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African immigrants are moving to high-income nations such as Canada in greater numbers in search of a better life. These immigrants frequently struggle with several issues, including limited social support, shifts in gender roles/status, cultural conflicts with their children, and language barriers. We used participatory action research (PAR) to gather data about Sub-Saharan African immigrants residing in Alberta, Canada, with a focus on their viewpoints, difficulties, and experiences of parenting children in Canada. We contextualized our study and its findings using both postcolonial feminism and transnationalism approaches. Study findings show African immigrant parents place a high priority on respect between generations. The absence of assistance, conflicts caused by culture, and language barriers are notable difficulties they encountered in parenting. An additional factor is a lack of acquaintance with and comprehension of the culture of their new home nation. Several implications stem from our findings, including the need for interventional research that explores effective, culturally relevant strategies for enhancing parenting among African immigrants. Our findings demonstrate the need for culturally sensitive policies and practices that support the transition and integration of African immigrant families into Canadian society. It is imperative for health care providers and policy makers to develop and revise culturally appropriate policies that take into consideration the importance of African immigrants in destination countries. Adopting culturally relevant policies and practices will improve the wellbeing of this growing but underprivileged minority of Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study marks one of the pioneering efforts to compile comprehensive information on Ramsar sites globally. It delves into the significance of wetlands and the designation of Ramsar sites across various countries, incorporating a concise exploration of the utilization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for wetland monitoring and assessment. Additionally, the study conducts a comparative evaluation of Ramsar sites, analyzing their percentage area and overall coverage worldwide. Incorporating a Scientometric analysis utilizing the Scopus database, the study features a co‐occurrence map, thematic map, thematic evolution trend, and country collaboration map. Emphasizing the interconnection between wetlands and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG6 (Clean Water & Sanitation), SDG12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), SDG13 (Climate‐Action), SDG14 (Life Below Water) and SDG15 (Life on Land), the study delves into associated targets and indicators. Targets such as 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6a, 6b of SDG‐6, 12.1, 12.2, 12.4 of SDG‐12, and 13.2, 13.3 of SDG‐13 align with wetland management and conservation. Moreover, it affirms the role of wetlands in supporting targets 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5, 14.6, 14a‐c of SDG‐14, and 15.1, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7, 15.8, and 15.8 of SDG‐15. Policies, regulations and management plans of different countries relevant for supporting and establishing relationship with SDGs are discussed in details. The study offers a detailed exploration of these targets, elucidating indicator types associated with each SDG target. By doing so, it provides valuable insights for future researchers and policymakers, underlining the indispensable contribution of wetlands to the direct and indirect fulfillment of SDGs 6,12,13,14,15 and 17. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) hold promise for curbing emissions and promoting sustainable urban development in India, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, their uptake remains below expectations. This study delves into factors influencing EV adoption, exploring socioeconomic determinants, technical specifications, cost considerations, and policy impacts. It also assesses the role of charging infrastructure accessibility, demographic disparities, and battery end‐of‐life perceptions. The research identifies key socio‐economic factors driving consumer choices and perceptions of EVs through a comprehensive survey and logistic regression analysis. The findings will guide policymakers and businesses in developing effective strategies to promote EV use, supporting SDGs related to sustainable cities, communities, and economic growth. The insights gained from this study can inspire private sector growth and innovation, leading to new business opportunities that benefit companies and consumers. This research represents a crucial milestone in advancing sustainable transportation solutions in India and creating a better future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The declaration by the World Health Organization and government-initiated actions by different countries for the COVID-19 vaccine have led to the rapid evolution of sentiments on various social media platforms. Real-time data related to vaccination has grown the need to anticipate the changes in vaccine uptake. Using Twitter dataset, the study models different emotions and their associated word. The emotions are majorly classified into hesitancy and willingness for vaccination. The study categorizes the tweets into pre-launch, post-launch, and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Based on comparative analysis, most sentiments were related to hesitancy for vaccination during pre-launch. In post-launch, the majority of sentiments were oriented towards willingness for vaccination. However, during the booster dose, the sentiments were oriented toward happy, adequate, and free emotions. Over the time period, the willingness of the COVID-19 vaccine has improved. The practitioners and policymakers can obtain real-time sentiments based on this approach and strategize the long-term vaccination policy for COVID-19 and other vaccination programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the performance of logistics service providers (LSPs) in the Philippines, emphasising their impact on economic development and competitiveness. Utilising data collected from 126 respondents affiliated with the Philippines International Sea freight Forwarder Association and the Air cargo Forwarders of the Philippines Inc., the study identifies key performance indicators, including cost, time and reliability. The findings reveal that while LSPs in the Philippines maintain acceptable performance levels, significant challenges remain, particularly in domestic logistics. The study highlights that delays in customs processes and infrastructure inadequacies are major impediments to optimal logistics performance. Comparative analysis with other ASEAN countries shows that the Philippines lags in certain areas, particularly in delivery reliability and logistics infrastructure quality. The research also explores human resource issues, noting a high turnover rate and reliance on on-the-job training. Policy implications suggest the need for enhanced infrastructure, better regulatory frameworks and targeted human resource development to boost logistics performance. This study offers valuable insights for policy-makers and industry stakeholders aiming to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the Philippines' logistics services. JEL Codes: F0, F2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current agriculture system has become complex and fragile in recent years. With an increase in population, the demand for food is increasing, but the resources such as arable land and water are limited, and clearing forest land for cultivation and over-extraction of groundwater are changing land-use patterns and depleting groundwater resources, which again are responsible for multiple risks in agriculture and food system. The limited land and water resources with increased global population and its demand for food have mainly stressed small farmers. The rising environment, social and economic risks such as crop disease outbreaks, climate risk causing natural hazards such as floods, famine, drought, exposure to chemicals, technology risks such as genetically modified crops, and biofuels, food demand disparities, demographic and dietary changes, financial risk, conflict and political unrest, biological diversity loss, psychological factors in long-term decision making, and emerging complexity within agriculture system network are the some of the examples of multiple risks faced by small farmers in developing nations. Understanding the link among multiple domains such as environment, soil and hydrology, science, technology, finance, psychology, nutrition, and relation and conflicts is vital to study the multiple risks associated with the agriculture system as these domains overlap. Thus, sustainable long-term solutions cannot be confined to a single discipline approach. Therefore, there is a need to understand the intertwined nature of multiple risks affecting farmers. First, the author emphasizes on understanding the interconnected nature of rising multiple risks in modern industrial agriculture and food system in terms of social, environmental, and economic dimensions, this understanding is crucial for sustainable agriculture policy framing. Second, providing policy implications that will help policy makers to develop legalize mechanism to reduce rising risk of hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dockless bike-sharing mobility brings considerable benefits to building low-carbon transportation. However, the operators often rush to seize the market and regulate the services without a good knowledge of this new mobility option, which results in unreasonable layout and management of shared bicycles. Therefore, it is meaningful to explore the relationship between the built environment and bike-sharing ridership. This study proposes a novel framework integrated with the extreme gradient boosting tree model to evaluate the impacts and threshold effects of the built environment on the origin–destination bike-sharing ridership. The results show that most built environment features have strong nonlinear effects on the bike-sharing ridership. The bus density, the industrial ratio, the local population density, and the subway density are the key explanatory variables impacting the bike-sharing ridership. The threshold effects of the built environment are explored based on partial dependence plots, which could improve the bike-sharing system and provide policy implications for green travel and sustainable transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we review the academic transportation literature published between 2014 and 2018 to evaluate where the field stands regarding the use and misuse of statistical significance in empirical analysis, with a focus on discrete choice models. Our results show that 39% of studies explained model results exclusively based on the sign of the coefficient, 67% of studies did not distinguish statistical significance from economic, policy or scientific significance in their conclusions, and none of the reviewed studies considered the statistical power of the tests. Based on these results we put forth a set of recommendations aimed at shifting the focus away from statistical significance towards proper and comprehensive assessment of effect magnitudes and other policy relevant quantities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study explored a Bayesian belief networks (BBNs) approach, developing two distinct models for prioritizing the seven indicators related to the “rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic” category within the context of both the specific category and the Global Health Security Index (GHS index). Utilizing data from the 2021 GHS index, the methodology involves rigorous preprocessing, the application of the augmented naive Bayes algorithm for structural learning, and k-fold cross-validation. Key findings show unique perspectives in both BBN models. In the mutual value of information analysis, “linking public health and security authorities” emerged as the key predictor for the “rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic” category, while “emergency preparedness and response planning” assumed precedence for the GHS index. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the critical role of “emergency preparedness and response planning” and “linking public health and security authorities” in extreme performance states, with “access to communications infrastructure” and “trade and travel restrictions” exhibiting varied significance. The BBN models exhibit high predictive accuracy, achieving 83.3% and 82.3% accuracy for extreme states in “rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic” and the GHS index, respectively. This study contributes to the literature on GHS by modeling the dependencies among various indicators of the rapid response dimension of the GHS index and highlighting their relative importance based on the mutual value of information and sensitivity analyses.

This study explored a Bayesian belief networks (BBNs) approach, developing two distinct models for prioritizing the seven indicators related to the "rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic" category within the context of both the specific category and the Global Health Security Index (GHS index). Utilizing data from the 2021 GHS index, the methodology involves rigorous preprocessing, the application of the augmented naive Bayes algorithm for structural learning, and k-fold cross-validation. Key findings show unique perspectives in both BBN models. In the mutual value of information analysis, "linking public health and security authorities" emerged as the key predictor for the "rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic" category, while "emergency preparedness and response planning" assumed precedence for the GHS index. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the critical role of "emergency preparedness and response planning" and "linking public health and security authorities" in extreme performance states, with "access to communications infrastructure" and "trade and travel restrictions" exhibiting varied significance. The BBN models exhibit high predictive accuracy, achieving 83.3% and 82.3% accuracy for extreme states in "rapid response to and mitigation of the spread of an epidemic" and the GHS index, respectively. This study contributes to the literature on GHS by modeling the dependencies among various indicators of the rapid response dimension of the GHS index and highlighting their relative importance based on the mutual value of information and sensitivity analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to discern the causes of the health and developmental problems of children, and thence develop preventative strategies, longitudinal cohort studies offer major advantages. They can monitor the consequences of exposure to physical and psychological events and thence identify antecedents of various disorders. We describe the historical background to the development in the UK of this study design, and the uptake of longitudinal birth cohorts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), using the cohorts in Jamaica, South Africa and Brazil as exemplars. We describe the benefits of such studies and show how undertaking longitudinal cohort studies can have major health and financial benefits to the populations concerned. Additionally, the paper outlines the advantages of collaboration between studies and the pooling of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analysed the challenges to food security in the Almaty region and developed practical recommendations in this area, using the experience of other countries as an example. The developed model includes assessments of threats to food security in the Almaty region, monitoring of international experience in improving the regulation of food security issues, and practical application of innovative approaches to enterprise performance management, given the state of food security. This model includes theoretical and practical recommendations, in particular, a set of methods to protect the economy from the crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial technology has the potential to impact positively the financial sector whether it is conventional finance or Islamic finance. It is a dire need of the day to develop Fintech (Financial technology) in Pakistan. There are, however, certain issues present in Pakistan in this regard. The core purpose of this study is to explore these issues in depth and provide a solution for those, to highlight the prospects of Fintech for the Islamic finance sector in Pakistan. This is qualitative research following an exploratory method. Top experts belonging to different categories of stakeholders for a standard Fintech model have been interviewed. The study adopted the semi-structured interview technique for data collection. Data analysis has shown that this includes a lack of IT and Telecom infrastructure, a lack of long-term policies by the Government, tight regulatory rules by the SECP, and low flexibility for the Islamic financial institutions when it comes to the regulatory framework by the SBP. Customers' attitudes and lack of awareness campaigns are the other issues. Another important issue is the non-availability of required human resources for Fintech development. However, all these issues can be overcome by collaboration between banks and other financial institutions. The future of fintech in Pakistan is very bright. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bike sharing systems gain traction worldwide, but previous research pay less attention to the more detailed operating characteristics at station level. This study aims to fill this void in the literature by looking into the stations' performance with considering systemic intervention and user-driven usage. Methodologically, an innovative approach that captures the underlying relevance of trip records is proposed firstly to identify the bicycle-based operating states in its lifecycle, such as being redistributed, parked, or used. From bike to station, all the bicycle-based operating status information can be linked to associated stations, consequently, station vitality and station pattern are refined into stations' operating performance. In addition to rational classification and discussion of operating features, this study has explored the impact of surrounding built environment on these specific operating features instead of simple trip intensity. To test the proposed methodology, trip record data from the bike sharing system of Boston in 2019 is used. The results indicate that user-driven and manual-scheduling bike movements are all particularly relevant to keeping stations' sustainable daily operation, but vary across the stations in their ratio. In terms of station vitality and station pattern, some stations would embody the nature of high-output-scheduling, low-bike-turnover, or high-input-scheduling relative to the baseline scenario of operating performance. Heterogeneity of stations in operating is also proved to be caused by the surrounding built environment. The outcomes and methodological framework would facilitate the assessment of bike sharing system operating state at station level, as well as instilling new insights into bike sharing system design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the causes and impacts of unemployment in South Africa using data from the 2022 General Household Survey conducted by STATS SA. Specifically, it seeks to analyze the demographic and socio-economic factors influencing unemployment rates, explore the implications of unemployment on individuals and society, and identify policy implications for addressing this pressing issue. Unemployment remains a significant challenge in South Africa, with persistent high rates that disproportionately affect certain demographic groups. This study addresses the need for an in-depth analysis of unemployment dynamics, providing valuable insights into its causes, consequences, and potential policy interventions. The study utilizes data from the 2022 General Household Survey conducted by STATS SA, encompassing a total population of approximately 18738 households. The dataset offers comprehensive information on employment status, demographic characteristics, education levels, and household income. Employing the statistical software SPSS, employing a combination of descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and a binary logistic regression model, the research uncovers significant disparities across demographic groups, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals at the household level and advocating for targeted policy interventions. Gender disparities emerge starkly, with female-headed households constituting 44% of the sample yet reporting lower employment rates (34.7%) compared to male-headed households (59.6%). Regression analysis confirms this trend, highlighting the gender-based hurdles in accessing employment opportunities. Furthermore, concerning trends in youth unemployment are revealed, with nearly 40% of individuals under 35 reported as unemployed. Regression analysis demonstrates a negative association between age and unemployment, emphasizing the need for targeted youth employment initiatives. Additionally, the study underscores the critical role of education in enhancing employment prospects, with higher levels of education associated with lower unemployment rates. Racial disparities in unemployment rates are also elucidated, with the Black/African population group facing the highest unemployment rate at 52.3%, significantly higher than the Asian/Indian (37.8%) and White (40.4%) population groups. Regression analysis confirms these disparities, necessitating targeted efforts to address structural barriers and promote racial equity in the labor market. The study recommends, implementing gender-sensitive employment policies, enhancing youth skills development programs, and promoting equitable access to education and training opportunities for all groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Planetary Boundaries (PBs) pioneering approach defines environmental sustainability in terms of a Safe Operating Space (SOS) for human’s society to develop and thrive. The approach has found fertile ground in combination with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) - a standardised method for assessing the environmental impacts of product systems. In this article, we conduct a detailed review of existing approaches to embed PBs in LCA. We start by exploring the links between PBs control variables and LCA impact categories and then focus on reviewing three approaches (i) absolute environmental sustainability assessment (AESA), (ii) PBs-based normalisation and (iii) PBs-based weighting. We examine four key methodological aspects covering harmonisation of units (between PBs control variables and LCA indicators), definition and allocation of the SOS, regionalisation of boundaries and temporal aspects. We conclude the review with a discussion on applicability, limitations, policy implications and conclusions.

Regional budget assessments of methane (CH4) are critical for future climate and environmental management. CH4 emissions from rice cultivation (CH4-rice) constitute one of the most significant sources. However, previous studies mainly focus on historical emission estimates and lack consideration of future changes in CH4-rice under climate change or anthropogenic policy intervention, which hampers our understanding of long-term trends and the implementation of targeted emission reduction efforts. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variations of CH4-rice over the past two decades, using an integrated method to identify the major drivers and predict future emissions under climate change scenarios and policy perspectives. Results indicate that the CH4-rice emissions in China ranged between 6.21 and 6.57 Tg yr−1 over the past two decades, with a spatial distribution characterized by decreases in the south and increases in the north, associated with economic development, dietary shifts, technological advancements, and climate change. Factors such as the rate of straw added (RSA), fertilization, soil texture, temperature, and precipitation significantly influence CH4 emissions per unit rice production (CH4-urp), with RSA identified as the most significant tillage management factor, explaining 32 % of the variance. Lowering RSA to 8 % is beneficial for reducing CH4-urp. Scenario analysis indicates that under policies focusing on production or demand, CH4-rice is expected to increase by 0.3 % to 5.6 %, while adjusting RSA can reduce CH4-rice by 9.4 % to 10.0 %. Structural adjustments and regional cooperation serve as beneficial starting points for controlling and reducing CH4-rice in China, while optimizing industrial layouts contributes to regional development and CH4-rice control. Implementing policies related to maintaining field and crop yields can achieve a balance between rice supply and demand ahead of schedule. Dynamic adjustment of rice cultivation based on supply–demand balance can effectively reduce CH4-rice from excess rice production. By 2060, the reduction effect could reach 8.95 %–12.01 %. Introducing policy-driven tillage management measures as reference indicators facilitates the reduction of CH4-rice.

The research investigates the potential outcomes of e-invoicing on tax collection and its implications for the future of the Romanian tax system. Employing a comprehensive approach, the study combines theoretical frameworks with a comparative analysis of countries that have already applied e-invoice. Initially, it reviews significant research in the field, utilizing bibliometric analysis to identify key contributions. The bibliometric analysis was implemented based on the Web of Science database. Subsequently, it examines the evolution of e-invoicing globally, comparing tax revenues before and after its implementation in various countries to discern its impact. In this regard, the statistical data was extracted from The World Bank and Eurostat databases. Additionally, it provides an overview of electronic invoicing specifically within the context of Romania. The methodology involves a comparative analysis of tax revenue data and the progression of e-invoicing adoption which was represented according to data from the Romanian Ministry of Public Finance. This study aims to assess whether e-invoicing has a positive or negative effect on tax collection and to offer insights into its potential implications for the Romanian tax system.

AbstractDuring the past pandemic, digital business activities have developed enormously, and many businesses have undergone a significant transformation to participate in the digital revolution. However, for the digital transformation to take place successfully, Industry 4.0 comes from breakthroughs in many fields, including the digital wave of the manufacturing sector. Many countries have paid attention to and concretized priorities for developing a digital economy. Vietnam also faces challenges that the digital trend brings, including the risk of competition for small and medium enterprises, especially high-quality human resources in today’s businesses. This article analyzed the current situation and applied descriptive statistics to summarize and apply the structural equation model (SEM) from a set of data, a research sample in numbers, and visual charts that surveyed 850 enterprise managers. Human resource management is a multifaceted process that has wide-ranging effects. Presently, several variables are influencing the field of human resource management. These elements often undergo changes and can be categorized into fundamental influencing factors: The attributes of the external factors, including the economy, people, legislation, culture, rivals, science, and technology. The internal environment encompasses several variables: the working environment, labor recruitment and selection, training and development, remuneration, bonuses, and welfare. The article’s goal is to explore factors that influence human resource management. Based on the results, the article’s contributions had several policy recommendations for developing human resources at small and medium enterprises for Vietnam’s post-Covid-19 pandemic. The application of the research is to strengthen and build a cultural working environment and create conditions and opportunities for human resources to develop; business leaders must be exemplary in words and deeds. Human resource development strategies must be implemented in an environment of fairness, discipline, ethics, and respect for the law as standards; create a cultural environment, leading the development of human resources.

The paper examines different real-monetary dynamics and policy responses during the COVID-19 pandemic (C19P) and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in the United States through the lens of the Sraffian Supermultiplier model and the endogenous money approach. On the one hand, the C19P triggered a relatively deeper contraction in GDP, but its recovery was relatively faster and more robust. The ‘V’ shaped recovery from the C19P significantly contrasted the ‘L’ shaped trajectory of the post-GFC period. On the other hand, the money supply (M2) grew relatively more, and the monetary base expanded relatively less during the C19P. To explain these different real-monetary dynamics, a theoretical framework is developed and analyzed empirically for the United States. The theoretical model and the empirical analysis suggest that money supply is endogenously determined by creditworthy demand derived from the multiplier-accelerator effect of non-capacity generating autonomous demand, in which government spending plays a key role. Therefore, the absence of full hysteresis after the C19P shock had nothing to do with a traditional neoclassical trend reversal mechanism but with the fiscal supermultiplier effect of the extraordinary pandemic-related government spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We establish a bus market evolution model to explore the implications of subsidy policies in Hong Kong (HK) for the transition to a zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet using an unsubsidized case as the benchmark scenario. Using the system dynamics (SD) approach, we capture the intricate feedback mechanisms among market share dynamics, cost considerations, consumer preferences, and competitive interactions within the bus market. These interactions are encapsulated within three pivotal feedback loops: scale economy, public acceptance, and bus market competition. We systematically integrate the HK-specific features of hydrogen buses (H-buses), battery electric buses (E-buses), and diesel buses (D-buses) from technical and economic perspectives and compare them to the benchmark scenario. The results show that only 66% of the bus fleet would be ZEBs by 2050, and this underscores the necessity for governmental financial incentives to expedite the transition to a fully zero-emission fleet. Furthermore, we evaluate various ZEB subsidy policy alternatives in terms of timing, intensity, and recipients. The analysis suggests that policies offering long-term and low-intensity subsidies are most beneficial, taking into account the cumulative effects and inherent delays associated with policy implementation. Importantly, the study highlights the critical balance that policymakers must achieve between short- and long-term objectives, especially given the counter-intuitive outcomes observed in the early stages of policies favoring H-buses exclusively. This study provides valuable policy insights for policymakers and upstream energy companies in HK, with potential applicability in wider real-world contexts. • Zero-emission bus alternatives are analyzed from technical and economic aspects. • Various feedback loops are considered for dynamic market analysis. • A counter-intuitive effect is observed in the hydrogen bus subsidy scenario. • A long-term subsidy with low intensity is recommended. • Tradeoff between short- and long-term policy effects is identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess the impact of restrictive measures against the COVID-19 spread on the air quality of the most representative urban centers in Italy during the 66 days of the first lockdown, integrating a broad and detailed set of socioeconomic and health data into machine learning techniques and correlation analysis. Hierarchical Clustering analysis applied to all 104 Italian provinces indicated a group of six provinces to represent the urban environment in Italy. In contrast, correlation analyses suggested two meteorological parameters and four other air quality parameters as the most skilful at expressing changes in air quality during the first lockdown. Filtering the effects of seasonality, NO concentrations were the ones that most acted in improving urban air quality, showing reductions of up to 48% in all analyzed provinces, directly related to reductions in population mobility in this period (other studies reported an incisive role of pollutants as N O 2 and P M 10 or P M 2.5 in the SARS-CoV-3 spread). However, there were increases in P M 10 concentrations related to the use of wood burning for heating, and in S O 2 concentrations associated with the food industry, a sector slightly affected by the restrictive measures for being framed as essential. Naples was the only province which reported concentration reductions in all pollutants evaluated, including ozone (7%). However, it was the one that registered the most significant increases during the first days after the lockdown, probably due to the less restrictive measures applied to provinces with the lowest contamination numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This narrative review critically examines the underexplored domain of aging in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), highlighting the unique challenges and support needs faced by older adults on the spectrum. Despite increased recognition of ASD in younger populations, a significant knowledge and resource gap persists for older adults, who often navigate aging without adequate support or understanding. The review synthesizes research on the aging process in ASD, detailing specific challenges such as increased healthcare barriers, social isolation risks, and the complexities surrounding late diagnosis. It underscores the dire need for tailored intervention strategies and support mechanisms, critiquing the current inadequacies in addressing these needs. Furthermore, the review explores policy implications, advocating for a shift in the conceptualization and accommodation of autistic aging within healthcare and social services. It calls for a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to research and support, urging collaboration among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the autistic community to ensure that aging individuals with ASD receive the necessary resources for a dignified life. Through a detailed synthesis of existing literature, this review illuminates the urgent need for focused attention on the aging ASD population, proposing future research directions that prioritize inclusivity and specificity in support strategies. It represents a call to action for developing a holistic framework that acknowledges and addresses the unique experiences of older adults with ASD, aiming for a future where they are supported comprehensively as they age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Public environmental concern (PEC) serves as a prominent representative of informal environmental regulation, which in turn propels the high-quality economic development. It’s important to understand how enterprise digital transformation (EDT) and PEC are connected, as this connection plays a crucial role in driving strong economic growth—it can be seen as a key pathway to achieving high-quality economic development. This research examines the influence and mechanism of PEC on EDT through the analysis of data obtained from publicly traded companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen, China along with city-level PEC data covering the period from 2010 to 2021. In addition, a heterogeneity analysis was performed to examine the variations among cities, industries, and enterprises, and we obtained a total of three conclusions as follows. (1) The results of our study reveal a statistically significant positive association, indicating that an increase in PEC has a substantial impact on the development of EDT. This association remains robust even after a series of robustness tests. (2) Mechanistic analyses further support our finding. PEC encourages companies to investments in research and development (R&D), attract skilled personnel, and commit to environmental responsibilities, thus promoting EDT. (3) From the municipal viewpoint, the influence of PEC on EDT is more significant in cities with advanced digital infrastructure, greater governmental subsidies, and those located in the central and western regions. From an industrial viewpoint, the effect of PEC on EDT is more pronounced in manufacturing firms and heavily polluting industries. At the enterprise level, the beneficial impact of PEC on EDT is more evident in companies with a stronger emphasis on environmental investment, in non-state-owned enterprises, and in those with higher levels of pollution. In conclusion, this research sheds light on the significant role of PEC in driving EDT and, consequently, economic growth. The research will offer valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to align economic progress with environmental awareness.