Major Countries Research Articles

Comparison of the Living Conditions of the Immigrant Population in Major European Countries

Comparison of the Living Conditions of the Immigrant Population in Major European Countries

Cross-scale characteristics and emission reduction pathways of trade-embodied carbon flows in the global supply Chains

In the context of the 1.5 °C warming target, there is a growing awareness of the increasingly frequent carbon flows between subregions. However, understanding the characteristics and pathways of cross-scale carbon flows between subregions and regions remains elusive and impedes achieving emission reduction targets. This study employs a nested multi-regional input–output model and the structural path analysis method, establishing the characteristics of the carbon emission transfer network within global supply chains and discerning the crucial structural pathways and nodes for carbon emissions. The study found that (1) in 36 major countries, the embodied carbon flows are predominantly influenced by the developed countries around China in Asia and the Pacific. (2) In 30 subregions, coastal subregions with large-scale foreign trade and energy-intensive subregions in China's central and western parts contribute significantly to the larger embodied carbon outflow due to exports. (3) “Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products (S09) → construction (S19)” and “manufacture and processing of metals (S10) → construction (S19)” are the two key pathways of paramount significance of embodied carbon emissions. (4) “R25 South Korea” has the highest number of key pathways and the greatest embodied carbon emissions from critical paths, followed by “R27 India” and “R22 United States.” These findings offer valuable insights for the development of regional emission reduction policies.

Non-Oil Revenue and the Impact on the Economic Development of Nigeria

Nigeria as one of the major oil-producing countries in the world has been diversifying into more non-oil revenue while more attention is paid to tax revenue as it has the potential of taking the country to the Promised Land. As a result, the study sought to examine Non-Oil Revenue and its impact on the Economic Development of Nigeria, leveraging on tax revenue for the period 1994–2023. The objectives of the study examined the effect of corporate income tax, capital gain tax, value-added tax, customs and excise duties on economic growth. Tertiary Education Tax, Stamp duty, and Other Levies were used as controlled variables. Data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin and Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) Statistical Reports. ARDL Regression Analysis was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that the coefficients of variation for the lag values showed that the RGDP was positively impacted by TDT and CED, while negatively impacted by CIT, CGT, VAT, and SD. The ARDL model's R2 and Adjusted R2 statistics together explained almost 69% of the variation in RGDP, according to the adjusted R2 of 0.518719. This implies that a significant portion of volatility is still unaccounted for despite the model's poor predictive power. The study concluded that the aggregate tax revenue does not show the hope of taking the country to the promised land, as only two (CED and TDT) showed a positive relationship with the economic growth of the country. Thus, it recommended that the Nigerian government need to pay more attention to tax income since it can promote the necessary growth in the nation.

Global climate governance inequality unveiled through dynamic influence assessment

This study defines the concept of major and minor countries and establishes a multidimensional and dynamic assessment system to evaluate the influence of countries participating in global climate governance. We systematically calculate 45 indicators for 53 countries across 9 global climate negotiation interest groups over the seven years. Our findings indicate a significant difference in influence between major and minor countries. This gap is particularly significant regarding losses incurred from climate disasters, with a more than fourfold difference between the top 25% and the bottom 25% in the influence rankings. The influence-climate disaster Index Gini coefficient further indicates that climate governance is characterized by extreme inequality. We argue that this phenomenon arises because those with more decisive influence in global climate governance do not bear losses from climate disasters commensurate with their influence. Therefore, their willingness to participate in climate governance is lower than those who suffer greater consequences.

Copper and Lithium Industrialization by Major Producing Countries for Mining Sustainability

This research objective is to analyze the prospects of copper and lithium industrialization for the mining sustainability of the world's major producing countries. An expo-facto design was used based on a documentary analysis, considering the world ranking of the top copper-producing countries, where Chile, Peru, China, and the Democratic Republic of Congo stand out, and regarding lithium production, Australia, Chile, China, and Argentina stand out. On a global level, the presence of South American countries with mining resources in exploration and extraction is relevant; in contrast, China, a mining country, not only extracts natural resources but has advanced in the value chain with competitive advantages and consequent economic development; for its part, the DR of Congo (Africa), has ascended in the copper extraction ranking. The motors and electrical systems of electromobility vehicles are manufactured with copper and the batteries with lithium, which contributes to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and thereby to environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the correlation between copper and lithium demand for electric vehicles in a 2050 zero-emission scenario is strong. There are social conflicts, mainly over the use of water; therefore, it is necessary to implement mining policies that lead to sustainable development.

Conceptual divergence and its causes in English for academic purposes abroad from the perspective of legitimation code theory

The reform of English for academic purposes (EAP) teaching requires clear understanding of its conceptual connotation. Based on the legitimation code theory, this study analysed the development of EAP in major English-speaking countries and the debates on the concept of EAP in the academic community. The study finds that EAP has evolved from a knowledge code, a knower code to an elite code. The core elements of EAP are embodied in a hierarchical knowledge structure, a systematic curriculum framework, and the integration of knowledge and knower in teaching. Therefore, in response to the current debates and problems in China’s EAP teaching and research, it is suggested that EAP teaching should focus on the dialectical unity of language knowledge and disciplinary knowledge, academic skills and academic literacies, knowledge creation and personal development, so as to achieve the resonance of talent cultivation and national development. This article was published open access under a CC BY-NC-ND licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .

국제 비교를 통한 교통법규 위반 범칙금 수준 분석

Punishment for violations of road traffic laws is mostly imposed in the form of financial sanctions such as fines. While Korea's per capita gross product has increased by 264% over the past 30 years, fines for violating traffic laws have not changed, and as a result, some point out that the unrealistic financial penalties level does not function properly as a deterrent to violations. Accordingly, this study attempted to compare the fines for traffic law violations in major countries and Korea and suggest an appropriate increase level. Since there are differences in income scale, prices, and currency values from country to country, to control this, economic indicators such as GDP per capita, minimum wage, comparative price level, and Big Mac index were used to compare financial penalties levels under the assumption that income and price levels were the same. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that, except for drunk driving, the financial penalties level in Korea is at least 2 to 3 times lower, and in particular, the financial penalties for speeding is about 5 to 7 times lower. In light of these results, it seems that the level of fines for violations of traffic laws in Korea needs to be reexamined. However, the low level of sanctions does not necessarily represent the need for strengthening regulations, so it is time for additional research and social discussion to establish appropriate measures to increase fines in the future.

경제정책 불확실성이 한국 금융 불안에 미치는 영향 분석

Korea is a small open economy and is significantly affected by macroeconomic shocks in major countries. Previous studies have shown that financial markets such as the stock market and foreign exchange market are sensitive to financial instability and economic policy uncertainty in major developed countries. However, these studies have typically focused on individual financial markets and have not comprehensively analyzed how financial stress in Korea is affected by uncertainty in major developed countries from the perspective of financial stability. In this study, we use the spillover index proposed by Diebold and Yilmaz(2009, 2012) to analyze the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Korea on Korea's financial stress index (FSI). The study examines the influence of economic policy uncertainty in these major developed countries on Korea's financial stress over time. Furthermore, the findings indicate that during periods of heightened uncertainty, major developed countries have a relatively large impact on Korea's financial stress.

Current Application of the Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) as a Global Regulatory Reliance Framework for the Inspection of Medical Devices.

The globalization and rapid advancements in medical technologies necessitate the harmonization of international regulatory frameworks to ensure the efficient and timely clinical application of medical products, including pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Regulatory reliance, a critical component of this harmonization process, is a powerful tool that provides efficient access for economic entities and regulatory authorities, promoting predictable decision-making and accelerating approvals. The Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) serves as a regulatory reliance framework for medical device inspections. Implemented by countries including Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil, MDSAP allows third-party certification bodies, recognized by these regulatory authorities, to conduct audits on medical device manufacturers. The outcomes of these audits are shared with the regulatory authorities, who use them for regulatory assessments and decision-making. Since transitioning to its implementation phase in 2017, MDSAP has been widely utilized in various countries. This review provides an overview of the adoption and utilization of MDSAP in major countries, exploring the program's impact on regulatory processes and its potential as a method of regulatory reliance to facilitate timely access to effective and safe medical devices.

Environmental kuznets curve in the iron and steel industry: evidence from 30 major steel-producing countries

Environmental kuznets curve in the iron and steel industry: evidence from 30 major steel-producing countries

Analyzing the Impacts on East Asia of Trump’s Potential Return

The 2024 election is a pivotal and highly contested event in the United States. Donald Trump is expected to compete against Joe Biden without any doubts. A potential return of Trump to the White House would likely cause significant reactions in East Asia, particularly among the three major countries in the region. This analysis will explore the detailed implications of Trump’s return.

Economic incentives and return migrant scholars: Evidence from a talent recruitment program in China

In global talent flows, developing countries tend to experience large brain drain to developed countries. To strengthen scientific capacity, many countries have initiated programs to attract overseas scientists to return in recent years. This study evaluates the effect of a large-scale talent recruitment program on return migration and scientific productivity in the home country. We focus on the Thousand Young Talents Program in China, the major source country of global talents in this century. We use unique data on institution-, publication-, and citation-based measures for faculty hired between 2000 and 2017 in the top mathematics departments in China. Regression results show that the recruitment program leads to significant increases in hires’ overseas educational background and scientific productivity. The effects of the program are concentrated in universities in the top tier and those located in the economically developed coastal regions. This implies that the recruitment initiative has widened the gaps in hire quality across universities. Somewhat surprisingly, scientific output of incumbents declined after being exposed to returnees, likely due to lack of collaboration. For policy implications, our study suggests that incentive-based talent programs can be an effective tool to turn brain drain into brain gain for developing countries. Furthermore, complementary policies to encourage faculty collaboration could magnify the benefits from return migration to knowledge production in the home country.

A novel soybean mapping index within the global optimal time window

Efficient soybean mapping is critical for agricultural production and yield prediction. However, current sample-driven soybean mapping methods heavily rely on large representative sample datasets, limiting the interpretability of physical mechanisms. Besides, sample-free methods failed to exploit key features that differentiate soybean from other crops, especially Chlorophyll content. Misclassification errors persist and spatiotemporal generalization remains limited. Therefore, this study develops a novel Soybean Mapping Composite Index (SMCI) within a precise Global Optimal Time Window (GOTW). It integrates unique features of soybean Chlorophyll content, canopy water content, and canopy greenness by coupling three red-edge bands (RE2, RE3, and RE4), one near-infrared band, one shortwave infrared band, and two feature indices (Enhanced Vegetation Index and Green Chlorophyll Vegetation Index). The novel index was applied to soybean mapping at six sites in four major soybean producing countries (China, Argentina, Brazil, and the United States) from 2019 to 2021, using an optimal threshold of 3.25. Within the GOTW, the index responds better to spectral features and improves soybean separability. The average overall accuracy (OA: 91%) and average Kappa coefficient (Kappa: 0.83) for the novel index at all sites outperformed the traditional sample-driven Random Forest (RF) method (OA: 84%, Kappa: 0.70) and the existing sample-free index-based Greenness and Water Content Composite Index (GWCCI) (OA: 81%, Kappa: 0.64). Furthermore, interannual transfer experiments consistently showed high accuracy, demonstrating robust spatiotemporal transferability. The proposed SMCI index meets the need for a lightweight and stable soybean mapping tool and serves as a valuable reference for efficient global crop mapping.

Global hotspots and research trends of radiation-induced skin injury: a bibliometric analysis from 2004 to 2023.

Radiation therapy has become an important treatment for many malignant tumours after surgery and for palliative tumour care. Although modern radiotherapy technology is constantly improving, radiation damage to normal tissues is often difficult to avoid, and radiation-induced skin injury (RSI) is a common complication, manifested as skin erythema, peeling, ulceration, and even bone and deep organ damage, seriously affect the quality of life for patients. Basic research and clinical trials related to RSI have achieved certain results, while no researchers have conducted comprehensive bibliometric studies. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications on RSI published between 2004 and 2023 was conducted to identify current hotspots and future directions in this area of study. RSI-related publications published between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2023, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for analysis using VOSviewer and CiteSpace analytics. A total of 1009 publications on RSI from 2004 to 2023 were included in the WoSCC database. The United States had the highest productivity with 299 papers, accounting for 29.63% of the total production, followed by China with 193 papers (19.13%) and Japan with 111 papers (11.00%). In terms of research institutions and journals, the University of Toronto and Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer published the highest number of papers. Professor Edward Chow published the most articles, while Professor Shuyu Zhang was the most cited. The top ten most-cited papers focused on the pathogenesis, prevention, and management of RSI. Keyword co-occurrence analysis and the top 25 keywords with the strongest citation bursts suggest that current research focuses on the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment management of RSI. This study conducted a systematic bibliometric analysis of RSI publications from 2004 to 2023; identified the trends in RSI publications, major research countries, major research institutions, major research journals, major research authors, and major research keywords; and revealed the future development direction and research hotspots of this field. This study provides a valuable reference for future RSI research.

Experiences of transgender migrants from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Uzbekistan living in Russia

Abstract Despite Russia being a major migrant-receiving country, it does not receive adequate attention in international literature, especially in relation to migrants belonging to marginalized groups. Based on interviews with seventeen transgender (trans) migrants from Central Asia and the South Caucasus with an experience of living in Russia, the study revealed the complex intersections between transphobia, migrantophobia, racism, and whorephobia. The migrants faced profound workplace discrimination and suffered from police and ultra-right groups. Cisgender migrants caring for the prestige of their nation and trans migrant sex workers striving to annihilate competitors were described as additional threats. Russian trans/LGBT organizations were reported to be difficult to access and their priorities differed from those of migrants. Despite these challenges, the respondents found Russia to be a more tolerant country than their home countries and benefited from migration in terms of possibilities to express their gender identity and earn higher income. The discussion section uses these data to compare transition in the sex/gender and geographical spaces.

Recent Advances in SCR Systems of Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles—Low-Temperature NOx Reduction Technology and Combination of SCR with Remote OBD

Heavy-duty diesel vehicles are a significant source of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere. The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system is a primary aftertreatment device for reducing NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles. With increasingly stringent NOx emission regulations for heavy-duty vehicles in major countries, there is a growing focus on reducing NOx emissions under low exhaust temperature conditions, as well as monitoring the conversion efficiency of the SCR system over its entire lifecycle. By reviewing relevant literature mainly from the past five years, this paper reviews the development trends and related research results of SCR technology, focusing on two main aspects: low-temperature NOx reduction technology and the combination of SCR systems with remote On-Board Diagnostics (OBD). Regarding low-temperature NOx reduction technology, the results of the review indicate that the combination of multiple catalytic shows potential for achieving high conversion efficiency across a wide temperature range; advanced SCR system arrangement can accelerate the increase in exhaust temperature within the SCR system; solid ammonium and gaseous reductants can effectively address the issue of urea not being able to be injected under low-temperature exhaust conditions. As for the combination of SCR systems with remote OBD, remote OBD can accurately assess NOx emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, but it needs algorithms to correct data and match the emission testing process required by regulations. Remote OBD systems are crucial for detecting SCR tampering, but algorithms must be developed to balance accuracy with computational efficiency. This review provides updated information on the current research status and development directions in SCR technologies, offering valuable insights for future research into advanced SCR systems.

Assessing optimized time-of-use pricing for electric vehicle charging in deep vehicle-grid integration system

The expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy (RE) are the two major strategies countries are adopting to achieve energy transition. However, the discrepancy between intermittent RE generation and EV charging load may impose burden on the RE-dominant power grid of the future. For the issue, Time-of-Use (ToU) pricing for EV charging has been widely discussed or adopted as its potential is well acknowledged by previous studies. While ToU mechanism has been primarily based on drivers' price-responsive behavior, this research highlights that EV charging decisions are influenced by various factors beyond price, such as time of a day, charger accessibility and waiting time. Here, we conducted the discrete choice experiment to measure drivers' preferences for EV charging, and developed an EV charging behavior model which incorporated drivers' situational-responsiveness as well as price-responsiveness. Also, the model was used to design optimal ToU tariffs to minimize net-load variation. The results showed that strategic ToU tariffs can shift EV charging load, but achieving desirable load shifts requires a significant price gap. Additionally, combining ToU pricing with strategic deployment of charging infrastructure can effectively shift EV charging load, reducing RE curtailments by 22.14%, and LNG generation and carbon emissions by 10.12%, compared to the Business-as-Usual (BaU) scenario with current tariff rates. Thus, this study highlights the importance of flexible EV charging pricing and the importance of considering charging infrastructure deployment when designing EV ToU pricing.

How do donors integrate climate policy and development cooperation? An analysis of the development aid policies of 42 donor countries

ABSTRACT This article assesses how donor countries integrate climate action into their development aid policies. An analytical framework is developed for the systematic comparison of development aid policies along three dimensions: hierarchy of policy objectives, types of measures the donors implement, and linkages to international climate negotiations. Analyzing the development aid policies of 42 donors, we find that only three have redesigned their development aid policies to fully integrate climate policy concerns. Instead, donors treat climate change as a thematic priority area. This includes several donors that are currently not obliged to provide climate finance under the UNFCCC. Furthermore, five major donor countries emphasize the use of diverse foreign policy tools to support climate action in developing countries. Importantly, we identify how other development goals (poverty, gender) are integrated with climate policy goals. Only two donor countries clearly separate development aid and climate finance. Luxembourg states that its climate finance pledge is additional to development, while New Zealand has a separate climate finance strategy where the allocation of funds is based on climate mitigation effectiveness concerns.

The Relationship Between International Trade and Foreign Direct Investments: A Case Study of a Major OECD Country

The Relationship Between International Trade and Foreign Direct Investments: A Case Study of a Major OECD Country

AN IMPACT ANALYSIS OF TOURISM AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN INDIA

The tourism sector exerts a substantial and diverse influence on India's economic growth. Renowned for its rich cultural heritage, historical landmarks, and natural splendor, India has emerged as a favored destination for both domestic and international travelers, drawing millions annually. The study aims to highlight the following factors: per capita GDP, international tourist receipts, trade openness, and gross capital formation. The study employs the Heteroscedasticity Test, Normality Test, Breusch-Godfrey Serial Correlation LM Test, and CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) to examine the contribution of tourism to economic growth in India, comparing major countries from 2003 to 2020. The paper aims to provide an impact analysis of the relationship between economic growth and tourism in India, examining the multifaceted dimensions of this symbiotic relationship.