Policy Regulation Research Articles

Regulating the wild west? Management consulting reform in Canadian government

AbstractGlobally, the increased reliance on consultants and contract employees has raised many concerns vis‐à‐vis more traditional “in‐house” provision. One such concern is the manner in which consultants have been displacing traditional advisors in important aspects of government business while others raise issues with the quality of services rendered and the (undue) influence of the advice tendered. This trend has fuelled research in political science, management, public administration, and public policy chronicling the possible rise of a “consultocracy” and leading to calls in many countries for better regulation of consultants, who currently exist almost everywhere in an unregulated “wild west.” We examine the Canadian situation, the current lack of regulation of policy and management consultants, and prospects for reform, drawing on contract data, interviews with consultants and government employers as well as comparisons with the situation in other countries like the UK. We argue that establishing a more professional licensing and credentialing system for the consulting industry through a regulatory intermediary would improve the efficiency of its services and allay many of the concerns raised.

Reflecting on changes in the drinking and irrigation water quality of rivers Beas, Satluj and confluence waters.

Prevention and control of water pollution for maintaining and restoring the wholesomeness of rivers are unavoidable. The current water quality approach of designated best use has some limitations such as it is non-integrative and inflexible with regard to the consideration of variables and does not provide a separate rating scale for a given designated use. We thus used water quality index approach proposed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME WQI) to evaluate and develop a separate rating system for drinking and irrigation purposes of rivers Beas, Satluj and their confluence water of the Indian Punjab using information collected over 4 years (2016 to 2019). River Beas exhibited better water quality compared to river Satluj for irrigation as well as for drinking. The overall drinking water quality index (DWQI) for Beas was marginal (45.5), whereas it was poor for Satluj (37.7) and confluence waters (40.1). The spatial variation in DWQI was greater for Satluj compared to Beas and confluence waters reflecting the effect of dumping of untreated industrial and domestic waste waters. Variables such as Total coliform (T. coli), dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity and biological oxygen demand (BOD) contributed to the deterioration of DWQI. The irrigation water quality index (IWQI) was good for Beas (86), marginal for Satluj (60.1) and fair for confluence waters (71.2). Faecal coliform (F. coli), Kelly ratio (KR) and %Na contributed to the deterioration of IWQI. Calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate (Ca-Mg-HCO3) was the dominant water type in Beas and confluence waters, whereas for Satluj, in addition to Ca-Mg-HCO3, sodium-potassium-chloride-sulphate and mixed water types were also prevalent. The river waters witnessed salinity hazard but did not pose sodicity hazard except at a few locations of Satluj. The study indicates the need to take location specific measures for improving river water quality for drinking as well as irrigation purposes. The current status of water quality calls for an urgent need to formulate stringent policy regulations to maintain the surface water quality.

Analysis of the Value of Digital Collectibles of Traditional Cultural Intellectual Properties from the Perspective of Industrial Chain

As an important carrier and blue ocean field of current digital content products, digital collectibles have developed rapidly since 2021. Their role in protecting digital copyrights and the advantages in inheriting and disseminating traditional intangible cultural heritage have made them a cutting-edge direction in the research of cultural digitization. The research on digital collectibles in China mainly focuses on the value generation logic of digital collectibles, copyright protection issues, policy regulations, the role of digital collectibles in the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage, and the development strategies of specific industrial digital collectibles. Against the backdrop of the development of the cultural industry and the pan-entertainment industry, the operation of traditional cultural intellectual properties (IP) has become a hot topic in current academia. Traditional cultural IP possesses relevant cultural creative resources, collective emotional resonance, and intellectual property resources, which give it unique advantages in the distribution of digital collectibles. At the same time, digital collectibles can also provide new ideas for the operation of traditional cultural IP, promote its further digital development, and facilitate the creation of digital cultural works that blend with the current era by utilizing relevant resources, enriching the contemporary connotation of traditional cultural IP. This study takes a comprehensive perspective of the industrial chain and aims to clarify the intrinsic connection between digital collectibles and the operation and development of traditional cultural IP, and to determine the specific value of digital collectibles in the development of traditional cultural IP. It is expected to provide new perspectives and directions for the research on the relationship between digital collectibles development and traditional cultural IP, and further promote the development of traditional cultural IP through the use of digital collectibles.

Analysis of Economic Policies for Economic Recovery in the United States since the Economic Depression and the Covid-19 Epidemic

The United States has always been a significant country in the world. And its major economic problems caused by various reasons (e.g., health events or collapsing of the financial system) are widely noticed around the world. They can also affect other regions and countries to a greater extent. The paper examines several major financial events in U.S. history based on a literature survey and case study approach in chronological order, namely, the Great Depression, the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis, and the economic recession to recovery since the New Crown epidemic, the paper as well as shows the macroeconomic policy regulation and policy effects adopted by different governments behind them, and finally gives relevant economic policy recommendations. This paper points out the uncertainty of economic policies and the impact of policy implementation on other countries especially countries which close contact with America. And the policies adopted by the U.S. government in getting out of several economic events have solved specific problems. They are worthy of being used by governments today to prevent related situations, reduce the impact of financial losses on society, make the government vigilant, and take strict precautions.

Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Risk Based Lot Release Policy for Biological Products in Egypt

For public health and lifesaving, timely access to high-quality biological products is essential. However, barriers including resource scarcity, limited human capacity, and complex supply chains impede this goal. National regulatory authorities should enhance their frameworks and move forward for regulatory convergence and harmonization & enhancing reliance practice in order to address these concerns. A risk-based lot release policy is one of the enablers that ensure implementation of smart regulations and best practices was employed by Egyptian drug authority (EDA) to boost the effectiveness of the lot release framework while upholding safety, efficacy and quality criteria. The legal framework for lot release in Egypt was examined using a regulatory impact analysis method. With a considerable impact on time and cost savings, as well as a better net benefit value, the new risk-based lot release policy has the potential to greatly increase the efficiency of Egypt's LR regulatory system for biological products. Nevertheless, significant challenges and unexpected consequences were also noted, including the need for ongoing capacity building and growing regulatory requirements based on best practices. The findings have major reflections for drug policy makers and regulators looking to enhance their biological product regulatory systems; since the policy's benefits outweigh these possible challenges. This paper offers a full examination of the risk-based lot release policy used by the EDA, Egypt for biological products, assisting in understanding both the benefits and challenges of this approach.

Is inclusive more elusive? An impact assessment analysis on designating environmental justice communities in the US

As a policy objective, environmental justice (EJ) aims to promote the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to environmental laws and regulations. At the current stage of EJ policy, federal and state regulators have attempted to prioritize populations for receiving federal and state grants and other benefits or to incentivize private investment. Using mapping and screening tools, policymakers have identified communities as “environmental justice communities”, “disadvantaged”, or “overburdened” based on selected social, economic, environmental, and health indicators. The overarching goal of the study is to understand the impacts of the environmental justice policy at the federal and state level, the extent to which the designation of EJ communities is a representative illustration of the populations experiencing environmental burdens, and their link to systemic racism, i.e., redlining.A methodology for assessing the implications of EJ definitions is proposed through a data-driven approach using socioeconomic and environmental indicators and examining previous land use discriminatory decision-making. The findings of the study have direct implications on the distribution of federal and state resources towards underserved and overburdened communities, but also in the methodologies utilized for environmental impact assessments (EIAs). The approach is demonstrated as a showcase study for the State of Connecticut, but the proposed methodology is of significance for future research on environmental impact assessments and policymakers nationwide. Our analysis points to four main key conclusions: a) a sole indicator to designate EJ communities, although it might seem more inclusive, is not representative of the disproportionate burdens communities are experiencing, b) race is a factor that cannot be neglected to identify injustices as is the parameter most correlated with environmental burdens, c) sophisticated tools that combine both social and environmental criteria in the designation provide a more accurate description of the environmentally challenged populations, and d) formerly redlined areas are highly associated with present inequalities, which indicates the value of the historical context in the identification of today's EJ communities, and the value of integrating redlining maps as a screening factor to designate EJ populations.

Impacts of Responding to Environmental Policy on the Development of Motor Corporation

In order to alleviate environmental pollution, many countries have launched a campaign to try to induce factories and other enterprises to reduce emissions of pollutants. One of the most important industries is the automobile industry, because automobile exhaust emission is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. So study the impacts of responding to environmental policy on the development of motor corporation, because it determines whether car companies are positive about environmental policy and the effectiveness of environmental policy. Through the review and summary of past literature, policy regulations and other information, as well as the analysis of the Toyota's development status and financial status. From the aspects of customers and enterprises, this paper explores the influence of policies on customers' intention to buy energy-saving cars and the influence of policies on enterprises' intention to research and develop energy-saving cars. Finally, the study finds that automobile companies' response to environmental protection policies has positive impacts on themselves

Factors Influencing Pastoral Farmers' Land-use Change Decisions in Response to Environmental Regulations in the Selwyn District, Canterbury

In recent years, the pressure placed on New Zealand farmers to reduce their environmental impact and convert to more sustainable land-uses has significantly increased in response to public and political concerns. This has seen an increase in the amount and complexity of environmental regulations, particularly for farmers in the Selwyn District, Canterbury. Increasing environmental regulations has contributed to an unintended side effect of a declining relationship quality between farmers and regulatory authorities.
 This study provides a new way for regulatory authorities to understand which factors influence pastoral farmers’ land-use change decisions and how these factors interact in response to environmental regulations. A total of nine pastoral farmers operating in the Selwyn District were interviewed to obtain data on how they made land-use change decisions and the impact of environmental regulations on these. Specifically, the data involved the collection of Q-sort scores, centrality scores, and the creation of causal maps.
 This study found that financial factors were the most important to pastoral farmers when making land-use change decisions. However, these financial factors were strongly connected to farmers’ sense of certainty around policy and practice. Many farmers felt unsure about the impact of current and future policy and practice changes on their farms. Subsequently, they felt hesitant to make land-use change decisions without the confidence that it will remain a financially and strategically viable choice for the longer term.
 This study also found that farmers had high intrinsic values surrounding environmental stewardship. Contrarily, environmental regulations drive land-use change decisions in an extrinsic form to farmers. This difference is concerning because if farmers become too focused on only doing what is required to meet regulations, it risks taking away the common-sense approach farmers already have. Overall, without improvements in the communication between regulatory authorities and farmers, the future may see increased focus by farmers on ticking boxes and less on strategically thinking about what is best for the environment.
 In summary, improved understanding by regulatory authorities and actions resulting from this will greatly contribute to positive environmental outcomes being reached in an efficient manner. To encourage sustainable land-use change, regulatory authorities need to give increased thought on how future regulations are created and implemented long-term. Farmers will feel more confident to transition to more sustainable land-uses with increased certainty around policy and practice and regulations that are introduced to them in a way that better understands their role as environmental stewards.

A Framework for Digital Health Policy: Insights from Virtual Primary Care Systems Across Five Nations.

Digital health technologies used in primary care, referred to as, virtual primary care, allow patients to interact with primary healthcare professionals remotely though the current iteration of virtual primary care may also come with several unintended consequences, such as accessibility barriers and cream skimming. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a well-established framework to understand the functional components of health systems. However, the existing building blocks framework does not sufficiently account for the disruptive and multi-modal impact of digital transformations. In this review, we aimed to develop the first iteration of this updated framework by reviewing the deployment of virtual primary care systems in five leading countries: Canada, Finland, Germany and Sweden and the United Kingdom (England). We found that all five countries have taken different approaches with the deployment of virtual primary care, yet seven common themes were highlighted across countries: (1) stated policy objectives, (2) regulation and governance, (3) financing and reimbursement, (4) delivery and integration, (5) workforce training and support, (6) IT systems and data sharing, and (7) the extent of patient involvement in the virtual primary care system. The conceptual framework that was derived from these findings offers a set of guiding principles that can facilitate the assessment of virtual primary care in health system settings.

Identifying the Spatial Risk Patterns of Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in a Basin of the Upper Yangtze River

Agricultural non-point source pollution (ANPSP) is a primary cause of watershed water quality deterioration, and over 50% of NPS pollutants are estimated to come from ANPSP. Based on the “source-sink” theory and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, ANPSP source and key resistance factors were integrated to identify areas at risk of ANPSP production and transportation into the waters of the upper Yangtze River basin. The results showed a spatial difference in the agricultural pollution sources of the basin, which were determined using both ANPSP loads and land-use types. Soil type, rainfall erosivity, and elevation were the three most important resistance factors in pollution transportation, weighting 0.373, 0.241, and 0.147, respectively. There was a spatial effect on the comprehensive resistance of ANPSP transportation, which was lower in mountainous terrain at the central basin. On the coupling of source and resistance processes, regions at serious risk of ANPSP were found to be concentrated in the southwest area. Areas at very high risk of NH3-N and TP pollution accounted for 37.6% and 38.1%, respectively, in the total town/street area. The spatial risk patterns identified in this study could be used for decision making and policy regulation of ANPSP and for aquatic environmental protection.

A Delphi Study to Determine International and National Equestrian Expert Opinions on Domains and Sub-Domains Essential to Managing Sporthorse Health and Welfare in the Olympic Disciplines.

The public is increasingly questioning equestrianism's social license to operate. While the focus historically centered on horseracing, increased scrutiny is now being placed on how dressage, showjumping, and eventing are addressing equine management and welfare concerns. Nominated equestrian federation and equestrian organization experts (n = 104) directly involved in international and/or national-level horse sports took part in a four-stage, iterative Delphi to obtain consensus on what factors should be considered essential to manage sporthorse health and welfare. Five core domains were agreed as essential: training management, competition management, young horse management, health status and veterinary management, and the horse-human relationship. Two further domains: stable and environmental management, and welfare assessment were rated as important but not essential, as most respondents felt that these areas were already managed well. Participants felt increased education and guidance combined with further policy development and regulation are needed to support stakeholders to optimize sporthorse management. An appetite to engage with research to generate evidence that promotes sporthorse welfare was evident. The development of a sporthorse welfare charter and evidence-based guidelines to inform the management and monitoring of sporthorses' health and welfare are recommended to provide horses with a good life and to safeguard the future of equestrian sports.

НСТИТУЦІОНАЛЬНІ ЗАСАДИ АНТИМОНОПОЛЬНОГО РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ ТА ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ПІДПРИЄМНИЦЬКОЇ КОНКУРЕНТОСПРОМОЖНОСТІ НА МІЖНАРОДНИХ ТА НАЦІОНАЛЬНИХ ТОВАРНИХ РИНКАХ

The formation and development of state antimonopoly policy and antimonopoly regulation takes place taking into account the peculiarities of the institutional environment in which this regulation takes place. The institutional environment of antimonopoly policy and antimonopoly regulation represented by mandatory and voluntary components. All institutional formations of antimonopoly policy and antimonopoly regulation play certain roles that differ in function. The article describes the institutional features of the state antimonopoly policy formation and development on national consumer markets. Among the peculiarities of the functioning and development of the state antimonopoly policy, mandatory and voluntary components highlighted. A mandatory component of the antimonopoly regulation institutional environment are state and international institutions subject to general, pre-documented regulatory acts, regulations, agreements, etc., it is a formal regulatory level. Institutions that have a clearly documented structure, rights, obligations, norms and rules of conduct. Antimonopoly regulation for these institutes is one of the mandatory elements of their functioning. The second component of the antimonopoly environment functions on a voluntary basis. These institutes can function based on legally registered agreements, on voluntary regulatory regulation, and without entering into documented agreements, on non-normative informal regulation. The voluntary component includes market participants, enterprises, organizations, associations, public unions, scientific research centers and institutes that are interested in antimonopoly regulation, purpose of promoting their interests and purpose of improving the general economic situation. Both components of antimonopoly regulation include institutions that are responsible for the role of institutional design. Within the framework of institutional design, each participant in antimonopoly regulation plays a certain role, while the same institutional formation can play several roles at the same time. The functions played by institutional formations vary from maximally aimed at promoting the formation and development of state antimonopoly policy and antimonopoly regulation to a lack of interest in changes and even active opposition to the introduction of new institutions, adaptation or improvement of already existing ones

THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN FARMERS’ ORGANIZATIONS IN IRRIGATION FIXED-WEIR SYSTEM OPERATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: A Case Study of the Colo Fixed-Weir Irrigation Area, Bengawan Solo Watershed

The world’s climate change has an impact on the hydrological cycle which disrupts the water supply of irrigation systems. Water resource management is the key to solutions, especially in the agricultural sector. Therefore, efficient management of water resources in all irrigation areas (DI) must be carried out. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a participatory watershed management concept that is expected to increase the carrying capacity of the watershed so that it continues to be sustainable [1]. The irrigation network is one of the management components in IWRM that involves the role of farmer organizations including Perkumpulan Petani Pemakai Air (P3A), Gabungan Perkumpulan Petani Pemakai Air (GP3A) dan Induk Perkumpulan Petani Pemakai Air (IP3A) [2]. The management of water resources involves many stakeholders with a large area having main problems with water distribution in the dry season due to distribution problems that lead to conflicts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of farmer organizations in irrigation network operational activities for the sustainability of IWRM management in the Colo Fixed-Weir which consists of 12 DI and is divided into West Colo consists of Klaten, Wonogiri, and Sukoharjo areas, and East Colo consists of Sukoharjo, Karangnyar, Sragen, and Ngawi. The focus of this research is on irrigation management under GP3A Karanganyar with an area of 119 Ha, consisting of 16 villages that received awards. Data were collected in the form of legal documents that regulate institutional and organizational performance in Colo Fixed-Weir. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was conducted on GP3A and management apparatus in Karanganyar. Deep-interview with the head of GP3A was conducted also. Data were analyzed to find the performance of GP3A and P3A who can manage water resources in DI according to their needs while carrying out their functions and roles under policy regulations. The conclusion is that the key success factors are trusted leadership and the presence of local wisdom in the farming community. And the operational rules are technical, measurable, and scheduled in the agreement, which can be managed flexibly according to the situation of the farmers’ needs. This can be done because between them there is mutual trust and a sense of responsibility for the common interest.

E-administration for collaborative governance body of green tourism villages in realizing smart villages in Bali

Smart Tourism Village used technology to improve the accessibility of public services such as homestays and green tourism attraction packages. In addition, technology is also used to increase agricultural productivity, improve the marketing of agricultural products, and develop tourism village potential. In developing the Green Smart Tourism Village model, the field research was carried out at 30 villages representing 8 regencies and 1 city across Bali. This research aims to answer three problems, first there is no clear system and measurement of Green Tourism Village standardization, second there is no steady coordination between stakeholders, third there is no integrated media and information systems between Green Tourism Village, homestay and tour packages. In this study, a digital platform called SIDeWi*HuB (Sistem Integration of Green Tourism Village) in Bali is developed to facilitate a collaborative governance body of pentahelix stakeholders, namely Bali Government (Tourism Office), private enterprise (PT. RST), Academicians, Community and Tourist. For collaborative governance to be effective and efficient, E-administration is needed utilizing information technology and help stakeholders carry out the duties and responsibilities more easily. Therefore, a policy regulation is needed from the Provincial Government of Bali regarding the establishment of E-Administration for green tourism village on collaborative governance.

Review of the National Police Chief's Policy Regarding Decree Number Kep/613/III/2021 Maintaining Public Security and Order in Certain Areas

After the policy of the Chief of Police issued his Decree Number: 613/III/2021 dated March 23, 2021 so that the authority of the Sector Police is reduced to only carrying out investigative activities including receiving reports, requesting information, visiting crime scene, collecting evidence but also to delegate the case to the Resort Police if the crime is continued into the investigations stage, if the crime is continued to the investigation stage it must be delegated to a higher unit, namely the Resort Police. This research is based on the theory of legal certainty and hierarchy. The legal status of the Decree of the Chief of Police Number Kep/613/11/2021 concerning Appointment of Sector Police Only to Maintain Public Security and Order in Certain Areas (Not Conducting Investigations) is that the Decree of the Chief of Police is categorized as a beleidsregel (policy regulation). The Polsek focuses on aspects of Kamtibmas, being in the midst of society, prioritizing the main tasks of protecting, nurturing and serving the community by carrying out pre-emptive and preventive activities rather than repressive and the effectiveness of investigations is handed over to the upper unit level, namely the Polres. Then the decision of the Head of the National Police to remove the investigative authority at the Polsek in the study of criminal law policies is quite rational within the framework of non-penal efforts to solely enforce the law for the realization of security and public order. The impact of the issuance of the decision to stop investigations and investigations at the Polsek, the stipulation of the Decree of the head of the National Police of the Republic of Indonesia Number: Kep/613/III/2021 made it difficult for the community. People who live far from the Polres use paid transportation and are not ready for transportation. The police are unable to handle cases. The community feels that the authority of the police is burdened in enforcing the law because it is more expensive. Abolishing investigative powers is also beneficial for the police, because basically law enforcers must be closely monitored, while so far supervision at the police level has been very weak. Eliminating the right to investigate can minimize the potential for abuse of authority. Another advantage, the abolition of investigative authority can also make the Police closer and become friends of the community. Because on the one hand the police can focus more on working with the community to maintain order, and on the other hand eliminate negative perceptions such as repression that generally arise when they handle cases.

Історико-ретроспективний аналіз музично-естетичного виховання дітей у школах Люксембургу

The article presents the organization of general music education in Luxem­bourg. The content of general music education in kindergar­tens and general secondary education institutions is characterized. The conduct of music les­sons and extracurricular activities with sec­ondary school students is studied, attention is focused on the main activities and the development of children's musical and creative abil­ities. Emphasis is placed on the multinationality of Luxembourg, which is why the country's national education system is multilingual. The country has three official languages – Luxembourgish, French and German. It is important that the regulation of educational policy is within the competence of several ministries: Conseil supérieur de l'Education nationale, Commission scolaire nationale, Commissions nationales des programmes; Service de Coordination de la Recherche et de l’Innova­tion pédagogiques et technologiques; Services d’inspection, Collège des Directeurs. It was noted that general musical education in Luxembourg is considered a cultural heritage of society, the main direction of child development based on the values of national and world musical art. The article provides examples of musical works that are offered in the school curriculum for learning and performing during vocal and cho­ral work and in the process of listening to music. Attention is focused on the activities of in­ternational schools, where music is given a prom­inent place and the teacher's work is focused on the development of individual creative abilities of each child. A special place in the educa­tion system of Luxembourg is occupied by music schools, where chil­dren master playing a particular musical instru­ment and study the­ory, solfeggio and history of music.

Topic and Trend Analysis of Weibo Discussions About COVID-19 Medications Before and After China's Exit from the Zero-COVID Policy: Retrospective Infoveillance Study.

After 3 years of its zero-COVID policy, China lifted its stringent pandemic control measures with the announcement of the 10 new measures on December 7, 2022. Existing estimates suggest 90%-97% of the total population was infected during December. This change created a massive demand for COVID-19 medications and treatments, either modern medicines or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study aimed to explore (1) how China's exit from the zero-COVID policy impacted media and the public's attention to COVID-19 medications; (2) how social COVID-19 medication discussions were related to existing model estimates of daily cases during that period; (3) what the diversified themes and topics were and how they changed and developed from November 1 to December 31, 2022; and (4) which topics about COVID-19 medications were focused on by mainstream and self-media accounts during the exit. The answers to these questions could help us better understand the consequences of exit strategies and explore the utilities of Sina Weibo data for future infoveillance studies. Using a scrapper for data retrieval and the structural topic modeling (STM) algorithm for analysis, this study built 3 topic models (all data, before a policy change, and after a policy change) of relevant discussions on the Chinese social media platform Weibo. We compared topic distributions against existing estimates of daily cases and between models before and after the change. We also compared proportions of weibos published by mainstream versus self-media accounts over time on different topics. We found that Weibo discussions shifted sharply from concerns of social risks (case tracking, governmental regulations, etc) to those of personal risks (symptoms, purchases, etc) surrounding COVID-19 infection after the exit from the zero-COVID policy. Weibo topics of "symptom sharing" and "purchase and shortage" of modern medicines correlated more strongly with existing susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) model estimates compared to "TCM formulae" and other topics. During the exit, mainstream accounts showed efforts to specifically engage in topics related to worldwide pandemic control policy comparison and regulations about import and reimbursement of medications. The exit from the zero-COVID policy in China was accompanied by a sudden increase in social media discussions about COVID-19 medications, the demand for which substantially increased after the exit. A large proportion of Weibo discussions were emotional and expressed increased risk concerns over medication shortage, unavailability, and delay in delivery. Topic keywords showed that self-medication was sometimes practiced alone or with unprofessional help from others, while mainstream accounts also tried to provide certain medication instructions. Of the 16 topics identified in all 3 STM models, only "symptom sharing" and "purchase and shortage" showed a considerable correlation with SEIR model estimates of daily cases. Future studies could consider topic exploration before conducting predictive infoveillance analysis, even with narrowly defined search criteria with Weibo data.

Housing Commodification and Increasing Potential Ground Rents in Post‐Socialist Budapest

AbstractIn post‐socialist Budapest, gentrification has remained modest for decades after the regime change (1989) due to politically controlled economic relations besides marketisation. Political control was transformed but maintained after 2010 in the illiberal Orbán regime. Populist housing privatisation for tenants, insufficient regulation of rental housing, mortgage policy and urban rehabilitations with systemic corruption caused moderate level of housing market commodification. However, gentrification accelerated from 2014. Among other factors, the restriction of mortgage lending and the unplanned expansion of tourism increased the commodification of real estate market. Similar contextual issues were mentioned in the gentrification literature before; however, they remained external modifying effects of the assumed nomothetic political economic mechanisms behind rent gaps under neoliberal governance assumed everywhere. We suggest connecting institutional, social and political factors with dynamics of land rent through the concept of commodification and its effects on potential ground rent to include them within the mechanisms of gentrification.

A time series of tobacco use in Belgium based on a critical appraisal of data sources, 1997-2020

Abstract By being the leading risk factor for most of the leading causes of death worldwide, tobacco use represents an important public health issue that causes a significant health and economic burden. Despite policy regulations, the prevalence of the use remains substantial in many countries, such as Belgium. A comprehensive framework for the quantification of the health impact of tobacco use, based on representative data, is however still lacking. As a preliminary step, we aimed to map and critically assess the past and current trends of tobacco use from 1997 to 2020 in Belgium for establishing a time series of the true extent of tobacco use. Data sources assessing tobacco use in Belgium, meeting our inclusion criteria: frequency, type of survey, international comparability, consistency over time, and representativeness of the sample were included in the critical appraisal. The selected data source forms the basis for a time series of tobacco use from 1997 to 2020. We applied a Bayesian inference model using the integrated nested Laplace approximation, to estimate the distribution of tobacco use by age, sex, and region. We identified four data sources containing information on tobacco use in Belgium. The best available data source for creating a time series of tobacco use was the Belgium Health Interview Survey. The modelled time series based on this data shows a decrease in the prevalence of daily smoking from 1997 (25%) to 2020 (15%). In 2020, daily smoking was estimated to be the highest in the Walloon region (19%) followed by the Brussels region (16%) and the Flemish region (14%). In 2020, the prevalence of daily smoking was estimated to be higher among men (19%) and in the age category 45-59 (20%). This study provides a critical review of data sources monitoring tobacco use in Belgium. Time trends derived from modelling show the overall smoking trends are decreasing but the use remains a public health concern in Belgium. Key messages • Understanding the role of tobacco on population health as an attributable burden can improve health monitoring. • Tobacco use is still a public health concern in 2020 with an estimated prevalence of daily smoking of 15% in the population. Different patterns of tobacco use can be seen at the regional level.

Gender Social Bonds in the Latin American Market

Although issuances of sustainable debt are growing worldwide, there is a lack of studies that allow a better understanding the social bond issuances, particularly those with a gender focus, which are directly related to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 5, 8, 9, and 10. This study addresses the identified knowledge gap by examining the overall state of the gender social bonds in the Latin American market between 2019 and 2022. The results revealed that a total of USD 1 billion was issued by 12 issuers conducting 14 issuances across six countries. Also, most issuances were financial corporations (58.4%) and supranational banks had a pivotal role in this market by being buyers and/or lead managers. As the first study conducted on this topic, this represents a milestone in sustainable finance research. Finally, this study will allow policy makers, regulators, and researchers to promote the issuance of gender social bonds.