,interviews,and focus group discussions.Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods,including means,standard deviations,analysis of variance(ANOVA),and logistic regression models.The findings from a logistic regression analysis revealed that ecotourism participation had a significant relationship with gender(B=1.850,P=0.023),level of education(B=0.238,P=0.032),geographical location(B=0.420,P=0.041),and occupation(B=0.920,P=0.019).This investigation suggested that males and individuals with a higher educational background are more likely to possess optimistic perspectives concerning the impacts of ecotourism.Furthermore,individuals residing in districts relatively near ecotourism destinations,those engaged in tourism-related work,and younger participants were recognized as having optimistic viewpoints regarding the impacts of ecotourism.In conclusion,the study highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to maximize ecotourism’s benefits and minimize negative effects in SMNP.To achieve this,it is recommended that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency,the Ministry of Tourism,and local government should work together to develop sustainable tourism plans that enhance local livelihoods and park conditions.Efforts should focus on increasing the participation of females and individuals with lower education levels through training and resource provision.
文摘In life insurance business, longevity risk, i.e. the risk that the insured population lives longer than the expected, represents the heart of the risk assessment, having significant impact in terms of solvency capital requirements (SCRs) needed to front the firm obligations. The credit crisis has shown that systemic risk as longevity risk is relevant and that for many insurers it is actually the dominant risk. With the adoption of the Solvency II directive, a new area for insurance in terms of solvency regulation has been opened up. The international guidelines prescribe a market consistent valuation of balance sheets, where the solvency capital requirements to be set aside are calculated according to a modular structure. By mapping the main risk affecting the insurance portfolio, the capital amount able to cover the liabilities corresponds to each measured risk. In Solvency II, the longevity risk is included into underwriting risk module. In particular, the rules propose that companies use a standard model for measuring the SCRs. Nevertheless, the legislation under consideration allows designing tailor-made internal models. As regards the longevity risk assessment, the regulatory standard model leads to noteworthy inconsistencies. In this paper, we propose a stochastic volatility model combined with a so-called coherent risk measure as the expected shortfall for measuring the SCRs according to more realistic assumptions on future evolution of longevity trend. Finally empirical evidence is provided.
文摘This paper provides an intuitive introduction to cluster analysis. Our targeting audience are both scholars and students in Political Science. Methodologically, we use basic simulation to illustrate the underlying logic of cluster analysis and we replicate data from Coppedge, Alvarez and Maldonado (2008)?[1]?to classify political regimes according to Dahl’s (1971)?[2]?polyarchy dimensions: contestation and inclusiveness. With this paper, we hope to help novice scholars to understand and employ cluster analysis in Political Science empirical research.
文摘Despite legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and good pre-conditions for progressive climate action, emissions in Austria are on the rise. This article explores the reasons why climate change policy is so ineffective in Austria. We show that the social partnership has contributed significantly to the standstill in renewable energy production and the rejection of more ambitious reduction targets concerning greenhouse gas emissions, and consider the role of experts and expertise in climate change policies. The ineffectiveness of climate policy in Austria is largely due to corporatist actors who often act like an ex-ante filter or selective mechanism for what is politically acceptable or possible and what is not. Climate change is for the most part successfully kept off the political agenda and (climate sceptical) politicization does not take place. Insights from the literature on corporatism are enhanced by the concepts of strategic and epistemic selectivity to analyse not only access to the state terrain but also the domination of specific knowledge forms, problem perceptions, and narratives over others.
文摘The research examines the way in which members of the U.S. House of Representative represent themselves on the social network site Facebook. Each member’s activity is observed on seven different occasions and the frequency and substantive character of posts made during the second half of 2013 are established. The focus is on position-taking posts versus posts which mention the district the member serves in. Our expectation is that members from electorally safe districts will be more likely to advertise their policy positions while members from marginal districts will be more inclined to advertise their district connections. We control for minority party status, gender, and ideological extremism among other concerns and learn electoral safety is a good predictor of both “position-taking” and “district mentions”. Consistent with an electoral motive, we also find members from the minority party less likely to take positions on the issues of the day and more likely to mention the district they serve in.
文摘Developments of these last two decades in Albania after the fall of communism are associated with major changes both in terms of socio-economic and environmental simultaneously. In the context as for environmental change, Albania is one of the countries with a wide range of problems that have been and are constantly in the focus of attention not only state institutions but also non-governmental organizations operating in authors＇ country. In this city that appears to approach a problem from the stand point of the environment is Tirana. Tirana as the capital of this country has experienced two decades such an extra ordinary transformation that has not been without its environmental costs. Human activities have transformed the environment in Tirana. Greater quantities of waste generated especially solid waste are those caused by major construction boom in Tirana performed. Considerable amount of clinical waste involved in urban waste, in places where hospital, sand clinics, and though a part of Tirana clinical waste burned in special places. With the economy in this city, this volume will increase. In this context, authors＇ theme will focus on a more extensive treatment of these problem, sand forecasts above are provided in the future as well as measures to reduce them to levels required by the EU and to have a quality of life good.
