Income Population Research Articles

Medical Demography and Access to Prenatal Care in the Foumbot Agricultural Production Basin (West Cameroon)

This article analyzes the dynamics of medical demography and access to prenatal care in the agricultural production basin of Foumbot, located in western Cameroon. This region, characterized by strong agricultural activity, presents particular challenges in terms of maternal and child health. Lack of adequate access to prenatal care is a major concern that can influence maternal and neonatal health indicators. In our work, we conducted a six-month study in the commune of Foumbot. We used a research methodology that included multidimensional analysis, drawing on data from field surveys of 140 randomly selected women in the villages of Baigom, Fosset, Foumbot 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Maka, Momo and Njone. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. This enabled us to highlight the variation in qualities of prenatal care according to environments and types of health facility. The results show a significant disparity in access to prenatal care according to different socio-economic and geographical factors. Only 70% of pregnant women made the minimum four visits required, 22% did not use prenatal care, while 8% had fewer than four visits. The study also reveals that the main obstacles are the remoteness of health centers, the costs associated with cares and cultural practices that can limit the use of available services. The impact of agricultural activity, which is often the main source of income and subsistence for local populations, exacerbates these challenges by reducing the time available for medical care and increasing economic constraints. In rural areas, the use of medicinal plants also predominates, at 30%. The maternal mortality rate rose from 20 to 25 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2020 and 2023. Life expectancy at birth is 56 years; the infant mortality rate is 54‰, and the adult literacy rate is 63%. This research sheds light on the challenges faced by rural populations in terms of prenatal cares, and proposes concrete avenues for strengthening the healthcare system in similar contexts. The results of this study could also serve as a reference for public health policies aimed at improving access to care in other rural areas of Africa.

Save A Leg – Exploring Disparities in Community Characteristics Between Regions of High and Low Leg Amputation Rates

ObjectiveTo explore the disparities in community characteristics between the regions with the highest and lowest leg amputation rates. ApproachThis study used an exploratory method to describe the disparities between community characteristics of these two regions. The study team used several data sources: 1) We used the Dartmouth Atlas Healthcare Map to identify the highest and lowest leg amputation areas. This data was based on leg amputations per 1,000 Medicare enrollees by Hospital referral regions (HRRs) in 2015. 2) We used population estimates and income data from The Census Bureau. 3) We gathered climate, crime index, walk score, bike lanes, and park data from numerous websites. ResultsFlorence, SC has the highest leg amputation rate and Bridgeport, CT has the lowest across the nation. Florence also shows higher cardiovascular disease and diabetes discharge rates. Florence’s population has a slightly higher percentage of persons 65 years and over, a higher percentage of bachelor’s degrees, a higher per capita income, and a lower poverty rate. Florence also has fewer parks, is less walkable or bikeable, and has worse crime. It is worth noting that Bridgeport is close to Yale New Haven Hospital, which has a Limb Preservation Program that could contribute to the region’s extremely low leg amputation rate. ConclusionsThere are disparities in community characteristics between the regions with the highest and lowest leg amputation rates. ImplicationsFuture work needs to investigate the association between community characteristics and leg amputation rates and assess the impact of the Limb Preservation Program.

How Does Digital Infrastructure Development Affect Housing Prices? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the “Broadband China” Program

Currently, digital infrastructure development, as a key driver of economic growth in the new era, provides a new perspective for alleviating the current tremendous downward pressure on China’s real estate market. Based on data from 255 prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2020, this study takes the “Broadband China” Program as a quasi-natural experiment and uses the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate mechanisms of impact of digital infrastructure development on housing prices. The empirical results show that the “Broadband China” Program has a significant positive impact on housing prices, with an average treatment effect of 8%. This primarily occurs through population agglomeration, income enhancement, and technological innovation. It has also a positive spatial spillover effect on housing prices. Overall, digital infrastructure development is a “double-edged sword”: while improving the quality of life and convenience, it will also bring about rising housing prices. Therefore, we should pay more attention to how to guide digital infrastructure development, including broadband networks, to reasonably regulate housing prices to promote the healthy development of China’s real estate market.

Analisis Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Penerimaan dari Sektor Pariwisata Pantai Timur Sumatera Utara

This research aims to analyze the influence of the number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, and population on the level of labor absorption on the East Coast of North Sumatra. Then to analyze the influence of the number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, population, labor absorption rate on tourism sector revenues on the East Coast of North Sumatra. As well as to analyze the influence of the number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, population on tourism sector revenues through the level of labor absorption on the East Coast of North Sumatra. The type of research used is associative research with a quantitative approach. The data used in this research are data on the number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, population, and regional income from the tourism sector on the East Coast of North Sumatra with a total of 12 regencies/cities for the 1-4 quarter period of 2012- 2021 taken from the North Sumatra Central Statistics Agency (BPS) with the analysis technique used is path analysis. The research results show that the number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, and population have a direct positive influence on the level of employment in the tourism sector on the East Coast of North Sumatra. The number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, population, and labor absorption rates have a direct positive influence on tourism sector revenues on the East Coast of North Sumatra. The number of restaurants, hotel room occupancy rates, number of foreign tourist visits, and population not have a direct influence on tourism sector revenues on the East Coast of North Sumatra through the level of labor absorption.

Критерии потребительского выбора пищевой продукции в контексте анализа рисков для здоровья

Provision of food quality and safety is among national priorities. The strategy aimed at improving quality of food products in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 highlights a relevant issue as regards Russians consuming low-quality food products. The aim of this study is to identify criteria that determine consumer choice of food products and its influence on health risks. The empirical data used in the study are represented by the results of national social surveys (Russian Public Opinion Research Center, NAFI Research Center, Public Opinion Fund, 2020–2023) and materials obtained by focus interviews with Russian megacity residents (n = 26, spring 2024). Price is the top criterion that determines consumer choices in Russia. We identified three behavioral strategies based on subjective perception of food quality and price: 1) quality is priority regardless of a price (the strategy is typical for middle-aged consumers with higher incomes); 2) a balance between quality and price (including orientation at discounts and special promotion campaigns at points-of-sail); 3) refusal from subjectively more qualitative food products in favor of less qualitative but cheaper ones (the strategy is typical for consumers from senior age groups). Consumer orientation at product price leads to changes in diets in case population incomes are dropping or market prices are growing; in particular, it means a decline in fruit, meat and fish consumption. Significance a consumer places on food taste as a selection criterion results in choosing food products with low ‘objective’ consumer value but a higher ‘subjective’ one, for example, chips, sweetened carbonated beverages, and products with high saturated fat contents. Risky consumer choice is also determined by low interest in healthy diets and absence of any faith in possibility to get objective information. A conclusion is made that it is necessary to make food products, which are subjectively perceived by consumers as more qualitative, more affordable in money terms; to intensify educational activities and to create suitable conditions for making consumers refuse from buying products with low nutrition value.

Criteria that determine consumer choice of food products within health risk analysis

Provision of food quality and safety is among national priorities. The strategy aimed at improving quality of food products in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 highlights a relevant issue as regards Russians consuming low-quality food products. The aim of this study is to identify criteria that determine consumer choice of food products and its influence on health risks. The empirical data used in the study are represented by the results of national social surveys (Russian Public Opinion Research Center, NAFI Research Center, Public Opinion Fund, 2020–2023) and materials obtained by focus interviews with Russian megacity residents (n = 26, spring 2024). Price is the top criterion that determines consumer choices in Russia. We identified three behavioral strategies based on subjective perception of food quality and price: 1) quality is priority regardless of a price (the strategy is typical for middle-aged consumers with higher incomes); 2) a balance between quality and price (including orientation at discounts and special promotion campaigns at points-of-sail); 3) refusal from subjectively more qualitative food products in favor of less qualitative but cheaper ones (the strategy is typical for consumers from senior age groups). Consumer orientation at product price leads to changes in diets in case population incomes are dropping or market prices are growing; in particular, it means a decline in fruit, meat and fish consumption. Significance a consumer places on food taste as a selection criterion results in choosing food products with low ‘objective’ consumer value but a higher ‘subjective’ one, for example, chips, sweetened carbonated beverages, and products with high saturated fat contents. Risky consumer choice is also determined by low interest in healthy diets and absence of any faith in possibility to get objective information. A conclusion is made that it is necessary to make food products, which are subjectively perceived by consumers as more qualitative, more affordable in money terms; to intensify educational activities and to create suitable conditions for making consumers refuse from buying products with low nutrition value.

Research on the coupling measurement of medical education and health resource allocation under the background of healthy China

Objective To analyze the coupling and coordination level of medical education and health resource allocation in China, and to provide scientific basis for promoting the high-quality development of medical education and the efficient allocation of health resources.MethodsBased on the panel data from 2011 to 2021, the coupling coordination degree model was used to measure the coupling coordination index of medical education and health resources in China. The spatial auto-correlation model was used to analyze the development status and distribution characteristics of the coupling coordination degree of the two systems. The kernel density estimation method was used to analyze the dynamic evolution trend of the coupling coordination of the two systems. The QR quantile regression model was used to explore the key factors affecting the coupling coordination degree of the two systems.ResultsDuring the observation period, the coupling coordination degree of the two systems increased from 0.393 to 0.465, with a growth rate of 18.3%. The coupling coordination degree between regions gradually decreased in the eastern-central and eastern-western regions, and there were still large differences between the central and western regions. The coupling coordination degree of the two systems in the region was significantly different in the eastern and western regions, and the central region was relatively similar. There is a positive spatial correlation between the provinces, and 25.81% of the provinces have transitions. Finally, the number of points in the first and third quadrants is higher than that in the second and fourth quadrants. In the process of dynamic distribution, the degree of polarization of the coupling coordination degree curve of the two systems is gradually weakened. Per capita GDP, residents ' income difference and population size are the positive and significant factors driving the coupling and coordinated development of the two systems.ConclusionThe coupling and coordination degree of the two systems of medical education and health resource allocation showed a stable upward trend during the observation period, and the global spatial positive correlation also gradually increased, showing the spatial agglomeration characteristics of ' high-high agglomeration ' and ' low-low agglomeration '. The spatial difference of coupling coordination degree shows a shrinking trend and develops towards equalization. The coupling coordination degree of the two systems is affected by social, economic and demographic factors to varying degrees. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate the coordinated development mechanism of the two systems, promote the two-way flow of medical education and health resource allocation in talents, technology and other elements, and then promote the coupling and coordinated development of the two systems.

Discarded vehicle tires and their association with mosquito vector abundance across socioenvironmental gradients in New Orleans, LA.

Discarded vehicle tires serve as habitat for mosquito vectors. In New Orleans, Louisiana, discarded tires are an increasingly important public concern, especially considering that the city is home to many medically important mosquito species. Discarded tires are known to be associated with mosquito abundance, but how their presence interacts with other socioenvironmental gradients to influence mosquito ecology is poorly understood. Here, we ask whether discarded tire distribution could be explained by social factors, particularly median income, home vacancy and human population density, and whether these factors interact with urban heat islands (UHI) to drive mosquito vector assemblages. We surveyed tire piles across the city and adult mosquitoes in 12 sites, between May and October of 2020. We compared this data with the social indicators selected and UHI estimates. Our results show that median income and human population density were inversely related to tire abundance. Tire abundance was positively associated with Aedes albopictus abundance in places of low heat (LS) severity. Heat was the only predictor for the other monitored species, where high heat corresponded to higher abundance of Aedes aegypti, and LS to higher abundance of Culex quinquefasciatus. Our results suggest that low-income, sparsely populated neighborhoods of New Orleans may be hotspots for discarded vehicle tires, and are associated with higher abundances of at least one medically important mosquito (Ae. albopictus). These findings suggest potential locations for prioritizing source reduction efforts to control mosquito vectors and highlight discarded tires as a potential exposure pathway to unequal disease risk for low-income residents.

Electric vehicle and supply equipment adoption dynamics in the United States

In the present era of climate change concerns, plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) and their associated infrastructure are strategic investments by many governments. Investment discussions often include the dynamic supply-demand relationship between PEV adoption and charging station deployment, but rarely is it given an empirical treatment. We make use of publicly available charging station installation and PEV vehicle registration data by U.S. County between the years 2012 and 2021 to examine the phasing and causal relationship between adoption trends in these two markets. Non-linear Granger causality tests suggest a feedback relationship between PEV vehicle adoption and charging station installations. It can be further explained that when individuals adopt PEV, the demand for the charging infrastructure increases to meet the demand for PEV. Conversely, when more charging station installations become available, it encourages adoption of this technology making it convenient for individuals to have access to these charging facilities. It is observed in aggregate that PEVs are penetrating across the U.S., but the penetration rate differs across states and counties. We examine this interaction using a generalized propensity score (GPS) identification strategy for the effect of charging station installations on PEV registrations, coupled with a generalized additive model (GAM) to construct a causal dose-response curve. We observe statistically significant effects on per capita charging station rates for income and total population. We suggest a policy package that includes charging infrastructure investments but also provides wider adoption of subsidies for low-income households across all states.

A study of the influence of the stability of the population's income and expenditure on the development of restaurant chains

This study examines the connection between the income of Chinese residents and the expansion of restaurant chains from 2005 to 2021. It employs multiple methodologies, such as an evaluation index system, the entropy value method, and the coupled coordination degree model. There are sixteen indicators divided into two groups: residents' income and expenditures, and restaurant chain expansion. The analysis reveals the following trends: instability from 2005 to 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis; regional disparities from 2010 to 2014; and coordinated development from 2015 to 2021 as a result of government policies that stimulate domestic demand. This research contributes to strategic planning and decision-making in the hotel, catering, and tourism industries by assessing the effect of Chinese residents' stable income and expenditures on restaurant chains.

Application of the ARIMA model in house price index in Malaysia

The factors that affecting the escalating price of houses in Malaysia are driven by factors such as population growth, income dynamics, interest rates, and GDP. This phenomenon has notably outpaced the growth of household incomes, thus majorly impacting Malaysians. The study’s primary goal is to forecast the housing price index in Malaysia from the best model obtained using Box-Jenkins method. aligning with the 2018-2025 National Housing Policy objectives, utilizing advanced machine learning and time series modeling. The objectives guide the research: to find the best model for predicting house price index in Malaysia using Box-Jenkins Method. Utilizing secondary data from the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC) spanning from 1988 to 2023, the study employed the analytical method of ARIMA. The results favored the ARIMA (1,1,1) model as the best model in predicting housing price indexes. This offers an excellent forecasting model for residential properties towards gaining better understanding of their pricing dynamics and offers potential solutions to the issue of housing affordability for Malaysians.

Ecological and socio-economic factors influence stand biodiversity

Biodiversity is associated with functional protection, adaptation to external conditions, and ecosystem resilience. Therefore, maintaining forest ecosystems with high biodiversity is essential for improving resistance and resilience to disturbances. In addition to the ecological factors influencing forest ecosystems, various socio-economic factors associated with forests can influence the ecosystem. However, socio-economic impacts on forest biodiversity have rarely been addressed. In this study, we investigated whether tree species diversity (TSD) of forest stands varies with ownership status (national vs. private forests). In addition, selected ecological (stand characteristics, site conditions, and climate) and socio-economic (regional forest management sectors, population, forestry population, forest coverage, and forestry income) factors influencing TSD were determined using data from the National Forest Inventory in South Korea. National forests had higher TSD than private forests, reflecting differences in management objectives. Among ecological factors, stand structural diversity (SDivI) was the most influential in both national and private forests. Socio-economic factors, such as population, forest coverage, forest income, and forest management bodies, significantly influenced the TSD, although the impact was smaller compared to ecological factors. Our results suggest that securing stand growth and development is essential for increasing stand structural diversity, which leads to an increase in TSD. Furthermore, our study shows that socio-economic factors can influence forest conditions over time. To better understand the factors influencing the state of forests and manage forests sustainably in the future, collaborative research bridging ecological and sociological fields is necessary.

Development of 3D-printed universal adapter in enhancing retinal imaging accessibility

BackgroundThe revolutionary technology of smartphone-based retinal imaging has been consistently improving over the years. Smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices are designed to be portable, easy to use, and cost-efficient, which enables eye care to be more widely accessible especially in geographically remote areas. This enables early disease detection for those who are in low- and middle- income population or just in general has very limited access to eye care. This study investigates the limitation of smartphone compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Additionally, this study aims to propose a universal adapter design that is usable with an existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition device known as the PanOptic ophthalmoscope. This study also aims to simulate the reliability, validity, and performance overall of the developed prototype.MethodsA literature review has been conducted that identifies the limitation of smartphone compatibility among existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. Designing and modeling of proposed adapter were performed using the software AutoCAD 3D. For the proposed performance evaluation, finite element analysis (FEA) in the software Autodesk Inventor and 5-point scale method were demonstrated.ResultsPublished studies demonstrate that most of the existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices have compatibility limited to specific older smartphone models. This highlights the benefit of a universal adapter in broadening the usability of existing smartphone-based retinal image acquisition devices. A functional universal adapter design has been developed that demonstrates its compatibility with a variety of smartphones regardless of the smartphone dimension or the position of the smartphone’s camera lens. The proposed performance evaluation method generates an efficient stress analysis of the proposed adapter design. The end-user survey results show a positive overall performance of the developed universal adapter. However, a significant difference between the expert's views on the developed adapter and the quality of images is observed.ConclusionThe compatibility of existing smartphone-based retinal imaging devices is still mostly limited to specific smartphone models. Besides this, the concept of a universal and suitable adapter for retinal imaging using the PanOptic ophthalmoscope was presented and validated in this paper. This work provides a platform for future development of smartphone-based ophthalmoscope that is universal.

Challenges in the popularization of wild food plants in Brazil: An examination from the perspectives of consumer science

When associated with sustainable management strategies, wild food plants (WFP) have great potential to increase the income of local populations and diversify food systems. However, in the urban Brazilian context, most of these plants are still unknown or underutilized. This research aimed to identify biases in the acceptance of WFP-based food products. For this purpose, we conducted two experiments on expectation and acceptability evaluation. In the first, we prepared juices and sweet coconut (cocadas) from both WFPs and conventional plant products and tested whether the mixture of WFP + conventional plant creates greater expectation and acceptance by the consumers than products made only with WFP. We also identified the socioeconomic factors that influence expectation and acceptance. In the second experiment, we prepared juices with wild plants (cambuí and araçá) and conventional plants (acerola and guava) and tested whether the terminological association of WFP with conventional plants and terminological clues about forest origin influence the expectation and acceptance of the products. Our results indicate that gastronomic mixtures act as a barrier breaker for food neophobia and provide consumers with greater familiarity with the food, increasing the chances of incorporating WFP into the human diet. In general, older individuals, those with higher education and income, and non-neophobic individuals gave better ratings for appropriateness expectation, and all these variables, including male gender, gave better ratings for acceptance of WFP-based foods. The terminological association with a conventional plant did not influence the expectation and acceptability of the products. The terminological association with forest origin did not interfere with expectation and acceptance, but there was a negative influence of the indication of forest origin on flavor expectation for the neophobic group.

Agricultural Vertical Cooperatives: the State and Directions of State Support

Agricultural vertical cooperatives created by small agricultural producers play an essential role in the market integration of small farms, ensuring employment and income of the rural population, and the stability of the agro-food market. The study of the problems of rural cooperation belongs to the relevant areas of economic research in the agro-industrial complex. The article analyzes the level and trends in the development of agricultural vertical cooperatives in Russia, including the dynamics of the number of certain types of cooperatives in 2019-2024, the social composition and equipment of fixed assets of cooperatives, their role in the production of a number of food resources. The conclusion is made about the slow development of cooperation and the significant differentiation of the cooperative movement across the subjects of the Russian Federation. The main reasons for the current situation and directions for improving cooperative policy in rural areas are considered.

Local Development Based on Non-Timber Forest Products: Evidence from a Mapping of Initiatives in the Brazilian Amazon since Rio 1992

Over recent decades, the sustainable use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) has offered the promise of reconciling the dilemma between forest conservation and economic development, generating income for local populations. Accordingly, since the 1990s, manifold initiatives, often supported by international donors, have been investing in developing such NTFP value chains. Specifically in the Brazilian context, initiatives have proliferated as a response to the challenges of the largest remaining tropical forest ecosystem—the Amazon region and its inhabitants. Have they worked? What do we know about their impact? To provide for the first time an adequate basis for a more systematic analysis of the impact of NTFP initiatives in the Brazilian Amazon, this article presents a mapping of current and past initiatives supporting NTFP extractivism. The mapping drew on databases of funding organizations and interviews with key informants. The analysis revealed a large number of initiatives (nearly 200) strongly clustered in some areas, like around Belém, along major roads such as the BR 364, and along the Juruá rivers, concentrated on a few products with relatively high commercial value, mostly implemented by civil society organizations and targeting traditional peoples and communities. As interventions for NTFP development, the initiatives offered capacity building, financial support, and facilitate market access. With regard to the latter, the initiatives varied considerably. The vast majority promoted products, while a much smaller number engaged in company partnerships or government procurement. Despite the large number of initiatives, there is insufficient knowledge to gauge the impacts of different strategies of local resources and their users. A clear understanding of the effects of NTFP-based development initiatives and how impacts are generated is essential to seize the potential of the bioeconomy for achieving sustainable development for the Brazilian Amazon.

Dynamics of total and industrial energy use in Turkiye from 1991 to 2019: a case study

AbstractEnergy use is an indicator of economic growth. However, high energy intensity has two main disadvantages. First, low energy efficiency increases a country’s dependence on other countries, especially when the country lacks energy sources. Second, if the country’s energy needs are met using traditional fossil fuels, this increases its CO2 emissions and reduces its air quality. Improving energy efficiency and reducing energy intensity are essential to reach the sustainability targets. This paper investigates the determinants of energy use in Turkiye for the period 1991–2019 by taking a dual approach. First, utilizing the Tapio decoupling factor, the decoupling factor analysis is not only being done for total energy use and real GDP, but also for industrial energy use and industrial income. Second, the factors determining the country’s total energy use are also examined, followed by an investigation of the indicators of energy use in the industry sector, which is highly energy intensive. For the industrial sector, two different decomposition analyses are performed and results are compared. The refined Laspeyres index method is adopted, and for each analysis, three main factors are considered. The empirical findings demonstrate that the income effect and population effect increased Turkiye’s total energy use, whereas the energy intensity effect decreased it. The first decomposition analysis for the industrial energy use reveals partly contrasting results with the previously published articles. For the industry sector, the second analysis show that productivity and employment increased Turkiye’s sectoral energy use; however, the sector’s energy intensity reduced it. Turkiye achieved some success in terms of reducing energy intensity at the sectoral and aggregate levels; however, as the findings of the present study demonstrate, further efforts are needed to lessen the country’s energy dependence and also to achieve future environmental sustainability targets. Trends relating to the determining factors in total and sectoral energy use are also compared in this paper, and some policy implications are presented.

Zarządzanie środowiskiem na Łotwie: Przegląd dobrego zarządzania i wdrażania

Environmental governance implementation at all levels starting from EU up to local level need to have necessary capacity and whole set of governance instruments to ensure that the governance process reaches planned outcomes. The primary aim of the environmental governance assessment in Latvia is to review the implementation of environmental governance at the national level, but considering importance of municipal level as well. The initial part of this study was also part of the European Commission project, realized in the all EU Member States and then were studied several good governance characteristics as transparency, accountability, access to justice, participation, effectiveness and efficiency, and others. There were done all related document studies and additional selected interviews with key experts in the field and representing both governance levels, national and local. The continuation studies done kept similar approaches, however aiming at qualitative updating of environmental governance situation overview, according to the various substantial environmental and administrative-terririal and other changes which were taking place in the meantime in Latvia. Also there were additional studies performed, especially, stressing the importance of municipal environmental governance. Researchers used data and document studies, as well as consultations (express interviews) with related environmental experts/practitioners of different governance levels in the country. There are various environmental governance instruments at national level, having planned impact on local level governance, but local municipalities, as legal entities in the field of public law, first of all rely on regulatory enactments which define in detail the functions, rights and duties of local governments. The legislative framework is exhaustive and detailed, but it is fragmented in relation to the environment protection. Coordination mechanisms between local, regional, and national levels are complicated. The development of infrastructure at national level is mainly linked to existing standards, regulations and procedures for construction, exploitation, etc., as well as the distribution of available EU funds and monitoring and control of use. The financial-economic framework at national level defines the source of municipal finances – real estate tax, population income tax, natural resources tax, but there are yet limited financial mechanisms for local governments of municipalities to stimulate business development in their territory, promote sustainable forms of business, promote the use of renewable energy sources (e.g. wind parks). As regards the institutional and administrative framework and the framework for communication process and its complementary instruments, there are only separate restrictions imposed by regulatory enactments, leaving the local government level with a relatively large freedom of choice, but within their administrative capacities and financial resources available. Effective mechanisms to enable members of the public to make complaints about environmental problems are in place, and for those complaints to be properly addressed, are an important part of environmental compliance assurance. They also reinforce public confidence in environmental laws. Environmental governance in general in Latvia is well enough framed and developed in all governance levels – national, regional, local and grass-root level.

Economic Effects of Introduction of Modern Technologies in Beekeeping

The article discusses the economic impact of integrating modern technologies in beekeeping, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and the Internet of Things (IoT). The balance between initial investment and Return on Investment (ROI), operational scalability, market competitiveness, and government policy influences is studied. The importance of Comprehensive Economic Analysis in optimizing benefits and overcoming the challenges beekeeping faces is emphasized. Introducing new technologies in the field leads to the scaling effect, which allows beekeepers to manage more processes and operations faster and with fewer costs and to enter wider markets, leading to increased revenue and high profitability. In addition, challenges related to the scale of activity and market conditions are noted, mainly faced by small apiaries in conditions of insufficient financial support (subsidies) from the state. In addition, the need to develop special training programs for the effective use of technologies is emphasized, which will make it easier for beekeepers to gain a competitive advantage, in particular, improving the quality of products, developing an appropriate marketing strategy and making effective decisions based on databases. The final part of the article presents the macroeconomic benefits that integrating modern technologies in beekeeping can bring - creating new jobs, increasing the incomes of the rural population, expanding the market, and increasing exports. The need for a comprehensive economic analysis of the field to achieve sustainable and useful technological progress in beekeeping is noted.

Long-term Trends in Household Income and Consumer Spending in the Context of Changes in Inequality in the Republic of Armenia

Population wellfare, incomes and consumption, which generate the before -mentioned and it’s trends are relevant for any society. This circumstance is an important issue especially for countries with emerging markets, one of which is the Republic of Armenia. Immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the radical-liberal reforms carried out in the 1990s, which were accompanied by the aggressive privatization of state property, the rapid liberalization of prices and the devaluation and pulverization of previously accumulated material and financial assets, led to mass unemployment and the emigration of a significant part of the population. As a result of all this, there has been an extreme polarization of the population according to property, income and well-being and an increase in poverty.