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Aims and objectives: To examine the effectiveness of cognitive interventions after general anaesthesia to improve cognitive functioning. Background: The number of surgical procedures performed worldwide is large and growing. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a common complication associated with poor postoperative outcomes. A variety of cognitive interventions have been developed to maintain or improve cognitive function in one or more cognitive domains. Cognitive interventions have shown to be effective in healthy older populations, those with mild cognitive impairment, and those with heart failure. The impact of cognitive interventions in surgical patients after general anaesthesia is a relatively new focus of research and is therefore less well established. Methods: Seven bibliographic databases were searched in relation to 'surgery' and 'cognitive interventions'; no date or language limits were imposed. Studies including adult patients who were scheduled for, or who had undergone surgery under general anaesthesia, had a baseline cognitive assessment using a validated measurement, and had engaged with any cognition‐based intervention were included. Full‐text review for inclusion, quality assessment and data extraction were undertaken independently by two authors. This study is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Results: A total of 550 papers were identified for possible inclusion, of which nine met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The majority were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 6 [66.7%]). Four studies used computerised cognitive interventions, while five used traditional cognitive interventions. Most of the studies used multi‐domain cognitive training focusing on two or more domains (n = 7 [77.8%]) while two studies used single‐domain cognitive training. Memory (n = 7 [77.8%]) and attention (n = 5 [55.6%]) were the cognitive domains most often targeted during the intervention. Conclusions: The use of cognitive interventions demonstrated some efficacy in improving cognitive function after general anaesthesia, particularly those targeting memory. Relevance for clinical practice The findings of this review suggest that cognitive interventions show promise at improving cognitive performance in patients with POCD and could be usefully implemented in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of international and collaborative publication trends in prominent behavior‐analytic journals has been a topic of interest for behavioral researchers. This paper focuses on publication trends from 1997 through 2020 in three prominent journals: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), and Perspectives on Behavior Science (PBS). The variable of interest was the percentage of articles published per geographical category—Australasia/East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, and Africa. The results showed that 79, 96, and 87% of the published articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were conducted by researchers with a North American affiliation. Furthermore, 12, 4, and 4% of the articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were coauthored by at least two researchers from different geographical categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Lidcombe Program is a stuttering treatment approach for children between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Most papers about the Lidcombe Program, however, are based on studies conducted in native English-speaking countries. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the delivery and implementation of the Lidcombe Program in non-native English-speaking countries. Summary: A resource search was conducted between October and November 2019. Scopus, PubMed, ASHA, Cochrane Library, ERIC, Google Scholar, and SpeechBITE databases and reference lists of relevant papers were searched for the identification process. Joanna Briggs Institute tools were used for the appraisal of the studies. The search yielded 8 studies conducted in non-native English-speaking countries. The Lidcombe Program is efficacious in non-native English-speaking countries when delivered to both preschool and young school age children who stutter. It is reported to be delivered with minor changes and challenges. The number of weekly clinic visits and the total time needed to reach zero or near-zero stuttering levels with the Lidcombe Program can be up to 3 times greater in non-native English-speaking countries than in native English-speaking countries, mostly due to the increased time needed to introduce the parental verbal contingencies. Key Messages: Speech and language therapists practicing in non-native English-speaking countries are encouraged to use the Lidcombe Program for both preschool and young school age children who stutter, although this can take more time than that reported in native English-speaking countries. Further investigation to explore the therapy process with children and parents in non-native English-speaking countries is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper measures environmental efficiency and productivity change to then carry out a decomposition analysis of an environmental efficiency index and a productivity change index. The paper includes a novel comparative assessment to determine the drivers of environmental efficiency and the sources of productivity change of the manufacturing sector in Europe, Asia and the whole world. We explore the capability to convert in an environmentally efficient way, selected inputs into desirable and undesirable outputs. Our estimation results of environmental efficiency confirm that Europe is ahead the world's average. Our analysis shows, however, a slowdown of Europe compared with the productivity growth of Asia. The latter shows a better performance in management capabilities, optimal resource allocation, and economies of scale. The analysis carried out in a second stage using the dynamic effects of the generalized method of moments also shows that the annual growth rate of manufacturing value added and manufacturing exports positively influence the level of environmental efficiency in both Asia and Europe. Therefore, the internationalization and extroversion of manufacturing can be crucial for sustainable development in Europe and Asia. • Benchmarking the strategy for sustainable development in Asia and Europe. • Decomposition of environmental efficiency indices and productivity change. • Effect of manufacturing value added and exports on environmental efficiency. • Benchmarking the manufacturing sector in Asia and Europe. • Showing Asia's best practices and European pillar of industrial restructuring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What insights can studies of son preference in Asia offer European historical demographers? Research on Asia is far easier than on historical Europe, given the scope for in-depth studies of a contemporary phenomenon instead of using available historical data. Levels of sex-selection have also been high in Asia, which makes it easier to analyze its correlates. This enables developing hypotheses that might be useful in studies of historical Europe. Studies in Asia indicate that, in rigidly patrilineal societies, son preference forms part of households' strategy for managing their assets and risks. The extent of sex-selection varied enormously over time within a given setting, rising sharply when households faced heightened risk --- such as war, or the unwinding of Communist regimes that offered communal access to resources --- and decreasing as modern state pension systems mature. These household strategies also affect the life-chances of other household members, including marriage restriction to reduce asset fragmentation. Kinship systems shape the rights of different categories of household members and the norms of cooperation between them — including between generations, spouses, and siblings of different genders and birth orders. This paper offers some hypotheses on the implications of variations in patrilineal kinship systems in Europe for the life-chances of different categories of household members. For purposes of constructing hypotheses that can be tested if data permit, the European kinship systems are contrasted in a stylized way, as those based on a 'lifeboat' ethic of jettisoning non-heirs from the household, versus those based on a more 'corporate' ethic in which the household seeks to support all its members. Historical demographers working on Europe have rich fields to explore, given the region's diversity: of kinship systems, of economic opportunities, and of exposure to major risks such as wars, famine, and the establishment and dis-establishment of Communism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrimination towards females – a trait of regional demography so far deemed unique to Asian countries – has inspired historians to revisit demographic series to look for instances of gender imbalances within Europe. In this paper, we show why a proper appreciation of Europe's experience of gender discrimination in the past may help us to understand the future of contemporary sex selection throughout Asia. We stress in particular how the demographic discrimination of females appeared to have vanished during the 20th century from all areas where it was reported earlier. We examine the main factors that may explain the gradual disappearance of the 'missing girls' from Europe. We finally discuss the best ways to identify the potential micro- or macro-mechanisms accounting for the transformations observed in Europe, using, in particular, the distinct trajectories of countries in Southeastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper starts from the assumption that in our current world, dominated by fast-paced changes, culture has acquired increasing prominence, which is likely to affect interpersonal and business relationships alike. Therefore, relying on a number of cultural patterns (high and low context cultures, collaborative and individual cultures and polychronic and monochronic cultures (Hall, 1990, 1997; Moll, 2012), we aim to provide an overview of the dynamics of cultural differences and similarities between Europe and Asia, with a focus on the business environment. Thus, arguing language proficiency does not necessarily ensure successful (business) interaction, we will be analysing a number of elements involved in business communication (e.g. the way in which individuals in a particular culture relate to time or how they position themselves within a group). More precisely, we will be looking into the ways in which people think, negotiate, and manage conflict, in an attempt to identify the various elements that drive specific behaviours and account for cultural expectations and assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the need to increase female representation in hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery, as well as the need to increase the academic pipeline of women in this subspecialty, we sought to characterize the prevalence of female authorship in the HPB literature. In particular, the objective of the current study was to determine the proportion of women who published HPB research articles as first, second, or last author over the last decade.Methods: All articles pertaining to hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery appearing in seven surgical journals (Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery, JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgical Oncology, HPB (Oxford), Surgery, and Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery) were reviewed for the years 2008 and 2018. Information on sex of author, country of author's institution, and article type was collected and entered into a computerized database.Results: Among the 1473 index articles included in the final analytic cohort, 414 (28%) publications had a woman as the first or last author, while the vast majority (n = 1,059, 72%) had a man as the first or last author. The number of female first authors increased from 15.6% (n = 92/591) in 2008 to 25.7% (n = 227/882) in 2018 (p < 0.001). There were no differences in the proportion of second (n = 123/536, 23.0% vs n = 214/869, 24.6%, p = 0.47) or last (n = 44/564, 7.8% vs n = 88/875, 10.1%, p = 0.15) authors. Women were more likely to publish papers appearing in medium-impact journals (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.04-1.88) and articles with a female author were more likely to be from a North American institution (referent: North America, Asia OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.31-0.59 vs Europe OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51-0.87).Conclusion: Women first/last authors in HPB research articles have increased over the past 10 years from 22 to 32%. Women as last authors remain low, however, as only 1 in 10 papers had a senior woman author. These data should prompt HPB leaders to find solutions to the gap in female authorship including mentorship of young female researchers and surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inference of admixture proportions is a classical statistical problem in population genetics. Standard methods implicitly assume that both parents of an individual have the same admixture fraction. However, this is rarely the case in real data. In this paper we show that the distribution of admixture tract lengths in a genome contains information about the admixture proportions of the ancestors of an individual. We develop a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) framework for estimating the admixture proportions of the immediate ancestors of an individual, i.e. a type of decomposition of an individual's admixture proportions into further subsets of ancestral proportions in the ancestors. Based on a genealogical model for admixture tracts, we develop an efficient algorithm for computing the sampling probability of the genome from a single individual, as a function of the admixture proportions of the ancestors of this individual. This allows us to perform probabilistic inference of admixture proportions of ancestors only using the genome of an extant individual. We perform extensive simulations to quantify the error in the estimation of ancestral admixture proportions under various conditions. To illustrate the utility of the method, we apply it to real genetic data. Author summary: Ancestry inference is an important problem in genetics and is used commercially by a number of companies affecting millions of consumers of genetic ancestry tests. In this paper, we show that it is possible, not only to estimate the ancestry fractions of an individual, but also, with some uncertainty, to estimate the ancestry fractions of an individual's recent ancestors. For example, if an individual traces his/her ancestry 50% to Asia and 50% to Europe, it is possible to distinguish between the individual having two parents that each are 50:50 composites of Asian and European ancestry, or one parent from Asia and one from Europe. It is likewise also possible to make inferences about grandparents. We present a computationally efficient method for making such inferences called PedMix. PedMix is based on a probabilistic model for the descendant and the recent ancestors. PedMix infers admixture proportions of recent ancestors (parents, grandparents or even great grandparents) using whole-genome genetic variation data from a focal individual. Results on both simulated and real data show that PedMix performs reasonably well in most scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AV disengagement on public roads dominated by causes due to a planning issue. • AV disengagement induced by lacking certain numbers of radar and LiDAR sensors. • Drivers' take-over time impacted by disengagement cause and roadway characteristics. • To improve AV disengagements five or more radar sensors are needed. • Optimal number of LiDAR sensors to be installed is 3 or 4. Automated vehicles (AV) testing on the public roads is ongoing in several states in the US as well as in Europe and Asia. As long as the automated vehicle technology has not achieved full automation (Level 5), human drivers are still expected to take over the steering wheel and throttles when there is an automated vehicle disengagement. However, contributing factors and the mechanism about automated vehicle-initiated disengagement has not been quantitatively and comprehensively explored and investigated due to the lack of field test data. Besides, understanding human drivers' perception and promptness of reaction to the AV disengagement is essential to ensure safety transition between automated and manual driving. By harnessing California's Autonomous Vehicle Disengagement Report Database, which includes the AV disengagement data from field tests in 2016–2017, this paper quantitatively investigated the AV disengagement using multiple statistical modeling approaches that involve statistical modeling and classification tree. Specifically, the paper identifies the contributing factors impacting human drivers' promptness to AV disengagements, and quantitatively investigates the underlying causes to AV disengagements. Results indicate that current AV disengagement on public roads is dominated by causes due to a planning issue. The cause of an AV disengagement is significantly induced by lacking certain numbers of radar and LiDAR sensors installed on the automated vehicles. These thresholds of these sensors needed are revealed. Cause of disengagement and roadway characteristics significantly impact drivers' take-over time when facing an AV disengagement. AV perception or control issue-based disengagement can significantly extend drivers' perception-reaction time to take over the driving. The quantitative knowledge obtained ultimately facilitates revealing the mechanisms of the automated vehicle disengagements to ensure safe AV operations on public roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road infrastructures and collisions with vehicles negatively affect many animal populations globally. However, data on road kills of non‐human primates are very limited, not only due to the rare character of this phenomenon, but also due to the geographical bias of reporting in scientific references.As an alternative, we used data from social media (YouTube videos, online articles and blogs) in addition to searching the existing scientific information. The reports in scientific papers were published in 1994–2018, and the reports in social media dated from 2010 to 2018.In total we collated information on 46 non‐human primate species and 368 individual animals that were killed due to collisions with vehicles on four continents. Numbers of observations and numbers of species in each continent were as follows: Africa, 46 and 15; Asia, 247 and 14; South America, 72 and 16; and Europe, 3 and 1.Only two of the species found in our social media internet search belonged to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Endangered category, but a higher‐than‐expected number of fatalities was in the Vulnerable category. In scientific papers, seven Endangered species were reported as victims of collisions. Often it was young individuals crossing roads that were killed by vehicles.Primates are very charismatic species, so collisions are likely to be reported on social media. We believe that the information we have collected can make a valid contribution to the debate on wildlife‐vehicle collisions, and can be used to plan ways to avoid or mitigate road kills of non‐human primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crataegus (hawthorn), a member of the Rosaceae family, encompasses several species with broad geographical distribution across the Northern Hemisphere, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Hawthorn is recognized as an edible medicinal plant with applications related to strengthening the digestive system, promoting blood circulation, and resolving blood stasis. This study critically summarized the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological properties to provide a theoretical basis for further studies on hawthorn and its applications in medicine and food. The available information on hawthorn was gathered from scientific databases (including Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Baidu Scholar, CNKI, online ethnobotanical databases, and ethnobotanical monographs, and considered data from 1952 to 2023). Information about traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of the collected data is comprehensively summarized in this paper. The literature review revealed that hawthorn includes more than 1000 species primarily distributed in the northern temperate zone. Traditional uses of hawthorn have lasted for millennia in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Within the past decade, 337 chemical compounds, including flavonoids, lignans, fatty acids and organic acids, monoterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, terpenoids and steroids, have been identified from hawthorn. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed numerous bioactivities, such as cardiovascular system influence, antitumor activity, hepatoprotective activity, antimicrobial properties, immunomodulatory functions, and anti-inflammatory activities. Additionally, evaluations have indicated that hawthorn lacks toxicity. Based on its traditional uses, chemical composition, and pharmacological studies, hawthorn has significant potential as a medicinal and edible plant with a diverse range of pharmacological activities. Traditional uses of the hawthorn include the treatment of indigestion, dysmenorrhea, and osteoporosis. However, modern pharmacological research primarily focuses on its cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system effects, antitumor effects, and liver protection properties. Currently, there is a lack of correlative research involving its traditional uses and pharmacological activities. Moreover, phytochemical and pharmacological research has yet to focus on many types of hawthorn with traditional applications. Therefore, it is imperative to research the genus Crataegus extensively. [Display omitted] • Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and safety concerns of hawthorn. • The medicinal uses and edible value of hawthorn. • The application and medicinal value of hawthorn in ethnopharmacology. • The challenges and opportunities of hawthorn were envisioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this paper was to determine the effects of certain socio‐demographic characteristics of Turkish individuals who seek health information on the Internet. Methods: This study was granted permission to use data obtained by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI) in 2018 under their Household Information Technology Use (HITU) study. The original sample for this research comprised 19,389 participants. Results: Age, gender, educational level, place of residence and frequency of Internet use were all found to impact the participants' health information seeking behaviour on the Internet. Health information was sought more frequently by women than men, by younger than older people and by those with higher levels of education. Also, health information searches were conducted more often in developed regions than in less‐developed regions. In addition, it was also found that the habit of seeking health information was more common among those who use the Internet more frequently. Conclusion: Several socio‐demographic characteristics of individuals affect their health information seeking behaviour on the Internet. All individuals should be granted equivalent access to reliable health information by taking sociodemographic characteristics and discrepancies into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Northeast Passage (NEP) has been widely discussed in the shipping industries since it can potentially bring economic benefit thanks to its relatively short sailing distance vis-a-vis the conventional Asia-Europe route via the Suez Canal. Concomitantly, due to the recent advocacy of green shipping, how to deploy effectively a shipping fleet so as to reduce the environmental cost has become an increasingly crucial issue in the shipping industries. However, it has not been investigated how the optimal shipping allocation between the conventional Asia-Europe route and NEP, based on both economic and environmental considerations, will be influenced by different aspects of shipping costs respectively, which will further affect the ocean carriers' decision and adoption attitude toward the NEP. In this paper, a quantitative assessment model considering the shipment operating cost as well as the external cost of various pollutant emissions is presented to analyze the multi-port multi-trip liner service in an Asia-Europe container shipping network. Based on the shipping network with cargo demand of an Asian shipping company and empirical data from the existing literature, our study demonstrates how the optimal shipping allocation varies between scenarios by performing sensitivity analyses. Our findings indicate that the icebreaker fee, as well as Suez Canal toll, plays a more decisive role than the fuel price in affecting the adoption of the NEP. The relevant policy and managerial implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accomplishments in stem cell science and tissue engineering have resulted in a remarkable revolution in the context of future medicine. However, a general insight over the progress of stem cell research in Iran is still lacking. A better understanding of current needs in this field is required to design a better national roadmap. Methods: In this study, we defined the geographical regions based on the significance of their contribution to stem cell research; then, using the Scopus database, we retrieved reports from Iran and other countries concerning stem cell science and regenerative medicine published from 1994 until the end of 2016. Results: A significant number of citations belong to North America (6 554 029 citations equal to 49% of the total citations) and Europe (4 425 465 citations equal to 33% of the total citations) and the rest of citations were related to Asia (2 423 352 citations equal to 18% of the total citations). East Asian (2 168 472 citations equal to 76% of the total citations related to Asia) documents were cited more than those from the Middle East (ME) (494 141 citations equal to 17% of the total citations related to Asia) and North and Central Asia (196 382 citations equal to 7% of the total citations related to Asia). Iran as a country in the ME attracted 17% of the total citations related to the Asian countries winning the second position in this regard. The overview of total number of citations showed a sharp increase and upward trend in citation numbers for all the Iranian institutes from 2007 that resulted in the expansion of stem cell science in all major cities of Iran such as Shiraz (8%), Mashhad (5%), Isfahan (5%) and Ahvaz (5%). H-index of Tehran University of Medical Science, which has the highest total citations and document numbers, is the highest among all Iranian research institutes. Citation per paper of Royan Institute (RI) is the highest among the top 10 Iranian institutes, by 13 citations per paper. Conclusion: Stem cell research in Iran is rapidly developing. Since 2007, the number of published documents in major research institutes increased; thus, there is necessity for analysis of the status of publications in this field and choosing a better direction based on needs. Furthermore, it is necessary to expand and organize international collaborations to enrich our research and benefit from different team experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To explore the role that Donor Transplant Co‐ordinators have played and the future potential of Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation (SN‐ODs), within organ donation strategies in the UK and other countries. Background: Organ donation and transplantation rates vary extensively around the world. However, there is a universal shortage of deceased donors, prompting different approaches to increase transplantation rates. Within the UK, the Clinical Lead for Organ Donation and Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation undertake a key role in the implementation of the Organ Donation Strategy. The Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2015 is a recent development which facilities a deemed (presumed) consent approach to organ donation, the Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation undertakes a major role identifying the potential donor in this situation by confirming the deemed consent status of the donor and supporting bereaved relatives. UK governments in England and Scotland are currently seeking legislative changes to an opt‐out system of organ donation, in line with the Wales change. Design: This discursive paper explores the role from Donor Transplant Co‐ordinator to Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation (SN‐OD) within organ donation policy in different settings, but with a specific focus on the UK. The paper clarifies the current and future potential of nurses working with bereaved families when requesting authorisation for donation. Implications for nursing: The current scope and future potential of Donor Transplant Co‐ordinator and Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation roles need better recognition. Little empirical data exist about the key role that these nurses play in the organ donation process, especially in relation to gaining authorisation to proceed to donation. Conclusion: There is a need to clarify the role of the Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation and their impact on improving rates of organ donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Syndromic surveillance provides public health intelligence to aid in early warning and monitoring of public health impacts (e.g. seasonal influenza), or reassurance when an impact has not occurred. Using information collected during routine patient care, syndromic surveillance can be based on signs/symptoms/preliminary diagnoses. This approach makes syndromic surveillance much timelier than surveillance requiring laboratory confirmed diagnoses. The provision of healthcare services and patient access to them varies globally. However, emergency departments (EDs) exist worldwide, providing unscheduled urgent care to people in acute need. This provision of care makes ED syndromic surveillance (EDSyS) a potentially valuable tool for public health surveillance internationally. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the key characteristics of EDSyS systems that have been established and used globally.Methods: We systematically reviewed studies published in peer review journals and presented at International Society of Infectious Disease Surveillance conferences (up to and including 2017) to identify EDSyS systems which have been created and used for public health purposes. Search criteria developed to identify "emergency department" and "syndromic surveillance" were applied to NICE healthcare, Global Health and Scopus databases.Results: In total, 559 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion in the review, comprising 136 journal articles and 423 conference abstracts/papers. From these studies we identified 115 EDSyS systems in 15 different countries/territories across North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia. Systems ranged from local surveillance based on a single ED, to comprehensive national systems. National EDSyS systems were identified in 8 countries/territories: 2 reported inclusion of ≥85% of ED visits nationally (France and Taiwan).Conclusions: EDSyS provides a valuable tool for the identification and monitoring of trends in severe illness. Technological advances, particularly in the emergency care patient record, have enabled the evolution of EDSyS over time. EDSyS reporting has become closer to 'real-time', with automated, secure electronic extraction and analysis possible on a daily, or more frequent basis. The dissemination of methods employed and evidence of successful application to public health practice should be encouraged to support learning from best practice, enabling future improvement, harmonisation and collaboration between systems in future.Prospero Number: CRD42017069150 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the population transition model for Vietnam, based on Grover's five stages of population transition. Compatible with the transitional model of Western Europe and other advanced Asian countries, this process in Vietnam has some significant differences: (a) the initial shift or transition of fertility of the population in Vietnam is later than in Asian countries by about 13 years while compared to Europe it is nearly 108 years later; and (b) while the period of initial transition of mortality in Vietnam may not be very different from other Asian countries, it is more than 100 years later than in European countries, especially those in Western Europe. One of the main factors influencing the late transition of Vietnam's population process is, of course, colonialism and the consecutive wars (1945–1954 and 1955–1975). After 1975, Vietnam's population was stable as industrialisation and urbanisation led to the development of health services, education and an urban lifestyle, as well as effective population policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the nexus between greenhouse gas, financial development, energy consumption, trade and urbanization in 34 upper middle income countries from Asia, Europe, Africa and America (South and North) by using panel data from 2001 to 2014. Vector error correction model explored different results for different regions such as the causality of greenhouse gas for Europe and America; financial development for Asia; trade openness for Asia, Europe and America; and urbanization for Africa and America. The causality of greenhouse gas emission was bi-directional with urbanization in America and trade in Europe. The bi-directional causality of trade was observed with financial development in Asia and urbanization in Africa. The generalized method of moment and fully modified ordinary least square explored a direct association of per capita greenhouse gas emission with financial development in Europe; energy consumption in all panels, and renewable energy in Africa and America. But, the relationship of per capita emission was reciprocal with financial development in Asia, Africa and America; renewable energy in Europe; trade in Europe, Africa and America; and urbanization in Asia, Europe and America. The relationship of variables changes from region to region and country to country. A country-based reciprocal effect on per capita greenhouse gas was observed for financial development, renewable energy, trade openness and urbanization for different countries. This paper provides an insight to policy makers to re-structure the financial system, energy usage pattern, trade and urbanization in accordance with the cleaning of environment at country and regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since almost a century, sunflower cultivation is endangered by Plasmopara halstedii (Farlow) Berlese & de Toni, a biotrophic oomycete causing downy mildew symptoms. The pathogen has conquered four of the five continents, and through high genetic plasticity recurrently avoided being reliably controlled by the introduction of resistant host cultivars in sunflower production. This paper attempts to retrace the historic routes of sunflower downy mildew spreading from its North American origin into Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. An update of the global diversity of pathotypes will be provided and critically discussed. Finally, the limits of the currently applied bioassay-based techniques for diversity assessment are pointed out and an alternative for continuous and area-wide monitoring is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-consensual sterilisation is not only a historic abuse. Cases of unethical treatment of women around the time of a pregnancy continue in the Twenty-First Century in five continents. Sterilisation is being carried out by some healthcare professionals at the time of delivery, or soon afterwards, without valid consent. A range of contemporary examples of such practices is given. Respecting women's autonomy should be the touchstone of the consent process. Avoidance of force, duress, deception and manipulation should go without saying. Ethnic minority communities and women living with HIV, in particular, are being targeted for this kind of abuse. Attempts have been made in various countries and by international professional organisations to introduce clinical guidelines to steer health professionals away from this malpractice. Survivors have sought justice in domestic and international courts. This paper critically assesses the evidence on the practical, ethical and legal issues around the handling of consent for these procedures. Suggestions are made about possible regulatory responses that address abuse, whilst maintaining access for those individuals who freely elect to undergo these procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to outline the global research landscape of sustainability curricula implementation processes in higher education. The focus is twofold and investigates where research that aims at integrating sustainability into the curriculum is happening and how the research area of curriculum change for sustainability is developing. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic review of peer-reviewed case studies published in English in selected journals and edited volumes between 1990 and 2017 was carried out. Data (n = 270 publications) were analyzed via descriptive statistics and bibliometric analysis. Findings: The study demonstrates that research on sustainability curricula implementation processes in higher education has produced a growing output in a broad range of journals. Nevertheless, the cross-country distribution is imbalanced, with most cases coming from the USA, Europe and Asia, but with the relatively highest density in Oceania. A citation network analysis revealed that the "Western world" is quite well interlinked, whereas other countries are not, indicating that sharing information between and learning from other cases is limited. Research limitations/implications: The exclusion of non-English publications likely skewed the global distribution of the research landscape included in this study. Social implications: These findings demonstrate the need for more research and funding for case studies in countries that have not yet been adequately examined. Originality/value: This study offers the first systematic reflection on the current global research landscape in sustainability curricula implementation and can guide further research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the complexity of multivariate time series, we propose a novel method: multiscale multivariate weighted fractional entropy (MMWFE). The research results show that MMWFE is able to measure the complexity of multivariate data correctly and reflect more information contained in the time series. In this paper, the reliability of the proposed method is supported by simulations on generated and empirical data. We analyze simulated pink noise and white noise to test the validity of this method, and the result is consistent with the fact that pink noise is more complex than white noise. Meanwhile, MMWFE shows a better robustness. MMWFE is then employed to bivariate stock return and volume to explore the complexity of stock markets. It successfully distinguishes Asia, Europe and Americas markets. Finally, dynamic MMWFE is applied to explore the evolution of complexity for mining more information containing in nonlinear time series. • We propose MMWFE as a modification of multiscale weighted-permutation entropy. • We detect the temporal structures and investigate complexity of time series. • MMWFE can distinguish the differences between different stock markets clearly. • The evolution of complexity characterizes intrinsic changes and can indicate crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since almost a century, sunflower cultivation is endangered by Plasmopara halstedii (Farlow) Berlese & de Toni, a biotrophic oomycete causing downy mildew symptoms. The pathogen has conquered four of the five continents, and through high genetic plasticity recurrently avoided being reliably controlled by the introduction of resistant host cultivars in sunflower production. This paper attempts to retrace the historic routes of sunflower downy mildew spreading from its North American origin into Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. An update of the global diversity of pathotypes will be provided and critically discussed. Finally, the limits of the currently applied bioassay-based techniques for diversity assessment are pointed out and an alternative for continuous and area-wide monitoring is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we tackle a problem of representative measuring points selection for temperature field reconstruction. This problem is a version of the more general Representative Selection (RS) problem, well-known in computer and data science. In this particular case, the objective is to select the best set of N measuring points (i.e. N representative points), in such a way that a reconstruction error is minimized when reconstructing the monthly average temperature field. We use a novel meta-heuristic algorithm, the Coral Reefs Optimization with Substrate Layer (CRO-SL), which is an evolutionary-type method able to combine several different search procedures within a single population. The CRO-SL is combined with the Analogue Method (AM) to identify the most representative points. This approach exhibits strong performance from experiments with gridded and un-gridded temperature field datasets (European Climate Assessment & Dataset (ECA) and ERA-Interim reanalysis (ERA)). Different aspects such as the error assessment and the comparison with alternative approaches, are discussed in the experimental analysis of this article. We show that the algorithm performs better than a greedy approach, i.e. the best solution for N points is different from the N best individual predictors. The solutions obtained with the proposed methodology are climatologically consistent and include points from Scandinavia, Central and Southern Europe, the Black Sea and Central and South Western Asia as the more representative in the case of the ECA dataset; similar areas are selected for ERA. We have found out that once the number of stations/points goes over a threshold, the improvement in the model is obtained by increasing the density of data in the given zones, instead of adding data from different zones to the algorithm. The method proposed may have direct application in Palaeoclimalogy, where there are a large amount of distributed proxies with scarce information, so the proposed approach could be useful to select the most important ones to reconstruct a desired field. • We solve a problem of representative measuring points selection for temperature field reconstruction. • The Analogue Method is used as reconstruction algorithm. • An evolutionary-type meta-heuristic is proposed to select the best set of representative points. • A reconstruction error for the temperature field is minimized by the algorithm. • Experiments in two monthly temperature datasets in Europe have shown the good performance of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper asks what insights the literature provides on divergence versus convergence of innovation paths in Europe and Asia. It contrasts the abundant literature on determinants of innovation paths with the scarcity of studies that are explicitly comparative across countries or continents. Implicit conclusions however emerge from several lines of work including evolutionary perspectives which stress differences in national conditions, and other perspectives which stress latecomer and globalisation effects. This paper distils and draws together the main conclusions on why innovation paths can be expected to diverge or converge. Its contribution lies in spelling out and bringing together implicit and explicit insights from a wide range of literatures. It also provides an analytical backdrop for some of the other papers in this special issue of Science and Public Policy which provide comparative empirical analyses of low carbon innovation paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of global trade, maritime transportation networks have become an indispensable element of logistics networks. Approximately 80% of the global trade volume is transported by sea with the maritime logistics network fueling global economic integration. Due to the uncertainty of the transportation process and the impact of accidents, the reliability analysis of the logistics network is a topic of immense interest. In this paper, we propose an original and novel model to quantitatively analyze the vulnerability of the maritime logistics network by considering the importance of each port in the network. Three centrality measures that consider different topology information of the network are used in this paper to identify the importance of ports. Different information about the network is considered through the joint entropy and the multiscale factor q to evaluate the vulnerability of the logistics network. The Asia–Europe maritime transportation network serves as a real-world example to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of our proposed model. The experimental results suggest that the performance of the maritime network is closely related to the heterogeneity of the connectivity pattern and the process of decentralization can reduce the vulnerability of the maritime network. • A novel model is proposed to evaluate the vulnerability of maritime transportation networks. • This proposed method considers different topology information simultaneously. • The joint entropy is applied to consider different information with a multiscale factor. • Asia–Europe maritime network is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The values of parameters of a well-calibrated model are useful in detecting micro behavior. • We illustrate the evolution of banks strategy in response to different economic conditions. • It explores the banks reactions to financial shocks. • The result is an early warning indicator which anticipates phases of instability. In this paper, we show that the values of parameters of a well-calibrated model are useful in detecting micro behavior. We use a calibration procedure suitable for validating agent-based models to show how the evolution of model parameters, obtained via a rolling window estimation, illustrates the evolution of agents' strategies in response to different economic conditions. In this regard, we calibrate the well-known financial model of Brock and Hommes using three banking indices (i.e., the S&P SmallCap 600 Financials Index, the STOXX Europe 600 Banks, and the STOXX Asia/Pacific 600 Banks) running from 1994 to 2016. The choice of a spatially and temporally diversified dataset allows us to analyze differences and similarities in the behavior of banks belonging to the different macro areas, as well as to capture agents' reaction to the several economic phases characterizing the time series investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since almost a century, sunflower cultivation is endangered by Plasmopara halstedii (Farlow) Berlese & de Toni, a biotrophic oomycete causing downy mildew symptoms. The pathogen has conquered four of the five continents, and through high genetic plasticity recurrently avoided being reliably controlled by the introduction of resistant host cultivars in sunflower production. This paper attempts to retrace the historic routes of sunflower downy mildew spreading from its North American origin into Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. An update of the global diversity of pathotypes will be provided and critically discussed. Finally, the limits of the currently applied bioassay-based techniques for diversity assessment are pointed out and an alternative for continuous and area-wide monitoring is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we attempt to address the challenging problem of counting built-structures in the satellite imagery. Building density is a more accurate estimate of the population density, urban area expansion and its impact on the environment, than the built-up area segmentation. However, building shape variances, overlapping boundaries, and variant densities make this a complex task. To tackle this difficult problem, we propose a deep learning based regression technique for counting built-structures in satellite imagery. Our proposed framework intelligently combines features from different regions of satellite image using attention based re-weighting techniques. Multiple parallel convolutional networks are designed to capture information at different granulates. These features are combined into the FusionNet which is trained to weigh features from different granularity differently, allowing us to predict a precise building count. To train and evaluate the proposed method, we put forward a new large-scale and challenging built-structure-count dataset. Our dataset is constructed by collecting satellite imagery from diverse geographical areas (planes, urban centers, deserts, etc.,) across the globe (Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa) and captures the wide density of built structures. Detailed experimental results and analysis validate the proposed technique. FusionNet has Mean Absolute Error of 3.65 and R-squared measure of 88% over the testing data. Finally, we perform the test on the 274.3 × 10 3 m 2 of the unseen region, with the error of 19 buildings off the 656 buildings in that area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Applied nuclear physics is an essential part of the research activity at many particle accelerators. New, large accelerator facilities are currently under construction in Europe, Asia, and USA. These machines will be able to produce radioactive ion beams, and to increase the intensity and the energy of the heavy ions well beyond the limits currently available at the therapy or research facilities. The upcoming facilities open new opportunities for research in biomedical applications that require these special properties, such as particle radiography, radioactive beam imaging, ultra-high dose rates and new ions for therapy. Moreover, space radiation research and materials science can successfully exploit these new centers. The new facilities can pave the way to many future applications of nuclear physics for the benefit of the society. In this paper we will summarize the current status of applied sciences at high-energy accelerators, describe the characteristics of some of the machines under construction (FAIR, NICA, RAON, ELI) and discuss the new opportunities offered by these facilities in applied sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous Vehicles (AV) technology is emerging. Field tests on public roads have been on going in several states in the US as well as in Europe and Asia. During the US public road tests, crashes with AV involved happened, which becomes a concern to the public. Most previous studies on AV safety relied heavily on assessing drivers’ performance and behaviors in a simulation environment and developing automated driving system performance in a closed field environment. However, contributing factors and the mechanism of AV-related crashes have not been comprehensively and quantitatively investigated due to the lack of field AV crash data. By harnessing California’s Report of Traffic Collision Involving an Autonomous Vehicle Database, which includes the AV crash data from 2014 to 2018, this paper investigates by far the most current and complete AV crash database in the US using statistical modeling approaches that involve both ordinal logistic regression and CART classification tree. The quantitative analysis based on ordinal logistic regression and CART models has successfully explored the mechanism of AV-related crash, via both perspectives of crash severity and collision types. Particularly, the CART model reveals and visualize the hierarchical structure of the AV crash mechanism with knowledge of how these traffic, roadway, and environmental contributing factors can lead to crashes of various serveries and collision types. Statistical analysis results indicate that crash severity significantly increases if the AV is responsible for the crash. The highway is identified as the location where severe injuries are likely to happen. AV collision types are affected by whether the vehicle is on automated driving mode, whether the crashes involve pedestrians/cyclists, as well as the roadway environment. The method used in this research provides a proven approach to statistically analyze and understand AV safety issues. And this benefit is potential be even enhanced with an increasing sample size of AV-related crashes records in the future. The comprehensive knowledge obtained ultimately facilitates assessing and improving safety performance of automated vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The floristic diversity of the Le Quesnoy amber locality (Ypresian, Oise France) remains understudied. Icacinaceae Miers, particularly, require careful study, as they are the most abundant family in the site, with 185 nearly complete lignitic endocarps specimens and numerous fragments. In this paper, we recognise three species of Icacinaceae, two of which are new, that belong to the genus Iodes. Indeed, all Iodes species from this site have the following diagnostic characters: a vascular bundle inside the endocarp wall, a reticulum of external ridges, and papillae on the surface of the locule. Iodes rigida sp. nov differs from the others in having a hole at the apex, a pattern of reticulation that delimits some areoles, an "I-Beam" ridge structure, and punctuated and heterogeneous sessile, rounded papillae. Iodes acuta sp. nov. is distinct from the others due to its unique apical outgrowth (composed of the main ridge that runs from the base up to the apex and a protuberance from the keel merged), a very thin wall, and sharp ridges. Therefore, these new species have a combination of new morpho-anatomical characters never observed before and not found in extant Iodes species. Despite some scarce differences, some specimens from Le Quesnoy are attributed to I. parva. Finally, several seeds are recognised as Icacinaceae without particular affinity. These seeds are elliptical in shape, lenticular in transverse section, and slightly asymmetrical to completely asymmetrical at the apex. A review of the Iodes fossil record is provided. The significance of endocarp ridge morphology is discussed in light of new fossils and extant data. These fossils show affinities with representatives from other Eocene sites of Europe and with the Thanetian Rivecourt site (Oise, France) and appear to have mixed affinities with the modern floras of Asia and Africa. Other studies on this remarkable site, focusing on additional taxonomic groups, are necessary to elucidate the relationship between Le Quesnoy and other floras from the past and the present. Highlights • Iodes ridiga and I. acuta are two new species from Early Eocene of the Paris Basin. • Iodes parva is present during Palaeocene and Eocene of the Paris Basin. • Mineralised seeds could be related to the Icacinaceae family. • The fossils show affinities with African and Asian extant floras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the European distribution of the understudied, host-specific rust fungus, Uromyces erythronii (Pucciniomycetes, Pucciniales, Pucciniaceae). Distribution data were derived from the survey of herbarium materials of its European host plant, Erythronium dens-canis. We demonstrate the presence of this rust fungus in 14 countries within the distribution area of its host. The temporal trend of emergence of the two rust fungus generations (aecia and telia) is presented. Based on the study of 1700 E. dens-canis individuals, we conclude that the overall infection rate has not changed significantly over the last 200 years. During field surveys, U. erythronii infection was detectable in most of the studied Erythronium populations (88.5%). A high similarity in the nrITS region was detected among samples from Europe (Croatia, Romania) and Asia (Japan). Citation: Nagy T., Pfliegler W. P., Takács A., Tökölyi J. & Molnár V. A. 2019: Distribution, infection rates and DNA barcoding of Uromyces erythronii (Pucciniaceae), a parasite of Erythronium (Liliaceae) in Europe. – Willdenowia 49: 13–20. doi: https://doi.org/10.3372/wi.49.49103 Version of record first published online on 14 March 2019 ahead of inclusion in April 2019 issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Falls are common in older adults with psychiatric disorders, but the findings across studies have been mixed. • The results suggest that prevalence of falls in older adults with psychiatric disorders vary across region, being highest in included countries in Europe and lowest in Asia. • Preventive measures of falls should be developed and implemented in psychiatric settings to reduce the risk of falls in this population. Abstract Falls are common in older adults with psychiatric disorders, but the epidemiological findings have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis examined the prevalence of falls in older psychiatric patients and its moderating factors. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases were independently searched by three investigators from their inception date to Nov 31, 2017. The random effects meta-analysis was used to synthesize the prevalence of falls, while meta-regression and subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the moderating factors. Sixteen of the 2061 potentially relevant papers met the entry criteria for the meta-analysis. The pooled lifetime prevalence of falls was 17.25% (95% confidence interval: 13.14%–21.35%). Neither univariate and nor multivariate meta-regression analyses revealed any moderating effects of the study region, duration, sample size, and quality on the prevalence of falls (P values > 0.05). Falls in older adults with psychiatric disorders are common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper updates the results obtained earlier with the climate model developed at the A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS CM) and describing the impact of atmospheric sulfur dioxide on the terrestrial carbon cycle. Since no global data are available for the near-surface SO2 concentration, a statistical model was used to reconstruct its concentration from appropriate data on surface sulfate concentrations; the coefficients of this model were tuned by using the output of the RAMS-CMAQ atmospheric chemistry and transport model. The results obtained in this study are generally consistent with data reported earlier. Specifically, the most significant SO2 impact on the terrestrial carbon cycle was found to be for southeastern North America and for Europe. However, this impact for southeastern Asia obtained in this study is considerably weaker than the value obtained earlier, which can be explained by the excessive moisture content in the atmosphere used in the IAP RAS CM for this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing concerns about urban air quality and carbon emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained popularity in megacities, especially in Europe and Asia. The energy consumption of EVs has subsequently caught researchers’ attention. However, the exploration of energy consumption of EVs has largely focused on people’s revealed driving behavior and rarely touched on their self-perception of driving styles. In this paper, we developed a more human-centric approach, aiming to investigate how the energy efficiency of EVs is shaped by the driving behavior and driving style in the urban scenario from field test data and driving style questionnaires (DSQs). Field tests were carried out on a designated route for a total of 13 drivers in the city of Beijing, where vehicle operation parameters were recorded under both congested and smooth traffic conditions. DSQs were collected from a larger pool of drivers including the field test drivers to be applied to driving style factor analysis. The results of a correlation analysis demonstrate the dynamic interaction between drivers’ revealed behavior and stated driving style under different traffic conditions. We also proposed an energy consumption prediction model with the fusion of collected driving parameters and DSQ data and the result is promising. We hope that this study would draw inspiration for future research on people’s transitioning driving behavior in an electric-mobility era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper extends previous approaches to meta-efficiency measures by incorporating meta-frontiers using good-output, bad-output and by-production efficiencies to compare European and Asian airlines. We also examine whether the heterogeneity in environmental regulatory standards between these regions has emboldened Asian airlines to be less eco-friendly and/or more market-share seeking. We find that the environmental performance of European airlines improved continuously between 2007 and 2013, unlike their competitors in Asia. We argue that this improvement in the environmental performance of the European airlines could be an outcome of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), which set incentives for European airlines to renew their fleets and optimise their operations. Our technological gap ratio estimates also point to some Asian airlines outperforming all other airlines on technological measures, indicating they operate in a more favourable business environment. Overall, our method contributes to the methodological enhancement of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and allows deeper insights into firm operations in general, and environmental efficiency analysis of European and Asian airlines in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) health care educators must plan activities as members of interprofessional teams and deliver activities to an interprofessional audience. Evidence in the literature suggests they are not well prepared to meet this challenge. This paper reviews one strategy to improve the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices of IPCE educators. Methods: Seven faculty development workshops were conducted within the USA, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Approximately 250 learners participated in the workshops in total, with 107 in an IRB-approved research study. Results: From the research cohorts demonstrated improved knowledge and skills over a 12-month period. Knowledge and skills scores increased most significantly from baseline to 3 months and remained above baseline at 6-12 months. The workshop was not an effective strategy to improve attitudes towards IPCE, though attitude scores were already high prior to participating. Conclusions: All participants actively engaged in the workshops. There were no observed differences in engagement by geographic region, gender, age, or profession. Participants stated they were better able to understand the roles of other team members; perspectives of patients, families, and caregivers; and their own roles on clinical teams. Participants described gaining a new appreciation for the complexity of designing IPCE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early puberty is a common worldwide problem. Different parameters as genetics, metabolic diseases, obesity, as well as environmental factors may affect the age of puberty. This systematic review aims to survey the related literature on the effects of environmental pollutants and especially organohalogens and phthalates on early puberty. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of papers published in the English language was completed in January 2014. Studies on the associations of organohalogens and phthalates with the puberty time were included. A literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from 1995 to January 2014; moreover manual search through references of relevant manuscripts was considered. The literature search identified 212 papers, of which 13 papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the current study. Two reviewers independently identified relevant papers for potential inclusion and assessed the methodological quality. Results: This review included 6572 participants in nine countries from three continents (Europe, North America, and Asia). Different studies determined the effects of pollutants on maturation signs and pubertal stages and confirmed the association of organohalogens and phthalates with early puberty. Conclusion: Based on the studied literature, environmental pollutants surround and accumulate in human societies and their adverse health effects are well documented. It can be concluded that organohalogens and phthalates are disturbing the normal process of puberty timing; especially their influence on early maturation in girls should be underscored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recognition of medical professionalism as a complex social construct makes context, geographical location and culture important considerations in any discussion of professional behaviour. Medical students, medical educators and practitioners are now much more on the move globally, exposing them to cultural and social attitudes, values and beliefs that may differ from their own traditional perceptions of professionalism. Aims and Methods: This paper uses the model of the intercultural development continuum and the concept of 'cultural fit' to discuss what might transpire when a student, teacher or doctor is faced with a new cultural environment. Using our own experiences as medical educators working abroad and supported by evidence in the literature, we have developed four anecdotal scenarios to highlight some of the challenges that different cultural contexts bring to our current (Western) understanding of professionalism. Results and Conclusions: The scenarios highlight some of the potentially different regional and/or cultural perspectives and nuances of professional behaviours, attitudes or values that many of us either take for granted or find difficult, depending on our training and socio-cultural upbringing. With this paper, we hope to start a long overdue conversation about global professionalism amongst medical educators, identify potential areas for research and highlight a need for medical schools to embrace a 'global' approach to how professionalism is embedded in their curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Talanta has been known as one of the top ranking journals in (general) analytical chemistry. Applying a search term "Talanta" in Scopus, using the tool for analysis in there, some characteristics on Talanta were investigated. Tracing back for every 10 year period, by considering the citations relevant to the key words of the published papers, it can be seen that Talanta serves to report the works in the trends of that period. At the beginning period of Talanta, major contributions were from Europe and the USA and less contributions from Asia. After 30 years of Talanta, contributions from Asia, especially from China, have increased. Contributions from more countries around the globe have been increasing. Image 1 • Talanta has been known as one of the top ranking journals in (general) analytical chemistry. • Via Scopus, some characteristics on Talanta were investigated. • Talanta serves to report the works in the trends in that period. • Contributions from more countries around the globe have been increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Prohibitions on producing, distributing and selling cannabis are loosening in various jurisdictions around the world. This paper describes the diversification of cannabis supply laws and discusses the challenges to and opportunities for learning from these changes. Methods We document changes in cannabis supply laws that de jure legalized cannabis production for medical and/or non-medical purposes (excluding industrial hemp) in Australasia, Europe, North America and South America. We also highlight challenges to evaluating these legal changes based on our experiences studying cannabis laws and policies in the United States. Findings As of August 2016, two countries have passed laws to legalize large-scale cannabis production for non-medical purposes at the national (Uruguay) or subnational level (four US states). At least nine other countries legally allow (or will soon allow) cannabis to be supplied for medicinal purposes. Most of the changes in cannabis supply laws have occurred since 2010. The data available in most countries are inadequate for rigorously evaluating the changes in cannabis supply laws. Conclusion The evidence base for assessing changes in cannabis supply laws remains weak. Efforts should focus upon collecting information about quantities consumed and market transactions as well as validating self-report surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]