Industrial Countries Research Articles

Company commitments on nutrition and sustainability: A three-country comparison

Abstract Background The Business Impact Assessment (BIA) tools were developed by INFORMAS to document companies’ commitments on population nutrition (BIA-Obesity) and environmental sustainability (BIA-Sustainability). As part of the EU-funded Food Systems that Support Transitions to Healthy and Sustainable Diets (FEAST) project, we used the BIA-Obesity and BIA-Sustainability to map the public commitments of a range of national and international food companies active in Belgium, Ireland, and Portugal. Methods We selected companies (Belgium n = 37; Ireland n = 39; Portugal n = 36) across the packaged food, soft drinks, quick service restaurant, grocery retailers, infant formula, and catering industries. Selection was based primarily on the companies’ market shares in each country, but minor adaptations were made to enable comparison of findings between the countries. We searched each company’s website, annual reports, and other public sources, logging all commitments relevant to the domains of the BIAs. Domains and criteria were adapted to reflect the regulatory and legislative environment in each country. Results In all three countries, commitments on sustainability were significantly stronger than those on nutrition, though still falling short of best practice. Within sustainability, commitments found in Belgium and Portugal were significantly stronger than those found in Ireland. Nutrition-related commitments were more consistent across the three countries, with companies in Ireland and Portugal showing the highest-scoring commitments in relation to product formulation. Conclusions Companies across all industry sectors and countries fall short of best practices, with a stronger commitments to environmental sustainability than to tackling obesity and non-communicable diseases. These results underscore the critical necessity for more ambitious government regulations at both European and national levels. Key messages • Critical necessity for government regulations at both European and national levels to adress environmental and nutritional challenges. • Industry need stronger commitments to tackling obesity and non-communicable diseases.

Perceived quality of parent-child interaction in parents of autistic children: relationship with parental education level

IntroductionMost autism research was conducted in Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD) countries. This study is the first to examine factors that were associated with perceived quality of parent-child interaction in non-WEIRD parents of autistic children.MethodsNinety-one Chinese parents of autistic children (82 females, 9 males) completed an online survey which involved two sections. The first section included demographics questions about the parent and the family, including age, gender, educational level, and household income. It also assessed parents’ perceived quality of parent-child interaction and their autistic traits. The second section included demographics questions about their autistic child, including age and gender, and assessed autistic traits and behavioural problems.ResultsParent’s education level was associated with and the only predictor of their perceived quality of parent-child interaction. The higher educational level in parents the higher quality of parent-child interaction was perceived by the parents.DiscussionThese findings underscored the significance of parents’ education level as a unique predictor of perceived parent-child interaction quality among Chinese parents of autistic children, providing implications to corresponding education and social policies in China and other non-WEIRD countries.

Navigating the Digital Frontier: Transforming Public Governance in the Age of New Public Management

Today, it seems clear that significant changes have taken place in public governance systems in many countries, particularly in the most influential industrial countries, in response to technological developments. With this in mind, this work aims to examine a number of alternative scenarios for change in public governance within states in the digital age, as these changes interact with the legacies of previous public management reform movements. We therefore seek to contribute to a better understanding of the emerging problems of New Public Management (NMP), and to seize the growing opportunities offered by Public Governance in the Digital Age (PGE).

Environmentally Friendly Biological Activated Carbon Derived from Sugarcane Waste as a Promising Carbon Source for Efficient and Robust Rechargeable Zinc–Air Battery

China is one of the largest sugarcane industrial countries in the world, and the annual output of bagasse waste is abundant. Classical incineration, landfill, and other treatment methods are inefficient and seriously harmful to the environment, so it is urgent to develop a new comprehensive utilization of agricultural waste. In this work, the sugarcane waste residue is converted to biological activated carbon (BAC) through a simple pre-carbonization and KOH activation process, which is then mixed with perovskite oxide BaCo0.5Fe0.5O3−δ (BCF) to form BAC/BCF composite air electrode. BAC/BCF assembled rechargeable zinc–air battery (ZAB) exhibits a relatively good output maximum power density of 96 mW·cm−2 and considerable long-term charge–discharge cycle stability over 250 h operation. These results indicate that the BAC derived from sugarcane waste is a promising potential carbon material candidate for ZAB application, which can realize the high-value utilization of agricultural waste in the field of efficient and durable energy storage and conversion devices.

The Many Republics of Hunger

This article is the Sixth Sam Moyo Memorial Lecture delivered by Professor Utsa Patnaik during the SMAIAS/ASN Summer School on January 16, 2023, in Harare. Professor Patnaik argues that the discourse in development economics is so completely dominated by fallacious ideas emanating from the conservative economics departments of universities in advanced industrial countries, and economists in the Global South tend to be so completely hegemonized by these fallacious ideas that they pay little or no attention to long-term trends in their own economies that impact adversely the welfare of the poorest of their own populations. A most important long-term trend—to be precise, the trend over the last four decades of neoliberal policies—has been the declining per capita consumption of food grains in countries of the Global South, associated with their increasing opening up to free trade under the incessant pressure of industrial nations.

От редактора рубрики

Southeast Asia plays a major role in the global economy today. Industrial countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand make a special contribution to it. They represent one of the generally recognized "growth centers" of the open export-oriented model of the global economy. It is no coincidence, therefore, that today they are the focus of attention of politicians, economists and scientists from all over the world.

Cross-Cultural Applications of the New Ecological Paradigm in Protected Area Contexts

Working mostly in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic countries, environmental psychologists have developed scales assessing relationships between pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors. Working in Tanzanian and Indonesian protected area landscapes, containing important biodiversity and conflict over human-nature interactions, we investigate the utility of the New Ecological Paradigm for measuring pro-environmental beliefs and understanding support for protected area regulations. We found the New Ecological Paradigm ineffective at measuring pro-environmental beliefs in both countries; in Tanzania due to acquiescence bias, and in Indonesia exploratory factor analysis supported none of the original factors, with 4 of 15 statements loading onto a novel “eco-fragility” factor. Individual statements in both countries and the eco-fragility factor in Indonesia were weakly correlated with support for protected area regulations, highlighting while elements of the New Ecological Paradigm can improve understanding of support for protected area regulations, care must be taken when applying psychometric tools in novel cultural contexts.

Assessment of the current state of pharmaceutical development of anti-staphylococcal prophylactic drugs

Infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus is the most common infection leading to the development of serious complications in humans. S. aureus is among the highly lethal bacteremia-associated pathogens with a mortality rate of approximately 18% in industrial countries; in developing countries, the rate is even higher, up to 27%. One of the most striking and challenging aspects of clinical manifestations caused by S. aureus is the ability of the bacterium to develop resistance to antibiotics. The development of alternative treatment options for staphylococcal infection is urgently needed. The use of immunotherapy and immunoprophylaxis to activate the anti-infection immune response in patients should be considered as a promising direction. Objective: to analyze the main trends in the development of vaccines aimed at the prevention of S. aureus infection and its virulence factors. The present review discusses vaccine development in recent years aimed at preventing infection caused by S. aureus. Particular attention is paid to pathogenicity factors (such as capsule, surface proteins and enzymes) that may be useful for the development of new candidate vaccines or immune therapeutics. In recent years, numerous clinical trials of candidate vaccines based on different antigens, taking into account particularly relevant S. aureus pathogenicity factors that influence morbidity, have not been successful due to their low efficacy or insufficiently substantiated safety (development of adverse events). One of the most important factors constraining vaccine development is the lack of successful translation of vaccine protective activity, which is observed in preclinical studies in experimental models but not confirmed in clinical trials. Therefore, according to numerous researchers, the use of multiple antigens in vaccine formulations should be considered with the focus on different mechanisms of S. aureus pathogenicity and the use of adjuvants.

Strategic incentives and natural capital accounting for sustainable supply chain management: Measuring reputational impacts and consumers’ perceptions of the use of water through behavioural experimental studies

Within a sustainable supply chain management approach, this study investigates strategic issues that can either favour or impede the implementation of natural capital accounting. Among other things, the originality of such consists of the joint consideration of sustainability, operational, and reputational issues, forging the link between measuring the use of natural resources and preserving companies' intangible capital. More specifically, through two scenario-based behavioural experiments with a total sample of 252 consumers in the UK, we analyse how information regarding the use of water (i.e., water footprint) affects firms' reputation (i.e., trust, attitude towards the firm, word-of-mouth, brand avoidance). We also investigate consumers' perceptions when companies seek to (1) increase the transparency of their consumption of natural capital (i.e., a conceptual proxy for the adoption of natural capital accounting) and (2) rationalize this consumption (i.e., a goal aligned with the objectives of natural capital accounting). The method employed is adequate as it allows the detection and measurement of respondents' perceptions of specific issues presented in the different scenarios. The choice of the UK as the setting reflects the importance of the country in the fashion industry, as it has a solid consumer base and is home to several international fashion brands. The supply chain management scope refers to the link between water consumption (which often takes place in the production of raw materials (e.g., cotton) and in transformation processes (e.g., fabric dyeing, tanning) by suppliers), fashion brands' reputation, and consumers' perceptions, with the joint consideration of these four phases sustaining the delimitation. Building on the premises of the resource-based view and signalling theory, the study is contextualized in the fashion industry as its current production levels require a significant consumption of natural resources, particularly water. Results show that, while the publication of the water footprint may damage companies’ reputations, initiatives aimed at increasing transparency and reducing environmental impact can reverse these losses to a large extent. In this sense, the study advances the idea that, despite possibly presenting undesirable consequences at first, the adoption of natural capital accounting can be beneficial to firms later on, with reputational gains representing important strategic incentives. Further research in different countries and industries will be beneficial to assess the possible context impact on our results.

Saatnya amandemen ke-5 UUD 1945

This article proposes the fifth amendment to the 1945 Constitution by introducing quattuor politica to replace trias politica. So that national intellectual groups can play a full role in national development to overcome the stagnation in national capacity development. This state of stagnation has a broad impact on current development achievements. Among them, Indonesia's failure to become an industrial country and hampered mastery of science and technology. Scientific judgment of 79 years of national development policy, has been almost neglected. The conclusion be based on some facts and analysis of 79 year Indonesia's transformation as scientific phenomenon. This has an impact on Indonesia's current development challenges which are related to the improper application of scientific principles. Such as the failure to become an industrial country, still high number of corrupt practices, low achievement of current economy compared to China and Republic of Korea and high cost economy. It indicates that the role and contribution of the national intellectual community in the development is low and limited due to obstruction of trias politica practices. Introducing quattuor politica through the constitutional amendment is to enrich trias politica concept. It will empower the intellectual community as the guardian of the national capacity building by taking care of scientific principles consistently in developing the national development methodology. It is align with the mandate of Preamble of the 1945 Constitution, values of the second norm of Pancasila - Just and civilized humanity - and the nature of the practice of civilization. The principles of empiricism and the scientific phenomenon of civilization developments are the major premise of the research.

The power of mineral: Shock of the global supply chain from resource nationalism

State intervention has long affected the stability of the global mineral and raw material markets. Global energy transition has continued to boost demand for copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel. It has exacerbated the global prevalence of resource nationalism. Research on resource nationalism has focused on the interaction of economic, political, cultural, and social elements within countries. The lack of understanding of the global economic effects of resource nationalism limits our flexibility in responding to upheavals in the global resource order. We combine time series counterfactual analysis and input–output modeling to advance our understanding of the worldwide supply chain effects of resource nationalism. We analyze the impacts of resource political behavior on global supply chains based on several representative episodes of resource nationalism. While major industrialized countries suffer more absolute welfare losses, formerly developed countries in the Global South face higher price effects. Moreover, nationalist resource shocks are not the only cause of welfare losses in the metals supply chain sector. Still, they are also harming various industries and groups, from food and energy to services. Such differences in price and welfare effects depend on the type of mineral and the resource power of the event-initiating country, on the one hand, and are influenced by the global industrial division of labor, on the other. More losses in developing countries come from the agricultural sector and primary manufacturing than from the severity of the losses suffered by the manufacturing and service sectors in industrial and rich countries. This is a reminder to pay more attention to the unequal distribution of economic pressures across countries and sectors in the global energy transition.

English Translation of New Vocabulary for Text Analysis of New Energy Industry and International Evaluation of Power Quality

With the advancement of global energy transformation, the rapid rise of the new energy industry has become a strategic highland that countries are eager to seize. The inherent instability and unpredictability of renewable energy production pose significant obstacles to the seamless operation of the power system. To address these challenges, this article employs text analysis, data-driven methods, and artificial intelligence technology in neologisms to conduct an in-depth international evaluation and comparative research on the power quality of the new energy industry. Using text mining techniques to conduct an in-depth analysis of new energy policy texts in various countries, revealing their policy characteristics and trends. At the same time, the combination of data-driven and artificial intelligence technology enables more accurate prediction and decision analysis. Based on the findings of this study, the United States has achieved a significant 35% enhancement in the quality of new energy electricity over the past decade, attributed to its consistent monitoring and improvement initiatives. Meanwhile, Germany, owing to its robust monitoring system, has witnessed a 25% improvement in electricity quality in the last five years. However, in developing nations like India and Brazil, approximately 60% of new energy projects encounter challenges related to grid connectivity and scheduling, resulting in a deterioration of electricity quality. In contrast, only 20% of developed countries have issues with grid access and scheduling. This phenomenon reflects that developing countries still need to increase investment and improve the layout of new energy industries and the construction of power grid infrastructure. Developing countries should actively learn from the successful experiences of developed countries in the new energy industry and power grid construction, formulate appropriate policy measures based on their national conditions, improve the quality of new energy electricity, and promote energy transformation and sustainable development.

Strategic Planning & Industry Sector Enhancing SDGS

Objective: The objective of this study is to explore the nature of strategic planning (SP) in four selected industry sectors (IS) in regard to the SP-IS relationships, the features and aspects that influence SP in and within one industry as well as with the selected industry sectors. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 28 related studies were selected from electronic academic resources and databases (e.g., Google scholar, Emerald, and Academia …etc.). The criteria used in selection is based on the easiest and most accessible documents to the researcher by using the title of the study with similar terms and words for the selected industry sectors. Four sectors have been selected: SP in banking, tourism & hospitality, healthcare, and higher education sector. The selected study samples were conducted in different countries of the world. Tables used are divided into columns for summarizing the essential data for each study such as study title, type of industry sector and country, findings, SP components, and its influence on performance. Selected studies have been carefully reviewed and evaluated. The methodology and construct of each study is considered, and the content analysis is used in addition to the researcher’s real-life experiences, as well as the opinions of academic peers were considered. Findings: The purpose of every examined study for each industry sector was identified and compared with same industry and with other examined industry sectors. The majority of the studies reviewed had similar objectives. The SP and SM concepts are well-known, understood, and used in many industry sectors. The findings show that SP has a favorable influence, and repeated elements and dimensions have been identified. More importantly, all of the evaluated studies have titles that include SP, strategic implementation (SI), or strategic management (SM) either explicitly or implicitly. Research limitations/implications: The results of the study are related to chosen studies of 4 industry sectors. As such, it is not possible to generalize these findings. The restricted accessibility to the relevant databases, journals, and web resources is another research barrier. Moreover, this kind of study—or one comparable to it—requires a longitudinal research approach. As such, the writer makes every attempt to condense the information that is accessible and comprehensible to him. Originality/value: This study highlights the SP-IS relationship of four important industry sectors in different countries with varied SP comparative features.

Regulation of Fructose Metabolism in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Elevations in fructose consumption have been reported to contribute significantly to an increased incidence of obesity and metabolic diseases in industrial countries. Mechanistically, a high fructose intake leads to the dysregulation of glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol metabolism in the liver, and causes elevations in inflammation and drives the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A high fructose consumption is considered to be toxic to the body, and there are ongoing measures to develop pharmaceutical therapies targeting fructose metabolism. Although a large amount of work has summarized the effects fructose exposure within the intestine, liver, and kidney, there remains a gap in our knowledge regarding how fructose both indirectly and directly influences immune cell recruitment, activation, and function in metabolic tissues, which are essential to tissue and systemic inflammation. The most recent literature demonstrates that direct fructose exposure regulates oxidative metabolism in macrophages, leading to inflammation. The present review highlights (1) the mechanisms by which fructose metabolism impacts crosstalk between tissues, nonparenchymal cells, microbes, and immune cells; (2) the direct impact of fructose on immune cell metabolism and function; and (3) therapeutic targets of fructose metabolism to treat NAFLD. In addition, the review highlights how fructose disrupts liver tissue homeostasis and identifies new therapeutic targets for treating NAFLD and obesity.

Investigating the utilization of oxidized textile residue as a strengthening substance in the composition of subgrade soil for pavement construction

<p>The textile industry, vital in the country's industrialization and playing a crucial role in the national economy, generates solid byproducts known as textile sludge. Integrating waste into stabilized soils, along with textile sludge (TS), fly ash (FA), and asphalt additives, offers scientific, economic and sustainability benefits. This study aimed to examine the subsurface solidification technique employing sludge and two supplement additives (asphalt and fly ash additive) implemented on pavement groundwork and supporting layers. The research involved characterization tests and physical soil stabilization with TS and stabilizers (fly ash, and asphalt) at proportions of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% as soil additives, which were carried out experimentally. The test results highlighted the potential application of soil-textile sludge mixtures in pavement strata (support and subgrade). The inclusion of fly ash has been proven to be the most effective method for chemically stabilizing the sludge. The maximum dry density was achieved with soil containing 10% textile sludge, supplemented with 15% fly ash. This resulted in a notable increase in UCS value from 235 kN/m2 to 242 kN/m2 and an improvement in CBR value from 4.1% to 9.12%. Furthermore, the addition of 5% bitumen further enhanced the UCS value, reaching 451 kN/m2 and significantly increased the CBR value to 21.6%. Stabilizing textile sludge offers significant environmental benefits by mitigating issues associated with improper waste disposal.</p>

Anaesthesiological Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the main cause of death in people <45 years in industrial countries. Minimising secondary injury to the injured brain is the primary goal throughout the entire treatment. Anaesthesiologic procedures aim at the reconstitution of cerebral perfusion and homeostasis. Both TBI itself as well as accompanying injuries show effects on cardiac and pulmonary function. Time management plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe anaesthesiologic environment while minimizing unnecessary procedures. Furthermore, growing medical drug pre-treatment demands for further knowledge e.g., in antagonization of anticoagulation.

A study of automated intelligent monitoring of scaffolding safety for construction projects

ABSTRACT In recent years, scaffolding has been widely used in construction in advanced industrial countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia as a temporary facility for new construction and demolition projects. However, in the complex environment of a construction site, temporary facilities such as scaffolding are only managed by the governments of these various countries via the legal system and are inspected through manual observation, resulting in numerous occupational hazards. Today, the lack of attention to temporary structures such as multi-degree-of-freedom discrete structures (e.g. scaffolding) has resulted in a failure to effectively improve the safety, quality, and performance of scaffolded temporary structures. In this study, the scaffolding system of a costly construction site in Taiwan is used as a case study. A BIM model of scaffolding is built based on the unique geographical location of Taiwan and external factors such as earthquakes and typhoons. The study even uses ETABS structural software to identify the structure of scaffolding and analyze the important monitoring points in order to establish a ’scaffolding intelligent monitoring system’ to effectively control the hazards of scaffolding as a medium, thus achieving the goal of construction safety during construction phase.

Faktor-faktor yang Memengaruhi Kejadian Bayi Berat Lahir Rendah di RS Sapta Medika Kecamatan Air Putih Kabupaten Batu Bara Provinsi Sumatera Utara Tahun 2024

Background​ Background LBW is still a concern for public health throughout the world and is associated with a number of short-term and long-term problems. More than 20 million births each year are estimated to be LBW, accounting for 15% to 20% of all births globally. In poor countries, the LBW birth rate is 16.5%, while in industrial countries it is 7%. Babies with low birth weight (LBW) may experience a number of problems and complications at birth. Metabolic problems, especially hypothermia, may appear in the short term. Method The research used is quantitative, information about what you want to know is examined using numerical data through a retrospective survey. Conducting a retrospective survey is one method of collecting historical data. This research uses a cross-sectional strategy. The sample for this in-depth research was all 60 mothers who gave birth at Sapta Medika Hospital. Analysis data using univariate and bivariate analysis. From the results of statistical tests it was found that p.value = 0.004 and α = 0.05, where the value of P.value (0.004) &lt; α (0.05), so it can be concluded that there is a relationship between maternal age and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) babies. ). Where the P value (0.019) &lt; α (0.005), so it can be concluded that there is a relationship between maternal parity and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) babies. Where the P.value (0.001) &lt; α (0.05), so it can be concluded that there is a relationship between maternal nutritional status and the incidence of low birth weight (LBW) babies.

MODUS VIVENDI: TRADITION IN TRANSITION, SHIFTING LANDSCAPE OF PESANTREN, AND RATIONALITY ON INDUSTRIALIZED COMMUNITIES

This study investigates substantial shifts in the rational paradigm and political identities in the Kaliwungu Industrial Area. Complexity, characterized by shifting values and emerging global identities, has co-opted the mode of existence of communities in sophisticated industrial countries. The dilemma between preserving local customs and the demands of globalization presents a distinct challenge. This study takes a qualitative approach, collecting data through approaches such as in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and critical analysis. Data sources are purposefully chosen from various strata of industrial society in order to acquire a comprehensive understanding. The investigation validates intriguing facts about Kaliwungu society. Based on the diffusion perspective, the result shows thatthere is a trend toward higher spiritual ideals in deciding societal positions, including political decisions. This plainly rules out the possibility of an exponential link between hedonism and industrialization. Furthermore, population movement from different origins to a given location is difficult, necessitating social harmonization and integration processes. Similarly, spiritual ideals, mental patterns, and social attitudes interact and change as a logical result of everyday exposure to modern values.

Learning from Competitors: Evidence from the Movie Industry

As an entertainment medium, movies are closely related to everyone's daily life. Using film industry data can help understanding how a country's industry develops and progresses. It is widely seen in many contexts that companies can learn from competitors to improve quality and adopt technology. This project uses detailed film production data to understand the upgrading process of China's film industry over the past decade. The study finds that foreign filmmakers produce significantly more feature films. Feature films are a special type of film that are more technical and require large visual teams. It finds that foreign films have more visual team members than domestic ones. It shows that domestic film productions catch up by hiring foreign visual team members. It is illustrated that how strategically hiring foreign experts promotes domestic industry upgrading and technological knowledge transfer. Film industry data provide unique insights into these human resource channels to narrow the capability gap between domestic and foreign producers. These results provide insights into the channels behind industry upgrading.