Global Benefits Research Articles

A Digital Twin of the terrestrial water cycle: a glimpse into the future through high-resolution Earth observations

Climate change is profoundly affecting the global water cycle, increasing the likelihood and severity of extreme water-related events. Better decision-support systems are vital to accurately predict and monitor water-related environmental disasters and optimally manage water resources. These must integrate advances in remote sensing, in situ, and citizen observations with high-resolution Earth system modeling, artificial intelligence (AI), information and communication technologies, and high-performance computing. Digital Twin Earth (DTE) models are a ground-breaking solution offering digital replicas to monitor and simulate Earth processes with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Advances in Earth observation (EO) satellite technology are pivotal, and here we provide a roadmap for the exploitation of these methods in a DTE for hydrology. The 4-dimensional DTE Hydrology datacube now fuses high-resolution EO data and advanced modeling of soil moisture, precipitation, evaporation, and river discharge, and here we report the latest validation data in the Mediterranean Basin. This system can now be explored to forecast flooding and landslides and to manage irrigation for precision agriculture. Large-scale implementation of such methods will require further advances to assess high-resolution products across different regions and climates; create and integrate compatible multidimensional datacubes, EO data retrieval algorithms, and models that are suitable across multiple scales; manage uncertainty both in EO data and models; enhance computational capacity via an interoperable, cloud-based processing environment embodying open data principles; and harness AI/machine learning. We outline how various planned satellite missions will further facilitate a DTE for hydrology toward global benefit if the scientific and technological challenges we identify are addressed.

Impact of liberalization and globalization on economic growth: Empirical evidence from Türkiye

Globalization, as the process of integration of the world economy, increases international trade, capital movements, and technology transfer. This study examines the relationship between globalization and economic growth in the 1974-2022 period in Türkiye. In this study, the ARDL Bound method was used for cointegration analysis and the DCC-EGARCH model was used to capture time-varying relationships. The results of the ARDL-Bound model show a positive and long-term correlation between globalization and economic growth in Türkiye. According to the results of the DCC model, there has been a generally positive relationship between economic growth and the globalization index since 1984. Türkiye's economy has generally been positively influenced by economic liberalization processes and globalization. However, the export-oriented growth strategy seems to have lost its effect after 2005. Moreover, the globalization benefits of foreign direct investment were only evident between 2000 and 2009, after which the positive relationship decreased. In the interest of attracting FDI and promoting sustainable economic growth, Türkiye should review its investment-friendly policies and develop strategies aimed at long-term benefits.

Effects of Biodegradable Plastic Film Mulching on the Global Warming Potential, Carbon Footprint, and Economic Benefits of Garlic Production

This paper clarifies the farm applicability and feasibility of spreading biodegradable plastic film mulching for garlic production to ensure the green and sustainable development of the garlic industry. We set up a field trial of garlic planting with biodegradable plastic film mulching (BM) and plastic film mulching (PM), using no film mulching (CK) as the control, and measured CH4 and N2O emissions in the garlic fields. The yield-scaled global warming potential, carbon footprint, and net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB) were used to assess the comprehensive impact of the different treatments. Compared to the CK, film mulching significantly increased CH4 absorption, with significantly higher seasonal cumulative CH4 emissions (20.5%) in BM than PM, but significantly increased N2O emissions, with significantly lower seasonal cumulative N2O emissions (23.53%) in BM than PM. Both BM and PM improved garlic yield, with PM significantly increasing garlic yield by 18.86% compared to the CK. Moreover, film mulching significantly decreased the yield-scaled global warming potential (by 52.06% and 40.82% in PM and BM, respectively). PM had a significantly higher carbon footprint than BM. Film mulching improved NEEB by 9.29–11.78%. Considering crop yields and environmental benefits, we propose BM as an effective method for a green and efficient garlic production.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN UKRAINE

This study investigates into the complex interplay among communication strategies, globalization, and socio-economic factors within the context of regional development, with a specific focus on Ukraine. Employing a mixed-methods approach, it seeks to investigate the profound impact of effective communication strategies on socio-cultural management and their contribution to regional growth in the era of globalization. The study combines quantitative data from regional development reports with stakeholders across various Ukrainian regions. A theoretical model, based on game theory and the Prisoner's Dilemma, is employed to examine strategic choices in communication, globalization integration, socioeconomic focus, infrastructure development, and cultural initiatives.Through an extensive analysis combining quantitative data derived from regional development reports with insights from stakeholders representing diverse Ukrainian regions, this research reveals that cooperative communication strategies, characterized by robust engagement, a balanced approach to globalization, equitable socio-economic development, strategic infrastructure investment, and active promotion of cultural initiatives, yield the most favourable outcomes for regional development.The key takeaway from this study is the paramount significance of inclusive and participatory approaches, effective communication strategies, and harmonious integration of globalization to foster sustainable regional development. Notably, tailored communication strategies exhibit a significant correlation with the success of socio-cultural initiatives, consequently exerting a positive influence on regional development. These encompass community engagement, cultural sensitivity, and adaptive information dissemination. In conclusion, comprehending and optimizing communication strategies emerge as critical imperatives for harnessing the benefits of globalization in the realm of regional development in Ukraine and analogous contexts.

Opportunities And Challenges For Decentralized Governments In The Globalization Era: Lessons From Indonesia

Globalization has been inevitable by the increasing use of technology which allows people and goods to travel across borders, easier, faster, and cheaper. The only way for a country to take benefit from globalization is to give greater autonomy to the regions inside the country to allow them to manage their own economic resources. However, decentralization comes with its own opportunities and challenges. Reflecting from Indonesia’s quarter century of experience, this paper concludes that there is no single formula that fits all local governments. Each local government still needs clear direction, clarity in leadership, budget accountability, and transparency to optimize the benefit of globalization for the welfare of the people.

Mapping the scarcity of data on antibiotics in natural and engineered water environments across India

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health concern, increasingly recognized as a silent pandemic across the globe. Therefore, it is important to monitor all factors that could contribute to the emergence, maintenance and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Environmental antibiotic pollution is thought to be one of the contributing factors. India is one of the world’s largest consumers and producers of antibiotics. Hence, antibiotics have been detected in different environments across India, sometimes at very high concentrations due to their extensive use in humans and agriculture or due to manufacturing. We summarize the current state of knowledge on the occurrence and transport pathways of antibiotics in Indian water environments, including sewage or wastewater and treatment plants, surface waters such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs as well as groundwater and drinking water. The factors influencing the distribution of antibiotics in the water environment, such as rainfall, population density and variations in sewage treatment are discussed, followed by existing regulations and policies aimed at the mitigation of environmental antimicrobial resistance in India, which will have global benefits. Then, we recommend directions for future research, development of standardized methods for monitoring antibiotics in water, ecological risk assessment, and exploration of strategies to prevent antibiotics from entering the environment. Finally, we provide an evaluation of how scarce the data is, and how a systematic understanding of the occurrence and concentrations of antibiotics in the water environment in India could be achieved. Overall, we highlight the urgent need for sustainable solutions to monitor and mitigate the impact of antibiotics on environmental, animal, and public health.

The Potential Role of Aripiprazole Augmentation for Major Depressive Disorder with Anxious Distress in Naturalistic Treatment Setting.

: This study tried to observe clinical benefit of aripiprazole augmentation (ARPA) treatment for major depressive disorder with anxious distress (MDDA) in routine practice. : Retrospective chart review (n = 41) was conducted for clinical benefit of ARPA in patients with MDDA in routine practice. The primary endpoint was the mean change of Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAMA) total scores from baseline to the endpoint. Additional secondary endpoints were also retrieved. : The changes of primary endpoint HAMA (t = 5.731, -4.6, p = 0.001), and secondary endpoints including Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD, t = 4.284, -3.4, p ＜ 0.001), Clinical Global Impression-Clinical Benefit (CGI-CB, -0.9, t = 1.821, p = 0.026), and Clinical Global Impression Score-Severity (CGI-S, t = 3.556, -0.4, p ＜ 0.001) scores were also significantly improved during the study. No significant adverse events were observed. : This study has shown additional benefit of ARPA treatment for MDDA patients in routine practice. However, adequately-powered and well-controlled studies are necessary for generalization of the present findings.

Effective vaccines for non-communicable diseases - A pipe dream?

Effective vaccines for non-communicable diseases - A pipe dream? Markus Mandler, Founder and CEO of Tridem Bioscience, explains how the company’s cutting-edge vaccine platform is revolutionising treatment approaches and vaccines for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 2023Vaccines are one of the best health investments money can buy. One has only to look at how transformative vaccines were during the COVID-19 pandemic to appreciate how world- changing they can be. Currently, vaccines’ full benefits are only truly realised when targeting pathogens, which are innately immunogenic due to their foreign nature. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), otherwise known as chronic diseases, usually lack immunogenic targets. Treating NCDs with vaccines relies instead on targeting self-antigens, which are generally well tolerated by the immune system. The potential global health benefits would be staggering if efficacious vaccines could be developed for NCDs, which cause a whopping 76% of deaths globally and over 60% of all disability- adjusted life-years (DALYs).

Applications of Artificial Intelligence in the Neuropsychological Assessment of Dementia: A Systematic Review.

In the context of advancing healthcare, the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, particularly Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), pose significant challenges. This review explores Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in neuropsychological assessment for the early detection and personalized treatment of MCI and AD. The review includes 37 articles that demonstrate that AI could be an useful instrument for optimizing diagnostic procedures, predicting cognitive decline, and outperforming traditional tests. Three main categories of applications are identified: (1) combining neuropsychological assessment with clinical data, (2) optimizing existing test batteries using ML techniques, and (3) employing virtual reality and games to overcome the limitations of traditional tests. Despite advancements, the review highlights a gap in developing tools that simplify the clinician's workflow and underscores the need for explainable AI in healthcare decision making. Future studies should bridge the gap between technical performance measures and practical clinical utility to yield accurate results and facilitate clinicians' roles. The successful integration of AI/ML in predicting dementia onset could reduce global healthcare costs and benefit aging societies.

Exploring Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practice and Environmental Performance: A Systematic Review Perspective

Weather conditions transformation has exacerbated humanity challenges as nations continue to struggle between carbon reduction and rapid industrial economic development. Although, both developed and developing countries reaffirmed their solemn promise to mitigate existing carbon emission, research on sustainable development, eco-friendly, and low-carbon supply chain links remain unstudied. As a result, the study responds to the research interrogation: "Why and in what way are businesses adopting to sustainable strategies to promote sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in their production?" In response, the researchers obtain and synthesis 19 literature papers for constructive analysis and interpretation from the Scopus database which has the reputation of housing peer-reviewed articles in a broader range of study disciplines. The findings indicate, it is imperative for organization to enhances their SSCM activities such as waste management and re-manufacturing, eco-friendly manufacturing and remanufacturing, logistics in reversal and networking plan, green manufacturing, green purchasing, green operation and low-carbon supply chains. Moreover, to maintain the supply chain operations for the global benefit, businesses must evaluate and acknowledge their primary sustainable risk activities from the previous through to the present, and the forthcoming structural plan.

What Advantages Arise from the Shift Towards Sustainable Energy Sources in Resource-Rich Economies? Empirical Insights from Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, a nation with abundant petroleum resources, aspires to harness the untapped potential of the Caspian Sea's renewable energy resources. The aim for the immediate future is to meet not only domestic energy requirements, but also to establish the nation as a green energy exporter. The nation expects to develop power installations utilizing renewable energy over the forthcoming decades to satisfy a portion of its domestic consumption and also cater to the European market. As part of this colossal project, Azerbaijan anticipates collaborating with international partners to install a 4-gigawatt (GW) power cable traversing the seabed of the Black Sea. The successful realization of these ambitious projects would bolster Azerbaijan's economic sustainability during its post-petroleum phase, while simultaneously enabling a reduction in carbon emissions, offering regional and global benefits. This manuscript seeks to probe the multidimensional implications—political, economic, sociocultural and environmental—of this shift towards wind-derived green energy for Azerbaijan and other nations in the region.

Bidding against the wind: A choice experiment in green energy, green jobs and offshore views in North Carolina, USA

Offshore wind development is in its nascent stages in the United States. Recent research indicates that the visual impacts of offshore wind farms are viewed negatively by the general population. This North Carolina application is the first US-focused discrete choice experiment that explicitly asks respondents to consider the positive local and global benefits from offshore wind development, such as job creation and greenhouse gas emission reductions, simultaneously with their visual impacts. We find significant willingness to pay (WTP) for reducing the visual impacts of offshore wind farms, and that the extent of disamenity varies in the population and with placement along developed tourist towns (as much as $783/year for three years) or preserved coastlines (as much as $451/year for three years). We also find that some preference classes value projects that create permanent jobs and reduce carbon emissions. We use our estimates of preferences for the positive and negative attributes to explore specific wind farm configurations and locations that could achieve positive consensus in a heterogenous population.

MICE tourism, conferences, festivals, globalization, tourism infrastructure

This article discusses the prospects for the development of MICE tourism in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Due to its strategic location in Central Asia and growing infrastructure, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a promising destination for international events. The study analyzes the current state of the MICE industry in the country, examines strengths, weaknesses and opportunities using SWOT analysis. The article highlights key issues such as limited global awareness, lack of qualified personnel and competition from neighboring countries. The paper presents recommendations for improving Kazakhstan's competitiveness in the MICE sector, including strategic marketing, international cooperation and public-private partnerships. The results obtained indicate that, when implementing targeted strategies and investments, Kazakhstan has significant potential to become a major player in the global MICE industry, offering economic and social benefits.

Simultaneous topology design and optimization of PDE constrained processes based on mixed integer formulations

Simultaneous topological design and optimization of complex processes that are described by partial differential equations is a challenging but promising research area. Widely adopted nested and sequential approaches are mostly applicable based on heuristic solutions, hindering the theoretical improvement potential due to decentralized decision-making in subsequent stages with a significant number of trial-and-error procedures. This study introduces a mixed integer formulation addressing the governing equations and case-dependent topological constraints at each discretization point, enabling solutions through rigorous solvers under process-related constraints and objectives. Nonlinear expressions in the formulations are further tailored using piecewise linear approximations, still representing the major nonlinear trends through a mixed-integer linear nature to favor global optimality and benefit from computational advancements, when needed. Heat and Stokes flow problems are used as case studies to demonstrate the applicability of the methodology.

International students and precarious societies: The complexity of mobility rationales in a war-torn higher education

It can be bewildering to see international students choosing war-torn societies as their study abroad destinations. Even more surprising there can be a growth of mutual interest between these students and their hosts to support each other amidst escalating precarity. In the context of global neoliberalism, where costs and benefits are calculated rationally with benefits accumulating proportionally to the prestige and world-class degrees obtained by individual beneficiaries, financial investments in precarious futures are hardly understandable. This paper examines the phenomenon of ISM in the precarious society of Ukraine during the Russian invasion. Using Chankseliani's perspective on “hierarchy of rationales” in higher education internationalization, the case-study of Ukraine finds that ISM rationales are more convergent than hierarchical in times of crisis. The economic rationales of ISM become affected by geopolitics amidst the war and the convergence of the two enhances when students make choices based on long-term futures rather than short-term benefits. Thus, despite the Russian invasion, a significant number of international students continued seeking Ukrainian degrees in view of growing opportunities in the vulnerable but highly resilient country pursuing access to the EU. Moreover, the precarious agencies admire the students’ solidarity when their society lives through existential threats. The study of ISM rationales in times of crisis suggests that social resistance to dehumanizing factors brings together precarious students from abroad and precarious universities at home to nurture perseverance and resilience for more sophisticated learning and mobility.

Global Competency as National Security: Exploring the Global Affairs Education-Security Nexus

This article reviews prominent definitions of global competency, explores the available (though limited) current evidence for its potential benefits, and offers recommendations for framing an understanding of the salience of global affairs education within theories of national security and related practice. The article identifies three potential pathways through which global competency benefits security. First, global competency—especially through phased primary, secondary and tertiary educational models—may contribute to a stronger and more competitive workforce in direct and indirect ways, in turn enhancing a country’s innovative capacities and economic and military power and resilience to shocks. Second, global competency can serve as a form of public diplomacy, in turn supporting a country’s soft power and global influence. Third, global competency can strengthen domestic institutions, combatting dis/misinformation about global issues and reducing vulnerability to malign actors who aim to leverage inaccurate and fear-based messages about the world to influence and destabilize foreign electorates.

Re-analysis of the CSM-PROTECT Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial Reveals a Global Treatment Benefit of Riluzole in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Re-analysis of the CSM-PROTECT Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial Reveals a Global Treatment Benefit of Riluzole in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Economy-wide and environmental benefits of green energy development in oil-rich countries: Evidence from Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, which is an oil/ gas-rich country, has been taking full advantage of its energy potential and taking steps towards creating green energy and turning it into an export. The Green Energy Corridor, in which Azerbaijan plays the main role, aims to connect Azerbaijan with Europe in its first stage. In the second stage, this corridor will connect Central Asia with Europe, which will involve the laying of an electric cable under the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. This will allow Azerbaijan and other Central Asian countries to export zero-carbon electricity to the European market. If Azerbaijan is successful in this field, it will not only serve the sustainability of the country?s economy in the post-oil era, but will also contribute to the reduction in carbon emissions, leading to global benefits. The aim of this article is to assess the socioeconomic, ecological, and political benefits of green energy deployment in Azerbaijan. An economic cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted for selected green energy projects (large-scale wind and solar power plants). We also argue that green transition projects, which seem expensive and difficult to realise today, will be justified in the near future.

Effectiveness of Cloud Technologies in Social Media Marketing and its Impact on Customer Buying Behaviour

The study addresses the broad question of how cloud computing is reshaping data management and marketing practices. It aims to understand the transformative impact of cloud technology on social media marketing and its influence on customer behaviour and decision-making processes. Specifically, the research seeks to analyse the effectiveness of cloud-based strategies in enhancing customer perceptions and preferences. The study explores the scalability, efficiency, and global accessibility benefits of cloud computing in marketing, with the overarching goal of providing practical insights for businesses navigating the evolving digital landscape. The research sets hypotheses to investigate systematically the relationships between cloud-based social media marketing and various aspects of consumer engagement. Data is collected cross-sectionally in this quantitative study. A systematic consumer survey and secondary source analysis for cloud-based social media marketing context and trends are used. The core survey data is analysed using frequency distribution, ANOVA, and one-sample t-test to determine customer opinions and preferences for cloud-based social media marketing. The study reveals that cloud-based social media marketing significantly impacts customer buying behaviour, with the frequency of social media activity influencing its perceived effectiveness. Additionally, variations in effectiveness are observed based on demographic factors, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies in this dynamic digital landscape. The study leads to the conclusion that cloud-based social media marketing has a substantial impact on the behaviour of customers, which in turn influences their decisions to make purchases. To maximize the efficiency of marketing efforts in a digital world that is always changing, it emphasises the significance of ongoing involvement and the development of individualized tactics.

THE ROLE OF TEACHERS AS ROLE MODELS IN ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

This study aims to explore the role of Islamic Religious Education (PAI) teachers as role models in shaping students' character and morals in senior high schools (SMA). The research method used was a qualitative approach with a case study, involving in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and document analysis. The results showed that PAI teachers who demonstrate consistency between teachings and daily behaviors can improve students' discipline, ethics, and participation in learning. The interactive and contextual teaching methods applied by teachers also contribute significantly to students' understanding and application of religious values. The novelty of this research lies in its holistic approach, considering the influence of external environments such as social media and family in the formation of student character. The research provides global benefits by offering practical strategies to improve the quality of Islamic religious education and support the role of teachers as role models in various international contexts.