bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of nanomodified polypropylene mesh with an antiseptic in patients with inguinal hernias during Lichtenstein surgery
Authors: Lutkovskyi Ruslan
Published: November 2022

Aloplasty of inguinal hernias (IH), of using modified polypropylene mesh antiseptic and an by carbon nanotubes, buth this is accompanied by a fairly high freguency of postoperative complications from the postoperative wound.

In our view, the use of a nanomodified polypropylene mesh modified by carbon nanotubes and an antiseptic of polyhexamethleneguanidme chloride the results of surgical treatment of IH.

Aim – to improve the results of surgical treatment of inguinal hernias modified polypropylene mesh antiseptic and an by carbon nanotubes.

Materials and methods. The analysis of surgical treatment of 144 patients with IH of has been performed. Depending on the type of mesh used during surgical treatment, patients were divided into 2 groups. In 72 (50%) of Group I patients, using modified polypropylene mesh antiseptic and an by carbon nanotubes. In the 2ndgroup, 72 (50%) patients using classic polypropylene mesh.

Results and discussion. Statistically significant results were obtained in patients of Group I compared to Group II: seroma was in 4 (5.6±1.2%) in Group II compared to 2 (2.8±0.4%) in Group I (p<0.05), respectively, the suppuration of the postoperative wound – 4 (5.6±0.4%) to 1 (1.4±0.6%) (p<0.05). The terms of stay of patients of group II on inpatient treatment – 11,2±2,2 days group II – 7,3±1,3 days.

Long-term results: ligature fistulas of the anterior abdominal wall were detected in 3 (5.4±0.4%) patients of group II, in patients of group I of the ligature fistulas were not detected (p<0.05), meshoma – in 1 (1.8±0.3%) of patients in group II, in group I there was no stir (p>0.05). Chronic pain in the abdominal wall in 6 – 8 months after surgery was observed in 3 (5.4±0.4)% patients in group II and in 1 (1.8±0.5%) group I (p>0.05), recurrences of hernia were found in 3 (5.4±0.4%) patients of group II, in group I – in 1 (1.8±0.3)% (p<0.05).

Conclusion. Surgical treatment of IH using modified polypropylene mesh antiseptic and an by carbon nanotubes the use of the classical polypropylene mesh, namely, reducing the freguency of seroma from 5.6±1.2% in the II group of patients to 2.8±0.4% in group I, respectively, suppurations of postoperative wounds – from 5.6±0.4% to 1.4±0.6%, inflammatory infiltrates – from 5.6±0.4% to 1.4±0.6%, ligaturial fistulas of the anterior abdominal wall – from 5.4±0.4% to 0%, meshoma – from 1.8±0.3% to 0%, chronic postoperative pain – from 5.4±0.4% to 1.8±0.5%, recurrence of hernia–from 5.4±0.4% to 1.8±0.3%.
Close Enough? A Large-Scale Exploration of Non-Experimental Approaches to Advertising Measurement
Authors: Gordon Brett R. , Moakler Robert , Zettelmeyer Florian
Published: November 2022

A large-scale comparison of experimental advertising effects and those obtained using two state-of-the-art methods.
Recasting U.S.-Japan Ties in a New Era of Economic Security
Authors: Goto Shihoko
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay examines the evolution of U.S.-Japan economic relations from competition for global markets to cooperation in staving off the threats confronting the rules-based economic order by focusing on the challenges both countries face from China's weaponization of economic dominance. main argument
Once the biggest thorn to bilateral relations, trade is no longer the obstacle between Japan and the U.S. that it once was. Instead, shared economic interests not only are bringing Tokyo and Washington together more closely but the two countries are leading the way to coordinate efforts to protect the rules-based liberal economic order and stave off economic coercion from China. But Japan and the U.S. need the support of other countries in Asia, Europe, and beyond to develop an economic security framework that protects the critical technologies of this new economic era and prevents abuse of economic influence. Tokyo's ability to reach across the Indo-Pacific and establish trust in building an economic architecture with new rules of engagement is leading to more equalized relations between Japan and the U.S. and a larger voice for Japan in regional affairs. policy implications
• A baseline understanding between Japan and the U.S. regarding what constitutes economic security and what the threats are to protecting growth has been made clear. A slew of bilateral and multilateral initiatives has ensued as a result, but there is significant overlap among them. If the partnerships are to be effective, efforts should be consolidated and streamlined. • Japan's more realist approach to dealing with the China challenge, whereby values-based diplomacy does not supersede efforts to focus on common interests and shared challenges, resonates in the Indo-Pacific. If the U.S. continues to look to Japan's political and economic leadership, the prospects for engaging more successfully with Southeast Asian states will improve. • Protecting technologies and cooperation in technology innovation is vital for defense purposes as well as for economic expansion. At the same time, the global economy continues to face significant challenges from the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and rising geopolitical risks. A focus on conventional economic concerns, including growth prospects and market access, cannot be sidelined if there is to be effective cooperation between industrialized nations and the global South.
Entrenching Authoritarian Rule and Thailand's Foreign Policy Dilemma as a Middle Power
Authors: Han Enze
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay explores the strategies that Thailand has used to navigate the great-power competition between the U.S. and China as well as the factors that are driving contemporary Thailand's foreign policy orientation and dilemmas. main argument
Recent Thai governments, whether authoritarian or democratically elected, have maintained amicable relations with Beijing while retaining close military cooperation with Washington. However, domestic political dynamics within Thailand are critical to the past and future trajectory of Thailand's bilateral relations with the U.S. and China. Bangkok's reversion toward authoritarian military rule over the past few years has created a different logic in its foreign relations. For the U.S., Thailand's authoritarian turn, although not to Washington's liking, can be tolerated as long as Thailand continues to serve U.S. strategic interests in the region. For China, cordial relations with the incumbent military government of Thailand pave the way for closer economic and political relations, yet anti-authoritarian sentiment within Thailand holds China liable and condemns China's complicity in Thailand's turn to military rule. Thus, balancing Thailand's domestic political dynamic with the foreign policy interests of the U.S. and China is the defining feature of Bangkok's maneuvering act between the two great powers. policy implications
• As U.S.-China relations grow more tense, countries in Southeast Asia are feeling the squeeze from both sides. These states sense they need to prepare for choosing between the two powers while trying to delay or prevent such a choice from being necessary. • Thailand's turn toward domestic authoritarian rule creates a dilemma for both the U.S. and China. For the U.S., there is a need to tolerate an authoritarian government in Bangkok to maintain stable military and security cooperation. For China, Thailand's domestic political situation creates a backlash against Chinese interests in the country. • The current military government in Thailand is likely to prioritize its own domestic political legitimacy over relations with either power and will take advantage of the Sino-U.S. competition however best suits its own regime survival. • If Thailand reverts to a democratically elected government with popular support, healthy relationships with both China and the U.S. are more likely to result and endure.
Caught in the Middle? Middle Powers amid U.S.-China Competition
Authors: Tiang Boon Hoo , Teo Sarah
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay provides an overview of this special issue, which seeks to better understand middle-power thinking and strategies in coping with the escalating competition between the U.S. and China. main argument
Competition is now the primary format of U.S.-China relations, spanning key dimensions of international politics. The pressures radiating from this structural shift have led Indo-Pacific states to calibrate their policies to this new geostrategic circumstance. This special issue focuses on the responses of a category of regional states understood as middle powers. How have regional middle powers adapted to the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry? What are the considerations and drivers that inform their coping strategies? To address these salient, policy-relevant questions, this special issue spotlights six Indo-Pacific middle powers—namely, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Pakistan—and unpacks their logic and ways of navigating the complexities of the Sino-U.S. rivalry. The insights derived in this issue contribute to broader policy thinking on the evolving choices of middle powers and are instructive for the strategic policies of other regional states in an era of great-power competition. policy implications
• Amid the growing U.S.-China contest, regional middle powers perceive a narrowing strategic space for maneuverability. • This reduced strategic space does not equate to decreasing strategic autonomy, however. Regional middle powers retain considerable agency to mold their own paths and that of the broader strategic environment, including developing options to mitigate any fallout from the Sino-U.S. rivalry. • A considerable degree of this middle-power agency is animated by elite calculations of the respective domestic interests at stake. • Strategic ambiguity toward China and the U.S. remains the dominant policy preference of most middle powers probed in this issue.
Australia's Great-Power Threat Perceptions and Leadership Responses
Authors: Lee Peter K. , Carr Andrew
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay argues that Australia's choices in the U.S.-China rivalry have been significantly shaped by the different role conceptions of the country's prime ministers, producing outcomes at odds with structural expectations for middle-power behavior. main argument
Australia's relations with China and the U.S. are in a state of flux. Relations with Beijing have turned antagonistic, though trade continues apace. Meanwhile, relations with Washington seem infused by intimacy, yet also feature regular bouts of divergence. Three explanations are commonly offered to explain Australia's evolving relations with both great powers: the changing balance of power, alliance pressure, and national interests. However, none of these sufficiently explain variations in why and how Australia has behaved in recent years. Instead, the different role conceptions of Australia's three prime ministers between 2013 and 2022—Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison—better explain Australia's choices. Specifically, a typology of role conceptions based on these leaders' domains of interest and desire for change shows how they responded differently to similar external pressures and thus demonstrates the decisive impact of leaders in how middle powers respond to great powers. It is still too early to identify Anthony Albanese's leadership role conception, given his recent election in May 2022, but a domestic role conception is likely. policy implications
• Australia's recent choices and actions toward China and the U.S. have been far more contingent and leader-driven than is often reflected in the debate over middle-power responses to great-power competition. • A deeper appreciation of domestic political dynamics and the personal motivations of national leaders can help explain responses that do not conform to straightforward balancing choices. • There is considerable scope for middle-power agency even as domestic and international constraints narrow the availability of alternative leadership role conceptions.
South Korea's Investment in the U.S.-ROK Alliance: A Case Study of the New Southern Policy
Authors: Park Jae Jeok , Tan Er-win
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay argues that South Korea's deliberate efforts to find nexuses between its New Southern Policy (NSP) and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy is an investment in insurance for the U.S.-ROK alliance. main argument
South Korea has been exploring connections between its NSP and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy at the request of, if not pressure from, the U.S. South Korea has expanded the NSP's scope to include nontraditional security and target areas in the South Pacific. This policy choice is, in part, an investment in insurance for the U.S.-ROK alliance to bolster the partnership and ensure a U.S. security commitment to the Korean Peninsula. Were South Korea not to accommodate the U.S. strategy, Washington might reduce its commitment to the alliance in response. However, adjusting to some elements of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy also gives South Korea leeway to engage more with China without causing the perception that it is strategically tilting toward China. policy implications
• As the U.S. and South Korea increase their cooperation for infrastructure investment in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands, South Korea should demonstrate its interest in coordinating in minilateral settings with Japan, Australia, and India. Doing so would create greater space for South Korea to also participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative more broadly without causing the U.S. to misperceive that South Korea is tilting toward China. • Enhancing cooperation with the Quad states in regional maritime security can give South Korea more room to engage with China in responding to regional nontraditional security issues.
"No One Can Force Vietnam to Choose Sides": Vietnam as a Self-Reliant Middle Power
Authors: Dung Phan Xuan
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay examines how Vietnam is adapting to U.S.-China rivalry and argues that Vietnam's room for strategic maneuverability is diminishing as it faces growing internal and external pressure for policy adjustments. main argument
In the past few years, Vietnam has been increasingly labeled as a middle power. Vietnam's emerging middle-power status coincides with a shifting strategic environment marked by China's expansionism that has nudged Vietnam toward closer U.S. relations. However, Vietnam's persistent foreign policy of self-reliance and independence, informed by the country's historical experiences and concerns over regime security, ensures that Hanoi stays nonaligned. Thus, while retaining autonomy in developing closer U.S. ties, Vietnam strikes a delicate balance between the two superpowers. Instead of relying on a single security guarantor, Vietnam has actively sought to promote rules-based principles and multilateralism in advancing its national interests, particularly vis-à-vis the South China Sea and the Mekong River. However, external and internal developments have strained Vietnam's ability to balance between the two superpowers. policy implications
• While increasingly wary of China's behavior, Vietnam is unlikely to enter a formal alliance with the U.S. due to its firmly held values of self-reliance and independence. • Vietnam will continue to leverage multidirectional diplomacy to shape regional security and economic architectures in an effort to counterbalance China's influence and reduce Vietnamese dependence on China. • Vietnam should exercise more flexibility and show greater resolve in protecting its national interests. To this end, without abandoning its foreign policy of self-reliance and independence, Vietnam should explore new options to advance security cooperation with other major and middle powers with which it shares strategic interests.
Indonesia's Great-Power Management in the Indo-Pacific: The Balancing Behavior of a "Dove State"
Authors: Shekhar Vibhanshu
Published: November 2022

executive summary: This essay investigates Indonesia's strategic thinking toward the Indo-Pacific region amid changing great-power politics and examines both the principal drivers shaping Indonesia's strategic choices and the challenges facing Indonesian diplomacy in the region. main argument
The Indo-Pacific region, born out of the great powers' efforts to forge new strategic alignments and reset the balance of power in Asia, is headed for a multi-tiered polarization that provides a challenging geostrategic context for Indonesia in the coming years. The U.S. and China form the two poles shaping the global and regional balance of power. Indonesia no longer holds a positive view toward the U.S.-China relationship in the Indo-Pacific region, and this gloomy view has prompted Jakarta to craft a foreign policy that mirrors what some experts refer to as "dove state" behavior. As a dove state, Indonesia has sought to balance its interests while navigating the uncertainties of the great-power rivalry. However, the strength of Indonesian diplomacy is likely to depend on the country's ability to walk a middle path as well as its ability to both keep ASEAN together and position the grouping as a credible regional architecture. policy implications
• Indonesia is a status-quo power and is likely to oppose any policy initiative that amplifies the risk of great-power conflict or instability in the region. • As a developing country, a populist democracy, and an emerging market, Indonesia will respond proactively and positively to overtures that advance the country's economic development. • Great-power bellicosity and a weakened ASEAN may push Indonesia to be more insular and concentrate on partnerships that support Jakarta's development agenda.
Reflecting on a Difficult Past Does Not Influence Pro-Environmental Attitudes or Behaviours
Authors: Higgins Kieran , Kilpatrick Claire
Published: November 2022

Successfully addressing the environmental crisis requires current generations to change behaviours for the benefit of future generations. Perceptions of responsibility towards future generations have been found to increase pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Therefore, methods which enhance feelings of responsibility, or intergenerational reciprocity, are central to tackling the environmental crisis. Research shows intergenerational reciprocity can be increased through the process of reflecting on the heroic actions and sacrifices of past generations. However, the impact of reflecting on a negatively framed ‘difficult’ past remains unknown. Via an online, quasi-experimental questionnaire, this study utilised the context of the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland, known as ‘The Troubles’, to explore how reflecting on a difficult past influences pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. The results suggest that reflecting on The Troubles has no effect on pro-environmental attitudes or behaviour. The salience of negative feelings about The Troubles may have supressed the generation of intergenerational reciprocity and environmental concern
Building Consensus for Sustainable Development: Evaluation Theory Insights
Authors: Bova Demetrio Miloslavo
Published: November 2022

The sustainable development goals orient the development path for each country by defining goals, sub-goals, and indicators for programming and control. The goals achievement is conditioned to the consensus of the populations involved; indeed, politicians cannot or do not want implement projects without gathering the necessary consensus. To achieve the demanded transition, tools evaluating a set of projects achieving targets, well-being, and consensus simultaneously are required. This manuscript enquires the generation of such tools by extensively debating willingness to pay and related techniques by seeking a theory bridging the actual value and actual consensus of projects. The outcome is a theoretical base useful to orient evaluation research toward the design of tools helpful to achieve sustainable development goals.
The Geographical Location as a Limitation for Starting Entrepreneurial Initiatives and Career Development
Authors: Deneva Aneta , Hristova Veneta , Pavlov Daniel , Blazheva Violeta , Kostov Ivaylo , Angelova Denislava , Petrova Mariana
Published: November 2022

From the perspective of entrepreneurship, the geographical location is one of the important barriers/prerequisites for business development. Its role and place in the development of family entrepreneurship and the career development of young people has been relatively poorly studied. The aim of this paper is to provide an emperical research on the influence of the geographical location for starting entrepreneurial initiatives and career development. The object of this research are students having major or minor classes in the field of entrepreneurship from Albania, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia and Serbia. The subject of this research is on their attitude for career development in the field of family entrepreneurship and their geographical location. A standartised printed questionnaire has been used with Lickert scale for collecting the answers, translated into the national language of the respondents. The results are given in tables to compare the student intentions and outline their similarities. This paper could help the involved twelve universities to improve their teaching methods in a way their students to perceive the advantages of the geographical location and become part of the the regional entrepreneurs and companies.
Determinants of Egypt’s Food Imports Based on Vector Error-Correction Model (VECM)
Authors: Agbo Hanan Mahmoud Sayed
Published: November 2022

The issue of food and the provision of society's needs have a priority in the Egyptian economic policy. Therefore, the state tends to import large quantities of these commodities annually from the global market to bridge the gap between consumption and domestic production. This study focuses on determining the main factors that affect Egyptian food imports during the period 1990–2019, using a Vector Error-Correction Model (VECM) that will help policymakers use the appropriate monetary, fiscal, and trade tools to manage Egypt’s food imports and decrease the import cost. The empirical results revealed that the most important factors' effects on Egypt's food imports are population growth and inflation rate, but imported food prices and GDP per capita have an effect only in the long run. On the other hand, there are no significant effects of the foreign reserves, exchange rate, and agricultural production on food imports.
Digital Labour Market Model and Financial Opportunities in the Context of Sustainable Development in the EU Countries
Authors: Ciobanu Ghenadie , Dinu Mihai , Iacob (Pârgaru) Oana Camelia , Constantinescu Victor George
Published: November 2022

Technological opportunities have a transformative impact on labour markets. In this article, we aim to study the ways in which digital technologies contribute to the development of the digital model of the labour market and digital platforms. We aim to highlight digital opportunities to support efforts to ensure the development of strategies, policies and labour market transformations. We intend to build the digital model of the labour market within the model of the systemic digital economy, in close connection with other digitalization models (business, financial markets, public finance, commerce, industry, agriculture, transport). An important part of the study focuses on the opportunities for sustainable financing of the digitized labour market, as financial services interact closely with labour market institutions, which reflect on labour outcomes. We propose that the digital model of the labour market in close correlation with the digital business model will developed with investments from employers in the training of employees in digitization, new modern professional knowledge, which will allow an integration of companies in global markets. The financial-monetary dimension of companies in the context of globalization also requires radical transformations to ensure companies' access to the international financial markets.
Adoption of Information Technology by Micro-enterprises. Evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Authors: Estébanez Raquel Pérez , Grande Elena Urquía , Espada Manuela Cañizares
Published: November 2022

Although the Democratic Republic of the Congo has huge mineral reserves, it is one of the deprived countries caused by the continuous instability. Moreover, the micro-entrepreneurs have a very low level of knowledge in information technologies and its application in their businesses despite microenterprises can be crucial for the job generation, the improvement in their level of technologies and finally in the economic growth of their environment. The present research work aims to analyse what socioeconomic factors determine IT adoption and use in microenterprises in order to improve its sustainability. Through a quantitative and a qualitative research we studied the current situation of microbusinesses regarding their level of ICT. The results show that management and economic characteristics as well as the education level of the employees determine the level of IT adoption and use. This paper contributes with root evidence about the ICT use as an engine of sustainability development among the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Subjective Human Potential in Overcoming the Strategic Instability
Authors: Tiutiunnykova Svitlana , Shpak Inna , Berveno Oksana , Moskvina Anastasiia
Published: November 2022

The article is devoted to the actual problem of the subjective potential of a person in overcoming the challenges and contradictions of the modern world. The authors actualize human nature, show its inconsistency, strengths and weaknesses, insufficient degree of its knowledge. Using the socio-psychological potential of a person in solving global problems of mankind means relying on knowledge of human nature, models of his behavior, the totality of his properties and qualities. The 21st century has led not only to the complication of the surrounding world, but also to the complication of the social world of man. The social world becomes a reality for a person - perceived through the reflection of his “I” in other people. Metamorphoses of actual changes in human nature in the process of sociobiological and sociotechnical co-evolution are shown, the quality of sociality itself changes under the influence of network structural social transformations. It is proved that the strategic instability of the modern world is the result of adaptation features, a violation in her accommodation and assimilation, the destruction of the integrity of the individual. A way out of this state is possible only on the path of holistic human development, the increasing significance of its subjective potential.
General Designing Principles and Urban Recovery Framework in the Karabakh Region
Authors: Arshad Yegana Hajiyeva
Published: November 2022

The process of formation of the urban architectural environment is presented by the author as a continuous phenomenon that directly influences the general appearance of the city. The interdisciplinary of this scientific direction is also well established. The main part of the article is devoted to the problem of creating a unified urban architectural ensemble, taking into account the economic, social, environmental and spatial aspects of design. The article analyzes the development of the planning structure of the city, the formation of its status and specific features. The design proposals of various cities and the modern concept of city development are considered. The problems of the state of the urban environment and promising directions in the development of liberated areas are being identified. The purpose of the study is to develop promising development methods considering all the characteristics of the city. For the first time, objective prerequisites for the formation of new planning models for the multifunctional environment of liberated cities were revealed. Based on the approved modern concept of the development of cities of Karabakh, the proposed models will help solve the issue of the development of housing stock of cities, both for residents and tourists, contribute to the additional influx of investments, as well as serve as a basis for the development of similar development models for other regions of Azerbaijan.
The Egyptian Labour Market, Determinants of Employment and Wage Estimation
Authors: Alattas Halah , Alimam Haga
Published: November 2022

This study empirically evaluates the factors influencing employment in Egypt by using the recently published cross-sectional Egyptian Labour Force Survey, 2019. The logistic regression analysis revealed that being older, male, married, and living in a rural region increased the probability of an individual being employed. Contrary to the assumption of the human capital theory, the attainment of all education levels appeared to reduce the likelihood of attaining employment in the Egyptian labour market. Moreover, the multiple linear regression reveals significant factors influencing wage estimation in the Egyptian labour market. Some of those factors were related to individual characteristics, while others related to employer characteristics, emphasising the critical role of both sides of the labour market in estimating wages. However, other socioeconomic factors should be determined in order to increase the overall model interpretation.
Residential and Non-Residential Building Damage and Loss Assessment in Georgia
Authors: Modebadze Grigol
Published: November 2022

This paper responds to the necessity for the creation of a unified disaster damage and loss assessment method for residential and non-residential buildings in Georgia. The objective of this study is to elaborate on an improved standardized formula for damage assessment in the residential and non-residential sector. The formula provides additional clarity to the various worldwide methodologies and frameworks presently used in the damage assessment of buildings and structures. The paper itself provides four key findings: 1) that each assessment approach and the amount of damage and loss calculated for the residential sector are based on various subjective opinions (non-systematic/standardized damage assessment approaches), derived from the best knowledge from commissions created at the municipal level; 2) a review of global methodologies and frameworks revealed a clear gap in the provision of formulas for calculating economic losses in the residential and non-residential sector; 3) the need for a comprehensive explanation of the unit cost of construction in the UNISDR methodology was identified; and 4) the necessity to collect detailed and specific data for the damage and loss calculation, alongside a requirement for frequent renewals of the integrated database (associated with the need for additional resources) – without which it often leads many countries, including Georgia, to use ineffective methodologies (e.g., HAZUS). Therefore, the study offers a new and original approach for assessing damaged buildings and provides an alternative method to fill the gap in the damage assessment of particular types of buildings and structures. Moreover, the paper proposes a building damage assessment formula that does not require specific databases to be frequently updated or integrated within the GIS system.

Keywords: Disaster Assessment, Residential and Non-residential Sector, Disaster Resilience, Applied Approach, Damage and Loss, Georgia
Policy and Governance Towards Eliminating of Malaria Among Children Under Five in Four Districts of Ghana
Authors: Amoako Martha , Verter Nahanga
Published: November 2022

Malaria contributes significantly to the increasing mortality rate among Ghana's children under-five years of age (U5). This study sought to analyze how policies, actors, and institutions play out and interact in Ghana´s public health sector and how they affect the health outcomes of children U5 in early childhood malaria in four districts. The study findings show current health policies to tackle malaria among children U5. However, there were apparent discrepancies between policy intent and actual implementation, just as other key stakeholders are not adequately involved in policy formulations and executions in the districts. The study concludes that a functioning health system governance is critical to achieving desired results in eradicating malaria among children U5 in the four communities understudied.

Keywords: children U5, governance, healthcare, health policy, malaria
Eco²-Screening Method Supporting SME-Product and Process Innovations in Electronics Manufacturing Services Sector
Authors: Schusser Bert , Kolb Christina , Schusser Bert , Ehlers Anika
Published: November 2022

Consumption exceeds ecological limitations and still the market develops an insufficient incentive for the consideration of environmental aspects in the supply chain. In order to mitigate negative environmental effects, influence is needed in the earliest possible phase of innovation processes. Numerous studies, however, detect systematic use of ecological and economical innovation instruments mainly in large enterprises. In inverse consequence small and medium enterprises (SMEs) implement fewer environmental innovations, even though 99 % of the enterprises in Germany count less than 500 employees and adhere significant innovation potential. In order to provide a scope for action for SMEs an instrument for consideration of environmental product and process implications is needed that claims little economical resources of users and is easily applicable. Based on the Design Science Research Process a Screening method is developed for SMEs in the Electronics Manufacturing Services sector to enable a monitoring of ecological and economical optimization of innovation processes, while not demanding costly Life Cycle Assessment or additional questioning of suppliers. The eco²-screening method uses existing data and follows a modular design.
Forming a System of Monitoring Business-Structures’ Activity in the Circular Economy Development
Authors: Konovalyuk Iryna , Kucher Anatolii , Danko Tetyana , Vilhutska Roksolana , Luchko Halyna
Published: November 2022

The study’s goal is to develop a set of recommendations for forming the system of monitoring the business-structure activities in the circular economy development. To achieve this objective, the structural components of the system of monitoring the business-structures are identified; the adjustment vectors of the system of monitoring the business-structure activity are identified by taking into account the circular economy priorities; the solution is chosen to improve the system of monitoring the business-structure activity in the circular economy development; a model of information and analytical support for the process of forming the system of monitoring business-structure activity in the circular economy development is made up. The management mechanism to choose solutions from improving the system of monitoring the business-structures activities in the circular economy development is developed. Unlike existing ones, it is based on taking into account the relative importance of the factors that affect the formation of the system of monitoring, the links between them, and the factors' priority, which allows selecting from numerous alternative solutions those that have the greatest potential to improve the system of monitoring and establish the possible solutions' implementation sequence. In addition, a model of information and analytical support for the process of forming the system of monitoring the business-structure activity in the circular economy development is proposed. It differs from the existing ones in that it takes into account the mutual influence of the signs and conditions to improve the system of monitoring in relation to the development object, and makes it possible to increase the level of the information content of monitoring subjects when making corrective management decisions.

Keywords: system, development, business-structure, circular economy, sustainable development, function, factor.
The Role of Corporate Governance in Achieving SDGs among Malaysian Companies
Authors: Buniamin Sharifah , Jaffar Romlah , Ahmad Norkhazimah , Johari Nor Hasimah
Published: November 2022

While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda is applicable to the member states of the UN, many other players are also involved, such as corporations. The primary and economic value chain activities and aims of major companies mean they will ultimately have a crucial and explicit role to play in enabling the SDGs to be attained. In Malaysia, there have been few studies on firms' engagement in reaching the SDGs. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the roles played by corporations in enabling SDGs to be attained. A specific analysis was conducted to determine if a company’s participation in the SDGs can be influenced by first-rate corporate governance. The data was collected using content analysis of 87 corporate annual reports of public listed companies from Malaysia. The boards’ independence, size, meeting frequency, and gender diversity were the corporate governance practices examined. An annual report may include details of the company’s role in the SDGs as a proxy for the corporate’s SDG involvement. The findings shed light on the nature of business involvement in the SDGs. The SGD with the most frequent reporting was Goal 8 - Decent work and economic growth, while the SDG with the most frequent reporting was Goal 2 - Zero Hunger. These results indicate that a company’s SDG participation has a positive relationship with certain governance practices of corporations, especially the board meeting frequency. Moreover, these results may serve to emphasise to regulators and policymakers that all corporations require effectual corporate governance so that the challenges facing the world and its population every day can be addressed, leading to an improved and more sustainable future for everyone. 

Keywords Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), corporate governance, Malaysia, companies, content analysis
Participatory Evaluation of Development Projects Contribution to Poverty Reduction in Northern Benin
Authors: Zoundji Gérard C. , Zossou Espérance , Vodouhè Fifanou , Sackey Charles Kwame , Bognonkpe Gillette
Published: November 2022

This study analyzed the sustainable changes induced by the "Banikoara Millennium Village Project" on rural poverty reduction. Using the purposive sampling method, 126 household heads were selected from three project beneficiary villages and one non- project beneficiary village. Data was collected through focus group discussions and a structured questionnaire which were processed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that nearly 78% of the respondents have adopted the improved technologies of soil fertility, and yields have increased from 1.2 tons to 3.5 tons per hectare for rice, from 1.4 tons to 2.1 tons per hectare for maize, and from 1  ton to 1.6 tons per hectare for sorghum. We also found that that the project has contributed to decreasing poverty in terms of the achievements of socio-community infrastructures in the education, health and agricultural sectors, the capacity building of communities etc. Majority (85%) of the project beneficiary households consider their current economic living conditions better than the period before the project implementation. This project has a great impact on household food security and shortening the hunger season. However, the project achievements are still fragile and require an action for  sustainability. This study suggests that development projects should actively involve the target beneficiaries starting from the needs assessment in particular and implementation to ensure its sustainability.

Keywords: Development project, Millennium Villages, Impact evaluation, poverty reduction
Assessing Socio-Environmental Externalities of Big Hydro Power Projects: The Case of Skavica
Authors: Shkurti Aranit
Published: November 2022

The transition towards renewable energy sources has increased the interest in Hydro Power generation. The socio-environmental externalities produced from big HPPs have a significant impact on the local communities and on the overall economy of the country. There is consensus in the literature that small HPPs cause fewer and less severe environmental and social externalities than large HPPs. Anyway, the electricity supply is guaranteed by bigger investments and the trade-off is not quite simple to clarify. The study is based on a set of sustainability indicators which provide a life cycle analysis of the Skavica Hydro Power Plant and the relative investment scheme. The aim of this paper is to identify the general externalities related to the construction of a big HPP and to connect to the specific case study of Skavica HPP. Furthermore, the estimation of benefits and costs along with public discussions is integrated to evidence the legitimate social and environmental concerns of people living in areas where dams are planned. Policy options intended to adopt these externalities are also addressed.

Keyword: Hydro Power Plant, renewable energy, Skavica, externalities, policy, floodings prevention, electricity
Solar still Design and Construction for its Implementation in Rural Communities in Mexico
Authors: Castillo Téllez Margarita , Castillo-Téllez Beatriz , Pérez Gerardo Alberto Mejía , Domínguez Niño Alfredo , May Tzuc Oscar
Published: November 2022

Water scarcity and sufficient energy sources without affecting climate change are complex problems facing humanity. Water purification, such as desalination using solar radiation as an energy source, is a mature technology method that provides economic savings in electricity, gas, and oil consumption, achieving good quality fresh water. Solar water distillation is an example of nature's purification mechanism through the water cycle. This paper presents a solar still design and construction with easily accessible, low-cost materials and simple manufacturing, which obtain the patent MX2020/070739. The energy evaluation and experimental results are also presented, verifying the device's technical feasibility. As a result, water production of 805/day was obtained, with a maximum solar irradiance of 980 W/m2 and 36 °C ambient temperature and the efficiency during the test days was 38%. Using the distiller can benefit rural communities in Mexico by obtaining fresh water, achieving significant energy savings, and contributing to caring for the environment.

Keywords: Solar Irradiance, Solar still, Energy efficiency, Solar Technologies
Use Case on Environmental Impact Assessment in the Fish Canning Industry
Authors: Contreras Antonio Vicente , Sabater Amparo Roca , Valencia Fernando Gigante
Published: November 2022

This paper covers the environmental impact of manufacturing industrial production processes for addressing the Sustainability dimension of Industry 5.0. The model implemented by the GOGreen solution – an AI based software solution for the calculation and monitoring of the food waste and carbon and water footprints - integrated in the European Connected Factory Platform for Agile Manufacturing (EFPF), is presented as an enabler to support the environmental impact assessment in industrial SMEs. The requirements to be fulfilled by the overall system are presented together with the architecture of the integrated solution. As a use case, its implementation in a fish canning industrial process is presented to provide an exemplary scenario illustrating the process workflow and the role of the solution. The main goal of this paper is empowering non-professional users to perform the assessment of the environmental impact of their industrial processes, which is indeed a capability key in Industry 4.0 and will be even more relevant in Industry 5.0.
Sustainability of Open Educational Resources in Forensic Sciences: International Experience
Authors: Palkova Karina , Agapova Olena , Zīle Aelita , Polianskyi Anton , Vadym Khosha , Hasparian Serafyma , Mykhailo Mozhaiev
Published: November 2022

Open educational resources are among the important factors that affect the quality of contemporary education. The new form of education has been recognised by UNESCO and has become an important element in reaching sustainable development goals in educational sector. This article covers the experience of using open educational resources for expert support in justice, based on international experience. To identify the possibility of using open educational resources in the specific area of forensic experts’ education, the authors of the article have conducted a survey among expert community, and the survey results are presented in this study. Representatives of expert institutions from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Montenegro, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine and other countries have participated in the survey.  The analysis of survey results shows that the introduction of open educational resources is acceptable for most respondents. It was found that ‘OER: Forensic Science’ project is going to be the first educational content of the kind to be introduced in forensic expert institutions and universities entitled to support educational activities. It is proven that open educational resources can enhance quality of the learning process at two levels at least. First, it is the quality of teaching and secondly, it is the new digital approach to learning environment that allows access to all studies necessary to perform forensic expert activities.
Doubling Down on Inclusive Green Growth with Phase II of the Sino-Dutch-East Africa Bamboo Development Programme
Authors: Monaco Edoardo , Shao Chenhan
Published: November 2022

The Sino-Dutch-East Africa Bamboo Development Programme is a trilateral cooperation initiative brokered by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), which since 2016 has been harnessing Chinese and Dutch financial and technical assistance to kickstart bamboo value chains in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. Given the immense natural resource endowment in the region, and the encouraging achievements of the program’s Phase I, a second phase was recently launched to further assist with the upscaling of the budding bamboo sectors and to further contribute to the simultaneous pursuits of various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—ranging from poverty reduction, social inclusion, and responsible production and consumption to climate action, life on land, and affordable clean energy.
Aspects Regarding Renewable Sources in the European Union
Authors: Rădulescu Carmen Valentina , Angheluță Petrică Sorin , Burlacu Sorin , Kant Anna
Published: November 2022

The use of renewable energy sources offers opportunities for regional and local development. Thus, it can be appreciated that the use of renewable sources can stimulate the development of local communities. An advantage is also given by an increased security in terms of local energy supply, but also by a reduction in energy transport losses. Recently, there has been some interest in investing in the development of energy generation technologies and especially in renewable sources. For the period 1990-2020, a comparative situation of gross electricity production and electricity production capacities for renewables is presented. Pollution and climate change can affect both the production and consumption of electricity. There has been interest in using more and more diverse sources. Given the interest in reducing energy consumption in transport, important measures are needed to increase the energy efficiency of transport. In the article, an analysis is made of the share of renewable energy in the final gross energy consumption, for the period 2004-2020, with particularization for the transport sector.