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BackgroundHIV or sexually transmitted infections remain a significant public health concern in the United States, with adolescents affected disproportionately. Adolescents engage in HIV/STI risk behaviors, including drug use and condomless sex, which increase the risk for HIV/STIs. At-risk adolescents, many of whom are racial minorities, experience HIV/STI disparities. Although at-risk adolescents are disproportionately affected by HIV/STI risk behaviors and infections and although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HIV/STI testing for adolescents, relatively few adolescents report having ever been tested for HIV/STI. With expected increases in health clinic visits as a result of the Affordable Care Act combined with technological advances, health clinics and mobile health (mHealth), including apps, provide innovative contexts and tools to engage at-risk adolescents in HIV/STI prevention programs. Yet, there is a dearth of efficacious mHealth interventions in health clinics to prevent and reduce both condomless sex and drug use and increase HIV/STI testing for at-risk adolescents.ObjectiveTo address this gap in knowledge, we developed a theory-driven, culturally congruent mHealth intervention (hereon referred to as S4E [Storytelling 4 Empowerment]) that has demonstrated feasibility and acceptability in a clinical setting. The next step is to examine the preliminary efficacy of S4E on adolescent HIV/STI testing and risk behaviors. This goal will be accomplished by 2 aims: the first aim is to develop a cross-platform and universal version of S4E. The cross-platform and universal version of S4E will be compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems and multiple mobile devices, aimed at providing adolescents with ongoing access to the intervention once they leave the clinic, and the second aim is to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of S4E, relative to usual care control condition, in preventing or reducing drug use and condomless sex and increasing HIV/STI testing in a clinical sample of at-risk adolescents aged 14-21 years living in Southeast Michigan.MethodsIn this study, 100 adolescents recruited from a youth-centered community health clinic will be randomized via blocked randomization with random sequences of block sizes to one of the 2 conditions: S4E mHealth intervention or usual care. Theory-driven and culturally congruent, S4E is an mHealth adaptation of face-to-face storytelling for empowerment, which is registered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.ResultsThis paper describes the protocol of our study. The recruitment began on May 1, 2018. This study was registered on December 11, 2017, in ClinicalTrials.gov. All participants have been recruited. Data analysis will be complete by the end of March 2024, with study findings available by December 2024.ConclusionsThis study has the potential to improve public health by preventing HIV/STI and substance use disorders.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03368456; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03368456.International registered report identifier (irrid)DERR1-10.2196/47216.

Despite widely recognised effectiveness against the spread of COVID‐19, vaccine hesitancy persists. This systematic literature review aimed to clarify the definition and the operationalisation of the term 'vaccine hesitancy' and disclose the various psychosocial factors underlying this phenomenon. The results of studies conducted in European countries and in the United States after the vaccines became available were taken into account. The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses statement. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. efinitions and measures of vaccine hesitancy differed across the studies, limiting their comparison. Nonetheless, by drawing on theoretical frameworks, we were able to identify several psychosocial variables in determining vaccine hesitancy. Our findings point to the need for a transdisciplinary approach to understanding the antecedents of vaccine hesitancy. A better understanding of the phenomenon may help to develop interventions and social policies to address a complex challenge such as vaccination hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides political analysis of the extent to which new state strategies of involvement in climate technologies have shaped the green markets in both China and the United States. Using rational choice institutionalism and comparative case studies, this article analyzes state involvement in novel governance techniques and green industrial policy competition related to climate technologies in the United States and China. The guiding research question asks to what extent green industrial policy and its related incentives are useful for understanding the transition to green energy in the two countries. This study further explores the ways in which both countries enhance the competitiveness of national industries for science and technology in alternative energy. The rivalry between China and the US has accelerated, to some extent, the process of strengthening regulatory intervention in knowledge creation, public financing for climate technologies, and other domestic economic interests, while the emergence of green industrial policy has become part of the win‒win rhetoric and practices to facilitate a green economy. This research contributes to the comparative understanding of the proliferation of mission-oriented innovation initiatives, as well as the challenges in reorganizing them with new green industrial policy concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world's biggest oil producer and second-biggest polluter, the United States has set a strict target to cut net CO2 emissions by 50–52 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and a net zero emission by 2050 through various strategies, particularly clean energy initiatives. This research attempts to examine the effects of five specific renewable and conventional energy subsectors with carbon emission across five sectors, including power (POW), industry (IND), ground transportation (GT), domestic aviation (DA), and residential (RE). The data illustrate the decline and subsequent increase in CO2 emissions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukrainian conflict, and the USA recession periods from January 1 2021 to September 30 2022. Employing the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model and a novel quantile connectedness framework, it was found that risk transmission between different markets has been exceptionally high, exceeding 80% both in the COVID-19 outbreak and in the aftermath. The finding suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic shock and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict have intensified the connections between carbon emissions and clean and non-clean energy markets. Policymakers should adjust net zero targets to align with changing dynamics, prioritize wind and geothermal energy, and promote energy independence due to rising oil prices. Leverage lithium for electric vehicles and create specific policies for power, industry, transportation, aviation, and residential sectors to manage CO2 emissions effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of green bonds, oil prices, and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In this context, this study examines the United States of America (USA), which is the biggest economy in the world, uses weekly data between March 6, 2020 and September 30, 2022, and applies a novel wavelet local multiple correlation (WLMC) approach under time-varying and frequency-varying perspective. The novel empirical findings shows that (i) there is a strong negative (positive) co-movement between industrial CO2 emissions and green bonds in the short-run (long-run); (ii) there is a strong positive (negative) co-movement between industrial CO2 emissions and oil price in the medium-run (long-run); (iii) there is a strong negative (positive) co-movement between industrial CO2 emissions and the COVID-19 pandemic in the medium-run (long-run); (iv) the oil price is the dominant factor, whereas there are changing effect of the variables on each other at different times and frequencies; and (vi) overall, there are long-run asymmetric and dynamic correlations between industrial CO2 emissions and variables. Hence, the empirical results highlight the asymmetric, time-varying, and frequency-varying effects of green bonds, oil prices, and the COVID-19 pandemic on industrial CO2 emissions by presenting fresh and novel evidence. Moreover, the study proposes policy implications for the USA government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the War on Terror, the US conducted at least 378 air and drone strikes in Yemen from 2002 to 2023. While primarily targeting members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), these strikes have killed over 1,000 people, including more than 125 civilians. This research aims to understand the broader societal impact of US military action as shown on Twitter, now known as 'X'. The authors take a mixed-methods approach, using both qualitative and quantitative data to investigate this impact. They perform word- and tweet-level analyses on the content and sentiment of a subset of Yemeni Twitter users and contrast the content of Yemeni users' tweets about US drone strikes with that of US users' tweets. Finally, the article quantifies the temporal relationship between the frequency and severity of US drone strikes and Twitter activity levels in Yemen, considering the prevalence of Twitter bots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US federal bureaucracy contains 7 women's policy machineries: The White House Gender Policy Council, the Center for Women Veterans, the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, the Office of Global Women's Issues at the Department of State, the Office on Women's Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice, and the Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor. Together these offices provide a broad, shared commitment to advancing women's interests, but they vary greatly in terms of their missions, activities, constituencies served, organizational structure, forms of authorization, and levels of collaboration with political actors inside and outside of government. Recognizing the variation in American women's policy machineries, this paper provides a proposed empirical framework for how scholars can begin to document the variation in American WPMs and analyze how effectively each WPM implements gender equality policies and empowers American women. The first section defines WPMs. The second section proposes the research question, data sources, and methods for a future study of American WPMs. The conclusion discusses the implications adding this proposed study to the broader comparative literature on WPMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Aussen- und Sicherheitspolitik is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although position within the estuarine landscape is known to influence structural characteristics and ecological functioning of many habitats, the influence of position on subtidal oyster reef characteristics and functioning is relatively understudied. This study assessed habitat provision by oysters and benthic macrofauna on subtidal bar and patch oyster reefs within the northwestern Gulf of Mexico estuary. Bar reefs had greater and more variable oyster density, biomass, and volume, as well as dead shell material, compared to patch reefs. Benthic macrofaunal community composition differed between reef types, with bar reefs hosting 11× and 30× higher biomass of Porcellanidae and Ampithoidae crustaceans, and patch reefs supporting 34× and 47× higher biomass of Eunicidae annelids and Leptocheliidae crustaceans. The environmental variables most highly correlated with macrofaunal communities on both bar and patch reefs were sediment chlorophyll-a, volume of dead oyster shells, and depth. Despite differences in structural characteristics and position within the estuarine landscape, subtidal oyster reefs are often managed as a single habitat type. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering location in oyster reef conservation and restoration efforts to better predict and optimize faunal provision outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the adoption of brutalism in the work of Israeli landscape architects. Since the 1960s, Brutalism made its way from Europe to Israel by leading architects at the time. In parallel, landscape architects also considered Brutalism appropriate to the young state, and the use of concrete as a cheap and readily available construction material. They demonstrated creativity by constructing plazas, outdoor housing complexes, playgrounds and parks, essentially laying a cement carpet across the landscape. The absence of a well-established local outdoor material tradition, coupled with climatic and maintenance considerations, encouraged the burgeoning prominence of outdoor Brutalism in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced changes in the delivery of medical education. We aimed to explore these changes and determine whether they will impact the future of medical education in any way. We invited leaders in medical education from all accessible US-based medical schools to participate in an online individual semi-structured interview. Representatives of 16 medical schools participated. They commented on the adequacy of online education for knowledge transfer, and the logistical advantages it offered, but decried its negative influence on social learning, interpersonal relationships and professional development of students, and its ineffectiveness for clinical education. Most participants indicated that they would maintain online learning for didactic purposes in the context of flipped classrooms but that a return to in-person education was essential for most other educational goals. Novel content will be introduced, especially in telemedicine and social medicine, and the students' roles and responsibilities in patient care and in curricular development may evolve in the future. This study is the first to document the practical steps that will be adopted by US medical schools in delivering medical education, which were prompted and reinforced by their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This issue of JORH focuses upon faith and health within three nations that have contributed a great deal in terms of religion and health research during this century—namely Israel, Türkiye and the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on religion and its practice. This paper aims to examine how the pandemic affects religious activities, donations, and finances over time and across regions within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the USA. To address this question, we analyze survey data collected during the pandemic from 2963 churches in the USA by United Methodist Communications. Our analysis utilizes several quantitative techniques, including Z-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multinomial logistic regressions. The results indicate a decrease in church attendance over time, with a more pronounced effect observed in non-urban areas (suburban, small town, and rural). Similarly, while church donations and finances mitigate over time across churches, churches in urban areas experience a quicker rebound compared to those in non-urban areas. Lastly, we find that church attendance and donations positively affect finances. These findings hold important implications for churches in various regions, offering insights to develop strategies for navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian Americans have been identified as a racial group that is disproportionately affected by childhood trauma. The goal of this study was to assess if religion/spirituality moderate the effects of childhood trauma on adult depressive symptoms among a sample of South Asians in the USA. Our analysis drew from the study on stress, spirituality, and health (SSSH) questionnaire fielded in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study (n = 990) during 2016–2018. A series of regression models with multiplicative interaction terms were conducted. Emotional neglect, emotional abuse, and physical neglect were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Higher religious attendance and negative religious coping techniques were found to exacerbate this relationship. There were two findings conditional on gender. Among men, gratitude and positive religious coping also exacerbated the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. Negative religious coping also exacerbated the association between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms for women. This is the first community-based study of US South Asians to consider the association between various forms of childhood trauma and depressive symptom outcomes. South Asians remain an understudied group in the religion and health literature, and this study sheds light on the important differences in the function and effectiveness of religion/spirituality for those faced with early life trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid escalation of cybercrimes in modern society, few viable cybersecurity and cybercrime prevention programs exist. Consequently, this research considers cybersecurity as a key element for mitigating the potential risk and incidents of cybercrime. The study aims to understand the role of individuals' cybersecurity knowledge and awareness in shaping their cybersecurity intention and behavior in the United States. The results reveal that information and communications technology variables, education, income, and gender are contributing predictors of a level of cybersecurity knowledge. The effects of information and communications technology variables varied across gender for both correct and uncertain responses. The findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive understanding of both technical and human/individual factors for cybersecurity knowledge and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Migrant children in family detention facilities often experience frequent relocations and prolonged stays in precarious living conditions. This frequent relocation results in fragmentation of necessary medical care, leading to delays and inadequate medical care. We aim to highlight the critical need for comprehensive medical documentation in immigration detention facilities, a fragmented health care system and potential harm to these children without appropriate medical documentation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 165 medical records from children detained at the Karnes County Family Residential Center between June 2018 and October 2020 to evaluate the adequacy of pediatric medical documentation in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) family detention facility. Specific areas of interest included acute care, nutrition, immunization, developmental screening, and tuberculosis screening. Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: Only 25% of 418 acute medical care visits included specific diagnoses. There was no documentation regarding follow-up recommendations upon release. 97% of children had a chest X-ray completed for tuberculosis screening, however no follow-up recommendations were documented for those with granulomas. Vaccination histories were inconsistently documented. No nutritional categorizations were completed despite 16% of children being at risk for malnutrition or already malnourished. Conclusions: Our findings revealed significant gaps in documentation, particularly in medical decision-making and clinical reasoning. In a fragmented medical system, inadequate documentation can result in avoidable errors in diagnosis and management. Improving documentation practices is crucial to ensure that all children, regardless of immigration status, receive quality healthcare aligned with national and international standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrogeology Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsTobacco use presents increased risks for individuals with weakened immune systems (WIS). We investigated the association between cigarette and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS or e-cigarettes) use and WIS in US adults using data from the 2021–2022 National Health Interview Survey.Data from 57,133 adults were analyzed, focusing on WIS prevalence due to health conditions, prescriptions, or both. Cigarette and ENDS use were categorized as never, former, or current. Weighted multivariable regression models adjusted for demographics and other health conditions to assess associations between tobacco use and WIS.Among US adults, 4.3% had prescription-related WIS, 4.6% had health condition-related WIS, and 7% had WIS due to either reason. Adjusted results from multivariable regression models indicated that adults with WIS due to health conditions were more likely to be current (AOR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.05–1.40) and former (AOR = 1.25, 95%CI: 1.11–1.39) cigarette smokers compared to counterparts without WIS. Adults with WIS due to prescriptions were more likely to be former cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.19, 95%CI: 1.06–1.34). Those with WIS for any reason were more likely to be current (AOR = 1.19, 95%CI: 1.05–1.35) and former (AOR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.13–1.36) cigarette smokers. Adults with WIS due to health conditions (AOR = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.06–1.41) or any reasons (AOR = 1.19, 95%CI:1.05–1.34) were more likely to be former ENDS users compared to those without WIS.In this nationally representative study, we found a notable link between cigarette and ENDS use with WIS, particularly among those with health condition-related or prescription-related WIS, underscoring the importance of addressing tobacco use in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of information available to citizens due to global digitization and new technologies is unprecedented. However, in established democracies where access to alternative sources of information is guaranteed and educational levels are high, we witness a rise in attitudes and actions that threaten democratic foundations. Some citizens succumb to misinformation that has led them down the path of radicalization and violence; others withdraw completely from political life. How do we explain these developments? Building on democratic theory and the concepts of informational learned helplessness and selective exposure, we introduce a theoretical framework that connects digitization and digital technologies to attitudes and behaviour that threaten democracy even before democratic decay manifests. We argue that AI-assisted digital technologies expose societies to an abundance of contradictory information, limit citizens' ability to assess their trustworthiness, and reinforce the tailored dissemination of misinformation. We present the US and Germany as empirical plausibility probes that show how these features drive some citizens towards informational agnosticism, which results in de-politicization and political apathy. Others might become misbelievers who display negative attitudes towards democracy and/or engage in anti-democratic actions. Our probe offers an initial empirical illustration that provides a basis for further systematic investigations of digital technology's effects on democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of the Middle East in the national security strategies of the Trump and Biden administrations. The Middle East is central to the United States (US) national security agenda. The national security strategy plays a decisive role in shaping US foreign policy towards the region. This study analyzes the national security strategies of the Trump and Biden administrations in the Middle East with comparative method. Despite efforts to reduce military presence that began during the Obama administration, the US has maintained its military presence and security commitments in the region in Trump and Biden administrations. The divergence of their national security strategies on some issues has also impacted the US policy towards the region during these periods. The study asserts that, during the Trump era, the Middle East was addressed within the confines of the traditional security approach, whereas during the Biden era, the Middle East was incorporated into the national security strategy in accordance with the new understanding of security and threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: A new genus of empidine dance fly, namely Rhamphempis, is described with five new species included. The new genus is recorded from French Guiana and the United States of America. The peculiar disjunct geographic distribution of Rhamphempis is discussed. The genus Rhamphempis gen. nov. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae: Empidini) is described and includes the following five new species from French Guiana and the USA: Rhamphempis concava sp. nov. (France: French Guiana, Roura); R. distincta sp. nov. (France: French Guiana, Roura); R. mirifica sp. nov. (France: French Guiana, Régina); R. montreuili sp. nov. (Type species, France: French Guiana, Mitaraka, Roura, St-Georges-de-l'Oyapock); and R. septentrionalis sp. nov. (USA: Maryland, College Park). The genus differs from other empidine genera by the following combination of characters: scape and postpedicel lengthened, proboscis long, strongly sclerotised with labella as long as prementum bearing annulations, wing with R2+3 somewhat shortened, more or less recurved at pterostigma, R4+5 unforked, base of abdomen yellowish in male, brownish to blackish in female, male pregenital segments strongly modified and postabdomen more or less downcurved, presence of large surstylus, very fine and long phallus. The genus is fully illustrated and keyed along with a discussion of its peculiar disjunct geographic distribution and its phylogenetic relationship within the tribe Empidini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual health education is a well-known, evidence-based intervention that can improve adolescent health outcomes, increase protective health behaviours, and decrease risky health behaviours. Providing sexual health education in schools offers opportunities to discuss critical health topics and can improve the school environment. However, not all sexual health education is taught equitably. As part of a mixed-methods study to describe school-based sexual health education, we conducted focus groups and interviews with recent high school graduates in a geographically and ethnically diverse state in the US Southwest. Thirty-one young people shared their experiences, explored the content they had been taught, and offered recommendations to improve sexual health education. Three key themes emerged: young people wanted and needed sexual health education taught in school; current sexual health education is not helpful and sometimes harmful; and the individuals who teach sexual health education are critically important. These findings can help address barriers to school-based sexual health education delivery, particularly for schools within communities with limited resources. The results support including youth as stakeholders in the planning and evaluation of school-based sexual health education, and the development of sexual health education teacher training with the goal of improving youth health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yoga-informed sound bath providers orchestrate vibrations from singing bowls, chimes, gongs, and other simple instruments to promote client well-being – sometimes in ways that create a trauma trap. Drawing on immersive research with sound bath providers and receivers in California, USA, I explore how these ritual performances feed on and fuel narratives regarding trauma, stress, and dysregulation, diverting attention from structural and cultural factors creating said disharmony. Beyond thereby ensuring a market, they can perpetuate a trauma-informed self-identification and subjectivity that harmonizes with the American work ethic, diminishes nonproductive sensual enjoyment, promotes self-care over community care, undermines resilience, and amplifies suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives, courses and evaluation methods. It is urgent to provide guidance and reference for the acceleration of nursing education in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a systematic review of the socialization and adjustment challenges experienced by international students at US campuses and society. The study aims to explore difficulties, opportunities, and strategies in the social integration of international students, shedding light on the factors influencing their adjustment and overall well-being. Based on a wide range of scholarly empirical works, this study applies a systematic literature review approach based on Scopus and Web of Science online databases. It incorporates peer-reviewed and indexed research on the sociocultural integration of international students in the United States, published between 2004 - 2024. The results highlight the significance of acculturation, loneliness, and social isolation among international students caused by language barriers and cultural differences. While language and cultural obstacles are common concerns for East Asian students, discrimination and social isolation problems are more likely to dominate among Saudi Arabian, African, and Indian students. The analysis also indicates a lack of studies exploring the international students' communication challenges with faculty members and their abilities to navigate US social and racial structures. The findings emphasize enhancing mental health and counseling services at US campuses. This research could contribute to expanding an understanding of social integration and adjustment challenges among international students and offer potential strategies and interventions related to this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection in the U.S., with more than 80% of all Americans contracting it by age 45. Effective vaccines for HPV exist and were recently approved for adults aged 27–45 years, though uptake remains low in all age groups, particularly in Tennessee where 1089 cancers were attributed to HPV in 2020. Between 29 June and 17 August 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to gain insights about the barriers and facilitators of HPV in 2011 adults aged 18 to 45 years in Tennessee. We developed our survey based on previous instruments to understand predictors of HPV vaccination in adults. Using descriptive statistics and bivariate and logistic regression analyses, we found higher vaccination rates in females, participants aged 18–38 years, participants with a high school education or higher, Hispanic or Latine individuals, and participants identifying as moderate or liberal. These insights highlight the need for public health interventions that consider demographic differences to successfully increase vaccination rates and reduce HPV-associated cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Newark Basin comprises Late Triassic and Early Jurassic fluvio-lacustrine rocks (Stockton, Lockatong, Passaic, Feltville, Towaco, and Boonton Formations) and Early Jurassic diabase intrusions and basalt lava flows. Boron concentrations in private well water samples range up to 18,000 μg/L, exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Health Advisory of 2000 μg/L for children and 5000 μg/L for adults. Boron was analyzed in minerals, rocks, and water samples using FUS-ICPMS, LA-ICP-MS, and MC ICP-MS, respectively. Boron concentrations reach up to 121 ppm in sandstone of the Passaic Formation, 42 ppm in black shale of the Lockatong Formation, 31.2 ppm in sandstone of the Stockton Formation, and 36 ppm in diabase. The δ11B isotopic values of groundwater range from 16.7 to 32.7‰, which fall within those of the diabase intrusion (25 to 31‰). Geostatistical analysis using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reveals that boron is associated with clay minerals in black shales and with Na-bearing minerals (possibly feldspar and evaporite minerals) in sandstones. The PCA also shows that boron is not associated with any major phases in diabase intrusion, and is likely remobilized from the surrounding rocks by the intrusion-related late hydrothermal fluids and subsequently incorporated into diabase. Calcite veins found within the Triassic rock formations exhibit relatively elevated concentrations ranging from 6.3 to 97.3 ppm and may contain micro-inclusions rich in boron. Based on the available data, it is suggested that the primary sources of boron contaminating groundwater in the area are clay minerals in black shales, Na-bearing minerals in sandstone, diabase intrusion-related hydrothermal fluids, and a contribution from calcite veins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research examining the relationship between a neighborhood's built environment and resident health has largely either used a static, cross-sectional research design or focused on the neighborhood in its entirety, making it difficult to understand the relationship between specific dynamic neighborhood characteristics and individual well-being. We use longitudinal data from the Pittsburgh Research on Neighborhood Change and Health (PHRESH) studies to assess the relationship between publicly funded neighborhood investments between 2011 and 2018 and five health-related outcomes: food insecurity, stress, perceived neighborhood safety, neighborhood satisfaction, and dietary quality. We additionally determine whether the distance between an individual's place of residence and the investment affects the magnitude of associations. Using individual and year fixed effects models, we find that when measured at the neighborhood level, an increase by one standard deviation (SD) in investments (about $130 million) is associated with decreased food insecurity (−0.294 SD), increased safety (0.231 SD), and increased neighborhood satisfaction (0.201 SD) among adults who remain in the study for at least two waves of data collection. We also analyze specific investment types and find that commercial investments are largely driving the changes in food insecurity, safety, and neighborhood satisfaction, while business and residential investments are correlated with the decrease in stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the growing criticism by the USA of the bribery and corruption surrounding China's trade with Africa, this study uses panel data on 48 African countries over 17 years to examine whether the relationship between corruption and China's trade in Africa differs from that of USA–Africa trade relations. Contrary to expectations, we find that the relationship between corruption and trade with Africa is the same for both countries. Africa's trade with China and the USA increases as corruption increases. Our results imply that both countries have a similar trend of trading with African countries, and they might not care about corruption in Africa. Ultimately, both countries engage with Africa for their parochial economic and political interest. The results are robust to an alternative measure of corruption and endogeneity test using a two‐stage least‐square estimation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's relationship with Latin America countries experienced a process of significant expansion over the past two decades. Even though Latin America was not considered as part of the BRI when it was first established, China designed its economic strategy toward the region by emphasizing investment, financial and industrial capacity cooperation, besides trade. Afterwards, China invited Latin American countries to participate in the BRI at the China–Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Ministerial Forum in Santiago in January 2018. Twenty-one Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries have signed up to the BRI. However, there are few LAC countries that have not done so, among them the region's largest economies such as Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, although Brazil is with full AIIB membership. This paper focuses on the specific economic relations between China and Mexico, as far as Mexico is the less involved LA country into the BRI, and Mexico's position toward China is more aligned with that of its North American partners than to the Latin American countries. This article analyzes the specific situation of Mexico, characterized by its deep integration and dependency on the US market and examines the current economic relations of China and Mexico, considering the impact of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement on the bilateral economic relations. The structure of bilateral trade between Mexico and China is also examined, using the Grubel-Lloyd Index (GLI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nurse leaders are challenged by ethical issues in today's complex health-care settings. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze key elements of moral distress identified by nurse leaders from health-care systems in the USA, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The aim was to develop an understanding of distressing ethical issues nurse leaders face in the USA and three German-speaking European countries. Design/methodology/approach: This descriptive cross-sectional study surveyed a convenience sample of nurse leaders in the USA, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The voluntary, anonymous survey also included qualitative questions and was distributed using the Qualtrics® platform. A thematic analysis of the qualitative data in each country was carried out and a comparative analysis identified similarities and differences between the groups of nurse leaders comparing the US data to that from three German-speaking European countries. Findings: The survey was completed by 316 nurse leaders: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (n = 225) and the USA (n = 91). Similar themes identified as causing all nurse leaders moral distress included a lack of individual and organizational integrity, hierarchical and interprofessional issues, lack of nursing professionalism, patient care/patient safety concerns, finances negatively impacting care and issues around social justice. Within these six themes, there were also differences between the USA and the three German-speaking European countries. Originality/value: Understanding the experiences associated with distressing ethical situations can allow nurse leaders and organizations to focus on solutions and develop resilience to reduce moral distress in the USA and three German-speaking European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are witnessing the trend of relative economic and, consequently, political weakening of America and the West and a constant rise of the “rest of the world”, primarily China, whose economic growth, despite slowing down in recent years, is still three times faster than that in the EU and the US. Given that the strategies and policies of great powers, as well as of smaller countries like Serbia, depend on it, in this paper, we try to answer the question of whether the world is in the process of becoming bipolar, multipolar, or whether some form of unipolarity will persist. We start with the definition of polarity in neo-realist terms. We generally accept that after the end of the Cold War, there was a moment of unipolar US dominance, coupled with its hegemony, but this moment has largely passed. However, we are faced with the situation that there has been no clear emergence of either a new bipolar or multipolar order. We cannot argue that Beijing is the other pole of power since only the US has functional alliances that carry weight economically and militarily. And, if we are witnessing the emergence of multipolarity, that is the one that is still fundamentally asymmetric in America’s favour since Washington’s actions predominantly determine the main currents of global geopolitical processes. Thus, we claim that the global order is shaped as an unbalanced multipolarity, with the caveat that the role and strength of poles are in modern times considerably less important than before due to the processes of globalisation and economic interdependency.

In the modern world, contacts between cultures tend to strengthen, even during and after military conflicts. After France had been liberated by the US Army during World War II, US soldiers started getting acquainted with French culture. This article introduces an analysis of American guidebooks published specifically for American soldiers who served in France during World War II. The research objective was to identify the information that the guidebooks represented as necessary for an average US military person to make their stay in the country more comfortable, e.g., culture, entertainment, recreation, etc. The guidebooks told their American readers about the history of France and its current state, as well as about the relationship between the French, Americans, and Germans during the world wars. The guides aimed at facilitating the adaptation of American military personnel to French environment. Initially, the guidebooks attempted to introduce American soldiers to the basic knowledge about France, but gradually they started to publish advice on practical issues that Americans faced in France. The guidebooks were written by prominent representatives of American culture who worked for the armed forces during World War II. All in all, these guidebooks enhanced American interest in French culture.

The article features the role of expert approaches in decision-making concerning the military intervention in Afghanistan by the USSR and the USA. The author identified the subjects, methods, and functions of political expertise in the war in Afghanistan based on minutes of Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and analytical reports declassified by the Central Intelligence Agency. The Soviet authorities employed experts from those departmental structures that were inherent in the original political decision-making system. This short-term expert support was to provide a system of measures for the implementation of the state policy, i.e., the expert structures were subordinate to the government. The US authorities, on the contrary, relied on the sociological factors in their analysis of the unfolding scenario. This approach allowed them to identify which forces and entities to support at the initial stage. By establishing contacts with the religious opposition, they eventually developed weapon traffic routes. In the USSR, the faulty expert approach aggravated the inconsistency of the Soviet policy while US expert reports contributed to the outbreak of war in Afghanistan.

The relevance of the research topic is due to the current situation on the territory of Ukraine, which is characterized by extraordinary tension and confrontation between Russia and the countries of the collective West. The purpose of the study is to determine the Ukrainian factor in international policy and the position of the People’s Republic of China. This work is based on clerical, statistical and journalistic sources. This study is based on the theory of political realism, suggesting constant competition of states defending their national interests. In the process of research the author widely uses institutional, analytical and problem-chronological methods. The main conclusions of the study are the establishment of the main causes of the emergence of the Ukrainian crises, starting from the first years of independence of the state, the identification of Ukraine as an important outpost of the USA and its allies in the region of Eastern Europe, identifying the impact of the Ukrainian crisis of 2022 on international relations in general and specific countries, discovering the implementation of the process of transition from a unipolar world order led by the USA to a multipolar, identifying the reasons for non-interference in the conflict on the territory of Ukraine, which include the assessment of the northern Black Sea Region by the People’s Republic of China as a region meeting strictly economic interests, characterization of the special military operation as an aspect that forced the process of changing the geopolitical situation.

The relevance of the research topic is due to the active development of the U.S.-South Korean relations and their impact on inter-Korean relations. The role of the United States in the foreign policy of the Republic of Korea is great which not only limits it in developing of its own potential due to the direct dependence on decisions and actions but also hinders the normalization of relations between the two Koreas. The purpose of the research is to examine the dynamics of relations in the triangle ‘‘ROK (Republic of Korea) - DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) - U.S.”. The main methods of the study include analyzing the events in the triangle ‘‘ROK - DPRK - the U.S.” as well as the texts of UNSC (United Nations Security Council) resolutions on nuclear non-proliferation on the Korean peninsula. The study concludes that despite South Korea’s attempts to stabilize relations with its northern neighbor, its pro-American course in foreign policy has prevented it from making significant concessions. For today, the ROK’s foreign policy is aimed at deepening cooperation with the US and its security partners in the region. Therefore no warming in relations between the two Koreas is expected in the near future.

Corporate governance is becoming increasingly important. This is evidenced by the various issues of major companies coming to light as people pay more attention to CSR concepts. Scandals such as those arising from questionable practices of large companies like Wells Fargo, Equifax, Enron, and many others have raised questions about the effectiveness of corporate governance mechanisms. This has led to stricter laws and the introduction of new regulations aimed at improving these mechanisms. Thus, the purpose of the study is to analyse the influence that leadership structure characteristics have on financial performance. The empirical analysis is based on 39 technology companies, components of the S&P 500 Index. The research relies on panel data analysis over a period of 12 years (2011-2022). The results show that the characteristics of leadership structures impact the economic and financial profitability rates of technology companies within the S&P 500 Index.

In this article, authors critically analyze the concept of derisking. Derisking is actively promoted by the Western expert community as a new strategic basis for US-China trade relations. Derisking refers to the transition from the policy of radical breakdown from the trade partnership with China to the rhetoric of risk reduction, which implies limiting dependencies and risks arising from them. It does not imply a complete rupture with a partner. Based on the extensive historical material study, as well as applying modern conflictological methods of risk analysis, authors come to the conclusion that derisking management strategy does not have the conceptual optics necessary for analyzing political dimension of international economic relations and is unable to explain what is the source of risks in reality.Conceptual non-viability of derisking is due to disregard for the uneven capital development regularity, which determines the interstate relations. Global economy is a space of unfading conflict within the economic competition, and therefore eternal risk activity. The constant presence of risks in international relations makes conflict either a source that generates risks, or their result. On the example of the US-China trade relations, authors demonstrate how an attempt to elevate a partner who was designated for the outsiders’ fate generates a response from the risk-beneficiary to return the outsider to his native bosom by minimizing the consequences of risk for himself at the expense of others.In fact, behind the derisking strategy, lies desire to increase the intellectual rents’ price paid for Western patents and technologies. The reaction to the possibility of losing one’s monopoly position creates an impulse to shake up relations and change their dynamics in the right direction for oneself. These impulses expose inherent systematical contradictions and determine the outbreak of a new round of a hot trade war. While staying in the negative unity relations, participants have no other choice but to achieve the goals of enrichment, which are the same for all participants, through denying each other, and aspire every time to establish unequal economic exchange in their favor.

The article analyses the evolution of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as the QUAD, involving the United States, Japan, India and Australia, that aimed at developing a coordinating policy and holding strategic consultations in an attempt to balance the growing power of China in Indo-Pacific region. The author presents the reasons, goals and objectives for the emergence of the QUAD, the interests of the participating countries, as well as the arguments of some countries that do not want to turn this alliance into an Asian NATO. The new great power rivalry between the US and China is having a negative impact on the existing system of political and economic relations in the Indo-Pacific region. Based on the study, the author argues that QUAD’s activities are aimed to control the Indo-Pacific region as a single economic and space and cover a wide range of different areas, and the US-led quadrilateral partnership is likely to increase tension in the region and will not help maintain stability in the region. The results of the analysis of QUAD’s activities have made it possible to determine the controversial nature of the policy of this alliance in the field of economy and security, and that the international situation in the region in the coming years will become increasingly tense and less predictable.

Contemporary international relations are characterized by increasing interstate rivalry, which is especially pronounced at the level of regional subsystems. Latin Caribbean America (LCA) serves a vivid example, becoming the arena of competition (including in ideological terms) between the United States, which has traditionally considered the region its sphere of influence, and China, which is actively forging cooperation with the LCA countries in various fields. The purpose of this article is to identify and assess the role of the ideological component in the policy of the J. Biden administration towards the LCA countries against the background of the growing U.S.-Chinese rivalry in the region. The first section of the article defines the place of LCA in the foreign policy strategy of the current administration in the context of the Democrats’ rhetoric about the struggle over the ‘free world’ challenged by the authoritarian regimes, in particular by the PRC. The second section analyzes the main forms and directions of the PRC’s policy aimed at strengthening its presence in LCA. The author notes that the American authorities assess these PRC activities extremely negatively, as undermining the foundations of the U.S. leadership in the region. As a result, a new bipartisan consensus is emerging on the need to take urgent measures to counter the growing influence of China. The third section examines the key initiatives of the J. Biden administration aimed at strengthening the U.S. positions in the LCA countries. The author concludes that the steps taken by the 46th President of the United States in the Latin American direction have strong ideological overtones. They actually force the LCA countries to take sides in the U.S.-Chinese confrontation, which in turn leads to further polarization of the region in the spirit of a new Cold War.

This paper has as its reference point the issue of corruption in Ukraine, which has recently once again become the subject of attention due to reports that it may be an important factor when it comes to the recalcitrance of some of Ukraine’s Western partners andallies with regard to offering military support for the country’s war effort against Russia. The main objective is to demonstrate how the West’s tendency to overstress this problem, for which the paper offers proof, that could manifest itself in it applying undue pressure on the Ukrainian authorities, entails risks and may have a number of undesirable repercussions due to 1) providing fuel to Russian disinformation campaigns and negatively affecting the perceptions of Ukraine among Western citizens, 2) hampering the Ukrainian military campaign and its appraisal abroad, 3) indirectly contributing to changing the nature of Ukrainian nationalism by making it more exclusionary.