Regional Programs Research Articles

Southern Africa’s post-COVID-19 tourism industry recovery plans: Reality or rhetoric?

ABSTRACT The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global tourism industry necessitated several responses from policymakers in order to support the industry’s recovery and post-pandemic growth. Southern Africa hosts tourism-sensitive and connected economies, with many tourists who arrive in one country, often visiting neighbouring countries. Using the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s policy framework for COVID-19 mitigation, recovery, and stability for the tourism industry, this paper critically examined the Southern Africa's level of support for mitigating the impact of the pandemic and their recovery strategies for the tourism industry. Data were collected from publicly available policy and strategic documents. Findings reveal non-compliance to referenced benchmarks, lack of regional policy direction from SADC, and divergent levels of support among the member countries. The paper recommends, among others, a revision of the SADC’s regional tourism programme, collaborative tourism governance through increased regional integration, and improved destination attractiveness of the Southern African region.

Analysis of the Role of Pantai Panjang Bengkulu Tourism Objects in Increasing Community Income from an Islamic Economic Perspective

The tourism sector is one of the people's economic potentials that needs to be developed in order to improve community welfare and regional development. Panjang Beach is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Bengkulu. One of the factors is that the Panjang Beach tourist attraction is able to open up employment opportunities for the local community by becoming auxiliary workers and opening micro, small and medium businesses run by the community around the area. So there is management and many regional development programs on the grounds that the Panjang Beach tourist attraction is able to produce economic benefits for the community. This research aims to analyze the role of the Bengkulu Panjang Beach tourist attraction in increasing people's income according to an Islamic economic perspective. The types of research used in this thesis are field research and library research . The methods used to collect data in this research are observation, documentation, interviews and questionnaires. The results of the research can be concluded that the role of the Bengkulu Panjang Beach tourist attraction is able to make a very big contribution as a place that is able to absorb labor as well as providing employment opportunities for the surrounding community in particular and based on data obtained both practically through observation and theory, it can be concluded it is said that the business activities that occur in the Panjang Beach tourist area of Bengkulu and those carried out by the community around the Panjang Beach tourist attraction are in accordance with the Ijarah principles. Keywords: Tourist Attractions, Long Beach, Income, Islamic Economy

Establishing a High-Quality Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Program in Post-Conflict Regions: A Model for Limited Resource Countries.

Congenital Heart Disease stands as a prominent cause of infant mortality, with notable disparities in surgical outcomes evident between high-income and low- to middle-income countries. This study presents a collaborative partnership between a local governmental entity and an international private organization to establish a high-quality Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Program in a post-conflict limited resource country, Iraq. A descriptive retrospective study analyzed pediatric cardiac surgery procedures performed by a visiting pediatric heart surgery team from October 2021 to October 2022, funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH). We used the STS-EACTS complexity scoring model (STAT) to assess mortality risks associated with surgical procedures. A total of 144 patients underwent 148 procedures. Infants comprised 58.3% of the patients. The most common anomalies included tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defect, and various single ventricle categories, constituting 76% of the patient cohort. The overall surgical mortality rate was 4.1%, with an observed/expected surgical mortality rate of 1.1 (95% CI 0.5, 2.3). There was no significant difference between our observed surgical mortality in Category 2, 3, and 4 and those expected/reported by the STS-EACTS Database (p = 0.07, p = 0.72, and p = 0.12, respectively). The expenses incurred by the MOH for conducting surgeries in Iraq were lower than the alternative of sending patients abroad for the same procedures. The partnership model between a local public entity committed to infrastructure development and funding and an international private organization delivering clinical and training services can provide the foundation for building sustainable, high-quality in situ programs in upper-middle-income countries.

Life quality of the population of the Republic Bashkortostan: A comparative analysis of housing conditions and infrastructure

Subject. The article considers issues of providing for basic human needs. Objectives. The purpose is to assess the main objective indicators of life quality of the population of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Methods. The study employs methods of statistical analysis. Results. The paper established that the Republic of Bashkortostan occupies a relatively low position among the leading regions in terms of the quality of life of the population. However, in the Republic of Bashkortostan, measures are being taken to support and develop certain sectors of the economy, contributing to gradual growth of the population’s welfare. Conclusions. The findings can be applied in designing and implementing regional housing development programs.

Associations of health and physical activity selfassessment among the population of a mediumurbanized city of Western Siberia (gender aspect)

Substantiation of research. Health self-assessment is recognized as a lifestyle indicator that establishes the interpretation of behavioral risk factors and the interest of the population in preventive measures at the population level. The validity of using health self-assessment as a significant indicator of its association with the prevalence of behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and particular, with physical activity, is shown both in domestic and foreign scientific literature.Aim. To determine the associations of parameters of health self-assessment and physical activity of the population of a medium-sized city of Western Siberia in terms of gender differences.Methods. The analysis is based on the results of studies obtained by extrapolating data from representative samples of the working-age population to the model of the city of Tyumen. The results are based on the analysis of the questionnaire conducted in the framework of cardiological screenings.Results. It is shown that in a moderately urbanized city of Western Siberia, negative self-assessment of health and complaints about it prevails among women. About 10% of the population of both sexes state sufficient concern for their health. The attitude to physical activity among the working-age population of a medium-urbanized city of Western Siberia is manifested by its low self-esteem with priority among men, and among women by a greater share of lack of leisure in the gender aspect. In the gender aspect, among people who consider themselves healthy, the most negative attitude towards physical activity in terms of positions of a negative attitude towards physical exercise, unsuccessful attempts to do physical exercises, minimal active leisure, low self-esteem of physical activity, as well as its decline over the last year,was established in men. Among people with high self-esteem of health, the prevailing number of men relative to women with a pronounced negative assessment of their physical activity in comparison with other people of their age. Among men, relative to women with low self-esteem of health, the most negative attitude to physical activity was determined in terms of negative attitude to physical exercise, as well as the realization of readiness to perform physical exercises.Conclusion. Thus, the associative patterns established in the Tyumen population for conventional and non-conventional cardiovascular diseases risk factors represent a scientific basis for some important aspects of regional prevention programs. Such programs should be aimed at the in-depth development of the information block, taking into account medical, social, behavioral and gender differences.

Assessment of the actual nutrition of rural adolescents of the Irkutsk region because of revision of the norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients

Background. The rational nutrition of the child population is given great medical importance as a factor in preserving the health and development of the child. A complete and balanced diet in terms of the content of basic nutrients ensures the normal growth and development of the child’s body.The aim. To analyze of the actual nutrition of adolescents living in rural areas of the Irkutsk region.Materials and methods. The study involved 69 rural adolescents aged 11–17 years (34 boys, 35 girls). The actual nutrition was studied by the method of 24-hour nutrition reproduction. The energy value of the diet was determined, the nature of the provision of the diet with basic macro- and microelements was studied. The obtained values were compared with the norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients in 2008 and 2021.Results. The analysis of actual nutrition revealed deviations from the principles of healthy nutrition: insufficient energy value of the diet, deficiency of proteins and fats. The diet of adolescents was characterized by an insufficient content of the main groups of macro- and micronutrients – vitamins A, C and D, essential trace elements, and a deficiency of dietary fiber. The diet of adolescents was characterized by increased sodium intake. The calculated ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates indicated a carbohydrate type of diet.Conclusion. Despite the great attention to the problem of balanced nutrition of adolescents, the question of the impact of nutrition on the health of a teenager, considering the regional factor, remains open. Recommendations for the development of a regional program for the organization of proper nutrition for school-age children are of great practical importance.

A regional genomic surveillance program is implemented to monitor the occurrence and emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Yubei District, China

BackgroundIn December 2022, Chongqing experienced a significant surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic after adjusting control measures in China. Given the widespread immunization of the population with the BA.5 variant, it is crucial to actively monitor severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant evolution in Chongqing's Yubei district.MethodsIn this retrospective study based on whole genome sequencing, we collected oropharyngeal and nasal swab of native COVID-19 cases from Yubei district between January to May 2023, along with imported cases from January 2022 to January 2023. Through second-generation sequencing, we generated a total of 578 genomes.ResultsPhylogenetic analyses revealed these genomes belong to 47 SARS-CoV-2 Pango lineages. BA.5.2.48 was dominant from January to April 2023, rapidly replaced by XBB* variants from April to May 2023. Bayesian Skyline Plot reconstructions indicated a higher evolutionary rate (6.973 × 10–4 subs/site/year) for the XBB.1.5* lineage compared to others. The mean time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of BA.5.2.48* closely matched BA.2.75* (May 27, 2022). Using multinomial logistic regression, we estimated growth advantages, with XBB.1.9.1 showing the highest growth advantage (1.2, 95% HPI:1.1–1.2), followed by lineage FR.1 (1.1, 95% HPI:1.1–1.2).ConclusionsOur monitoring reveals the rapid replacement of the previously prevalent BA.5.2.48 variant by XBB and its sub-variants, underscoring the ineffectiveness of herd immunity and breakthrough BA.5 infections against XBB variants. Given the ongoing evolutionary pressure, sustaining a SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance program is imperative.

Net evolution of subglacial sediment transport in the Quebec–Labrador sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet

The Laurentide Ice Sheet's (LIS) interior had a dynamic polythermal base, but the spatiotemporal variations of subglacial processes related to ice divide migration and other transient changes remain largely unknown, limiting our understanding of regional glacial dynamics. Previous studies focused on the regional glacial landform record, while ice sheet models lacked detailed parameterization within these regions, leading to an overestimation of cold-based subglacial conditions' extent and duration. In this study, glacial sediment dispersal patterns as identified by heavy minerals, clasts, and multivariate statistics of till matrix geochemistry were used to assess ice sheet dynamics within the Quebec–Labrador sector of the LIS. The earliest ice-flow phase produced and transported till across the study area (>175 km). However, major oxide data from till matrix geochemistry show a correlation with underlying bedrock, and this relationship is relatively common in areas of thin till cover and resistant bedrock lithologies. These results suggest a switch from an early phase of widespread erosion and long, sustained sediment transport to one of more limited erosion, perhaps abrasion dominant and shorter transport. Till compositional data and related dispersal patterns add supporting evidence to earlier ice sheet reconstructions based on ice-flow indicators and 10Be data together suggesting a transition from widespread uniform warm-based conditions during the earliest ice flow, followed by the development of an ice divide, its migration, and more sporadic warm-based conditions. Consequently, a thorough understanding of ice-flow history is essential for ice sheet modelling and future mineral exploration programs in inner ice sheet regions of the LIS.

Tick-borne diseases in the North Sea region–A comprehensive overview and recommendations for diagnostics and treatment

As part of the NorthTick project, co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund and the North Sea Region Programme, specialists in the field of tick-borne diseases from seven North Sea countries co-operated with patient organisations and governmental health care institutions to provide this comprehensive overview of diagnostics and treatment recommendations in the region for Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia miyamotoi infection, tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, rickettsiosis, neoehrlichiosis and babesiosis. The main conclusion is that the recommendations in these northern countries are essentially the same, with very few differences. This overview presents the current diagnostics and provides useful clinical guidance.

Analisis Kebijakan Dana Desa Dalam Konsep Blue Economy Untuk Peningkatan Kesejahteraan Masyarakat Desa Di Sumatera Utara

The Indonesia Sustainable Oceans program is to support Indonesia's change to a blue economy by advancing the financial, social and natural advantages got from sound beach front and sea biological systems. This study expects to complete an enlightening monetary examination of the improvement of the Town Cash strategy connected with the issue of executing the Blue Economy idea in North Sumatra Territory, Doing recognizable proof and assessment of the utilization of the Blue Economy idea in Langkat Rule and Focal Tapanuli Regime, North Sumatra Territory, Assessing the impact of the Social Strength Record, Financial Versatility File and Ecological Flexibility List fair and square of government assistance of town networks in the waterfront areas of Langkat Rule and Focal Tapanuli Rule, North Sumatra Territory. This study utilizes quantitative and subjective strategies to answer the current issue detailing. The consequences of this study are that the Coronavirus pandemic an affects steering approaches for utilizing Town Cash. Where, in 2023, the need utilization of Town Cash is focused on public monetary recuperation, public need projects, and alleviation for dealing with regular and non-cataclysmic events in supporting the accomplishment of the Town SDGs. At present there is no exceptional program that utilizes town cash to foster beach front regions or an extraordinary Blue Economy program in Focal Tapanuli locale and Langkat region. To some degree, the Social Flexibility File (IKS) variable impacts the Local area Government assistance variable, the Financial Versatility Record (IKE) variable affects the Local area Government assistance variable, the Natural Strength File (IKL) variable affects the variable Public government assistance. And that truly intends that in the event that the IKS, IKE, IKL factors progress, the degree of government assistance of the town local area additionally propels.

Resituating Ruiz’s orientations in language planning: A content analysis of the landscape of bilingual educational research

ABSTRACT This study utilizes quantitative content analysis (QCA) and deductive qualitative approach (DQA) grounded in Ruiz’s orientations of language planning to understand the landscape of bilingual educational research. This QCA included targeted counts from bilingual journal articles (n = 102) covering methodology, participants, region, and bilingual program. DQA used coding methods to infer whether programs maintained a positive or negative iteration of bilingualism. The QCA suggests that articles published are centered on qualitative methodologies, conducted in elementary dual-language classrooms, and concentrated in the northeastern and western US. The DQA demonstrates programs maintain a language-as-resource orientation. These findings provide important implications for researchers studying bilingual education.

Declining but not (yet) threatened: a challenge for avian conservation in Australia

ABSTRACT Threatened species receive much attention in conservation science and practice. Species currently declining, but not yet listed as threatened, also deserve consideration to reduce their risk of sliding towards extinction and to maintain their functional roles in ecosystems. Information on declining bird species in Australia is available from four main sources: national databases, syntheses of historical change, regional monitoring programmes and summaries for guilds of species. Many species show evidence of decline; declines of species are occurring nation-wide, and they are ongoing. Trends for individual species vary geographically; they may be declining in part of their range but stable elsewhere. Common trajectories of population decline include: (a) a downward linear trend; (b) a marked downturn, sustained at a lower level; and (c) fluctuations through time associated with episodic events (e.g. drought) and incomplete recovery. Ongoing declines affect ecosystems through reduced species richness, homogenisation of bird communities, changes to interspecific interactions and ecosystem services, and contributing to extinction debt. Improving the conservation outlook for declining species requires systematic monitoring to know where, when and how much decline is occurring, together with protection of critical habitats and source populations, ambitious programmes of restoration, and identification and effective control of threats. Responding to declining species offers opportunities for community engagement, monitoring and action at a local and regional level. New ways are needed to incorporate such species in conservation planning and environmental regulation at a regional scale, to give them greater visibility and avoid local declines accumulating until taxa become nationally threatened.

Sea butterflies in a pickle: reliable biomarkers and seasonal sensitivity of Limacina retroversa to ocean acidification in the Gulf of Maine.

The passive dissolution of anthropogenically produced CO2 into the ocean system is reducing ocean pH and changing a suite of chemical equilibria, with negative consequences for some marine organisms, in particular those that bear calcium carbonate shells. Although our monitoring of these chemical changes has improved, we have not developed effective tools to translate observations, which are typically of the pH and carbonate saturation state, into ecologically relevant predictions of biological risks. One potential solution is to develop bioindicators: biological variables with a clear relationship to environmental risk factors that can be used for assessment and management. Thecosomatous pteropods are a group of pelagic shelled marine gastropods, whose biological responses to CO2 have been suggested as potential bioindicators of ocean acidification owing to their sensitivity to acidification in both the laboratory and the natural environment. Using five CO2 exposure experiments, occurring across four seasons and running for up to 15days, we describe a consistent relationship between saturation state, shell transparency and duration of exposure, as well as identify a suite of genes that could be used for biological monitoring with further study. We clarify variations in thecosome responses due to seasonality, resolving prior uncertainties and demonstrating the range of their phenotypic plasticity. These biomarkers of acidification stress can be implemented into ecosystem models and monitoring programmes in regions where pteropods are found, whilst the approach will serve as an example for other regions on how to bridge the gap between point-based chemical monitoring and biologically relevant assessments of ecosystem health.

ОТРАЖЕНИЕ В ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПРОГРАММАХ СУБЪЕКТОВ ДАЛЬНЕВОСТОЧНОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА СПЕЦИФИКИ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОГО РАЗВИТИЯ

The main ideas of the regional environmental policy are presented in the programmes «Environment Protection». These programs accumulate the tasks, which solution ensures the achievement of environmental targets in the outlines of the socio-economic development of a particular territory. The hypothesis of the current research states that the raw material specialization of the economic development of the Far Eastern Federal district has an impact on the solution of the targets identified in the environmental programs and reduces their effectiveness. The purpose of this paper, which is part of the authors’ large-scale research aimed at improving the structure of environmental programmes, is to reveal the specifics of the formation and content of environmental protection programmes in regions specializing in the extractive sectors of the economy. The study is based on the information of the state programmes «Environmental Protection» of five Far Eastern subjects adopted for the period 2020–2025: Magadan region, Sakhalin region, Sakha Republic, Chukotka Autonomous District, Kamchatka Krai. These subjects are characterized by high potential of economic development and also predominance of resource industries in the territorial sectoral structure of the economy. The article analyses 205 indicators of ecological programmes of resource regions. It was found that only 17% of all indicators are aimed at improving the environmental situation, 13% ensure this process, 23% are not directly related to the environmental issues. It was concluded that the content of the programmes does not fully correspond to the priority areas of environmental policy, such as rational environmental management and reducing the negative impact on the environment, waste management, etc. The identified drawbacks of environmental programmes of resource-oriented regions should be taken into account in the formation of further environmental policy, while the new programmes should reflect the resource specialization of the regional economy in the form of special indicators.

Comparing and Contrasting ECOWAS and SADC: Successes, Failures, and Challenges.

The overall goal of the African Union in relation to regional integration is the attainment of the Africa Economic Community in which the identified eight regional economic blocs have been tasked to fast-track this aspiration as highlighted in the Abuja Treaty of 1991. This study undertakes a desk review to compare and contrast two regional blocs—ECOWAS and SADC. This is done by looking at the successes, failures and challenges faced by each of the regions. The study found that both ECOWAS and SADC have made indelible progress in ensuring peace and security in their regions and the attainment of some important regional integration landmarks such as the free trade area, free movement of people, and trans-national roads. On the contrary, these RECs have failed to ultimately achieve their integration goals. Both ECOWAS and SADC have failed to implement the customs union and a single regional currency. There are however several challenges faced by these RECs such as multiple membership, lack of political will to implement regional integration programs, and the pursuit of over-ambitious regional integration goals. Therefore, it is recommended that both ECOWAS and SADC undertake comprehensive effort to ensure that realist regional integrations goals are set with the needed political vigor to achieve them. Without which many regional integration programs will continue being stuck and never attained.

Financing of Pro-environmental Measures From the Programme European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, Environment

The European Union promotes the implementation of pro-environmental initiatives to improve the living conditions of citizens in the Member States by improving the condition of the natural environment. The main sources of funding for environment and climate action in Poland from the cohesion policy funds are national programmes including: European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment (FEnIKS), as well as regional programmes. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the principles of financing pro-environmental projects from the funds of the FEnIKS programme, and to show how their implementation affects environmental protection and the improvement of climate conditions in Poland. The article also deals with the issue of control of the spending of European funds.

Типология показателей региональных программ цифровизации управления

The subject of the study is the transition to a new level of solving managerial tasks through the use of indicators of management digitalization programs. The objectives of the work are to build a model for evaluating the processes and results of digitalization in the region based on the proposed typology of relevant indicators of regional programs, to develop an approach to assessing the quality of indicator formulations for their ability to adequately reflect the process of digital development. The concepts of digitalization and digital transformation are differentiated. The assessment of regional strategies and programs in the field under consideration is given. The role of the indicator as an instrument of indirect regulation is emphasized. The approaches to the formation of indicators of regional programs "from above" and "from below" are analyzed. Based on the analysis of 17 digitalization programs of the Central Federal District, eight types of indicators are identified and correlated with each other, reflecting the material and technical conditions of digitalization of the region; the level of information security; the degree of implementation of digital systems and services; stimulating the development of digital technologies in the region; staffing; the demand for public digital services; the convenience of using digital technologies to meet social needs; satisfaction with various aspects of digitalization. The problems have been identified, the solution of which will improve the assessment of the effectiveness of digitalization at the regional level, avoiding formalism and orienting managers to achieve socially significant results.

Субсидування житлово-комунальних послуг і соціальна стабільність держави: теоретико-проблемні аспекти

The problems of subsidizing housing and communal services in the context of ensuring the social stability of the State are considered. It is substantiated that subsidizing housing and communal services is a key tool of social policy, which allows to ensure the availability of basic communal services for socially vulnerable strata of the population. This helps to reduce social inequality and improve the standard of living of citizens. The tasks of social policy in the context of ensuring a decent standard of living of the population are analyzed. It is also argued that subsidies are a significant burden on the State budget, so it is important to find a balance between social support and financial stability of the State, since an increase in the volume of payments to the population may cause inflationary pressure, which will reduce the purchasing power of citizens and the efficiency of subsidies. The key aspects of such subsidizing are studied, in particular its impact on economic inequalities, efficiency of public funds, financial and ecological sustainability. The mechanisms for the distribution of subsidies, the problems of targeting and transparency in their provision are considered. Both the State-based and regional programs are analyzed, which, together with subsidies, reduce the burden of households on paying for utilities and increase energy efficiency in the use of natural resources. A structural diagram of the mechanism of the program of «warm loans» within the framework of the program of cooperation with the State-owned banks has been formed. At the same time, the environmental consequences of subsidies can also lead to certain problems, since reducing energy costs can lead to an increase in resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The positive aspects of the impact of subsidizing housing and communal services at the macro and micro levels, as well as the directions of the impact of subsidies on the social stability of the State, are allocated.

Effects of the basic social salary on the probability of obtaining a job in Asturias

This research is mainly aimed at analysing the impact of benefiting from a minimum income scheme, the Basic Social Salary, a regional program that guarantees a permanent minimum income in Asturias, on the likelihood of getting a job. The data provided by the Public Employment Service of the Principality of Asturias in relation to job seekers and contracts between October 2021 and October 2022, has allowed as to state that the two variables that have a more negative and stable impact on the likelihood of getting a job are the fact of benefiting from such minimum income scheme and the time the person has been registered as unemployed at the Public Employment Service.

The Maternity Capital programs in Russia and the second birth spacing

The paper utilises survival analysis to study the role of a Maternity Capital program, introduced in 2007 in Russia to stimulate families to have a second birth (or adopt a second child), in changing the birth spacing between the first and the second child. The empirical study is carried out on the microdata of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring survey over 2000– 2019, the regional‐level data from Rosstat and the data on the region's Maternity Capital pro‐ grams by years from the open sources. The identification strategy compares birth spacing (via estimation of second childbirth hazards) before and after the introduction of the Maternity Capital program. The methods used do not allow us to isolate the impact of policy and time‐ fixed effects such as macro shocks. However, we implemented a test to check for no fertility trends in the pre‐policy period. We also control for a wide range of personal and regional characteristics. Results are robust to different metrics (proportional hazard and accelerated failure time), functional forms (parametric and non‐parametric) and subsamples (married women and working women). We find that the indexation of the federal Maternity Capital program leads to a 2.1 % increase in the hazard of a second birth. The paper also tests the role of regional programs in addition to the federal‐level program. We show that regional Maternity Capital programs also affect the probability of a second birth, and the estimated effect is two times bigger than for the federal program.