Search

This paper analyses carbon emissions and value-added embodied in trade between two large developed countries, South Korea and the United States, during 2000-2014. Using multi-regional input-output (MRIO) tables, our analysis reveals that carbon emissions and value-added embodied in exports grew by 19% and 101% for South Korea but shrank by 43% and 7% for the United States. As a result, South Korea experienced a 40% increase in net carbon exports and 243% increase in net valueadded exports. At the industry level, the primary drivers of changes in carbon exports were electricity and basic materials. The majority of industries in witnessed improvements in carbon intensities suggesting improved environmental efficiency. While both countries achieved a decoupling of carbon emissions from value-added exports, substantial year-to-year and sectoral variations were observed. Finally, structural decomposition analysis indicates that domestic supply-side factors played a role in decreasing emissions whereas foreign demand-side factors contributed to emissions increases. In line with the main findings, various implications for policy and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In 2008, an analysis investigating health impact assessment (HIA) practice found that only 6% of HIA-related peer-reviewed publications had a focus on low- and medium-developed countries, whereas 94% were conducted in countries with a high or very high development state. We aimed to update and deepen these observations. Methods: We conducted a systematic review, searching PubMed and Web of Science for HIA-related papers published in the scientific literature from June 2007 to January 2023. Only applied HIA and papers with HIA as a subject were included. Results: The search yielded 3,036 publications and the final selection consisted of 1,019 publications. The annual number of total publications increased considerably over the past 15 years. Whereas research-driven HIA (n = 460) showed a steep increase, step-by-step HIA (n = 71) did not show a clear trend. Conclusion: The gap between the number of HIA-related peer-reviewed publications focusing on low/medium and high/very high developed countries has diminished from 6/ 94 to 11/89. There is a growing tendency to apply the terminology HIA for health impact modelling studies and quantitative health risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary healthcare for those experiencing mental illness requires healthcare practitioners (HCPs) to effectively incorporate the prescription of exercise in their treatment, in accordance with clinical guidelines. However, there has been a lack of effective implementation of such recommendations. The purpose of this review was to identify barriers to exercise prescription in the treatment of people diagnosed with mental illness as perceived by HCPs. APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published in the period from January 2005 to September 2023. A total of 18 papers were included for thematic synthesis. Four key themes were identified across the qualitative (8), quantitative (6), and mixed method (4) papers, including a lack of knowledge and confidence of HCPs in prescribing exercise; role and responsibility; HCPs' misconceptions of client barriers; and systemic issues impacting exercise prescription practices. A lack of knowledge or confidence was the most common barrier. Some HCPs indicated a desire to develop their skills in exercise prescription, while others indicated a preference for an exercise professional to take responsibility for this aspect of treatment. Systemic barriers were spread across a range of issues, with lack of time, excessive workload, and difficulties accessing qualified staff most commonly cited. This review provides further insight into the barriers to exercise prescription faced by HCPs and makes recommendations regarding how to address these barriers in order to better implement clinical guidelines and thus improve the quality of treatment provided to people diagnosed with a mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the macroeconomic and social determinants of voting behavior, and especially of political polarization – defined here as the increasing electoral success of far-right and far-left parties – in 20 advanced countries using annual data from 1970 to 2016 and covering 291 parliamentary elections. Our analysis indicates that the link between income inequality and political polarization appears to have significantly changed over the last 20 years. Indeed, we find that both average net income inequality, as well as the bottom 10% income share are statistically linked to the recent success of far-right parties (but not of far-left parties), while the top 10% or top 20% income shares are not. The link of income inequality and political polarization, and in particular the increasing success of far-right parties, thus seems to be based on the deterioration of the relative economic position especially of the poorest fraction of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper production is a process based on using water. Most of the industrialized countries set strict standards to protect the environment, and all industrial wastewater output must be based on such standards. Because of their economic value, recycled fibers must be separated from the effluent and returned to the system when the effluent leaves the factory. The purpose of this study was to investigate and measure the amount and costs of water consumption and the amount of fiber wastage in the controlled and uncontrolled output of the desired factory effluent. From observations of a local OCC recycling factory, the amount of water consumption and effluent output and the amount of fibers in the effluent output of this factory before pre-treatment and after pre-treatment were investigated. It was observed that if the water intake was not controlled and if pre-treatment was not used, a significant amount of fibers was thrown away along with the wastewater, which was 8,440 kg per 391 tons of production in one month based on total suspended solid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing attention to climate change and biodiversity loss, conservation social science research on land management practices is burgeoning. Researchers have broadened their focus from protected areas to diverse types of land management to support conservation and climate mitigation. But, developing effective strategies for these issues requires an in‐depth understanding of both the socio‐psychological factors that guide landholders' decision‐making and global trends in land management practices and literature. To assess the trends and status of land management behavior research, we systematically reviewed research published between 2010 and 2020 in five seminal conservation journals. Of 11,607 articles reviewed, we identified 100 articles about land management behavior. We assessed theoretical groundings, measurement methodology, land‐use terminology and practices, ecosystem type, and geographic distribution. We identified strengths and significant gaps and weaknesses across land management research. For example, 52% of articles made no meaningful connection to theory, only 14% of papers used observed behavioral data, 86% of studies uses non‐experimental methods and researchers disproportionately measured land management behavior in developed nations (66%). We also find that language used to describe land management behavior is very heterogeneous, making it difficult to summarize land management research using traditional systematic review methods. Conducting a limited systematic review can help summarize research and also identify trends across disciplines that might otherwise missed. Results from our limited systematic review can guide future research and support the development of evidence‐based policies to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 is an inherited tumour predisposition syndrome with a varied clinical phenotype. Long-term monitoring through imaging is inconsistent and varies in high- and low-income countries. Implementation of a clinical practice guideline through a multidisciplinary clinic is instrumental to the care of adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. This systematic review aims to evaluate the association between a country's socioeconomic status and diagnostic modalities and strategies used for adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. Our results show multiple imaging modalities are used in high-income countries; however, there is limited use in low-income countries. The two most common diagnostic modalities used in developed countries are WB MRI and FDG PET/CT. Background: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 is an autosomal dominant tumour-predisposition condition commonly diagnosed in childhood and fully penetrant by adulthood. Long-term monitoring through imaging is inconsistent and varies between high- and low-income countries. Implementation of a clinical practice guideline through a multidisciplinary clinic is instrumental to the care of adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. We aim to systematically review international diagnostic modalities and strategies to evaluate any association between a country's socioeconomic status and diagnostic modalities or strategies used for Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane. Relevant clinical information on the surveillance of adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients worldwide was reviewed, extracted, and synthesised. Results: We identified 51 papers reporting on 7724 individuals. Multiple imaging modalities are actively employed in high-income and upper-middle-income countries for surveying adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients. We did not find any relevant papers from low- and middle-income countries. Conclusions: This systematic review suggests that there is robust data on diagnostic modalities for adult Neurofibromatosis Type 1 patients in high-income countries, but not for low- and middle-income countries. There is a lack of data on consolidated diagnostic strategies from both high- and low-income countries. Efforts should be made to publish data on usual clinical practice in low- and middle-income countries to develop clinical practice guidelines describing best medical practice to fit a local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global diffusion of biotechnology has played a pivotal role in restructuring the global order in the post-Cold War era. Institution of a strong domestic base in biotech has arguably allowed emerging economies in the Global South to negotiate with developed countries from a position of strength. This paper critically examines the rise of Brazil as a case in point to examine the role of biotechnology as a great equaliser of power in North-South relations. It identifies the institution of a strong domestic biotechnology base as a primary facilitator of Brazil's emergence as a globally influential player. The paper does so through delineating the various means through which Brazil has drawn from biotechnology to boost its international image and influence. Firstly, it analyses the nuances within Brazil's domestic biotechnology strategy while underlining their catalytic effect in driving fast-paced advances in the field. Brazil's policy successes with respect to genomics and biofuels are highlighted. The paper discusses Brazil's employment of biotechnology as an effective foreign policy tool in niche diplomacy ventures of health, agriculture, and biofuels to grow its clout in the Global South. Brazil's tactful ability to combine its biotechnology expertise with skilful diplomatic manoeuvring to pioneer novel normative paradigms that favour the Global South has been studied. The paper concludes that Brazil's biotechnology strategy presents a good model for emerging economies in Asia and Africa to emulate to improve their relative standing in the multipolar world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to achieve the ambitious goal of "carbon neutrality", countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background, this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries, taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development, this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries' energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an "Energy Road" after the "Silk Road". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inscription of properties on the World Heritage List often places restrictions on existing livelihoods. In these contexts, tourism is widely held to be a panacea for the economic and social wellbeing of local communities. Ecotourism, in particular, is regarded as addressing both environmental and social needs of communities. However, existing research demonstrates that tourism seldom delivers benefits to Indigenous peoples or local communities in developing countries. This paper suggests that such limitations are equally problematic for local communities in developed nations such as Australia. Through ethnographic research including participant observation and interviews, this paper describes the impacts of tourism on the local community of Strahan, a small logging, fishing, and mining town that transformed into a tourism village following the World Heritage listing of Southwest Tasmania. We suggest that contrary to the widely held view that tourism created employment and economic growth in the town, locals experience diminished quality of life, limited opportunities, and reduced amenity and services. This suggests that ecotourism overlooks its responsibilities for local communities in developed countries, with profound consequences for social sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: nearly 50% of people in developing countries suffer from extreme poverty. Consequently, a debate has emerged about the potential of ICT to improve socio-economic conditions prevailing in impoverished nations. This discussion has given rise to a burgeoning field of research known as ICT for development (ICT4D). However, most academics in the ICT4D arena do not come from developing countries, nor do they reside in these regions -- the main beneficiaries of ICT4D initiatives. This is the case of Brazil, a country characterized by significant socioeconomic disparities, where this field of study has aroused little interest among the scientific community and thus continues to be largely under-researched. Thus, the objective of this paper is to make sense of that phenomenon. Provocations: as most of the ICT4D knowledge base has been generated either by academics who are not originally from developing countries or by academics native to developing countries who currently reside in developed countries, a provocation can be made, namely, considering that ICT4D initiatives can improve the quality of life of people, why haven't Brazilian scholars prioritized research in this area? Conclusion: as a provocative paper, our main objective is to debate on the aforementioned issue. For this, we should listen to the Brazilian Academy of Management -- mainly the academics of the ANPAD's Information Management division -- to address and solve this puzzle, so that ICT4D research in Brazil can be encouraged with a view to causing a real impact on our society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest covers 4.06 billion hectares (ha) or 31% of the total land area worldwide, where 93% (3.75 billion ha) are natural regenerating forests and the remaining 7% (294 million ha) are planted forests. Eucalyptus spp., being one of the most important plantation species, has been planted in 95 countries around the world, and the area of plantation has exceeded 22.57 million ha. In the southern hemisphere, it is a significant industrial fast-growing tree species. These plantations serve as a valuable resource for the timber and fibre-based industries. Eucalyptus is the main fibre resource for the pulp and paper industries in developed countries. Timber extracted from the planted eucalyptus trees has long been used for solid wood and its fibres were used for manufacturing medium-density fibreboard. In comparison to most softwood species, Eucalyptus timber is reported to have a higher rigidity, making it ideal for manufacturing structural products. Therefore, this paper presents a review and analysis of the recent state of research on the utilisation of planted eucalyptus for engineered wood products (EWPs) manufacturing. This study investigated Eucalyptus-based EWPs such as particleboard, fibreboard, oriented strand board, laminated veneer lumber, plywood, glue laminated lumber, and cross-laminated lumber. The feasibility of using planted Eucalyptus in the production of EWPs, as well as the challenges encountered, was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is a growing global health issue, particularly in developed countries with high and increasing life expectancies. Often, health care and social approaches problematise and see as defective people with dementia; they are viewed in terms of their deficiencies. The concept of personhood helps provide a theological framework of inherent worth, regardless of physical or cognitive capacity. This paper takes a case study approach and considers how the notion of personhood impacted the motivations and practice of two chaplains working in Aotearoa New Zealand residential dementia care settings. These chaplains offered a ministry of personal and sacramental presence. They provided simple ecumenical services, comprising elements that were familiar to the residents. They were motivated by and acted with love and compassion. The article concludes by noting implications for chaplaincy practice, including the importance of being personhood-affirming, acting out of love, and being expectant of and attentive to the discipleship and spiritual formation of residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scaling in health and social services (HSS) aims to increase the intended impact of proven effective interventions. Patient and public involvement (PPI) is critical for ensuring that scaling beneficiaries' interests are served. We aimed to identify PPI strategies and their characteristics in the science and practice of scaling in HSS. Methods: In this scoping review, we included any scaling initiative in HSS that used PPI strategies and reported PPI methods and outcomes. We searched electronic databases (e.g., Medline) from inception to 5 February 2024, and grey literature (e.g., Google). Paired reviewers independently selected and extracted eligible reports. A narrative synthesis was performed and we used the PRISMA for Scoping Reviews and the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public (GRIPP2). Findings: We included 110 unique reports out of 24,579 records. In the past 5 years, the evidence on PPI in scaling has increased faster than in any previous period. We found 236 mutually nonexclusive PPI strategies among 120 scaling initiatives. Twenty‐four initiatives did not target a specific country; but most of those that did so (n = 96) occurred in higher‐income countries (n = 51). Community‐based primary health care was the most frequent level of care (n = 103). Mostly, patients and the public were involved throughout all scaling phases (n = 46) and throughout the continuum of collaboration (n = 45); the most frequently reported ethical lens regarding the rationale for PPI was consequentialist‐utilitarian (n = 96). Few papers reported PPI recruitment processes (n = 31) or incentives used (n = 18). PPI strategies occurred mostly in direct care (n = 88). Patient and public education was the PPI strategy most reported (n = 31), followed by population consultations (n = 30). Conclusions: PPI in scaling is increasing in HSS. Further investigation is needed to better document the PPI experience in scaling and ensure that it occurs in a meaningful and equitable way. Patient and Public Contribution: Two patients were involved in this review. They shared decisions on review questions, data collection instruments, protocol design, and findings dissemination. Review Registration: Open Science Framework on 19 August 2020 (https://osf.io/zqpx7/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) of Korean manufacturing firms and the servicification of domestic employment using a firm-level panel data. In this study, considering the issue of low productivity in the Korean service sector, we categorize service employment into core and non-core services and investigate their relationship with OFDI using the firm-fixed effects model. The empirical results show that the share of core service employment exhibits a positive correlation with the extensive OFDI. On the other hand, the share of non-core service employment, which is expected to generate relatively low valueadded, does not show a significant relationship with the extensive OFDI. When we divide the samples based on host countries and the type of subsidiaries, the impact on servicification varies depending on the technological capabilities of host countries and their participation in global value chains. Our study suggests that Korean manufacturing firm's internationalization strategies may facilitate a transition from labor-intensive employment, like the cases in advanced countries, to technology-intensive employment through OFDI and other means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of economic instruments within environmental policy has become a challenging topic for policymakers, governments and scholars. Environmental taxes have emerged as a prevailing preference in developed countries to promote sustainability. Recently, a particular focus has been given to waste generation and disposal, shifting the attention from greenhouse gases to another important source of environmental pollution. This paper investigates the effect of national environmental taxes and policies on industrial waste. A fixed effects model is used for 34 countries across Europe from 2004 to 2022. The results suggest that environmental taxes and energy policies reduce industrial (hazardous and non-hazardous) waste. However, environmental tax reforms should take into consideration the deterioration in environmental quality, the increase in economic costs and undesirable social consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) have gained attention as enablers of innovation and entrepreneurship. This paper explores entrepreneurial ecosystems in developed countries. Entrepreneurship is a globally important phenomenon for economic development and addressing socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. Systematic literature review (SLR), with the aid of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) approach was used in the items selection process. A final sample of 28 primary articles was used. Additionally, bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software to determine publication patterns and citation trends. More relevant and recent articles were incorporated into the bibliometric analysis to improve the results. Isenberg's six domains of entrepreneurial ecosystems framework, supported by the Dynamic capabilities (DC) theory underpinned the study. Results show that though entrepreneurial ecosystems are prevalent, they face many challenges. However, opportunities are also available but may be difficult to access. Globally, scholars agree that entrepreneurial ecosystems enhance economic development, and they help to solve socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. This paper recommends that entrepreneurial ecosystems should be fostered in all regions to promote economic development and provide solutions to solve socio-economic problems. Local and global leaders should invest in the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems to promote economic development. The original value is based on exploring the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial ecosystems in the global environment using a developed country perspective. The findings provide important insights to policymakers and other stakeholders for developing strategies and interventions for enhancing economic growth through entrepreneurship. Plain Language Summary: How businesses collaborate in developed countries The purpose of the paper is to explore entrepreneurial ecosystems in developed countries. Entrepreneurship is a globally important phenomenon for economic development and addressing socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and poverty. Systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis (using VOSviewer software) were used as research methods. Isenberg's six domains of entrepreneurial ecosystems framework, supported by the Dynamic capabilities (DC) theory underpinned the study. Results show that though entrepreneurial ecosystems are prevalent, they face many challenges, but opportunities are available. Entrepreneurial ecosystems should be fostered in all regions to promote economic development and provide solutions to solve socio-economic problems. The findings provide important insights to policymakers and other stakeholders for developing strategies and interventions for enhancing economic growth through entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productivity growth reflects the efficiency and the improvements in prosperity of economies. The productivity slowdown that has emerged in many advanced countries jeopardizes their economic potential and social cohesion. This paper attempts to analyse the complex problem of productivity and detect the culprits in the European Union's productivity slowdown. From a holistic viewpoint, the paper explores a multidimensional context of socio‐economic and institutional factors, as well as the existence of spillover effects through a regional‐aspect compound analysis. Studying the productivity slowdown of NUTS 2 regions for the period 2000–2019 the analysis discerns four categories of factors that lead to valuable policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the magnitude impact of global value chains (GVCs) in reconstructing the pattern of world trade, its employment implications deserve thorough study. In this paper we explore the impact of GVCs position on employment across countries and its heterogeneous mechanisms. We perform an in-depth theoretical analysis followed by an empirical test using panel data for 56 industries in 42 countries from 2000 to 2014. The results show that enhancing the GVCs position will significantly increase employment, with a more pronounced effect in developing countries. Mechanical tests demonstrate a positive wage effect for developed countries. For developing countries, there is a positive demand effect and a negative factor substitution effect. Heterogeneity tests show that developed countries promote employment primarily by improving the forward GVCs position. Developing countries boost employment mainly by reducing the backward GVCs position. Further research has revealed that employment in developed countries has a clear preference for industries with higher GVCs, crowding out employment in other industries. This paper has enriched research on the employment implications of GVCs position and exploring the possible crowding effect during the evolution of the position of GVCs, which has been informative and insightful for countries in formulating GVCs participation and employment policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous bibliometric studies in scientific researchers from developed countries generally support that sharing efforts during research enhances productivity and impact and suggest these effects may be important for researchers from less developed countries exhibiting more exiguous science budgets. We examined whether researchers in the field of animal behavior in an economically less developed country compensate for this burden by collaborating with researchers from developed countries, and whether this effect is gender specific. Methods: We quantified collaborations of 30 Chilean-based focal animal behavioralists with peers from developed countries based on co-authorships within 664 animal behavior papers. We examined whether the mean number, or mean proportion of such co-authorships was positively associated with productivity (number of research papers) and impact (h-index, citations per research paper) when gender, author role (i.e., first or corresponding author), and other covariates were considered. We complemented these analyses with a survey to focal researchers to estimate the perceived relevance of collaborations with peers from developed countries. Results: The h-index, but not the number of animal behavior papers published by focal researchers, increased with the mean number (but not with the mean proportion) of international co-authors from developed countries, an effect not gender-specific, but that supported the perceived importance of collaborations with peers from developed countries. The number of papers and the individual impact of focal researchers increased with academic age. The number of citations of individual papers increased with journal impact factor, year since publication, but not with the role (first or corresponding author) played by collaborators from developed countries. Conclusions: Our bibliometric and survey-based approach supported that establishing collaborations with researchers from developed countries and publishing in high impact factor journals are correlated with the career-long impact of Chilean-based animal behavioralists, and that this association is not contingent on gender, or influenced by the role (first or corresponding author) played by collaborators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to relook at the notion of competitiveness in the challenging times of pandemic. The failure of global value chains caused many nations despite their state of economic development to struggle for necessary items. The goal of achieving profitability abated by having self-sufficiency, specifically in the manufacturing sector where unlike services, the production processes jolted. Under this backdrop, the paper attempts to project local industry clusters as a panacea for achieving resilient competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach: To explore the credibility of clusters as an important tool to prepare nations towards a resilient future, a correlation between the state of cluster development in a country and its national competitiveness has been tested. Besides, any difference in the notion of state of cluster development between least developing countries, developing countries and developed countries has also been tested. The paper uses the data from World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. Findings: Strong support for the research hypothesis has been found. High positive correlation exists between the state of cluster development and national competitiveness. The state of cluster development is found to be significantly different among three categories of countries. Originality/value: Clusters have been promoted in academic literature, policy circles and the business community for many advantages. This paper is a novice attempt to showcase these can serve as an instrument to prepare economies for self-sufficiency and a resilient future by performing an objective evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the sustainability of the environment is a very much concerning issue for developed countries, the drive of the paper is to reveal the effects of nuclear, environment-friendly, and non-friendly energy, population, and GDP on CO2 emission for Italy, a developed country. Using the extended Stochastic Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) framework, the yearly data from 1972 to 2021 are analyzed in this paper through an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework. The reliability of the study is also examined by employing Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegration Regression (CCR) estimators and also the Granger causality method which is used to see the directional relationship among the indicators. The investigation confirms the findings of previous studies by showing that in the longer period, rising Italian GDP and non-green energy by 1% can lead to higher CO2 emissions by 8.08% and 1.505%, respectively, while rising alternative and nuclear energy by 1% can lead to falling in CO2 emission by 0.624%. Although population and green energy adversely influence the upsurge of CO2, they seem insignificant. Robustness tests confirm these longer-period impacts. This analysis may be helpful in planning and developing strategies for future financial funding in the energy sector in Italy, which is essential if the country is to achieve its goals of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural development needs to be regarded as an active driver of national development in countries with large rural populations. Increasing productivity in agriculture leverages labor and resources for other sectors while sustaining food supplies for urban areas. The experience of newly industrialized and emerging industrialized countries indicates a precedent for rural development, where an increase in agricultural productivity in rural areas leads to industrial as well as general development. For a better understanding of the phenomenon, I used a research method based on overlaying data from different sources of research and comparing, eventually, the degree of similarity. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the main features of the contribution of rural development to the achievement of sustainable development objectives. The main findings of the research showed us that a combined effort is needed to harness the potential of rural populations and resources to ensure sustainable development overall and to achieve the SDGs in particular. This effort should be based on the principle of improving the lives and livelihoods of rural people and not be a technocratic exercise in economic, social, or environmental policy. Furthermore, economic instruments can also play an important role in promoting sustainable land management, but it is important to achieve growth in rural economies without sacrificing environmental sustainability. Moreover, the EU has a responsibility to promote sustainable land management. Subsidy programs could also be further developed to provide payments for ecosystem services and compensate farmers for their environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International industrial transfer (IIT) has spawned changes in the deep-seated structural power of value-added. We creatively construct an IIT index which includes both scale and direction, and constructs the structural power (SP) of value-added based on added value. Furthermore, based on 15 RECP countries from 1995 to 2018, this study uses a two-fixed-effect regression model to investigate the IIT on the structural power of value-added of RCEP countries. The results show that: (1) IIT can significantly promote the structural power of value-added of RCEP countries, and the benchmark regression conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests; (2) Heterogeneity analysis shows that IIT has a more significant promoting effect on the structural power of value-added in developed countries than in developing countries and a more significant promoting effect on the structural power of value-added inward than on the structural power of value-added outward; (3) Intermediary mechanism test shows that IIT mainly affects the structural power of value-added through trade openness and foreign direct investment. The conclusions of this paper provide useful enlightenment for enhancing the structural power of manufacturing value-added in RCEP countries in the context of global value chain division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Demographic changes in all industrialized countries have led to a keen interest in extending working lives for older workers. To achieve this goal, it is essential to understand the patterns of retirement and specifically what characterizes individuals who continue to work beyond retirement age. Thus, the aim of this paper was to contribute to the international body of empirical knowledge about individuals who continue in the workforce after retirement age. We present evidence from Denmark and examine what characterizes individuals who continue in the workforce after retirement age and investigate the likelihood of continued work after retirement age while controlling for a set of socio-economic and lifestyle factors. Methods: The study population consisted of 5,474 respondents to the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) 2021 survey, divided into two groups. The first group included subjects (n = 1,293) who stayed longer in the workforce even though they had the possibility to retire. The second group consisted of subjects who had retired full-time at the time of the survey (n = 4,181). Survey data was linked to register data to provide a broader dataset. In order to investigate the heterogeneity between the two groups in terms of important socio-economic, work-related and health-related variables, t-test, Mann-Whitney U (Wilcoxon Rank) test, and chi-square tests were employed. Further, to examine the probability of an individual working after retirement age a logit model with step-wise inclusion was utilized. Results: Overall, individuals who continue to work even though they could retire tend to be wealthier, healthier, and males compared to individuals who are retired full-time. Further, there are more older workers who have partners and are co-habitants than retirees. The likelihood of continuing in the workforce past retirement age is affected by several work-related factors as well as life-style factors. The likelihood of working past retirement age decreases by years spent in the workforce (marginal effect of -0.003), if you have a partner (-0.080) and if your partner is outside of the workforce (marginal effect of -0.106). The likelihood increases by health (marginal effect of -0.044 of moving from excellent/very good health to good health or to fair/poor health, physical working capability (marginal effect of -0.083 of moving from no/some problems to severe problems or cannot work at all) and income (marginal effect of 0.083 from moving from the lowest income-quantile to higher quantiles). Conclusion: These results are in line with the previous literature and suggest the importance of designing retirement policies that tailor the transition toward retirement according to specific characteristics of both the individual and the segment of occupation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islamic banking is among rapidly-growing components in the world's financial system. Within its institutions, continuous criteria of efficiency facilitate the evaluation of the impact of the reforms and policies on the banks' performance. In this paper, we employ the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) method for estimating the efficiency of Islamic banks in developed and developing countries. MARS is a well-known efficient method for the flexible modelling of high-dimensional data. Unlike previous work, using a nonparametric technique of such a robustness instead of parametric approaches contributes to the improvement of the various estimates, which provides investors with accurate and timely information they can immediately react upon for a better decision-making in turbulent times. On the one hand, the results of the experiments show that, in the emerging region, there is evidence of a strong linkage between Islamic banking efficiency and gross domestic product. On the other hand, in the developed region, the efficiency is rather based upon Sharia Supervisory Board and board committees. These outcomes confirm previous works showing that governance-related variables have a significant positive effect on Islamic banking efficiency. Furthermore, the overall MARS-based predictions reveal that Islamic banks operating in developed countries are relatively more efficient than their counterparts in emerging countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Only data from developed countries were used to estimate the sexual orientation difference in wages. This paper is the first, which aims to identify the wage discrimination of gay men in Russia – a country where institutional discrimination and ignorance against gay men are known to present. Design/methodology/approach: Gays are identified as men who reported having sex with other men in several waves of the national household survey. A wage equation is used to estimate the gay wage penalty. Extending the wage equation to implement a difference-in-difference design, the paper also evaluates the effect of the gay-propaganda law of 2013 on gay wages. Findings: No wage discrimination is identified. The law also has no adverse effect on gay wages. Practical implications: Cross-country comparison and theoretical generalizations are premature, and better identification strategies are needed to understand sexual orientation differences. Social implications: Policymakers should be aware that in both discriminatory and equitable environments, there may be hidden inequality even if researchers do not detect it. Originality/value: The findings are implausible and add to existing evidence that gay discrimination measured with wage equation suffers from endogeneity and should be interpreted with caution. Particular caution should be exercised in cross-sectional and time-series comparisons, as a tendency to report the orientation honestly and unobserved confounders vary by location and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we check whether social capital changes the association of subjective well-being with own income and social comparisons. We use panel data from Germany and publicly available data from three international surveys, for a total of nearly 500,000 respondents from industrial countries. Results show that the association of own income and social comparisons to subjective well-being weakens for individuals with high social capital. This finding holds in a variety of settings, and is robust to various measures of subjective well-being, of social capital, and of social comparisons. We also find evidence indicating that the role of social capital is, at least in part, causal. Finally, our findings support the macro-level implication that income differences are less related to subjective well-being differences in countries with high social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, the recent SARS-CoV-2 virus disease outbreak has infected more than 691,000,000 people and killed more than 6,900,000. Surprisingly, Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered the least from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Factors that are inherent to developing countries and that contrast with their counterparts in developed countries have been associated with these disease burden differences. In this paper, we developed data-driven COVID-19 mathematical models of two 'extreme': Cameroon, a developing country, and New York State (NYS) located in a developed country. We then identified critical parameters that could be used to explain the lower-than-expected COVID-19 disease burden in Cameroon versus NYS and to help mitigate future major disease outbreaks. Through the introduction of a 'disease burden' function, we found that COVID-19 could have been much more severe in Cameroon than in NYS if the vaccination rate had remained very low in Cameroon and the pandemic had not ended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Public health emergencies raise significant concerns about corruption and accountability; however, these concerns can manifest in different ways across diverse locations. For instance, more developed countries with a stronger rule of law may experience more corruption in vaccine procurement, whereas developing countries may experience more corruption at the point of distribution and delivery to end users. This research focuses on corruption concerns in Nigeria, specifically examining the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: This paper utilizes a scoping review and a qualitative research approach. Key informants (n = 40) involved in the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across two states in Nigeria were interviewed. Findings from the scoping review were summarized, and collected data were inductively coded and analysed in themes, revealing clear examples of implementation irregularities and corruption in the country's COVID-19 vaccination processes. Results: Vaccination programme budgeting processes were unclear, and payment irregularities were frequently observed, resulting in vaccinators soliciting informal payments while in the field. Recruitment and engagement of vaccination personnel was opaque, while target vaccination rates incentivized data falsification during periods of vaccine hesitancy. Accountability mechanisms, such as health worker supervision, vaccination data review, and additional technical support provided by donors were implemented but not effective at preventing corruption among frontline workers. Conclusions: Future accountability measures should be evidence-driven based on findings from this research. Personnel recruitment, contracting, budgeting, and remuneration should focus on transparency and accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-acquired pneumonia represents the third-highest cause of mortality in industrialized countries and the first due to infection. Although guidelines for the approach to this infection model are widely implemented in international health schemes, information continually emerges that generates controversy or requires updating its management. This paper reviews the most important issues in the approach to this process, such as an aetiologic update using new molecular platforms or imaging techniques, including the diagnostic stewardship in different clinical settings. It also reviews both the Intensive Care Unit admission criteria and those of clinical stability to discharge. An update in antibiotic, in oxygen, or steroidal therapy is presented. It also analyzes the management out-of-hospital in CAP requiring hospitalization, the main factors for readmission, and an approach to therapeutic failure or rescue. Finally, the main strategies for prevention and vaccination in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of social media, interactive activities such as anthropomorphic communications are more accessible and popular. The country-of-origin(COO) stereotype is one of the most important factors which influences individuals' attitudes toward brands. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and validity of anthropomorphic communication via social media on COO stereotypes in international competitions. Experimental results indicate that the strategy of using anthropomorphic communication has positive effects for developing countries, but not the same for developed countries; the perceived social presence mediates the relationship between anthropomorphic communication and COO stereotypes of developing countries. However, the mediating effect is not obvious in developed countries, the influence of anthropomorphic communication is effective and feasible only when individuals' mindset is global. The theoretical model in this paper is a useful supplement to the existing achievements of anthropomorphism and COO stereotypes, it provides a reference for enterprises in developing countries to use anthropomorphic strategies accurately to reduce negative COO stereotypes and improve international competitiveness, it also gives suggestions for companies in developed countries to adopt anthropomorphic communication strategies cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its appearance in 2020, Brazil and Mexico have been among the most affected countries in the world by covid-19. Their respective presidents, Jair Bolsonaro and Andrés Manuel López Obrador (known as AMLO), have played a leading role in specific policies during the pandemic. Their choices were both singular and counter- intuitive. On the health front, AMLO initially underplayed the seriousness of the situation, and the Brazilian president, Bolsonaro, defended a frankly negationist attitude, with a dramatic balance sheet, without his popularity being seriously affected. On the economic front, they have chosen policies that contradict not only each other but also their own supposed ideological stances. Bolsonaro, who is ranked on the far right, has implemented an emergency transfer program on a scale comparable to those of developed countries and the most massive the country has ever seen. Conversely, AMLO, considered a progressist, provided just a minimum policy package, maintaining his previous electoral program. By adopting a comparative approach and mobilizing a unique and diversified set of data, the objective of this paper is to explore these apparent contradictions. After having established the precise diagnosis of the policies implemented to deal with the crisis and the economic and health situation in the two countries during the 2020-2022 period, we propose an original interpretation grid of the central role played by the two presidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis for cervical cancer varies greatly between nations. The disparity in cancer survival rates within nations is largely a result of disparities in public knowledge, the accessibility of cancer services, diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the survival rate and associated factors among cervical cancer patients in East Africa. Literature search was carried out using Google scholar, PubMed/Medline, Embase and CINHAL. Covidence, a web-based program, was used to import studies for review process. PRISMA guidelines were followed. A total of 110 abstracts were identified from electronic sources. There were five duplicate articles removed. We looked at 105 papers' abstracts and titles, and we excluded 78 of them because they did not fit our inclusion criteria. We conducted a full-text analysis of the remaining 27 papers, leaving out 14 researches that did not fit our inclusion requirements. For final review, 13 studies were included. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) assessment checklist, methodological quality was evaluated. The included articles were cohort studies. They were conducted in Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Rwanda. One-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year overall survival rates ranged from 67% to 92%, 55% to 84%, 44% to 53%, 32% to 47%, and 26% to 43%, respectively. The pooled one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year survival rates of cervical cancer patients in East Africa were 84%, 71%, 50%, 39% and 36%, respectively. HIV status, late presentation, treatment modalities, older age and presence of comorbidities were the most commonly mentioned prognostic factors for survival. CRD42023402551 Most women in developing countries present with advanced disease, often untreatable or suitable only for palliation. In East Africa, cervical cancer makes up 40% of all cases of cancer detected in women. This largely highlights the inadequacy of national cancer control initiatives in most African nations, including immunization, screening, and early detection. Cervical cancer survival rates vary throughout the world and are commonly associated with the country's development status. The pooled five-year survival rate for cervical cancer patients in East Africa was 36%, according to this systematic review and meta-analysis, which is much lower than the rates in developed countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia but comparable to studies conducted in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The development in information communication and technology (ICT) has led to many changes such as reorganization of economics, globalization and trade. With more innovation processes being organized and adopted across technologies, trade, etc., these are getting more closely related and needs fresh research perspective. This study aims to empirically investigate the interrelationship between ICT penetration, innovation, trade and economic growth in 20 developed and developing nations from 1995 to 2018. Design/methodology/approach: The present paper examines both long-run and short-run relationships between the four variables, namely, innovation, ICT penetration, trade and economic growth, by applying panel estimation techniques of regression and vector error correction model. ICT penetration and innovation indices are constructed using principle component analysis technique. Findings: The findings of the study highlight that for developed nations, growth, trade and innovation are significantly interlinked with no significant role of ICT penetration While for developing nations, significant relationship is present between growth and trade, ICT penetration and innovation. With respect to trade, in case of developed nations, significant relationship is present with ICT penetration. While for developing nations there is no significant result for trade promotion. On further employing the vector error correction model, the presence of short run causality between growth, trade and innovation in case of developed nations is established but no such causality between variables for developing nations is seen. Originality/value: The present paper adds to the existing strand of literature examining interlinkage between innovation and growth by introducing new variables of ICT penetration and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study evaluates the research output on Clozapine included in Scopus database during 1970-2021. Materials and Methods: The quantitative and qualitative analysis of publications on "Clozapine" covered in Scopus database during 1970-2021 was undertaken. The results obtained were further analysed using additional features in Scopus database. Results: 7399 publications on "Clozapine" were obtained from Scopus international database and these publications received 189068 citations, averaging 25.55 citations per paper (CPP). There was initial rise in the number of publications per year from 1988 to 1995, after that the number of publications has remained relatively stable. Authors from USA, U.K. and Germany contributed to the largest number of publications (2136, 709 and 457 publications respectively), and publications with authors from USA, Canada and Germany registered the highest CPP and relative citation index (RCI). The authors from King's College London, U.K, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, USA and University of Toronto, Canada published the highest number of publications. The organization that registered the highest CPP and RCI was Sandoz International GmbH, Switzerland, Long Island Jewish Medical Centre, USA and Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, USA. The authors who published the highest number of publications were H.Y. Meltzer (USA), J.A. Lieberman (USA) and A. Weizman (Israel). The authors who registered the highest CPP and RCI were R. W. Kerwin (U.K.) and J.P. Lindermayer. The journals that published the highest number of publications were Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (351 papers), Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (282 papers), and American Journal of Psychiatry (255 papers). The most impactful publications were published in Archives of General Psychiatry, Schizophrenia Bulletin, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and American Journal of Psychiatry. Conclusion: This study suggests that the numbers of publications on clozapine have remained stable over the years and maximum research has emerged from the developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looked at the current global paradigms in cataloguing and the significance and difficulties for library adoption in developing countries like Nigeria. The paper employed a four-sturdy approach to explore the subject. The first approach to the paper put forward the concept of library in the 21st century. The second approach focused on the dimension of information and communication technology in cataloging and the latest modern cataloging practices. The third approach compared cataloging practices in advanced countries with Nigeria, while the last approach expatiated the significances, problems, and methods for libraries in Nigeria to espouse. The paper enumerated some problems and methods that libraries in Nigeria and other emerging countries in Africa can embrace for instance, sufficient funding, adequate staff training, adequate provisions and prompt maintenance of infrastructure, elimination of corrupt practices, and so on. Although a lot of literature has appeared on the problems of ICT diffusion to library operations and management in Nigeria, only a few significant doable and practical strategies have been identified for solving the problems. The writer proffered the utilization of the latest development to cataloguing initiatives and suggested the adoption of new and workable strategies for the effective application of ICT to cataloguing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The study aims to use individuals using the internet and fixed broadband subscriptions as a proxy for digitalization to empirically assess the effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), digitalization and their interaction on income inequality in developed and developing countries from 2002 to 2019. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper used the system general method of moments estimators for 30 developed and 35 developing countries. Findings -- FDI increases income inequality in developed countries but decreases it in developing countries, digitalization reduces income inequality in both groups and interaction term narrows income inequality in developed countries but widens it in developing countries. Originality/value -- The paper is the first to introduce digitalization into the FDI -- income inequality relationship. Furthermore, it provides empirical evidence to show the difference in the role of digitalization in this relationship between developed and developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon footprints (CFs) are the measure of extent of green house gases (GHGs) emitted from any organization or activity. Reporting of extent of CFs in terms of CO 2 e from educational campus may be considered as a first step towards sustainable educational practices. The present study employs a bottom up approach where CFs due to consumption of resources from each academic department is evaluated separately and net is obtained by adding contributions from individual departments. This method has the advantage of avoiding the potential overlaps in the calculation. Hence this approach to calculate carbon footprints can lead to their precise CF evaluation. In order to justify above hypothesis, CF evaluation was carried out at Shikshana Prasarak Mandali's Sir Parashurambhau College, Pune for three consecutive years starting from 2015 to 2016. The average carbon footprints over the study period were 3630.57 ± 296.79 tones CO 2 e per year with per capita emission of 0.81 ± 0.06 tones CO 2 e. The emission density determined from the average value was found to be 0.0361 ± 0.0029 tCO 2 e m−2 of the campus. It was observed that emission sources classified as scope-1, scope-2 and scope-3 contribute 28%, 48% and 25% respectively to total emission. Out of all the emission sources identified, apart from human contribution through respiration, electricity (35%), biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste, stationary paper, 7%, use of chemicals in the laboratories (5%), paper for official purpose (12%), LPG (3%) and transport (27%) were main contributors. As this is a multi faculty college, science faculty contributes almost 62%, commerce 9% and arts 11% of the total emission. • Present paper highlights carbon footprints from an Indian HEI using bottom up approach. • A questionnaire based survey was used to arrive at departmental and net footprints. • Carbon footprints of HEI in India are much less as compared to developed countries. • The carbon footprints of Indian HEIs are expected to grow at 5–6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed the authorship characteristics, editorial processing, and final fate of 126 papers dealing with data from countries other than the United States and Canada and submitted to the American Journal of Public Health in 1989. The acceptance rate of these international health papers was 22%, similar to that of all papers (25%). Authors from developed countries had higher acceptance rates than authors from developing countries, but the highest acceptance rate (36%) was for international health papers with joint authorship from both developed and developing countries. Of 83 rejected papers, 72% were published in other journals. Of these, 45% were published in journals covered by Index Medicus, a figure similar to that for all papers rejected by the Journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign direct investment (FDI) of multinational corporations (MNCs) from Central Europe have become more visible in the last decade, but many studies describing the role of talent management (TM), competency management (CM), and organizational leadership (OL) in MNCs have taken place in enterprises with headquarters in developed countries. The relationship between different variables in MNCs headquartered in less developed countries has not been satisfactorily explained in the scientific and professional literature. Hence, the main aim of this paper is based on the outcomes presentation of the relations between TM, CM, and the advancement level of OL practices in MNCs having their headquarters in less developed countries. The theoretical and empirical suppositions are based on two major concepts: resource-based views and a situational approach. The data were collected using the computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) method in 200 nonfinancial enterprises with the domination of the Polish capital having foreign entities, inter alia, in Central and Western Europe. The conducted research shows that there is a relationship among TM, CM, and OL practices. Also, there are significant differences between companies depending on the duration of the MNC's operation on the market, the size of the organization, and the type of business profile. Whereas the assumptions have been based on a literature review, empirical research has not confirmed that there is a difference between foreign subsidiaries located in more and less developed countries (here, Central Europe and Western Europe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democracy in Nigeria has been marred with a lot of tribulations threatening continuity of this form of government despite what the nation underwent before changing from military regime to civil rule. These threats include rigging, victimization of voters, imposition of candidates, godfatherism, ethnic and religious hegemony with incidental crisis; lack of respect to due process, corruption, poverty and economic recession bred inter alia by bad governance. If the problems are not nip in the bud, it can lead to secession by an integral part of the economy; serious crisis or another civil war. These lingering problems threatening the sustainability of democratic form of government in Nigeria have triggered serious concern. Despite problems experienced in democracy in this nation and some developing countries, it is still patronised by many countries because of benefits derived from it which has made it to be embraced by them. This form of government which has fortified many developed nations has also triumphed and stable in those nations that had developed good legal frameworks and system of conducting hitch free elections. The contrary is the case of Nigeria where it is wrongly practiced. It has been discovered that the crux of the matter is that constitutional provisions and other legal frameworks are often breached and wrongly executed in Nigeria and many developing countries. These have inter alia been adduced in the past as justification for aborting democracy through military incursion. This paper has considered relevant local statutes, the international standard and the legal framework of countries that have been practicing democracy successfully for a very long time. This has assisted tremendously to reinforce the legal framework with strong antidote against the venom threatening the peace, sustainability of democracy and progress of the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-slaughter stress is often caused during the different stages of animal handling, live transportation, stunning and dry bleeding. Such condition has a negative impact on animals and operators, meat quality and consumer satisfaction. A slaughter practice that intends to minimize pre-slaughter stress applicable to the small-scale commercial sector is on-farm killing (OFK) using the captive bolt pistol or gunshot method. A trust-based training of operators and cattle facilitates the killing process at the farm and thereby represents a viable substitute for live animal transportation. Our paper presents the results of qualitative research on the use of OFK methods after its legalization in Switzerland in 2020. Eight farms participated in this study, and results suggest that OFK methods are technically and economically viable in Switzerland. In fact, after the six-year-long pilot phase, farmers declare that OFK mitigates the stress for cattle, provides for less hazardous work and improves consumers' preference for their meat. In this sense, OFK may serve as a contribution to alternative slaughter methods in industrial countries. Nonetheless, the dimension of the farm still represents a major constraint for the application of these methods. In fact, OFK as a replacement for live transportation is usually viable in small-scale contexts with fewer animals, shorter distances to slaughterhouses and minimal logistical challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Racial disparities in pain management have been observed in the USA since the 1990s in settings such as the emergency department and oncology. However, the palliative care context is not well described, and little research has focused outside of the USA or on advanced disease. This review takes a cross-national approach to exploring pain management in advanced disease for people of different racial and ethnic groups. Methods: Mixed methods systematic review. The primary outcome measure was differences in receiving pain medication between people from different racial and ethnic groups. Five electronic databases were searched. Two researchers independently assessed quality using JBI checklists, weighted evidence, and extracted data. The quantitative findings on the primary outcome measure were cross-tabulated, and a thematic analysis was undertaken on the mixed methods studies. Themes were formulated into a conceptual/thematic matrix. Patient representatives from UK ethnically diverse groups were consulted. PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. Results: Eighteen papers were included in the primary outcome analysis. Three papers were rated 'High' weight of evidence, and 17/18 (94%) were based in the USA. Ten of the eighteen (56%) found no significant difference in the pain medication received between people of different ethnic groups. Forty-six papers were included in the mixed methods synthesis; 41/46 (89%) were based in the USA. Key themes: Patients from different ethnically diverse groups had concerns about tolerance, addiction and side effects. The evidence also showed: cultural and social doctor-patient communication issues; many patients with unmet pain management needs; differences in pain assessment by racial group, and two studies found racial and ethnic stereotyping. Conclusions: There was not enough high quality evidence to draw a conclusion on differences in receiving pain medication for people with advanced disease from different racial and ethnic groups. The mixed methods findings showed commonalities in fears about pain medication side effects, tolerance and addiction across diverse ethnic groups. However, these fears may have different foundations and are differently prioritised according to culture, faith, educational and social factors. There is a need to develop culturally competent pain management to address doctor-patient communication issues and patients' pain management concerns. Trial registration: PROSPERO-CRD42020167890. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Global crises, regardless of the place where they started to spread or of the factors that triggered them, require a comprehensive approach, primarily based on good communication, cooperation and mutual support. No individual and no institution should remain indifferent to crises but, on the contrary, be fully aware that any involvement in curbing them matters. Although humanity can be affected by various types of crises, in this paper we refer to the one related to COVID-19 pandemic. There are certain reasons that come to justify our choice: first of all, being a shock with a strong impact on people, its analysis should be performed from several angles; this may bring to light an image with its disparate propagation and measures to counteract it both in developed countries, and especially in those with a shortage of resources. Secondly, in the context of the emergence of vaccines against COVID-19, it is helpful to have an overview of COVID-19 through the lens of the relationship between the vaccination process and the elements that characterize governance, with a differentiated dashboard by country categories worldwide: low, middle and high-income countries. Our study is far from capturing the complexity arising from such social problem, but rather aims to outline the defining role of governance when it comes to providing firm reactions to the COVID-19 crisis. Methods: Given that our sample consists of a large number of countries, namely 170, first, examined all together, and then, split into three groups (high, middle and low-income), it is challenging to address governance in association with COVID-19 vaccination, in order to see how much they interact and how each of the six aggregate governance indicators of the World Bank (Worldwide Governance Indicators) is reflected in this process. Even if they do not oscillate strongly over relatively short periods of time, reporting on health issues requires a sequential inventory, considering closer time intervals, so as to be able to act promptly. Thus, to better distinguish how the COVID-19 vaccination process evolved in low, middle and high-income countries, but also how it was imprinted by governance, we present the situation quarterly (March, June, September and December), in 2021, the year when the immunization campaigns were the most intense at the global level. Regarding the applied methods, we mention both OLS regressions with robust estimators and a panel model, used to investigate the determinants of COVID-19 vaccination, some of them describing the good governance, as well as other dimensions. Results: The findings point out that the influence of governance on COVID-19 vaccination differs depending on whether a country belongs to high, middle or low-income typology: the strongest determinism of governance on vaccination is encountered in high-income countries, and the weakest in low-income ones; in some cases, governance does not matter significantly. However, exploring the three groups of states included in the research, it is observed that the most relevant factors in this relationship are government effectiveness, regulatory quality and control of corruption. Conclusions: Besides the order of importance of governance indicators on COVID-19 vaccination, our study indicates that, overall, governance positively shapes the vaccination rate at the level of the chosen sample. In normative terms, these findings can be translated particularly by the fact that they can serve as information to raise awareness on the relevance of the existence of an institutional framework that allows the formulation of strategies according to the patterns of each country, especially since the actionable tools depend on the available resources. As a general conclusion, public policies should be designed in such a way as to strengthen trust in vaccination regulations and in governments, to reduce the multifaceted negative effects of this health crisis and to hope for its total end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Global crises, regardless of the place where they started to spread or of the factors that triggered them, require a comprehensive approach, primarily based on good communication, cooperation and mutual support. No individual and no institution should remain indifferent to crises but, on the contrary, be fully aware that any involvement in curbing them matters. Although humanity can be affected by various types of crises, in this paper we refer to the one related to COVID-19 pandemic. There are certain reasons that come to justify our choice: first of all, being a shock with a strong impact on people, its analysis should be performed from several angles; this may bring to light an image with its disparate propagation and measures to counteract it both in developed countries, and especially in those with a shortage of resources. Secondly, in the context of the emergence of vaccines against COVID-19, it is helpful to have an overview of COVID-19 through the lens of the relationship between the vaccination process and the elements that characterize governance, with a differentiated dashboard by country categories worldwide: low, middle and high-income countries. Our study is far from capturing the complexity arising from such social problem, but rather aims to outline the defining role of governance when it comes to providing firm reactions to the COVID-19 crisis. Methods: Given that our sample consists of a large number of countries, namely 170, first, examined all together, and then, split into three groups (high, middle and low-income), it is challenging to address governance in association with COVID-19 vaccination, in order to see how much they interact and how each of the six aggregate governance indicators of the World Bank (Worldwide Governance Indicators) is reflected in this process. Even if they do not oscillate strongly over relatively short periods of time, reporting on health issues requires a sequential inventory, considering closer time intervals, so as to be able to act promptly. Thus, to better distinguish how the COVID-19 vaccination process evolved in low, middle and high-income countries, but also how it was imprinted by governance, we present the situation quarterly (March, June, September and December), in 2021, the year when the immunization campaigns were the most intense at the global level. Regarding the applied methods, we mention both OLS regressions with robust estimators and a panel model, used to investigate the determinants of COVID-19 vaccination, some of them describing the good governance, as well as other dimensions. Results: The findings point out that the influence of governance on COVID-19 vaccination differs depending on whether a country belongs to high, middle or low-income typology: the strongest determinism of governance on vaccination is encountered in high-income countries, and the weakest in low-income ones; in some cases, governance does not matter significantly. However, exploring the three groups of states included in the research, it is observed that the most relevant factors in this relationship are government effectiveness, regulatory quality and control of corruption. Conclusions: Besides the order of importance of governance indicators on COVID-19 vaccination, our study indicates that, overall, governance positively shapes the vaccination rate at the level of the chosen sample. In normative terms, these findings can be translated particularly by the fact that they can serve as information to raise awareness on the relevance of the existence of an institutional framework that allows the formulation of strategies according to the patterns of each country, especially since the actionable tools depend on the available resources. As a general conclusion, public policies should be designed in such a way as to strengthen trust in vaccination regulations and in governments, to reduce the multifaceted negative effects of this health crisis and to hope for its total end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scientometric analysis helps to measure the research growth and highlights the salient characteristics of the specific dataset. Saudi Arabia is rapidly growing country in the field of science and technology and remarkably contributing in the research productivity in all areas of health sciences, including radiological sciences from 1995 to 2000 and is drastically increased globally. Aim: To analyse the credible literature on radiological sciences research from Saudi Arabia as reflected in the Scopus database. Materials and Methods: This was a quantitative exploratory study based on scientometric analysis. The data was extracted from the Scopus database. The subject category of "radiology, nuclear medicine and imaging" was selected in the advanced search feature of the Scopus database. All the relevant scholarly literature consisted of articles and reviews indexed under the country name of Saudi Arabia published in English language from 1985 to 2020 were included for analysis. Results: Saudi Arabia was ranked 33rd with 1,587 papers in radiological sciences, representing 0.43% of the global share. The slow progress was observed in the first 20 years but the remarkable growth was recorded during the last five years of study. King Saud University and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre were the most contributing institutions. Saudi radiologists collaborated with 99 countries of the world and the United States was on the top. Four national journals were included in the list of top 10 preferred journals. Conclusion: Although the rising tendency in radiological sciences research was evident during the last 10 years, still the share of Saudi Arabia was found much lower in comparison with the developed countries. Few well-established Institutions have taken lead in research productivity but a prioritised response from other Research Institutions is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of the 50s, Franz Fanon asks about the binding relationship between certain phenomena of power, identity, gender and resistance, and their forms of simplification/manipulation for the transmission of coloniality. Taking his "Unveiling" political category as a theoretical loan, this paper will try to offer some readings regarding Schools, and the ways they operate, understand and manage diverse and diversity as well. And in order to do so, we will place the First World Soccer Cup that took it place in the Middle East recently, as excuse or a starting point for this historical discussion. It is from this special horizon understood it as part of a political representation, that let us overhaul some frequently relations of inequality that still continues to operate "unseen" between West and East; and that, for us, Schools can urgently attend to help and contribute to counteract them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary turns a critical lens on the perspectives of labour in the potential green transition. It shows what changes when we focus on worldwide social labour—the labour which most of humanity currently performs—and its worldwide impact, going beyond climate to damages from mining and to biodiversity and other elements of the ecology. Such an optic forces scepticism about approaches which only consider the North when it comes to a large-scale green transition. Indeed, this paper argues, using illustrative examples, how such approaches rely on suppressing the historical role of colonialism and imperialism in making First World (core) development possible. It shows how lenses such as "social reproduction" or policies such as "universal health care" focused only on the core reproduction of worldwide patterns of domination. It then puts forward the outlines of an alternative approach to decent work in the context of a worldwide green transition toward a non-hierarchical world system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientometric research was conducted through correlation-analysis, and intended to assess the correlation between publications and patents both in developed countries and in Iran. The present study was performed using scientometric methodology and used USPTO for patent data and Scopus for publication data from 2015 to 2019. This study applied both parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses. Moreover, the Spearman Correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between variables and types of variables. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS1 software. The relationship between these two variables was significant in each of the years under study. Different types of scientific documents, such as books, articles, and conference papers, were assessed. The Pearson Correlation analysis between these types of documents showed significance at 0.01 level in the articles with the correlation coefficient of 0.858, books with the correlation coefficient of 0.867, and conference papers with the correlation coefficient of 0.874, which was related to the extent of patenting. The subject areas related to social sciences and humanities, engineering and technical sciences, medical sciences, and biological sciences with the correlation coefficients of 0.866, 0.861, 0.843, and 0.834, respectively, at 0.01 level, revealed a significant relationship between the studied countries' scientific output in these subject areas and the extent of patenting. The results of the present research showed that there was a positive relationship between the studied countries' scientific output and their level of patenting. The countries that enjoy high levels of scientific output have more inventions. However, the results for Iran indicated that the growth in scientific output has had an insignificant effect on the country's invention rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]