Iran-Turkmenistan Relations:Cross-Border Ethnic Groups and Comprehensive Governance Strategies

This study delves into the bilateral relations between Iran and Turkmenistan,focusing on the multidimensional impacts of cross-border ethnic groups,cultural diplomacy,and energy cooperation.The research reveals that despite challenges in security cooperation,such as regional political ideological differences and uneven power distribution,Iran has adopted diverse strategies to enhance cultural identity,social cohesion,and promote economic cooperation.Iran actively seeks to repair relations with Turkmenistan by emphasizing shared historical and cultural backgrounds,particularly the presence of cross-border Turkmen ethnic groups.Specific measures include developing cultural tourism,organizing cultural weeks,and establishing commemorative days.In the economic sphere,the two countries have signed significant natural gas supply agreements,strengthening energy cooperation.Iranian leaders often emphasize“blood ties”and deep cultural connections in diplomatic statements,combining cultural diplomacy with practical economic cooperation.The study’s findings indicate that Iran’s initiatives have led to the reorganization of national space and social reconstruction in border regions,promoting changes in public policy.By integrating cultural identity,historical connections,and economic interests,Iran has adopted a sophisticated diplomatic approach,laying the foundation for more stable and enduring bilateral relations while contributing to regional stability and sustainable development.

Research on decision-making behavior of multi-agent alliance in cross-border electricity market environment: an evolutionary game

Constructing a cross-border power energy system with multiagent power energy as an alliance is important for studying cross-border power-trading markets.This study considers multiple neighboring countries in the form of alliances,introduces neighboring countries’exchange rates into the cross-border multi-agent power-trading market and proposes a method to study each agent’s dynamic decision-making behavior based on evolutionary game theory.To this end,this study uses three national agents as examples,constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model,and analyzes the evolution process of the decision-making behavior of each agent member state under the initial willingness value,cost of payment,and additional revenue of the alliance.This research helps realize cross-border energy operations so that the transaction agent can achieve greater trade profits and provides a theoretical basis for cooperation and stability between multiple agents.

Ocular biometric characteristics of Han ethnicity in Tianjin and Uyghur ethnicity in Xinjiang undergoing cataract surgery

AIM:To analyze and compare the differences among ocular biometric parameters in Han and Uyghur populations undergoing cataract surgery.METHODS:In this hospital-based prospective study,410 patients undergoing cataract surgery(226 Han patients in Tianjin and 184 Uyghur patients in Xinjiang)were enrolled.The differences in axial length(AL),anterior chamber depth(ACD),keratometry[steep K(Ks)and flat K(Kf)],and corneal astigmatism(CA)measured using IOL Master 700 were compared between Han and Uyghur patients.RESULTS:The average age of Han patients was higher than that of Uyghur patients(70.22±8.54 vs 63.04±9.56y,P<0.001).After adjusting for age factors,Han patients had longer AL(23.51±1.05 vs 22.86±0.92 mm,P<0.001),deeper ACD(3.06±0.44 vs 2.97±0.37 mm,P=0.001),greater Kf(43.95±1.40 vs 43.42±1.69 D,P=0.001),steeper Ks(45.00±1.47 vs 44.26±1.71 D,P=0.001),and higher CA(1.04±0.68 vs 0.79±0.65,P=0.025)than Uyghur patients.Intra-ethnic male patients had longer AL,deeper ACD,and lower keratometry than female patients;however,CA between the sexes was almost similar.In the correlation analysis,we observed a positive correlation between AL and ACD in patients of both ethnicities(rHan=0.48,rUyghur=0.44,P<0.001),while AL was negatively correlated with Kf(rHan=-0.42,rUyghur=-0.64,P<0.001)and Ks(rHan=-0.38,rUyghur=-0.66,P<0.001).Additionally,Kf was positively correlated with Ks(rHan=0.89,rUyghur=0.93,P<0.001).CONCLUSION:There are differences in ocular biometric parameters between individuals of Han ethnicity in Tianjin and those of Uyghur ethnicity in Xinjiang undergoing cataract surgery.These ethnic variances can enhance our understanding of ocular diseases related to these parameters and provide guidance for surgical procedures.

Impact of BRICS Trade Facilitation on China's Exports Using Cross-Border E-Commerce

With the rapid growth of the global digital economy, cross-border e-commerce, as an emerging form of trade, has gradually become a powerful engine to promote the development of global trade. BRICS is an important force in the global economy, and the progress of the BRICS countries' trade facilitation level has an important impact on the global trade environment. This paper conducts an in-depth study of the dynamic changes in BRICS trade facilitation from 2013 to 2022, and uses an extended gravity model to analyze the specific impact of this change on China's exports using cross-border e-commerce. The results show that although the BRICS countries have made some progress in trade facilitation, the overall level still needs to be improved, and there are obvious differences among member countries. However, the improvement of trade facilitation among BRICS countries has undoubtedly brought significant positive effects to China's exports using cross-border e-commerce.

Disparities in the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood:Race and ethnicity

BACKGROUND Most studies have defined economic well-being as socioeconomic status,with little attention given to whether other indicators influence self-esteem.Little is known about racial/ethnic disparities in the relationship between economic wellbeing and self-esteem during adulthood.AIM To explore the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood and differences in the association across race/ethnicity.METHODS The current study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.The final sample consisted of 2267 African Americans,1425 Hispanics,and 3678 non-Hispanic Whites.Ordinary linear regression analyses and logistic regression analyses were conducted.RESULTS African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to be in poverty in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites.More African Americans were unemployed than Whites.Those who received fringe benefits,were more satisfied with jobs,and were employed were more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem.Poverty was negatively associated with self-esteem.Interaction effects were found between African Americans and job satisfaction predicting self-esteem.CONCLUSION The role of employers is important in cultivating employees’self-esteem.Satisfactory outcomes or feelings of happiness from the workplace may be more important to non-Hispanic Whites compared to African Americans and Hispanics.

Micro,Small,and Medium Enterprises’Cross-Border Business Strategies

This paper explores the operational strategies of cross-border micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Against the backdrop of globalization and digitalization, cross-border trade has become one of the important pathways for many MSMEs to achieve growth and competitive advantage. Firstly, the paper outlines the concept and characteristics of cross-border MSMEs, as well as the analysis of their operational environment in the context of globalization, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Secondly, the paper proposes operational strategies for cross-border MSMEs, including international market selection and positioning, cross-border marketing strategies, supply chain management, cross-border financial management, and cross-border risk management. Finally, the paper summarizes the importance of effectively implementing these strategies for cross-border MSMEs to seize international market opportunities, reduce operational risks, and enhance competitiveness and profitability.

Research on Cross-border E-commerce Empowering the Transformation and Upgrading of Dongguan’s Manufacturing Industry

With the rise of the global digital economy and the deep integration of digital technology into traditional manufacturing operations,cross-border e-commerce provides a new commercial model and pathways for transforming and upgrading Dongguan’s traditional manufacturing industry.It also offers perspectives for enhancing the integration of online and offline operations while advancing the industrial Internet process.This study examines the impact of cross-border e-commerce on Dongguan manufacturing,highlighting its role in improving production efficiency,expanding international markets,and driving industrial upgrading through product enhancement,supply chain optimization,and innovative business models.By incorporating practical cases and data analysis from Dongguan enterprises,this study investigates the benefits and challenges of cross-border e-commerce in the transformation of the manufacturing industry,aiming to offer a reference for enterprise digital transformation and global competitive strategies.

Ethnicity:民族抑或族群?

为了进一步厘清"ethnicity"(ethnic group)究竟是"民族"抑或"族群"这个概念的准确含义,从族体类型及其演进、古希腊文"ethno"一词的含义及其英文演变、台湾使用"族群"概念的背景等方面进行论证,说明了"ethnicity"是"民族"而非"族群",国外民族(ethnicity)和我国民族的称谓是相吻合的。

Correlation of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 expression with clinical outcomes of colorectal cancer patients of different race/ethnicity

AIM： To evaluate the role of N-myc downstream- regulated gene 1 （NDRG1） expression in prognosis and survival of colorectal cancer patients with different ethnic backgrounds. METHODS： Because NDRG1 is a downstream target of p53 and hypoxia inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）, we examined NDRG1 expression together with p53 and HIF-1α by irnmunohistochernistry. A total of 157 colorectal cancer specimens including 80 from Japanese patients and 77 from US patients were examined. The correlation between protein expression with clinicopathological features and survival after surgery was analyzed. RESULTS： NDRG1 protein was significantly increased in colorectal tumor compared with normal epithelium in both Japanese and US patient groups. Expression of NDRG1 protein was significantly correlated with lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, depth of invasion, histopathological type, and Dukes＇ stage in Japanese colorectal cancer patients. NDRG1 expression was correlated to histopathological type, Dukes＇ stage and HIF-1α expression in US-Caucasian patients but not in US-African American patients. Interestingly, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that NDRG1 expression correlated significantly with poorer survival in US-African American patients but not in other patient groups. However, in p53-positive US cases, NDRG1 positivity correlated significantly with better survival. In addition, NDRG1 expression also correlated significantly with improved survival in US patients with stages Ⅲ and IV tumors without chemotherapy. In Japanese patients with stages Ⅱ and Ⅲ tumors, strong NDRG1 staining in p53- positive tumors correlated significantly with improved survival but negatively in patients without chemotherapy. CONCLUSION： NDRG1 expression was correlated with various clinicopathological features and clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer depending on the race/ethnicity of the patients. NDRG1 may serve as a biological basis for the disparity of clinical outcomes of colorectal cancer patients with different ethnic backgrounds.

Pediatric fatty liver disease:Role of ethnicity and genetics

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprehends a wide range of conditions, encompassing from fatty liver or steatohepatitis with or without fibrosis, to cirrhosis and its complications. NAFLD has become the most common form of liver disease in childhood as its prevalence has more than doubled over the past 20 years, paralleling the increased prevalence of childhood obesity. It currently affects between 3% and 11% of the pediatric population reaching the rate of 46% among overweight and obese children and adolescents. The prevalence of hepatic steatosis varies among different ethnic groups. The ethnic group with the highest prevalence is the Hispanic one followed by the Caucasian and the African-American. This evidence suggests that there is a strong genetic background in the predisposition to fatty liver. In fact, since 2008 several common gene variants have been implicated in the pathogenesis of fatty liver disease. The most important is probably the patatin like phospholipase containing domain 3 gene (PNPLA3) discovered by the Hobbs&#x02019; group in 2008. This article reviews the current knowledge regarding the role of ethnicity and genetics in pathogenesis of pediatric fatty liver.

Does ethnicity and education influence preoperative disability and expectations in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty?

AIM To investigate whether minority ethnicity and the duration of education influence preoperative disability and expectations in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.METHODS We prospectively included 829 patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty(TKA) from April 2013 to December 2014 at a single centre. Patients filled in pre-operative questionnaires with information regarding place of birth, duration of education, expectations for outcome of surgery and baseline characteristics. Patients were stratified based on ethnicity. Majority ethnicity was defined as born inthe study country and minority ethnicity was defined as born in any other country. Similarly, patients were stratified based on duration of education in groups defined as < 9 years, 9-12 years and > 12 years, respectively.RESULTS We found that 92.2% of patients were of majority ethnicity. We found that 24.5%, 44.8% and 30.8% of patients had an education of < 9 years, 9-12 years and > 12 years, respectively. The mean preoperative(preOP) oxford knee score(OKS) in the total population was 23.6. Patients of minority ethnicity had lower mean pre-OP OKS(18.6 vs 23.9, P < 0.001), higher pain levels(VAS 73.0 vs 58.7, P < 0.001), expected higher levels of post-OP pain(VAS 14.1 vs 6.1, P = 0.02) and of overall symptoms(VAS 16.6 vs 6.4, P = 0.006). Patients with > 12 years education had lower mean pre-OP OKS(21.5 vs 23.8 and 24.6, P < 0.001) and higher pre-OP VAS pain(65.4 vs 59.2 and 56.4, P < 0.001) compared to groups with shorter education. One year post-operative(post-OP) patients of minority ethnicity had lower mean OKS, higher pain and lower QoL. One year post-OP patients with > 12 years education reported higher pain compared to patients with shorter educations. However, the response-rate was low(44.6%), and therefore post-OP results were not considered to be significant.CONCLUSION Minority ethnicity and the duration of education influ-ence preoperative disability and expectation in patients undergoing TKA. This should be taken into account when patients are advised pre-operatively.

Pharmacogenetics of irinotecan:An ethnicity-based prediction of irinotecan adverse events

Irinotecan is now regarded as the most active drug for the treatment of colorectal cancer.However,one of the most difficult issues oncologists face is deciding the optimal dose for an individual patient,as each individual shows different outcomes even at the same dose with regard to treatment related adverse events,ranging from no toxicity to a lethal event.Inherited genetic polymorphism of a single gene or multiple genes(haplotype or linkage disequilibrium) involved in SN-38 glucuronidation,a predominant route of irinotecan detoxification,is now recognized as a significant factor that can alter the incidence of side effects.Attempts to explore such inherited genetic variability have been focused on elucidating interindividual as well as interethnic differences.Genotyping studies in relation to adverse events in an individual or in a group of similar ethnicity should contribute to establishing individualoriented or ethnicity-oriented irinotecan treatment regimens.This review highlights current single-or multi-tired approaches for the elucidation of genetic predispositions of patients to severe toxicities,especially among Asians.The purpose of this is to contribute to minimizing toxicity by dose modifications,with the consequent aim of maximizing dose intensity and efficacy,an ultimate goal of irinotecan-individualized therapy.

Business English Talent Cultivation Research under the Background of Cross-border E-commerce

The meteoric rise of cross-border e-commerce has become one of the pillars of our foreign trade, while the lack of quali-fied talents in the industry may restrict its benign development. This paper analyzes the major problems existing in the BusinessEnglish talents cultivation in university, and offers advice for the construction of training modal for Business English talents basedon the cross-border e-commerce.

Problems in Cross-border E-commerce Export Trade in China ＆ Countermeasure Analysis

As an emerging industry in China, cross-border e-commerce has enjoyed the leap-forward development, along with increasingly prominent problems. This paper aims at finding out the problems and related roots that hinder its development, through conducting an analysis on the export development of cross-border e-commerce, in order to look for solutions and countermeasures in favor of its sound development and to promote the liberalization development of foreign trade in China.

The determinant of performance of cross-border M＆As in China： A comparative study between overseas Sino and Anglo firms

This study examines the factors that affect the performance of foreign acquiring firms in Chinese M＆As （mergers and acquisitions） market. Comparing between overseas Sino-Group and Anglo-Group, this study found that familiarity and location were the most important factors influencing performance of M＆A transactions in China. It also found that unrelated M＆A deals should be merged with familiarity for gaining positive acquisition performance. The total sample used in this study was 3,442 cases from October 1980 to March 2005. Because this period included all deals of M＆As after the opening of Chinese market in China. The authors＇ finding provided a more universal explanation in the cross-border M＆As in China.

Index system and methods for comprehensive assessment of cross-border power grid interconnection projects

With the global economy integration and progress in energy transformation,it has become a general trend to surpass national boundaries to achieve wider and optimal energy resource allocations.Consequently,there is a critical n eed to adopt scie ntific approaches in assessi ng cross-border power grid interconnection projects.First,con sidering the promotion of large-scale renewable energy resources and improvements in system adequacy,a comprehensive assessment index system,including costs,socio-economic benefits,environmental benefits,and technical benefits,is established in this study.Second,a synthetic assessment framework is proposed for cross-border power grid interconnection projects based on the index system comprising cost-benefit analysis,with market and network simulations,iterative methods for indicator weight evaluation,and technique for order preferenee by similarity to an ideal solution(TOPSIS)method for the project rankings.Fin ally,by assessi ng and comparing three cross-border projects betwee n Europe and Asia,the proposed index system and assessment framework have been proved to be effective and feasible;the results of this system can thus support investment decision-making related to such projects in the future.

China’s Cross-Border E-Commerce: Evolution Pattern and Influencing Factors

In recent years,while the traditional trade sectors have been shrinking,China’s cross-border e-commerce has undergone rapid development and has become a new driver of its international trade.Based on analysis of the evolution pattern of China’s cross-border e-commerce,this paper uses a revised gravity model to test empirically the driving factors and the resistance factors in the development of the country’s cross-border e-commerce.The results show that the total GDP,per capita disposable income of urban residents,total imports and exports,and the scale of the online shopping market have a positive relationship with cross-border e-commerce transactions,which are conducive to the development of cross-border e-commerce,while logistics costs inhibit the development of cross-border e-commerce.Accordingly,the paper puts forward several policy recommendations.

Cross-border E-commerce Upgrading Under Way

The emerging industry of crossborder e-commerce,which has been undergoing tremendous growth thanks to the loosening policies of consumption upgrading,is facing a large transformation.E-commerce is not as simple as opening an online store,but requires offline resources,offices,a training mechanism for workers,and professional photographing and model innovation services.The industry has experienced two development phases,with the 1.0

Role of ethnicity in social anxiety disorder: A cross-sectional survey among health science students

AIM: To investigate the influence of ethnicity in social anxiety disorder(SAD), and the relationship with symptom severity, depression and substance use or abuse, in health sciences' students.METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey of 112 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa. The self-reported Social Anxiety Spectrum questionnaire was used to assess for SAD. The Social Phobia Inventory(SPIN) was adapted to a version called the E-SPIN(Ethnic-SPIN) in order to evaluate the effects of ethnicity. Two sub-questions per stem question were included to assess whether SAD symptoms in social interactions were ethnicity dependent. Substance use was assessed with the Alcohol UseDisorders Identification Test and Drug Use Disorders Identification Test, and depression with the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.RESULTS: Of 112 students who completed the E-SPIN questionnaire, 54.4%(n = 61) met criteria for SAD, with significantly more females than males meeting criteria. Ethnicity had a significant effect on SAD symptomatology, but there was no effect of ethnicity on the rates of drug and alcohol abuse in students with and without SAD. Overall significantly more students with SAD met criteria for depression compared with students without the disorder. CONCLUSION: Among university students, SAD is prevalent regardless of whether interactions are with individuals of the same or different ethnic group. However, ethnicity may be an important determinant of social anxiety for some ethnic groups. SAD was significantly associated with major depression but not significantly associated with drug or alcohol abuse.

Federalism and Euro-Regions in Europe： What Have We Learned From Twenty-Five Years of Cross-Border Cooperation in the Euro-region of Galicia-North Portugal？

The present paper is focused on the analysis of the European building processes from the historical perspective of federalism （from ethnic federalism to current federalism） applied to the current framework of Europeanization and cross-border cooperation in Europe. With the objective of reviewing some of its processes and impacts, an analysis structure has been set, being the main purpose to extract conclusions on the long Europeanization process undertaken by the EU institutions. One of these recent processes reached the consolidation of Euroregions as cross-border cooperation institutions within the framework of multilevel governance. For the main purpose of the paper, the following questions are raised： How has contributed the perspective of federalism to the building of cross-border institutions, namely Euroregions？ After three decades of implementation of the formal cooperation in Europe through institutions as the Euroregions, can it be confirmed that the Eurnregions are consolidated as an institutional benchmark within the cross-border cooperation in Europe （CBC-E）？ In order to answer these questions, a review of the historic perspective of ethnic federalism applied to the classical models of formal cooperation is undertaken. From this historical revision, the development of the Euroregion within the EU will be analyzed. Finally, the present paper is focused on the case study of the cross-border space that are the Autonomous Region of Galician and the Regiao Norte de Portugal, as well as its most important cooperative institution, the Euro-region Galicia-North Portugal.