Global Comparative Analysis Research Articles

Exploring the changing landscape of medical imaging: insights from highly cited studies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To investigate whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed medical imaging trends by synthesizing the highly cited studies before and during the pandemic. In this cross-sectional study, we identified highly cited studies on medical imaging from the essential science indicators (ESI) database, categorizing them into two periods: before the pandemic (January 2016-December 2019) and during the pandemic (January 2020-December 2023). We conducted a global research landscape comparative analysis and utilized CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to create knowledge maps for analyzing the co-occurrences of keywords and references in this field. A total of 2914 highly cited studies were included in this study, which revealed a notable 30.1% increase in medical imaging publications during the pandemic. Enhanced international cooperation has been observed, with European countries and the US leading the research efforts. Keyword analysis revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) has remained a dominant hotspot in medical imaging research before and during the pandemic. References analysis showed a shift in focus towards COVID-19-related studies, overshadowing some important areas including cancer imaging, cardiac imaging, and neuroimaging. Over the past four years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in the research output, international collaborations, and hotspots within highly cited medical imaging studies. Navigating the post-COVID era, it is imperative to continue fostering international collaboration, prioritize resource allocation to refocus on overlooked research areas, and develop long-term strategic plans to prepare for and mitigate the impact of future public health crises. Question Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed medical imaging trends and priorities, which is crucial for preparing against future public health crises, remains unclear. Findings The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increases in highly cited medical imaging studies, enhancements in international collaborations, and shifts in research hotspots. Clinical relevance This study provides a comprehensive overview of highly cited studies on medical imaging before and during the pandemic, highlighting the pivotal role of AI in the post-COVID era and emphasizing the need to refocus on potentially neglected research areas.

Prioritizing sustainable building design indicators through global SLR and comparative analysis of AHP and SWARA for holistic assessment: a case study of Kabul, Afghanistan

Prioritizing sustainable building design indicators through global SLR and comparative analysis of AHP and SWARA for holistic assessment: a case study of Kabul, Afghanistan

Comparative analysis: Surrogacy regulation in India and global perspectives

This research paper examines the complex regulatory environment surrounding surrogacy in India, investigating its historical development and the intricate interplay of legal, ethical, and cultural factors. The paper examines the regulatory reforms that ensued after India became a prominent international hub for commercial surrogacy, with a specific emphasis on the intricate provisions of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. It emphasizes the impact of the act and addresses any limitations that were previously present. This study investigates the constitutional and legal ramifications that arise from the criteria for eligibility, with a particular focus on the effects on the infant, surrogate mothers, and intended parents. With the assistance of a global comparative analysis, this paper provides a nuanced perspective on surrogacy laws in Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others. These three jurisdictions were selected due to the fact that their surrogacy legislations regulate the industry to varying degrees: Ukraine regulates commercial surrogacy, the United States has state-made legislation, and the United Kingdom's legislation is very similar to that of India. The core of the manuscript consists of ten recommendations that are specifically designed for the Indian context. These recommendations promote the following: comprehensive legislation, parental rights recognition, autonomy for surrogate mothers, and ethical guidelines. The aforementioned suggestions encompass public education initiatives, anti-discrimination protocols, and international surrogacy regulations. In conclusion, the paper proposes a legal structure that is congruent with the cultural heterogeneity of India, thereby cultivating an atmosphere for surrogacy arrangements that is ethical, inclusive, and transparent.

WorldSeasons: a seasonal classification system interpolating biome classifications within the year for better temporal aggregation in climate science

We present a seasonal classification system to improve the temporal framing of comparative scientific analysis. Research often uses yearly aggregates to understand inherently seasonal phenomena like harvests, monsoons, and droughts. This obscures important trends across time and differences through space by including redundant data. Our classification system allows for a more targeted approach. We split global land into four principal climate zones: desert, arctic and high montane, tropical, and temperate. A cluster analysis with zone-specific variables and weighting splits each month of the year into discrete seasons based on the monthly climate. We expect the data will be able to answer global comparative analysis questions like: are global winters less icy than before? Are wildfires more frequent now in the dry season? How severe are monsoon season flooding events? This is a natural extension of the historical concept of biomes, made possible by recent advances in climate data availability and artificial intelligence.

Nurses' Protests during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative International Analysis.

Nurses play key roles in dealing with pandemics yet are often conceived solely as "technical" experts without political agency. This study conducts the first global comparative analysis of COVID-19-related protests of nurses and other frontline health workers, with a focus on the first 18 months of the pandemic. We draw on quantitative and qualitative data on nurses' protests and protest drivers. Results show that such protests were widespread: We identify 3515 events in 90 countries, with several regional hotspots existing. The most common reasons for protests were poor working conditions and insufficient workplace safety, followed by wider social issues like poverty and racism. For most of the time period under consideration, protests demanding access to vaccinations (a rarely explored phenomenon) were more widespread than anti-vaccination events. Protest frequency was highest in countries with high COVID-19-related mortality rates, high levels of human development, and strong social movements at the onset of the pandemic. Recognising the key role of nurses as political actors would help to improve health policies and to maintain a capable healthcare workforce, particularly during acute crises like pandemics.

Proteomic evidence of depression-associated astrocytic dysfunction in the human male olfactory bulb

The olfactory bulb (OB), a major structure of the limbic system, has been understudied in human investigations of psychopathologies such as depression. To explore more directly the molecular features of the OB in depression, a global comparative proteome analysis was carried out with human post-mortem OB samples from 11 males having suffered from depression and 12 healthy controls. We identified 188 differentially abundant proteins (with adjusted p < 0.05) between depressed cases and controls. Gene ontology and gene enrichment analyses suggested that these proteins are involved in biological processes including the complement and coagulation cascades. Cell type enrichment analysis displayed a significant reduction in several canonical astrocytic proteins in OBs from depressed patients. Furthermore, using RNA-fluorescence in-situ hybridization, we observed a decrease in the percentage of ALDH1L1+ cells expressing canonical astrocytic markers including ALDOC, NFIA, GJA1 (connexin 43) and SLC1A3 (EAAT1). These results are consistent with previous reports of downregulated astrocytic marker expression in other brain regions in depressed patients. We also conducted a comparative phosphoproteomic analysis of OB samples and found a dysregulation of proteins involved in neuronal and astrocytic functions. To determine whether OB astrocytic abnormalities is specific to humans, we also performed proteomics on the OB of socially defeated male mice, a commonly used model of depression. Cell-type specific analysis revealed that in socially defeated animals, the most striking OB protein alterations were associated with oligodendrocyte-lineage cells rather than with astrocytes, highlighting an important species difference. Overall, this study further highlights cerebral astrocytic abnormalities as a consistent feature of depression in humans.

A global comparative analysis of guidelines for herbal medicines Pharmacopoeia and Good Manufacturing Practice, with a case study of Panax ginseng C.A Meyer

IntroductionThe use of herbal medicines is widespread, and ensuring their quality control, as guaranteed by pharmacopoeia and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines, has garnered significant attention. Discrepancies in quality standards across different regulatory agencies challenge the global marketing of herbal medicines and hinder public access to these products. Therefore, this research aims to compare pharmacopeia on Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (P. ginseng) and GMP guidelines for herbal medicines to provide an evidence-based understanding of quality control standards. MethodsDefinitions of herbal medicines across regulatory authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), European Union (EU), China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, were collected. Additionally, pharmacopeial standards on Panax ginseng case study were analysed, focusing on aspects such as origin, identification, testing methods, extractives, assay, purity, and drug information. The study also compared GMP requirements for herbal medicines, which included personnel, premises and equipment, documentation, production, quality control, contract manufacturing and analysis, complaints and product recall, and self-inspection. ResultsDefinitions of herbal medicines are similar among the WHO, PIC/S, and the EU, while distinct definitions based on scientific evidence and traditional practices were presented in China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Pharmacopeia standards varied across regulatory agencies, as evidenced by the P. ginseng case study. However, testing methods closely resembled each other between China and Vietnam, as well as between Japan and South Korea. Among pharmacopoeias, the WHO monographs offered the most comprehensive drug information on P. ginseng. In contrast, the European Pharmacopoeia lists such details separately in a P. ginseng assessment report. Regarding GMP requirements, although examined components varied among regulatory agencies, significant resemblances exist between the GMP guidelines of PIC/S, the EU, and South Korea, and between those of the WHO and Vietnam. ConclusionsDisparities in quality standards across jurisdictions highlight the necessity for international collaboration to achieve harmonization. Harmonizing these standards aims to promote the global availability of standardized herbal medicinal products, benefiting public health.

Was priority setting considered in COVID-19 response planning? A global comparative analysis

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic forced governments across the world to consider how to prioritize resource allocation. Most countries produced pandemic preparedness plans that guide and coordinate healthcare, including how to allocate scarce resources such as ventilators, human resources, and therapeutics. The objective of this study was to compare and contrast the extent to which established parameters for effective priority setting (PS) were incorporated into COVID-19 pandemic response planning in several countries around the world. MethodsWe used the Kapriri and Martin framework for effective priority setting and performed a quantitative descriptive analysis to explore whether and how countries’ type of health system, political, and economic contexts impacted the inclusion of those parameters in their COVID-19 pandemic plans. We analyzed 86 country plans across six regions of the World Health Organization. ResultsThe countries sampled represent 40% of nations in AFRO, 54.5% of EMRO, 45% of EURO, 46% of PAHO, 64% of SEARO, and 41% of WPRO. They also represent 39% of all HICs in the world, 39% of Upper-Middle, 54% of Lower-Middle, and 48% of LICs. No pattern in attention to parameters of PS emerged by WHO region or country income levels. The parameters: evidence of political will, stakeholder participation, and use of scientific evidence/ adoption of WHO recommendations were each found in over 80% of plans. We identified a description of a specific PS process in 7% of the plans; explicit criteria for PS in 36.5%; inclusion of publicity strategies in 65%; mention of mechanisms for appealing decisions or implementing procedures to improve internal accountability and reduce corruption in 20%; explicit reference to public values in 15%; and a description of means for enhancing compliance with the decisions in 5%. ConclusionThe findings provide a basis for policymakers to reflect on their prioritization plans and identify areas that need to be strengthened. Overall, there is little consideration for explicit prioritization processes and tools and restricted attention to equity considerations; this may be a starting point for policymakers interested in improving future preparedness and response planning. Although the study focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, priority setting remains one of the policymakers’ most prominent challenges. Policymakers should consider integrating systematic priority setting in their routine decision-making processes.

Metagenomic insight into taxonomic composition, environmental filtering and functional redundancy for shaping worldwide modern non-lithifying microbial mats.

Modern microbial mats are relictual communities mostly found in extreme environments worldwide. Despite their significance as representatives of the ancestral Earth and their important roles in biogeochemical cycling, research on microbial mats has largely been localized, focusing on site-specific descriptions and environmental change experiments. Here, we present a global comparative analysis of non-lithifying microbial mats, integrating environmental measurements with metagenomic data from 62 samples across eight sites, including two new samples from the recently discovered Archaean Domes from Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico. Our results revealed a notable influence of environmental filtering on both taxonomic and functional compositions of microbial mats. Functional redundancy appears to confer resilience to mats, with essential metabolic pathways conserved across diverse and highly contrasting habitats. We identified six highly correlated clusters of taxa performing similar ecological functions, suggesting niche partitioning and functional specialization as key mechanisms shaping community structure. Our findings provide insights into the ecological principles governing microbial mats, and lay the foundation for future research elucidating the intricate interplay between environmental factors and microbial community dynamics.

Identifying the Central Business Districts of global megacities using nighttime light remote sensing data

ABSTRACT The Central Business Districts (CBDs) are important hubs for urban economic activities. In the context of globalization, a unified CBD boundary would greatly facilitate the study of global CBD comparative analysis, urban socio-economic development, urban transport and commuting mode. However, previous studies have encountered challenges in developing a practical method for global CBD identification due to limitations in data sources and methodologies. In this study, we selected 32 global megacities as research objects and used the open-access Black Marble nighttime light (NTL) products to construct indicators with the intensity and angular effects of NTL. Clustering and decision tree were then employed to derive rules for CBD identification. Results show that combining Z-score indicators and the strategy of clustering 32 cities before decision tree classification could improve the accuracy of CBD identification, which achieved a producer accuracy of 85%. The 32 cities were clustered into three types, i.e. U.S.A.-like, the mixed type, and China-like. The rules for CBD identification became more complex in the above order, but the accuracy decreased in turn. This study provides a new CBD identification method for cities lacking reference data, allowing for the delineation of unified and comparable CBD boundaries on a large scale.

The False Hope of Stewardship in the Context of Controlling Shareholders: Making Sense Out of the Global Transplant of a Legal Misfit

Abstract In 2010, the United Kingdom issued the world’s first stewardship code. Since then, stewardship codes have been issued in many of the world’s leading economies and now exist in twenty jurisdictions on six continents, with more jurisdictions considering adopting them. In the United Kingdom, stewardship codes were promised to transform rationally passive institutional investors into actively engaged shareholders to prevent another global financial crisis (GFC). More recently, the new 2020 U.K. Stewardship Code (U.K. Code) has been promoted as a mechanism to save the planet by incentivizing institutional investors to pressure listed companies to focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). There is a vigorous debate and developed literature on whether the U.K. Code will achieve these goals. However, what has been lost in this debate is that outside of the United Kingdom/United States it may not matter nearly as much if stewardship succeeds in changing the behavior of institutional investors. This is because, with the notable exception of the United Kingdom/United States, institutional investors are collectively minority shareholders in most listed companies in almost every jurisdiction in the world. Moreover, in almost every jurisdiction, with the notable exception of the United Kingdom/United States, most listed companies already have a rationally active—non-institutional—controlling shareholder as their “steward.” Why then have jurisdictions around the world adopted U.K.-style stewardship codes which are designed based on the assumption that institutional investors collectively control most listed companies? This Article answers this question by undertaking the first in-depth global comparative analysis of the curious transplant of U.K.-style stewardship codes into jurisdictions dominated by controlling shareholders and examines the role that stewardship plays in these jurisdictions. It does this by drawing on a unique collection of recent in-depth case studies on stewardship in twenty-two jurisdictions by leading corporate law experts, hand-collected data analyzing the content of every stewardship code that has ever been issued, and fresh hand-compiled data on shareholder ownership structures in listed companies around the world. It reveals that stewardship has been coopted by governments and institutional investors to serve their own diverse purposes—a troubling trend which will likely be exacerbated post-Covid-19, when an authentic focus on an inclusive society and the environment will be more critical than ever.

Environmental-economic accounting for water: a global comparative analysis

Environmental-economic accounting for water: a global comparative analysis

A Global Comparative Constitutional Analysis of Natural Resources Protection

Abstract Natural resources are the foundation for all life on earth, which all living creatures depend on to exist. Thus, it is subject to many sorts of laws and policies. Globally, constitutions follow different approaches to dealing with their respective country’s natural resources, which are rooted in the diverging cultures, political, economic, and legal systems, as well as in the distinct historical developments of the diverse constitutional orders. Accordingly, the present contribution discusses the prominent similarities between the inclusion of provisions relating to ownership, exploitation and exploration, and the use of natural resources, be they renewable or non-renewable, but also notes the different perspectives adopted and methods of protection applied in the analysed countries’ constitutions. The countries discussed in this paper are South Africa and Chad; Brazil, Cuba, and Bolivia; India and Iran; Germany; and Australia. This paper begins by, firstly, defining ‘natural resources’ and delineating its overlapping concepts. Secondly, the framework for comparison of the analysed countries is set out. Thirdly, the countries selected are separately discussed. Lastly, the comparative analysis is presented with a few concluding observations.

Financial development, human capital and energy transition: a global comparative analysis

Purpose Despite the global resolves to curtail fossil fuel consumption (FFC) in favour of clean energies, several countries continue to rely on carbon-intensive sources in meeting their energy demands. Financial constraints and limited knowledge with regards to green energy sources constitute major setbacks to the energy transition process. This study therefore aims to examine the effects of financial development and human capital on energy consumption. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis is based on the system generalised method of moments (SGMM) for a panel of 134 countries from 1996 to 2019. The SGMM estimates conducted on the basis of three measures of energy consumption, notably fossil fuel, renewable energy as well as total energy consumption (TEC), provide divergent results. Findings While financial development significantly reduces FFC, its effect is positive though non-significant with regards to renewable energy consumption. Conversely, financial development has a positive and significant effect on TEC. Moreover, the results reveal that human capital development has an enhancing though non-significant effect on the energy transition process. In addition, the results reveal that resource rents have an enhancing effect on the energy transition process. However, when natural resources rents are disaggregated into various components (oil, coal, mineral, natural gas and forest rents), the effects on energy transition are divergent. Although our findings are consistent when the global panel is split into developed and developing economies, the results are divergent across geographical regions. Contingent on these findings, actionable policy implications are discussed. Originality/value The study complements extant literature by assessing nexuses between financial development, human capital and energy transition from a global perspective.

A global comparative analysis of the the inclusion of priority setting in national COVID-19 pandemic plans: A reflection on the methods and the accessibility of the plans

BackgroundDespite the swift governments’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a paucity of literature assessing the degree to which; priority setting (PS) was included in the pandemic plans and the pandemic plans were publicly accessible.This paper reflects on the methods employed in a global comparative analysis of the degree to which countries integrated PS into their COVID-19 pandemic plans based on Kapiriri & Martin's framework. We also assessed if the accessibility of the plans was related to the country's transparency index. MethodsThrough a three stage search strategy, we accessed and reviewed 86 national COVID-19 pandemic plans (and 11 Canadian provinces and territories). Secondary analysis assessed any alignment between the readily accessible plans and the country's transparency index. Results and conclusion71 national plans were readily accessible while 43 were not. There were no systematic differences between the countries whose plans were readily available and those whose plans were ‘missing’. However, most of the countries with ‘missing’ plans tended to have a low transparency index. The framework was adapted to the pandemic context by adding a parameter on the need to plan for continuity of priority routine services. While document review may be the most feasible and appropriate approach to conducting policy analysis during health emergencies, interviews and follow up document review would assess policy implementation.

THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC FACTORS ON RECESSIONS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE US AND UK

THE IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC FACTORS ON RECESSIONS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE US AND UK

A global comparative analysis of the criteria and equity considerations included in eighty-six national COVID-19 plans

Systematic priority setting (PS), based on explicit criteria, is thought to improve the quality and consistency of the PS decisions. Among the PS criteria, there is increased focus on the importance of equity considerations and vulnerable populations. This paper discusses the PS criteria that were included in the national COVID-19 pandemic plans, with specific focus on equity and on the vulnerable populations considered. Secondary synthesis of data, from a global comparative study that examined the degree to which the COVID-19 plans included PS, was conducted. Only 32 % of the plans identified explicit criteria. Severity of the disease and/or disease burden were the commonly mentioned criteria. With regards to equity considerations and prioritizing vulnerable populations, 22 countries identified people with co-morbidities others mentioned children, women etc. Low social-economic status and internally displaced population were not identified in any of the reviewed national plans. The limited inclusion of explicit criteria and equity considerations highlight a need for policy makers, in all contexts, to consider instituting and equipping PS institutions who can engage diverse stakeholders in identifying the relevant PS criteria during the post pandemic period. While vulnerability will vary with the type of health emergency- awareness of this and having mechanisms for identifying and prioritizing the most vulnerable will support equitable pandemic responses.

Flare-to-hydrogen in oil and gas industries: Techno-economic feasibility of a net-negative alternative

Gas flaring causes economic losses and energy wastage and is responsible for 1.5 % of the total industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the increasing role of low-carbon hydrogen in the energy sector has led to innovative approaches for utilizing flare gas (FG). This study proposed a net-negative and self-sufficient multigeneration system for converting FG into hydrogen and deploying captured CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In addition, a comprehensive global comparative analysis for the three FG-to-hydrogen production scenarios was performed to address the impact of CO2 emission policies: autothermal reforming with CO2 capture (AACP), autothermal reforming with CO2 capture and EOR utilization (AACPE), and autothermal reforming. The results showed that the AACPE scenario is a promising carbon-reduction alternative, producing 1.31 $/kg and 3.09 kgCO2/kg H2 GHG emission. The deployment of this system results in a 72 % CO2 capture rate. The sensitivity analysis showed that carbon tax policies exceeding 86.2 $/ton CO2 encourage the adoption of carbon-capturing (CC) modules for hydrogen production. Furthermore, because of the flare availability and low energy prices, countries with abundant fossil fuel reserves are particularly well-suited for AACPE implementation. Deploying AACPE in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries-plus regions could significantly reduce carbon emissions by up to 138.72 Mton/year while generating 12.62 Mton/year of hydrogen at an average cost of 0.94 $/kg H2. The widespread use of flare-to-hydrogen systems is expected to help mitigate anthropogenic climate change. However, further studies are essential to explore the industrial feasibility of the plan.

DNA methylation and lipid metabolism are involved in GA-induced maize aleurone layers PCD as revealed by transcriptome analysis

BackgroundThe aleurone layer is a part of many plant seeds, and during seed germination, aleurone cells undergo PCD, which is promoted by GA from the embryo. However, the numerous components of the GA signaling pathway that mediate PCD of the aleurone layers remain to be identified. Few genes and transcriptomes have been studied thus far in aleurone layers to improve our understanding of how PCD occurs and how the regulatory mechanism functions during PCD. Our previous studies have shown that histone deacetylases (HDACs) are required in GA-induced PCD of aleurone layer. To further explore the molecular mechanisms by which epigenetic modifications regulate aleurone PCD, we performed a global comparative transcriptome analysis of embryoless aleurones treated with GA or histone acetylase (HAT) inhibitors.ResultsIn this study, a total of 7,919 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed, 2,554 DEGs of which were found to be common under two treatments. These identified DEGs were involved in various biological processes, including DNA methylation, lipid metabolism and ROS signaling. Further investigations revealed that inhibition of DNA methyltransferases prevented aleurone PCD, suggesting that active DNA methylation plays a role in regulating aleurone PCD. GA or HAT inhibitor induced lipoxygenase gene expression, leading to lipid degradation, but this process was not affected by DNA methylation. However, DNA methylation inhibitor could regulate ROS-related gene expression and inhibit GA-induced production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).ConclusionOverall, linking of lipoxygenase, DNA methylation, and H2O2 may indicate that GA-induced higher HDAC activity in aleurones causes breakdown of lipids via regulating lipoxygenase gene expression, and increased DNA methylation positively mediates H2O2 production; thus, DNA methylation and lipid metabolism pathways may represent an important and complex signaling network in maize aleurone PCD.

Identifying a Sustainable Path for RCEP: Global Overview and Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Development Provisions in Three Mega Regional Trade Agreements

Identifying a Sustainable Path for RCEP: Global Overview and Comparative Analysis of Sustainable Development Provisions in Three Mega Regional Trade Agreements