Current Dilemmas Research Articles

Analyzing WTO's Path to Balancing Developing and Developed Countries in Globalization: A Study Based on Cross-Domain Rule Interaction Theory

The World Trade Organization was established to support cooperation in trade policy to achieve common economic goals. In the area of cross-rule interaction, however, international competition has intensified, making it difficult for the WTO to balance the responsibilities and obligations, and the costs and benefits, of developed and developing countries. The governance of the international economic and trade system has fallen into a new dilemma, with the gradual rise of minorilateralism and bilateral trade conflicts causing cracks in globalization. Based on this, this paper will analyze the drivers of the current dilemma faced by the WTO and provide suggestions for a balanced approach. At present, the rules of global economic and trade governance are lagging behind the needs of the new international trade model, as the WTO has not clearly apportioned the responsibilities and obligations to be borne by the countries of the South and the North and is facing a crisis of legitimacy in its dispute settlement mechanism. Therefore, WTO needs to strengthen its internal mechanisms as well as its organizational functioning to assign obligations to States on a case-by-case basis. In addition, the WTO should clarify its economic and trade policies according to different areas and strive to make the multilateral trading system more equitable and fair.

Analysis on Concept of AI Literacy According and Future Education to the Result of Systematic Review

Introduction: AI is booming, and AI literacy has become a core competency necessary for exceptional talent. Therefore, how to promote national AI literacy in future education has become a global focus. Thus, this study uses a systematic review method to explore the definition and needs of AI literacy, frameworks, and literature on future education to summarize and analyze. The results show that the definition of AI literacy has not been standardized, AI literacy is a necessary skill for people, the scope of the application still needs to be further subdivided, as well as the education model in the future needs to be reformed as well. The results of the study not only contribute to the in-depth development of AI literacy theories but also provide insights and guidance to relevant organizations, as well as contribute to the establishment of sustainable development, which is of value and contribution. Finally, it is suggested that future research should explore more about the definition and scope of AI literacy, to fully promote the development of the theory and thus enhance the core skills that citizens must possess. Objective: The purpose of this study is to use a systematic review method to sort out the relevant literature from 3 aspects: concept, scope, and future education to clarify the research lineage and reflect the current status of AI literacy research. Theoretical Framework: This study uses a systematic review approach to explore the current state of AI literacy research. Method: This study adopts the systematic review method to collect research results systematically and comprehensively, evaluates the literature according to the principles and methods set in advance, and analyses the literature that meets the criteria after screening it, so as to obtain comprehensive conclusions. Results and Discussion: AI technology offers a whole new range of possibilities for education, changing the traditional teaching mode and learning experience, including providing personalized learning, instructional support and aids, teaching Management and Decision Support, distance education and online learning, language learning and special education, enrichment and diversity of educational resources, and coping with the future. Research Implications: By comprehensively and systematically analyzing the concept, scope, and three aspects of future education of AI literacy, this study not only contributes to the in-depth development of this theory but, at the same time, has certain practical implications and also provides practical insights and guidance for relevant organizations. Originality/Value: This study uses the systematic review method to comprehensively and systematically analyze the concept, scope, and future education of AI literacy in three aspects, which systematically illustrate the current status and dilemma of AI literacy and effectively promote the development of AI literacy with great contribution.

What Will the Future Bring? – Socio-Economic Challenges to Herder Households in the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia

AbstractNomadic pastoralism is still practiced by around one-third of the Mongolian population. Recent socio-economic constraints have challenged pastoral livelihoods and rising livestock numbers threaten overall rangeland health and biodiversity conservation. In the Mongolian Gobi, herder households fully depend on livestock production but little is known about their livelihood trends and potential compatibility with protected area goals. We combined interview data in the Great Gobi B strictly protected area (SPA) with secondary data on regional and national herder households to determine the importance of social networks, willingness to continue a herding lifestyle, and degree of involvement in protected area (PA) management. Our descriptive data confirm that herding is no longer centred on a subsistence lifestyle but rather around cashmere production. Contrary to sustainability goals, especially in protected areas, herder households continue to increase livestock numbers in response to high expenditures in the economic reality of a market economy. We conclude that herders in the Great Gobi B SPA are reaching neither socio-economically nor ecologically sustainable livestock numbers which challenge herders’ livelihoods and PA management alike. We recommend enhancing communication between the PA management and the herding community and increasing participatory conservation activities. National strategies are needed to resolve the current dilemma of increasing livestock numbers to meet livelihood demands and the growing threat to rangeland health.

Cultural and Social Influences on Hadith Classification: An Analytical Study of Historical Transformations

This thesis studies the historical development and current dilemma of Hadith classification, with particular attention to the impact of cultural, social and political factors. It examines how classical scholars like Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim developed the standards for authenticating Hadith, such that rigorous criteria to this day inform much of contemporary scholarship. The impact of regional cultures on the Hadith interpretation, as well as the methods of classification by different Islamic schools of thought are also pointed out by the study. Furthermore, fundamental irony in the integrity of Hadith studies in the times of globalization, digital media and intercultural exchange is the rise of the new challenges for the contemporary methods of Hadith studies by modern scholars, balancing the modern tools and perspectives with the traditional one. By digital, interdisciplinary approach, and awareness of cultural and social contexts, such authenticity can be preserved during preservation of Hadith. Finally, the paper concludes by suggesting to scholars how to adapt to the current challenges by respecting the most rigorous standards but allowing new methodologies and promoting intercultural dialogue. This study highlights the fluid nature of Hadith classification and cautions against an oversimplification of the traditions of scholarship that relies on a rigid interpretation of the rules of classification in the present world.

The impact of TPACK on teachers’ willingness to integrate generative artificial intelligence (GenAI): The moderating role of negative emotions and the buffering effects of need satisfaction

Understanding teachers' willingness to integrate generative AI (WIAI) is essential in the current dilemma where students' adoption rate is faster than teachers'. Therefore, this study aims to identify factors affecting teachers' WIAI and their interactions from the perspectives of needs satisfaction and emotion. We used regression analyses to analyze data collected from 1348 teachers online. The results supported that TPACK positively influences teachers' WIAI, but this effect is weakened by negative emotions, while needs satisfaction for competence and relatedness buffers the negative effect more effectively than autonomy. These highlight the role of emotional and psychological support in fostering teachers’ adoptions.

Isolation, identification, and challenges of extracellular vesicles: emerging players in clinical applications.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as critical mediators of intercellular communication, encompassing exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic vesicles that play significant roles in diverse physiological and pathological contexts. Numerous studies have demonstrated that EVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EVs) play a pivotal role in facilitating tissue and organ repair, alleviating inflammation and apoptosis, enhancing the proliferation of endogenous stem cells within tissues and organs, and modulating immune function-these functions have been extensively utilized in clinical applications. The precise classification, isolation, and identification of MSC-EVs are essential for their clinical applications. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the biological properties of EVs, emphasizing both their advantages and limitations in isolation and identification methodologies. Additionally, we summarize the protein markers associated with MSC-EVs, emphasizing their significance in the treatment of various diseases. Finally, this article addresses the current challenges and dilemmas in developing clinical applications for MSC-EVs, aiming to offer valuable insights for future research.

Green Trade Barriers in the Context of Globalization: Legal Challenges and Countermeasures

The acceleration of globalization has brought about the deepening of economic cooperation, but also triggered an urgent need for environmental protection. Green trade barriers, as a trade restriction measure in the name of environmental protection, have gradually become an important factor in international trade. Major countries and regions have widely implemented green trade barriers, which have made enterprises face complex trade obstacles and affected the international trade order and domestic industrial competitiveness. Although previous studies have explored the impact and implementation of green trade barriers, there are still certain research gaps regarding their legitimacy under the framework of international law, their actual effects on environmental protection, and their specific impacts on domestic industries. Studying the legitimacy of green trade barriers under the framework of international law will help to clarify their reasonable limits. Evaluating their actual effects on environmental protection and analyzing their impact on domestic industries will help provide a scientific basis for policy making and promote a win-win situation for the economy and the environment. This article conducts research from three aspects: current dilemma, in-depth analysis, and optimization path, to provide possible opinions and response strategies for solving the problem of green trade barriers.

A comparative analysis of intelligent energy modelling approaches for a grid-tied PVT system application

Renewable energy resources are a long-term answer to the current chronic energy dilemma. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most often used form of a practical solution for power supply and energy management in buildings. A PV-thermal (PVT) system is essential to lowering the demand for grid energy by capturing electrical and thermal energy from sunlight, optimising energy usage and encouraging sustainable energy practices. The most significant difficulty faced by developing countries, such as South Africa, is a lack of power supply to meet demand while limiting grid overload. An alternative source of energy is a critical component. This research compares two intelligent energy modelling methodologies: optimal control scheme-based open loop and model predictive control (MPC) in a PVT application. The primary goal of the modelling is to limit the electricity required from the grid while stressing the system’s energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The open loop approach uses mathematical optimisation techniques to establish the best control strategy for the PVT system. The ideal set-points for various system parameters are found by presenting the problem as an optimisation task to reduce grid power usage. The optimal control technique delivers a global optimisation solution based on the system dynamics and constraints. The MPC technique employs a predictive control technique of the PVT system to create optimal control actions in a receding horizon manner. The MPC algorithm anticipates future system behaviour and generates control actions that minimise grid power drawn by iteratively solving an optimisation problem at each time step. This robust online control scheme enables real-time modifications and responses to system disruptions that effectively and dynamically coordinate system behaviour.

Research on the Connotation, Dilemmas, and Practical Path of Digital and Intelligent Competency of University Teachers in the "Big Data + Artificial Intelligence" Era

In the context of the "Big Data + Artificial Intelligence" era, higher education is facing unprecedented challenges in technological transformation and educational innovation. As the core of the education system, the improvement of teachers' digital and intelligent competency directly influences the quality of education and teaching effectiveness. This paper aims to explore the connotation, development dilemmas, and practical paths of university teachers' digital and intelligent competency in the "Big Data + Artificial Intelligence" era. Through an explanation of the essence and connotation of digital and intelligent competency, this paper constructs a theoretical framework for university teachers' digital and intelligent competency and analyzes the ability bottlenecks and transformation dilemmas teachers face when applying big data and artificial intelligence technologies. The paper further discusses the current dilemmas in the development of university teachers' digital and intelligent competency and proposes targeted practical paths to provide theoretical guidance and a practical framework for enhancing university teachers' digital and intelligent competency. The research conclusions indicate that the improvement of teachers' digital and intelligent competency requires not only technological support but also joint efforts from the education system and the teachers themselves.

Is patella facet arthritis a contraindication to unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: Current concepts

Medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has increased in popularity for the ​treatment of end-stage anteromedial osteoarthritis in part secondary to its quicker recovery, improved function, and decreased risk of medical complications over total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, despite the success of medial UKA, dilemma still exists over certain patient characteristics as to suitability for undergoing the procedure. In addition to patient age, body mass index (BMI), and the presence, or lack thereof, of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), one of the most contentious issues surrounding suitability for medial UKA is the preoperative status of the patellofemoral joint (PFJ). This review aims to look at the historical factors leading to the current dilemma as well as recent evidence surrounding anterior knee pain and preoperative PFJ arthritis on the survivability and outcomes of medial UKA. This article will also evaluate other PFJ factors possibly affecting the outcome of medial UKA such as lateral patellar subluxation and lateral facet grooving, future perspectives that may influence the utilization of medial UKA such as cementless implants, and the choice of mobile versus fixed bearing articulations.

Fields, Frontiers, and the Making of the Food and Agriculture Organization

ABSTRACT The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), once the overlooked stepchild of post-war global governance, is now at the centre of attention among historians, parsing the key figures, central policies, and ongoing challenges across the FAO’s embattled life-time. However, to date, there has been little engagement with the material, territorial and ecological preconditions that required the construction of global food governance in the first place. The present article contributes to FAO scholarship via a more grounded historical sociology of agriculture and international (dis)order. To do so, I frame the evolution of the modern ‘global countryside’ through four distinct yet inter-locking frontiers: territory, commodity, technology, institutions. In using the case of US state-formation as a springboard, I argue that the contradictory entanglement of territorial and commodity frontiers during the settler-colonial period led to a collective anxiety about US (and global) agrarian development, which called forth ever-more innovative solutions through the expansion of technological and institutional frontiers. This spiral of emergence, entanglement, crisis, and resolution culminated in the first post-war conference on international cooperation, and the eventual consecration of the FAO. Yet the contradictions of the post-war international system – at once deeply inter-dependent yet radically hierarchical – ultimately doomed the hopes for a more cooperative global food order. A more critical approach to the making of the FAO thus offers important lessons on the current dilemmas facing today’s global food system.

Current situation and dilemma of hospice and palliative care in the aging context

With the deepening of the aging of society, the management of serious diseases is becoming more and more important. Therefore, the need for hospice and palliative care is growing rapidly these years. As a kind of well-rounded way of caring, hospice and palliative care can not only relieve patients pain physically, but also support them psychologically and make them fit in society. Effective care can enhance the quality level of patients daily lives to ensure their dignity and respect their wishes at the last stage of their lives. Many countries are taking measures to develop hospice and palliative care to improve peoples life quality. Different strategies have been used to reduce patients pain and improve their life quality. However, dilemmas still exist at the level of patients, providers, and policy. This article comprehensively analyzes the current situation and dilemma of hospice and palliative care in the aging context and provides potential solutions.

Dilemma of family education for hearing‐impaired children in China: Responsibility or evasion?

AbstractDue to the difficulty in identifying and monitoring factors that cause hearing impairment during pregnancy, large numbers of new hearing‐impaired children are born every year. Children's hearing impairment can have an impact on all aspects of the family. Family education, as an important element of family function, plays a key role in the growth and development of hearing‐impaired children and in improving the interaction between hearing‐impaired children and their parents. Based on a qualitative study in central China, this article examines the current situation and dilemmas of family education for hearing‐impaired children. Results show that families of hearing‐impaired children generally have a tendency to avoid family education responsibilities, as demonstrated by the lack of family roles, low participation in specific family education, absence of communication and care functions and a laissez‐faire approach to bringing up their children. This evasive tendency cannot simply be attributed to parental irresponsibility; rather, it is the result of a combination of four factors and is closely related to insufficient social support. In the short term, a two‐pronged approach is needed: strengthening the government's responsibility and rendering assistance for families with hearing‐impaired children on the one hand, and establishing reliable links between home and school to provide professional support on the other. In the long run, it is necessary to build up a social support mechanism with social work intervention. This paper puts forward the need for collaboration among multiple parties and a family‐centred assistance model to promote a shift from the tendency towards evasion to active assumption of family responsibility.

Electrospinning Fiber Membrane‐Derived Gel Polymer Electrolytes with High Mechanical Strength and Low Swelling Effect for High‐Safety Lithium Metal Batteries

AbstractThe practical application of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is hindered by the issues of flammable electrolytes, lithium dendrites and the resulting thermal runaway. Designing flame‐retardant electrolytes with high performance is a valid strategy to break the current dilemma. In this work, the flame retardant of triphenyl phosphate (TPP) is elaborately encapsulated into the polymer shell of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyvinylidene fluoride‐hexafluoropropylene (PVDF‐HFP) to realize the controllable release of TPP during the soaking process. The resulting TPP@PAN/PVDF‐HFP fiber membrane holds high thermal stability, high mechanical strength, and low swelling rate, which is essential for the preparation of flame‐retardant gel polymer electrolyte (GPE). As demonstrated, the TPP@PAN/PVDF‐HFP GPE can deliver high Li+ transference number of 0.877, low interfacial activation energy barrier of 26.6 kJ mol−1 and heterogeneous SEI composition of Li3PO4/Li2CO3/LiF. The corresponding Li||Li cells achieve stable voltage polarization over 1000 h, and the Li||Cu cells display high plating/stripping CE of 99.1%. Meanwhile, the optimized Li||LiFePO4 batteries exhibit high reversible capacity of 158 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.5 C, and present outstanding fire resistance through the thermal runaway and puncture test. This study will open window for the design of high‐safety electrolytes to promote the practical application of LMBs.

Full-course NIR-II imaging-navigated fractionated photodynamic therapy of bladder tumours with X-ray-activated nanotransducers

The poor 5-year survival rate for bladder cancers is associated with the lack of efficient diagnostic and treatment techniques. Despite cystoscopy-assisted photomedicine and external radiation being promising modalities to supplement or replace surgery, they remain invasive or fail to provide real-time navigation. Here, we report non-invasive fractionated photodynamic therapy of bladder cancer with full-course real-time near-infrared-II imaging based on engineered X-ray-activated nanotransducers that contain lanthanide-doped nanoscintillators with concurrent emissions in visible and the second near-infrared regions and conjugated photosensitizers. Following intravesical instillation in mice with carcinogen-induced autochthonous bladder tumours, tumour-homing peptide-labelled nanotransducers realize enhanced tumour regression, robust recurrence inhibition, improved survival rates, and restored immune homeostasis under X-ray irradiation with accompanied near-infrared-II imaging. On-demand fractionated photodynamic therapy with customized doses is further achieved based on quantifiable near-infrared-II imaging signal-to-background ratios. Our study presents a promising non-invasive strategy to confront the current bladder cancer dilemma from diagnosis to treatment and prognosis.

Development of strategic participatory moral education management model in private vocational colleges

Addressing society’s current ethical dilemmas necessitates urgent reinforcement of moral standards. Transforming student behavior necessitates integrating legal and social measures through proactive youth cultivation within educational institutions. This study focuses on a participatory, strategic approach to managing ethics in private vocational colleges in Thailand. The researchers gathered data through structured, in-depth interviews and opinion surveys from a sample group of 400 individuals, which included directors and department heads of these colleges. The research identified two main dimensions and eleven factors essential for moral education management in private vocational colleges. The first dimension encompasses six critical factors: resource management, structural policies, educational services, personnel, financial management, and materials and equipment management. The second dimension includes five key factors: school strategies, administrative policies, teacher roles, student engagement, and community stakeholder involvement. Statistical analysis supports the causal relationship model, revealing a Chi-Square value of 33.492 and a P-value of 0.055. This comprehensive approach aims to foster sustainable moral development and cultivate desirable societal behaviors among students. It contributes to national stability and aligns with educational and vocational development plans, effectively addressing broader socio-economic challenges. The findings underscore the importance of strategic, ethical management in private vocational education institutions as a cornerstone for nurturing a morally responsible student body and supporting national development goals.

Development of a core outcome set of clinical research on the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine for spinal metastases: a study protocol

BackgroundIn recent years, the incidence of spinal metastasis (SM) has been increasing steadily. In response to this serious public health problem, researchers have made progress by using the integration of...

The Medicine Revolution Through Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Challenges of Machine Learning Algorithms in Decision-Making.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and its autonomous learning processes (or machine learning) in medicine has revolutionized the global health landscape, providing faster and more accurate diagnoses, personalization of medical treatment, and efficient management of clinical information. However, this transformation is not without ethical challenges, which require a comprehensive and responsible approach. There are many fields where AI and medicine intersect, such as health education, patient-doctor interface, data management, diagnosis, intervention, and decision-making processes. For some of these fields, there are some guidelines to regulate them. AI has numerous applications in medicine, including medical imaging analysis, diagnosis, predictive analytics for patient outcomes, drug discovery and development, virtual health assistants, and remote patient monitoring. It is also used in robotic surgery, clinical decision support systems, AI-powered chatbots for triage, administrative workflow automation, and treatment recommendations. Despite numerous applications, there are several problems related to the use of AI identified in the literature in general and in medicine in particular. These problems are data privacy and security, bias and discrimination, lack of transparency (Black Box Problem), integration with existing systems, cost and accessibility disparities, risk of overconfidence in AI, technical limitations, accountability for AI errors, algorithmic interpretability, data standardization issues, unemployment, and challenges in clinical validation. Of the various problems already identified, the most worrying are data bias, the black box phenomenon, questions about data privacy, responsibility for decision-making, security issues for the human species, and technological unemployment. There are still several ethical problems associated with the use of AI autonomous learning algorithms, namely epistemic, normative, and comprehensive ethical problems (overarching). Addressing all these issues is crucial to ensure that the use of AI in healthcare is implemented ethically and responsibly, providing benefits to populations without compromising fundamental values. Ongoing dialogue between healthcare providers and the industry, the establishment of ethical guidelines and regulations, and considering not only current ethical dilemmas but also future perspectives are fundamental points for the application of AI to medical practice. The purpose of this review is to discuss the ethical issues of AI algorithms used mainly in data management, diagnosis, intervention, and decision-making processes.

Donor polarization engineering of conjugated microporous polymers to boost exciton dissociation for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

The misuse and inevitable release of antibiotics can cause significant harm to both human health and the environment, and the use of polymeric semiconductors for photodegradation of antibiotics in aqueous environments is one of the most effective strategies to alleviate the current dilemma. Nevertheless, the inherently high exciton binding energy (Eb) and low photogenerated carrier transfer efficiency for most photocatalysts results in unsatisfactory photodegradation performance. Hence, this work proposes a donor polarization strategy to regulate the exciton dissociation of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) by minimizing their Eb. Results exhibited that the introduction of the strong donor unit 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) not only reduces the Eb and effectively promotes exciton dissociation, but also broadens the visible light absorption of CMP. Among them, EdtTz-CMP with the lowest Eb (99 meV) delivered an efficiency of 94.6% in photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC) with in 90 min, significantly higher than those of its analogues. This work provides a viable approach to design CMPs by tuning the intrinsic dipole of the donor for efficient environmental purification.

Application and Development of Firefighting Technologies in Industrial Heritage: Experiences and Insights from Macau

Due to the irreversible nature of the consequences of fire, fire protection is a major challenge and source of problems for all types of built heritage. This study aims to establish sustainable fire protection technology strategies by generalizing fire prevention and control technologies and measures against extended burns. This study aims to explore Macau’s industrial heritage’s historical development and technological applications in the field of fire protection using literature analysis, field investigation, and spatial information visualization methods. It will be carried out using the industrial heritage of Macau as the object and systematic analyses from the screening and processing of fire protection historical data, fire risk assessment, and the migration of fire protection focus. The results show that (1) the fire protection of the industrial heritage of Macau has gone through a total of three phases: passive fire protection, transition of fire protection methods, and active fire protection, and the relied-upon fire protection technologies have been iterated and renewed continuously during this period. (2) When the fire load factors of industrial heritage increase, the fire vulnerability assessment substantially changes, and the center of gravity of heritage fire protection shifts from controlling the scope of disaster to reducing the fire risk. (3) The construction of a suitable and effective ecological model of fire protection technology can provide appropriate fire protection solutions for the preservation and reuse of Macau’s industrial heritage in a complex cultural context. Therefore, this study will help to solve the current dilemma of sustainable application and development of fire protection technology for industrial heritage. This study hopes to provide ideas and strategies for reference on industrial heritage fire protection issues in the development of similar world heritage cities.