Funding Levels Research Articles

Goal orientation: rethinking the healthcare system of Ukraine

The functioning of the health care system is undergoing reform, which requires a detailed study of its formation and functioning at the current stages. The authors conduct an analysis of the organizational structure of the health care system, including levels of management, medical facilities, funding, and human resources. The article examines the organization of management levels in the health care system of Ukraine, including the Ministry of Health, regional and local governing bodies, and medical institutions at the level of cities, villages, and regions. The role and functions of each level of management, their interaction and responsibility in regulating and coordinating the activities of the health care system are described. The financing of the health care system in Ukraine is also analyzed, including sources of financing, mechanisms for the distribution of funds, financial stability, and challenges faced by the health care financing system in the country. The article examines in detail the organization and functioning of medical institutions in the health care system of Ukraine, including hospitals, polyclinics, dispensaries and other medical institutions. The authors describe the role and functions of various medical institutions, their interaction and the organization of the provision of medical services at different levels of the health care system. In addition, the personnel potential of the healthcare system of Ukraine is considered, including personnel resources, training and qualification of medical personnel. Describes the role of medical personnel in the health care system, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other health workers. Challenges and prospects in the field of development of personnel potential of the health care system in Ukraine are analyzed. Attention is drawn to the challenges and prospects of reforming the health care system in Ukraine, including the role of regulation, financing, organization of medical facilities, and development of personnel potential. The authors draw conclusions about the need for further efforts to improve the functioning of the health care system in Ukraine, in particular by expanding access to medical services, improving the quality of medical care, effective use of financial resources, and development of human resources.

Heuristic Potential of Applying the Assessment Index to Regional Public Programs in the Field of Youth Policy

The aim of the research is to determine the possibilities and limitations of applying indices for assessing regional youth policy in the Russian Federation. The article contains a detailed analysis of domestic and foreign scientific literature on current methods for evaluating state youth policy and possibilities of applying indices in this sphere. The comparative analysis of the use of indices for assessing youth policy in the CIS countries was conducted. The authors propose an index of complex evaluation of regional state programs based on the correlation between the data on the budgeting of the youth policy sphere in the subjects and the migration indicators of this age group. As a result of empirical research, the authors have identified groups of regions of the Russian Federation with different levels of funding of the investigated sphere and the degree of sufficiency of budgetary provision to maintain a neutral balance of youth migration.

PENGARUH TINGKAT PENDIDIKAN, TENAGA KERJA, PENDAPATAN ASLI DAERAH (PAD) DAN DANA ZAKAT TERHADAP PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI DI EKS-KARESIDENAN SURAKARTA TAHUN 2016-2021

This study aims to determine the effect of the education level of local original income (PAD) workers and zakat funds on economic growth in the former Surakarta residency 2016-2021. This type of research is a quantitative method with an associative analysis approach. The population used in this study is data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and the National Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) which contain the required variable data. The sampling technique uses saturated sampling technique, meaning that all populations are sampled. Data were obtained from secondary data obtained from the website of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) to obtain data on education and workforce levels. Data analysis technique was performed using multiple linear regression. The results of the study show that (1) the level of education has a significant positive effect on economic growth. (2) Labor has a significant positive influence on economic growth. (3) Regional Original Income has a significant positive influence on economic growth. (4) Zakat has a significant positive effect on economic growth.
 Keywords: Education Level, Workforce, Regional Own Revenue, Zakat Funds, Economic Growth.

Challenges and threats to modern subsoil use using the example of the Ural Federal District

Relevance. Environmentally sustainable subsoil use requires full coordination of socio-economic and environmental subsystems. The growing economic problems, the deterioration of international relations, the approaching environmental crisis are causing challenges and threats that provoke disruptions in the operation of enterprises in the industry, which makes it necessary to identify threats and challenges in order to take systemic measures to mitigate the consequences or prevent them. The purpose of the study is to identify challenges and threats that pose a danger to subsoil use (using the example of the Ural Federal District). Research methods – generalization and analysis, methods of analogy, groupings, logical analysis, expert assessments. Results. The conceptual and categorical tools of the study have been clarified, the main challenges and threats that provoke the occurrence of adverse events for subsoil use, including the emergence of economic, social and environmental threats with a decoding of their characteristics, have been identified. Using the Delphi method in a lite variation by D. Peskov, three basic threats to the subsoil use of the Ural Federal District were identified with the involvement of 26 experts for evaluation. A detailed analysis of each of these threats has been carried out. The depletion of the mineral resource potential within the Ural Federal District and the need to meet the demand for raw materials through external and internal supplies were confirmed. Among the solid minerals are coal, manganese and chromium ores, copper raw materials, etc. An insufficient level of funding for geological exploration has also been determined. The analysis of the threat associated with the dependence of the industry on foreign IT products was performed in great detail. Data on the assessment of the current situation at enterprises engaged in subsoil use in the Ural Federal District are given. Possible ways out of the current critical situation are considered. Conclusions. The consequences of the identified threats for subsoil use are formulated. The need to reduce the impact of threats is substantiated: the depletion of the mineral resource potential, the reduction in funding for geological exploration and the dependence of the industry on foreign IT products.

Empirical progression criteria thresholds for feasibility outcomes in HIV clinical trials: a methodological study

IntroductionPilot and feasibility trials use predetermined thresholds for feasibility outcomes to decide if a larger trial is feasible. These thresholds may be derived from the literature, observational data, or clinical experience. The aim of this study was to determine empirical estimates for feasibility outcomes to inform future HIV pilot randomized trials.MethodsWe conducted a methodological study of HIV clinical trials indexed in the past 5 years (2017–2021) in the PubMed database. We included trials of people living with HIV individually randomized to any type of intervention and excluded pilot trials and cluster randomized trials. Screening and data extraction were conducted in duplicate. We computed estimates for recruitment, randomization, non-compliance, lost to follow-up, discontinuation, and the proportion analyzed using a random effects meta-analysis of proportions and reported these estimates according to the following subgroups: use of medication, intervention type, trial design, income level, WHO region, participant type, comorbidities, and source of funding. We report estimates with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsWe identified 2122 studies in our search, of which 701 full texts were deemed relevant, but only 394 met our inclusion criteria. We found the following estimates: recruitment (64.1%; 95% CI 57.7 to 70.3; 156 trials); randomization (97.1%; 95% CI 95.8 to 98.3; 187 trials); non-compliance (3.8%; 95% CI 2.8 to 4.9; 216 trials); lost to follow-up (5.8%; 95% CI 4.9 to 6.8; 251 trials); discontinuation (6.5%; 95% CI 5.5 to 7.5; 215 trials); analyzed (94.2%; 95% CI 92.9 to 95.3; 367 trials). There were differences in estimates across most subgroups.ConclusionThese estimates may be used to inform the design of HIV pilot randomized trials with careful consideration of variations due to some of the subgroups investigated.

The Impact of the Organization of Public Health Systems on the Ability of Countries to Resist the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experience of Developed Countries of the World and Ukraine.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the presence of functional interrelationships between the level of funding of the healthcare sector and the country's ability to withstand any pandemic, using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic. Official indicators presented by the WHO, analytical reports by Numbeo (the world's largest cost-of-living database), and the Global Health Security Index were used for the study. Using these indicators, the authors analyzed the following: the level of the spread of coronavirus infections in the world's countries, the share of public expenditures on the development of the medical sphere in the GDP of the countries, and the development of the healthcare sector in 12 developed countries and Ukraine. These countries were grouped into three groups, based on the model of the organization of the healthcare sector (Beveridge model, Bismark model, Market (private) model). The Farrar-Glauber method was used to check for multicollinearity in the input dataset, and thirteen relevant indicators were selected. These indicators took part in the formation of the generalized characteristics of the country's medical sphere and the ability to resist the pandemic. The state of readiness of countries to resist the spread of coronavirus infections was assessed using the country's index of vulnerability to COVID-19 and the integral index of the development of medicine. Additive convolution was used in combination with sigma-limited parameterization to form an integral index of the country's vulnerability to COVID-19 and to determine the weights of each indicator. The convolution of indicators according to the Kolmogorov-Gabor polynomial was used to construct an integral index of the development of medicine. Thus, while analyzing the ability of countries to resist the pandemic in terms of models of organization of the healthcare sector, it should be noted that none of the models demonstrated absolute effectiveness in the fight against the mass spread of COVID-19. The calculations made it possible to determine the nature of the relationship between the integral indices of the development of medicine and the vulnerability of countries to COVID-19, as well as a country's potential ability to resist any pandemic and prevent the mass spread of infectious diseases.

Labour unions and corporate pension policy

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of labour unions on corporate pension policies. Using firm-level labour union data, it examines whether organized labour mitigates the understatement of pension liabilities on the statement of financial position. Next, we examine whether union presence affects external corporate pension funding. We find that firms with labour unions tend to report smaller actuarial gains (or larger actuarial losses) associated with the remeasurement of pension liabilities, suggesting that labour unions play a monitoring role in the reporting of corporate pension liabilities and/or that firms try to enhance their bargaining power with the labour union by exaggerating their financial burden of corporate pension liabilities. We do not find that the pension funding level (the ratio of the fair value of plan assets to pension liabilities) is higher for firms with labour unions. Overall, our results indicate that labour unions constrain management incentives to understate pension liabilities, but they have limited influence on corporate pension funding decisions.

US Regional Newspapers and Instagram: A Content Analysis

Journalism outlets are regularly looking for ways to reach their audiences. One of those ways that has increased in popularity over time is social media. However, little is known about how to best create content that connects to the audiences through these platforms. The current exploratory study utilizes quantitative content analysis to understand how three regional newspapers in the United States utilized Instagram for content distribution. Regional newspapers were selected to have non-elite levels of funding and staffing. Findings demonstrate three approaches to the platform from each of the outlets studied in terms of topic, visual approach, multimedia utilized, and more. The user responses to the content are also discussed.

Green Economy as One of the Sustainable Development Directions

The article mentions the need to transform economic activities to reduce environmental risks. The green economy is considered as a new vector of sustainable development, which contributes to the improvement of human well-being and ensures social equality. Current crises in the world and the measures needed to overcome them are given. The level of state funding and its role in the transition to a green economy are analyzed. The role of the green economy in the fight against poverty and the role of investments in the development of the green economy are mentioned. The paper presents the necessary measures for a successful transition to a green economy. Keywords: Green economy, food security, crisis, green investments.

Quantitative revenue estimates and qualitative assessments of innovative fundraising sources for treating rare diseases in Colombia

ABSTRACT Background: Like many developing countries, Colombia faces difficulties in financing health-care services as well as programs for health promotion and health education and there is evidence that its health-care system is underperforming. Objective: To provide evidence-based estimates of potential funding levels and assess the strengths, weaknesses, and viability of innovative funding mechanisms with a focus on treating rare diseases in Colombia. Methods: The strategy involved evidence-based projections of potential funding levels and a qualitative viability assessment using an expert panel. Results: Crowdfunding, corporate donation, and social impact bonds (SIBs) were deemed to be the most viable of numerous potential strategies. Expected funding levels over 10 years for rare diseases in Colombia from crowdfunding, corporate donations, and SIBs were roughly $7,200, $23,000, and $12,400, respectively. Conclusions: Based on the combination of projected funding potential along with expert consensus regarding viability and operability, crowdfunding, corporate donations, and SIBs, especially in combination, have the potential to substantially improve funding for vulnerable patient populations in Colombia.

The global status of carbon capture and storage: ambition to action

As the global response to climate change advances from ambition to action, the past few years have witnessed unprecedented levels of investments in carbon capture and storage (CCS), with the pipeline of commercial facilities continuing to grow as the technology becomes increasingly competitive and commercial in many countries. Key trends underpinning this momentum include the rise of the network project model enabling the use of shared infrastructure, the incorporation of CCS in private sector investment strategies, ESG (environmental, social and governance) considerations, green taxonomies and the industrial-scale production of hydrogen to meet demand. With CCS receiving increased awareness in international climate policy negotiations, a renewed focus on developing supportive policy, legal and regulatory mechanisms by national governments are also driving CCS deployment. Established leaders and early-movers in CCS-relevant policy, such as the United States, European Union and the UK, continue to maintain or strengthen their positions by allocating significant levels of funding for tax credits, subsidies and grants. Similarly, countries in the Asia-Pacific region, notably China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, are also advancing policies to incentivise deployment, including through the establishment of CCS-specific legal and regulatory frameworks. The outlook for CCS is optimistic, however, current deployment rates fall far short of what is required to keep global warming below 1.5 or even 2 degrees. Further action is needed to unlock the full potential of CCS and realise the Paris climate goals.

Przestrzenne cechy transgranicznej współpracy turystycznej w regionie Morza Bałtyckiego = Spatial features of cross-border tourist cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region

This article aims to explain where the cross-border tourism cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) can be observed, and its specifical aim is to answer the research question: What are the spatial characteristics of cooperation in cross-border tourism projects in the Baltic Sea Region? Using the methods of spatial analysis in GIS, statistical methods and analysis of project documents, synthetic research was carried out on the cooperation of beneficiaries of tourism projects under the Interreg IV A, B and C programs in the BSR. The spatial nature of this cooperation was presented in a descriptive and cartographic form, taking into account the locations of beneficiaries, budgets, roles in the project, concentration, connections and topics of their cooperation. Although the empirical study presented below is limited only to tourism cooperation under the EU-funded Interreg IV program in the BSR, it is one of the first studies on cross-border cooperation between entities separated by a sea border in general, as well as one of the first synthetic studies on projects from different levels of European Union funding in the Interreg program (A, B and C), which cover a larger area of research. Cooperation is measured by number and distance of the relations between the beneficiaries. Comparison of the number of implemented projects related to tourism, the number of beneficiaries, the average amount of beneficiaries' budgets and their concentration showed diametrical differences in the region between its western and eastern parts. It can therefore be said that the "Iron Curtain" is still visible, which in the second half of the 20th century divided the south-eastern part of the Baltic Sea from its north-western part

What is ‘fair’ and ‘just’ in refugee education? How teachers and school leaders negotiate competing discourses of ‘equity’ and ‘equality’ in Australia

ABSTRACT With increasing numbers of students from refugee backgrounds, many Australian schools are struggling to minimise the educational disparity between refugee students and their same age peers. Faced with diverse needs and limited resources, educators must decide whether to distribute targeted resources equally, ensuring all students are given equality of opportunity, or allocate resources to those who need it most, attaining equity of outcome. In this paper, we use data from seven Australian secondary schools identified as examples of ‘good practice’ to explore how educators navigate notions of ‘fairness’ to support students from refugee backgrounds. Findings suggest educators struggled to navigate the tension between providing an equal or equitable response, and often these struggles were inextricably tied to student and funding contexts. In under-resourced settings, teachers weighed up seemingly competing forms of disadvantage, frequently opting to distribute resources in a way which favoured equality of opportunity. Contrastingly, in schools with less disadvantage and higher levels of funding, resources were redistributed based on need, striving for more equitable outcomes for refugee students. The findings demonstrate the complex negotiations that educators undertake when allocating resources and consider how these processes align with, or in some cases contradict, notions of fairness and social justice.

Historical Development and the Funding of Libraries for the Public: England

Funding levels for public libraries have, in general, never been consistently adequate, and this has necessitated that they commonly pursue forms of funding over and above the income received via taxation. To appreciate how this situation developed, it is necessary to understand how library services to the public before the emergence of the rate or tax-supported public library developed. In this, the first of a series of historically-based articles, the development of library services to the public in England is examined. The types of libraries outlined and discussed include endowed and subscription libraries, and the role of the mechanics’ institutes is scrutinised. Throughout the discussion, and where appropriate, financial or funding issues are identified. The point is made that such issues have been part of library services to the public (whether tax-supported or not) since their inception. In addition, the at times vital role played by private funding in the establishment and support of such services will be highlighted. The focus on England is based on the profound influence that it, together with the United States, has had on public library development across the world, particularly in Asia and Africa, the latter including South Africa.

Methodology to Predict Federal Performance Measures From State Performance Measures of Pavement Networks

Pavement management data used in measuring the performance of a pavement network contribute to managing maintenance and rehabilitation needs and determining the required funding levels. A network’s performance can be measured in several ways. The method adopted by the Virginia Department of Transportation has been in use for more than 15 years. With the introduction of Transportation Performance Management by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), a set of performance measures required by FHWA are to be reported. A few methods from earlier efforts by others in predicting one or more pavement performance parameters are briefly discussed. The main challenges in the determination of federal performance measures are the lack of prediction models for those measures; the reporting on 1/10th-mi sections that are not directly used in analysis and maintenance planning; and the determination of funding levels based on 1/10th-mi sections. In this paper, a new method to predict the federal performance measures of pavement networks from the state performance measures is provided, along with the mathematical models developed.

PlantACT! - how to tackle the climate crisis.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have created a global climate crisis which requires immediate interventions to mitigate the negative effects on all aspects of life on this planet. As current agriculture and land use contributes up to 25% of total GHG emissions, plant scientists take center stage in finding possible solutions for a transition to sustainable agriculture and land use. In this article, the PlantACT! (Plants for climate ACTion!) initiative of plant scientists lays out a road map of how and in which areas plant scientists can contribute to finding immediate, mid-term, and long-term solutions, and what changes are necessary to implement these solutions at the personal, institutional, and funding levels.

COVID-19 and Emergency Rental Assistance: Impact on Rent Arrears, Debt, and the Well-Being of Renters in Philadelphia

The federal government allocated an unprecedented level of funding to develop emergency rental assistance programs to help vulnerable low-income renter households remain housed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using panel data from two waves of applicant surveys joined with administrative data, this article analyzes the impact of Phase 1 of the City of Philadelphia’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program and asks how emergency rental assistance affected households in their rent arrears, rent-related debt, and mental health. Analysis shows that receiving emergency rental assistance was associated with lower arrears, a lower probability of rent-related debt, and a lower probability of experiencing frequent debilitating anxiety. The findings suggest that the initial rent relief provided crucial support for households in terms of financial and mental well-being but also underscore that housing affordability challenges that predated the pandemic cannot be addressed by an emergency rental assistance program created in response to a pandemic.

Incentivizing at‐risk production capacity building for COVID‐19 vaccines

Our study analyzes capacity management for promising vaccine candidates before regulatory approval (i.e., at‐risk capacity building) in the presence of production outsourcing and different operational challenges: misaligned interests, possible ex post negotiations, asymmetric information between developers and manufacturers, and government involvement. We develop analytical models to compare two vaccine production modes: (1) the integrated mode (a single company determines the at‐risk capacity and produces in‐house) and (2) the outsourcing mode (a manufacturer determines the at‐risk capacity and a developer determines a funding level to share the capacity‐building cost). Our study reveals that outsourcing can achieve a higher at‐risk capacity only if it can achieve sufficient cost savings compared to the integrated mode. Our research also proves that both vaccine production modes tend to underinvest in the at‐risk capacity. Following this, we suggest measures to improve the at‐risk capacity building in both vaccine production modes. Our signaling game model reveals that a developer with high competence cannot always send credible signals of its true competence level to the manufacturer. Our incomplete contract model verifies that the relative performance of the two vaccine production modes is robust when ex post negotiation occurs under the outsourcing mode; however, the two parties may show incompatible preferences for the ex post negotiation. Our study also analyzes the optimal allocation of government financial support to development funding and capacity funding to incentivize at‐risk capacity building. We present comprehensive guidelines for the different stakeholders to collectively contribute to ramping up the at‐risk capacity of promising vaccines.

Corporate Pension Funding Levels, Firm Performance, and Dividend Payout Ratios

This study employs a large sample of defined-benefit pension plans sponsored by publicly traded US corporations over the period 1998–2016, and it explores the impact of the level of pension funding on firm performance and dividend payout policy. Using panel regression analysis, the study finds evidence of significant positive association between the level of pension funding and both firm performance and dividend payout. The results have a number of important implications that should be cause for concern for policymakers and a wide range of stakeholders, including investors, pensioners, employees, and managers.

Life in Space: NASA Life Sciences Research during the Late Twentieth Century by Maura Phillips Mackowski

Reviewed by: Life in Space: NASA Life Sciences Research during the Late Twentieth Century by Maura Phillips Mackowski Alwin J. Cubasch (bio) Life in Space: NASA Life Sciences Research during the Late Twentieth Century By Maura Phillips Mackowski. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 2022. Pp. 392. Several recent publications have shown an interest in the science and technology that is necessary to live in space. Early astronaut training has become a focus of historical research, as well as the conflicting roles of astronauts as both scientific field workers and test subjects in space (Hersch, "Spacework"; Bimm and Kilian, "The Well-Tempered Astronaut"; Fendley, "First Contact"). Other publications have delved into the history of closed-loop ecologies for long-term space flight (Höhler, Spaceship Earth in the Environmental Age; Munns and Nickelsen, Far Beyond the Moon) and the psychology of living in space (Karafantis, "Sealab II and Skylab"; Grevsmühl, "Laboratory Metaphors in Antarctic History"). Questions of scientific cooperation across the Iron Curtain during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project have also received scholarly attention (A. Jenks, Collaboration in Space and the Search for Peace on Earth). Against this backdrop, Maura Phillips Mackowski's second book on the history of NASA's life science research is a welcome addition that addresses the life science funding "bubble" (p. 6) at NASA from 1980 to 2004. Mackowski employs a wide definition of what counts as life science, allowing her to cover a broad range of NASA's endeavors from research on lab animals and artificial gravity centrifuges to crew safety systems and escape vehicles. This wide range illustrates NASA's own indecisiveness on what topics should be covered by its life science research programs. It also supports Mackowski's main argument that even in the heyday of life science during the space shuttle and early International Space Station era (p. 74), outside scientists were reluctant to engage with NASA, an agency they considered an unreliable source of funding because of its ever-shifting agenda. Drawing from a wide range of sources and interviews, Mackowski's study especially shines when it locates NASA's life sciences in broader societal and [End Page 627] political trends, from the early enthusiasm of the space shuttle era to the end and aftermath of the Cold War, which restricted funding levels and forced NASA into sometimes uneasy international cooperations. She convincingly shows how cultural influences, political currents, and actors like animal welfare organizations shaped the possibilities the life science community had to conduct research in space. Looking the other direction, the book also discusses NASA's efforts to persuade outside actors and agencies to cooperate on life science projects like radiation research. Her book gives valuable insights into questions of collaboration and competition in late twentieth-century institutionalized science, especially when it deals with NASA's strategies for and difficulties in distributing its main resources to scientists, namely funding and space flight opportunities, fairly between its own centers and extramural researchers. Equally important, the book touches on questions of participation in research settings on Earth and in space and discusses the dynamics of long-distance teamwork between astronauts and scientists. But most of all this is a book about how (not) to manage research in large techno-scientific organizations. Mackowski argues that NASA's constantly shifting priorities discouraged researchers who spent years developing research proposals that underwent peer review and long ground preparation only to be denied flight because of altered mission schedules, new research priorities, or funding cuts. NASA's life science programs often were the first items that fell victim to the reallocation of resources and reorganizations after congressional hearings or the new space policies of incoming presidents. Unfortunately, the actual developments and achievements of NASA's life science sometimes take a backseat in Mackowski's study. While NASA's indecisiveness is mirrored in the interwoven threads of the book, its thematic organization makes following the narrative difficult, as actors and key decisions seem to vanish at points only to reappear a few subchapters later. The book's reliance on NASA's acronyms sometimes conveys the feeling that readers must be intimately familiar with organigrams of NASA headquarters and NASA centers to grasp every detail. Mackowski...