The 60th anniversary of the British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS) marks a landmark moment in the evolution of nuclear medicine in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1966 at the Prince Alfred Pub, Queensway, London, the BNMS emerged from the pioneering spirit of four clinicians who recognised the transformative potential of radionuclide imaging and therapy. From these beginnings, the Society has grown into a vibrant multiprofessional community, uniting clinicians, scientists, physicists, radiopharmacists, technologists, radiographers, nurses, innovators, and researchers who continue to shape national standards, advance research and education, and champion excellence in patient care. This anniversary celebration reflects on the Society's rich heritage, but it also highlights the rapid technological and scientific advances that have redefined the field, from the early days of rectilinear scanners to state-of-the-art multimodal and new-generation gamma and positron emission tomography (PET) systems, including single photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography (SPECT-CT), PET-CT, PET-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI), and the expanding landscape of theranostics. Through national platforms such as the BNMS Research Champions Network, the Molecular Radiotherapy Consortium, the National PET Imaging Platform, and our professional standards activities, the Society continues to drive excellence across the United Kingdom. Looking forward, the BNMS remains committed to innovation, inclusivity, and the continued integration of nuclear medicine within the wider healthcare system. Achieving this vision requires sustained investment in workforce development, infrastructure, and strong government engagement. The 60th Anniversary is both a celebration of past achievements and a call to seize the opportunities ahead, ensuring the UK remains a global leader in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine.

India's pharmaceutical industry, ranked third globally by volume and thirteenth by value, occupies a pivotal position in the global supply of generic medicines, vaccines, and advanced drug formulations. The rapid emergence of novel drug delivery technologies — encompassing nanoparticle-based systems, liposomal carriers, transdermal patches, implantable devices, targeted biological therapies, and controlled-release oral formulations — has fundamentally transformed the therapeutic landscape while simultaneously generating profound regulatory challenges. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), operating under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and its 1945 Rules, constitutes the primary regulatory authority governing the approval, manufacture, and post-market surveillance of pharmaceutical products in India. However, the existing legislative and regulatory architecture was conceived primarily for conventional dosage forms and is increasingly strained by the complexity and novelty of advanced drug delivery systems (DDS). This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the intersection between contemporary drug delivery technologies and the regulatory compliance framework under Indian pharmaceutical law. It critically analyses the adequacy of current legislative provisions — including Schedule M (Good Manufacturing Practices), the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules 2019, and the Biological Drugs Regulation — in addressing the safety, efficacy, and quality requirements of novel DDS. The paper further evaluates the institutional capacity of CDSCO, the evolving role of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, and the alignment of Indian regulatory standards with international benchmarks set by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The paper concludes by identifying critical regulatory gaps and proposing systemic reforms necessary to enable India to sustain its position as a global pharmaceutical leader while ensuring robust patient safety.

ABSTRACT The urgency to address climate change has increased global interest in renewable energy beyond solar and wind. Ocean Renewable Energy (ORE), which includes tidal, wave, and offshore wind, is particularly promising for India with its 7500‐km coastline. This study adopts a foresight‐driven approach, using a Delphi survey of 52 experts, to assess the potential of ORE startups and their role in building a sustainable energy ecosystem. Unlike previous studies that focus mainly on technological or policy aspects, this work uniquely combines foresight analysis with expert consensus to map the strategic pathways required for fostering ORE entrepreneurship in India. The findings highlight critical enablers, including financial support, incubators, accelerators, mentorship, and favorable policies. Over 85% of experts stressed the need for regulatory reforms, 92% emphasized financial support to overcome high capital costs, and 84% highlighted structured mentorship for navigating technical and policy challenges. Additionally, 73% identified strong market opportunities for ORE to complement India's renewable energy mix. This paper contributes a novel framework for strengthening India's ORE startup ecosystem and positioning the country as a global leader in ocean renewable energy by outlining actionable recommendations for policymakers, investors, and stakeholders.

As a global manufacturing leader and an emerging digital economy power, China faces increasingly complex challenges from cross-border data flow restrictions imposed by its export destination countries. This study uses panel data spanning 2005–2022 and adopts a two-way fixed-effects model to examine the impact of these restrictions on the quality of China’s manufacturing exports. The findings indicate a significant adverse effect: a one standard deviation increase in the destination country’s restriction index is associated with a 0.018 standard deviation decline in export quality (p < 0.01). The mechanism analysis reveals that this effect primarily manifests through increased trade costs and reduced imports of intermediate goods. Furthermore, disparities in internet infrastructure and governance capabilities between China and its trading partners exacerbate these adverse effects, whereas participation in international policy agreements (e.g. digital trade frameworks) can alleviate them. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the adverse impacts are more pronounced for indirect and high-level restrictions, especially in low- and middle-income countries and economies with low import dependence on China. High-tech manufacturing sectors are particularly vulnerable. These findings provide crucial insights for Chinese enterprises to strategically navigate market selection, mitigate risks, and promote high-quality export development amid global data governance challenges.

The vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 envisions India’s transformation into a developed, inclusive, and sustainable economy by the centenary of its independence. Central to this transformation are the digital economy, financial technology (FinTech), and smart governance systems powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and embedded within ethical and sustainability frameworks. This research paper examines how AI-driven digital transformation can reshape management practices, financial ecosystems, and public governance to promote equitable growth and global competitiveness. The study employs a mixed-method approach using secondary data from international financial institutions, policy think tanks, and empirical case studies of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including Aadhaar, UPI, and AI-enabled governance platforms. The literature review integrates theoretical perspectives on digital capitalism, FinTech evolution, smart governance, AI ethics, and sustainable development. The findings suggest that AI-enabled FinTech ecosystems significantly enhance financial inclusion, reduce information asymmetry, and promote MSME participation in the formal economy. Smart governance models improve transparency, service delivery efficiency, and predictive policy formulation. However, risks such as algorithmic bias, data privacy concerns, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and environmental costs of AI systems pose substantial ethical and sustainability challenges. The paper proposes an integrated framework combining responsible AI governance, ESG-aligned digital finance, adaptive regulatory institutions, and sustainable digital infrastructure. It argues that ethical AI and green digital transformation must be embedded in management paradigms to ensure long-term socio-economic stability. The study concludes that achieving Viksit Bharat 2047 requires a holistic alignment of technological innovation with ethical safeguards and sustainability imperatives, positioning India as a global leader in responsible digital governance.

Phytopharmaceuticals bridge traditional herbal medicines and modern pharmaceuticals by combining plant-based bioactives with scientific validation. India, endowed with rich biodiversity and traditional medicine heritage, holds immense potential in this field. However, regulatory ambiguity, lack of standardization, and weak global alignment continue to hinder growth. The objective of the study is to evaluate India’s current regulatory framework for phytopharmaceuticals, identify key challenges, and assess recent initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and harmonization with international standards. A qualitative analysis of regulatory documents, government notifications, and policy guidelines was conducted. Comparative evaluation was performed between India’s Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules with international frameworks such as WHO, ICH, and FDA to assess regulatory convergence and gaps. India’s regulatory progress includes the 2015 amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules defining phytopharmaceuticals and the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, which streamline approvals. Initiatives like the Phytopharmaceuticals Mission, interagency collaborations (ICMR–DBT–CSIR), and inclusion of monographs in the Indian Pharmacopoeia highlight institutional support. Yet, high development costs, overlapping jurisdiction with AYUSH, and undefined preclinical–clinical criteria persist as barriers to market growth. India’s evolving phytopharmaceutical regulations mark a vital step toward integrating traditional wisdom with modern science. Continued policy clarity, quality standards, and international harmonization can establish India as a global leader in evidence-based, plant-derived therapeutics. Keywords: Phytopharmaceuticals, CDSCO, Regulatory framework, AYUSH, Indian Pharmacopoeia, Herbal medicines, Drug approval, India

ABSTRACT Drawing on extensive documentary analysis, this article traces the evolution of British energy policy support since World War II. It analyses shifts in policy design through two interpretive lenses: eligibility (residualist vs. universalist) and function (compensatory vs. preventive). While the UK was once a global leader in preventive, relatively broad‐based energy efficiency investments, since the 1980s it has moved increasingly towards reactive, narrowly targeted schemes, mostly delivered through energy supplier obligations and providing means‐tested relief. Moments of crisis, such as the oil shocks of the 1970s and the recent energy price surge, prompted temporary shifts to universalism, but such measures have proved short‐lived. While successive governments emphasised the many co‐benefits of energy efficiency schemes, they remain inconsistently implemented and underfunded. We argue that the persistence of residualist‐compensatory models is driven by political, institutional, and ideational factors. To make sense of these developments, we introduce a typology of four models ‐ residualist compensatory, residualist‐preventive, universalist‐compensatory, and universalist‐preventive‐ which is used to map key policy shifts and assess their implications. We conclude by explaining that a transition towards a universalist‐preventive approach must be grounded in a rights‐based framework.

BackgroundA fundamental public health goal is that all individuals have the opportunity to reach old age with adequate care and support. Japan is the global leader in longevity, and understanding whether this advantage exists primarily in healthy older adults or those relying on long-term care (LTC) can reveal if it stems from a healthier population or more extensive, and potentially higher-quality, healthcare provision. This study examined Japan’s mortality advantage by comparing life expectancy and death rates in Japan and Sweden across different levels of LTC.MethodsWe included the entire population aged 75 + in Sweden (n = 858,595) and nine Japanese municipalities (n = 334,873), categorizing individuals into three groups: no care, home care, and care home residence. We compared age-specific death rates, remaining life expectancy, and expected time spent in each LTC state. Finally, we quantified how much of the overall mortality differences could be explained by LTC state-specific mortality difference.ResultsJapanese older adults had lower death rates and longer life expectancy than Swedish counterparts, with more pronounced differences among individuals utilizing LTC. At age 75, total life expectancy was 12.0 vs. 11.7 years for men and 15.5 vs. 13.7 years for women in Japan and Sweden, respectively. Expected time without LTC was 9.8 vs. 9.6 years for men and 10.4 vs. 9.9 years for women. The difference (95% CI) in total life expectancy [men, 0.3 (0.2, 0.4); women, 1.8 (1.7, 1.9)] exceeded the difference in time without LTC [men, 0.2 (0.2, 0.3); women, 0.5 (0.4, 0.5)], particularly for women. Higher mortality in home care and care home populations in Sweden substantially increased Japan’s advantage.ConclusionsOur findings show that Japan’s longevity advantage in old age is primarily driven by lower mortality in the segment of the population utilizing LTC. This indicates that the overall advantage in life expectancy may not stem solely from a healthier population, but rather from more extensive, or possibly higher-quality, care, including life-sustaining treatments. However, since we were unable to control for differences in health status in the two populations, future studies should explore if the threshold for entering LTC is different in Sweden and Japan.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12916-026-04786-z.

Thailand’s position as a global tourism leader is intrinsically linked to its transportation infrastructure, which simultaneously fuels economic growth and contributes significantly to the nation’s carbon footprint. Despite ambitious national climate targets, a considerable policy-implementation gap persists, particularly in addressing the lifecycle environmental impacts of road infrastructure itself. This paper proposes a novel, integrated framework to bridge this gap by facilitating the systematic development of “Green Tourism Roads”. The framework is composed of three core components: (1) a quantitative assessment tool, the Thai Tourism Green Road Index (TTGRI), adapted from international best practices to align with Thailand’s specific policy goals; (2) a qualitative validation methodology based on structured stakeholder engagement to ensure practical relevance; and (3) a conceptual architecture for an AI-powered Decision Support System (DSS) that uses genetic algorithms and machine learning to optimize road design for both sustainability and lifecycle cost. A mixed-methods approach is designed to operationalize this framework. To demonstrate its utility, a simulated case study applied to the Mae Hong Son Loop indicates that an AI-optimized Green Road scenario can achieve a “Gold” certification level on the TTGRI, reduce lifecycle Global Warming Potential by over 30%, and lower the 50-year lifecycle cost compared to a business-as-usual approach, despite a modest increase in initial investment. The principal policy recommendations include the formal adoption of a national green road standard based on the TTGRI, the initiation of pilot projects, and investment in institutional capacity building. This research provides a comprehensive, data-driven pathway for Thailand to transform its infrastructure investments into a strategic asset to achieve climate resilience and enhance its sustainable tourism competitiveness.

This article presents a strategy for restoring the United States’ global leadership in nuclear energy. This strategy is based on ten Executive Orders issued by the President of the United States in 2025. The article aims to understand the causes of the United States’ loss of position as a global leader in nuclear energy, and to explain the rationale behind the intensive attempt to reverse this trend. To this end, the article tested the hypothesis that implementing these orders could facilitate the renewal of U.S. global leadership in nuclear energy, provided that: 1) historical and structural barriers are identified and overcome; 2) a sequential regulatory intervention model is applied; and 3) strategic capacity is developed. It was determined that the weakening of the U.S. position is not the result of a single factor, but rather overlapping systemic barriers. The 2025 package of regulations enables the implementation of a sequential model of state intervention, ranging from deregulation and procedural acceleration to centralised coordination, strengthening state instruments and the inclusion of nuclear energy in the national security regime. It was therefore assumed that the effective implementation of this model could create the strategic capabilities necessary for the United States to return to competing for global leadership in nuclear technology.

This article examines how ethical values and principles are embedded and operationalised within the European Union's artificial intelligence (AI) legal framework. Combining a systematic interpretive mapping of ethical principles with legal doctrinal and ethics-informed analysis, the study analyses six core EU instruments relevant to AI governance: the AI Act, GDPR, Digital Services Act, Data Governance Act, Data Act, and DSM Directive. It investigates which ethical values are reflected in these laws, how they are prioritised, and to what extent they are legally enforceable. The analysis shows that non-maleficence, fairness, and privacy form the enforceable ethical core of EU AI regulation, primarily implemented through risk-based safeguards and data protection obligations. Explicability plays a prominent but largely supportive role, mainly operationalised through transparency requirements. By contrast, values such as democracy, solidarity, and sustainability remain weakly embedded and appear predominantly in non-binding provisions. This distribution reveals a friction between the EU's ambition to position itself as a global leader in ethics-based, human-centric AI governance and the selective legal translation of ethical commitments.

The selection of rolling sequence types in the Hot Strip Mill (HSM) in ArcelorMittal Tubarão (Largest steel producer in Latin America and global market leader) is traditionally based on empirical evaluation by operational experts. However, the complexity arising from order variability, slab yard dynamics, and operational constraints limits the efficiency of manual decision-making. This study proposes a methodology to automate the classification of sequence types, based on feature analysis of approximately 360 empirically assessed sequences. Preprocessing and feature engineering techniques were employed to support supervised learning models trained to categorize four main sequence types. The results show consistent performance, with high levels of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, highlighting the potential of the approach to improve in 10% process efficiency and compliance with key production KPIs such as decarbonization and customer satisfaction.

With AI technology here to stay, Paul Horwood discusses the valuable role farm animal vets play in the development of technology, and how British agriculture can continue to be a global leader.

Summary: There is an adage that says, “The only winner in war is medicine.” Many of the greatest advances in lifesaving were born on the battlefield. Recent prolonged, multi-arena conflicts have fostered real-time learning gleaned from comprehensive data analysis from the point of injury through rehabilitation, strategies for managing mass casualty incidents, and the evolution of triage techniques in complex combat situations. Enhancements in hemorrhage control, volume resuscitation, and pain management for conscious casualties driven by detailed data will be explored. So, too, will the development of a specialized identification unit led by military dentists, which has become a global leader in victim identification technologies. Also on the agenda will be the crucial topic of mental health in combat situations. This presentation will challenge conventional wisdom and provide fresh perspectives on lifesaving techniques under the most demanding circumstances.

Over the past six decades, liver transplantation (LT) in Japan has evolved from an experimental surgery to a globally recognized model of ethical and technical excellence. Following the world's first LT in 1963, Japan's early progress was impeded by the 1968 "Wada heart transplant" controversy, which suspended brain-dead donation for more than 30 years. This personal viewpoint reviews the historical development of LT in Japan, focusing on the emergence of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), key technical innovations, legislative changes, and international contributions-particularly in pediatric transplantation. During this period, Japanese surgeons-many of whom were trained in Western centers-pioneered living donor liver transplantation (LDLT), introducing microsurgical techniques for hepatic artery anastomosis and innovative size-reduction procedures that enabled successful grafting even in infants weighing under 5 kg. Pediatric LDLT became the foundation for adult applications, achieving outstanding long-term outcomes. The Organ Transplant Law (1997) and its 2010 revision gradually permitted brain-dead and pediatric donation, but LDLT remains predominant. Japan's achievements, supported by advancements in tacrolimus immunosuppression, ABO-incompatible LT, and laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, have produced national survival rates comparable to leading Western programs. To date, over 4000 pediatric liver transplants have been performed, establishing Japan as a global leader in pediatric LDLT. Through sustained educational missions, National Center for Child Health and Development and its partner institutions have supported program development in over 20 countries, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Despite limited experience with pediatric deceased-donor transplantation, Japan's balanced pursuit of donor safety, ethical integrity, and innovation continues to shape the international landscape. This personal viewpoint reflects on Japan's 60-year journey-progress born from limitation-and its ongoing commitment to advancing pediatric transplantation worldwide under the vision of the International Pediatric Transplant Association.

This article introduces a novel framework for achieving leader-steered (L-S) rigid formations within a multirobot vehicle system subject to nonholonomic constraints, while considering field-of-view (FOV) constraints. In contrast to the conventional separation-bearing leader-follower model, this framework incorporates a virtual leader model, established through topological and local agent connections. To achieve L-S rigid formations and address FOV constraints, a transformative approach is employed. In addition to forming L-S rigid formations, the framework ensures visibility maintenance between topologically connected vehicles using onboard cameras. This is achieved through the introduction of a continuous and continuously differentiable switching function, crucial in balancing visibility maintenance with formation adjustments, particularly when the global leader traverses trajectory segments with large curvature. To implement the framework, the distributed control protocol and the distributed observer are developed. Numerical simulations and real-world experiments demonstrate the framework's capability to achieve L-S rigid formations while accommodating FOV constraints, showcasing its practical utility and effectiveness in real-world applications.

Abstract Prior research on technology entrepreneurship has been grounded almost exclusively in capitalist frameworks developed in the Global North. We argue that context matters, and that scholars should examine technology entrepreneurship in the roughly half of the world where socialism provides the economic foundation. As a step in this direction, we investigate how the principle of common prosperity shapes technology entrepreneurship in socialist contexts. Focusing first on China – a global technological leader and one of the world’s largest generators of patents – we show through two cases that concern for the poor is not incidental but integral to technology entrepreneurship under socialism. We then extend the analysis to a second socialist context outside China, demonstrating the broader relevance of common prosperity for understanding the relationship between technology entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation. Taken together, these cases suggest that research on technology entrepreneurship should move beyond Global North capitalist assumptions and instead account for societal context, particularly the socialist emphasis on common prosperity. Incorporating such perspectives invites scholars to reconsider the role of technology and entrepreneurship in advancing the common good and reducing poverty.

This study proposes a concept of using Heartfulness practices to inculcate a Gurukul type of education to create a holistic environment of education for a futuristic generation. The paper first introduces the topic of the need of holistic education, giving the importance of Gurukul system along with global technological advancements. The world today is in need of restructuring higher education while keeping globalization and technological advancements in mind. Restructuring is required because today’s higher education is not able to provide a holistic development to youth to build their emotional intelligence, character building, inner discipline and societal responsibilities. India is striving to become a global leader in all fields and so it is the responsibility of all higher education institutions to help create skilled professionals who are also empathetic and wise.

The EU is facing increasing pressure to reform its fiscal framework to secure sustainable financing and ensure those climate commitments. This paper analyses the nature and impact of an EU climate tax in the context of globalisation, focusing on the interaction of the proposed EU-level climate tax with existing instruments such as the EU ETS and CBAM. The paper also addresses the question of whether it is possible to align the EU Climate Tax 2.0, how this could be done and proposes four concrete pillars for its design. Additionally, the paper reviews current significant climate-related instruments of both tax and quasi-tax character, adopted by selected member states or at the EU level. Finally, it discusses whether new fiscal instruments can bring sustainability and resilience and strengthen the EU’s position as a global leader in green finance. Through this comprehensive analysis, the paper aims to analyse new approaches to environmental taxes so that they can play a truly effective and innovative role in climate protection and provide a pathway for the EU to adopt innovative real Climate Tax 2.0, based on the complex set of relevant factors.

India is undergoing a major educational transformation driven by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, rapid digitalisation, and a renewed interest in Indic knowledge traditions. As the nation envisions Viksit Bharat@2047, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Indic pedagogical frameworks presents a significant opportunity to design a future-ready, value-driven education ecosystem. This paper examines how AI-enabled systems can enhance, strengthen, and scale traditional Indian pedagogical philosophies such as Gurukul, Samskara-based learning, Anubhav (experiential learning), Swadhyaya (self-learning), and Sahavasa (collaborative living and learning). While global educational models highlight the use of AI for personalization, analytics, and adaptive learning, the Indic knowledge system brings a unique value dimension rooted in holistic development, ethics, community well-being, and spiritual intelligence. The study adopts a conceptual and analytical research methodology supported by literature from NEP 2020, UNESCO reports, AI-in-education research, and Indic knowledge sources. The paper identifies critical gaps in current teaching practices, such as over-reliance on content delivery, limited individualisation, and fragmentation between modern and traditional knowledge systems. Through systematic analysis, this research proposes a comprehensive AI-Integrated Indic Pedagogical Model consisting of five pillars: AI-enabled personalization, contextual learning linked to Indian ethos, competency and values-based assessment, teacher–AI collaboration, and ethical technology use grounded in Dharma-based principles. The findings suggest that the convergence of AI and Indic pedagogy can transform Indian higher education by creating a more humane, learner-centered, and technologically empowered learning environment. It supports NEP 2020’s vision of holistic, multidisciplinary, and future-oriented learning that fosters creativity, critical thinking, empathy, and global citizenship. The model offers practical pathways for universities, policymakers, and educators to implement AI tools while preserving India's civilizational strengths. This paper ultimately positions AI-Indic integration as a strategic catalyst for India's aspiration to become a global knowledge leader by 2047.