Significant Adverse Influence Research Articles

Land reallocation and collective action in the commons: Application of social-ecological system framework with evidence from rural China

There is already a rich literature on collective action surrounding irrigation systems, which constitutes a significant mainstream knowledge system in the field of collective action. However, within this mainstream knowledge system, little attention has been paid to the impact of land reallocation with demographic changes on collective action. This form of land reallocation is a unique phenomenon under the common property rights in China, which is rare in the world. Based on the theoretical framework of social-ecological systems and survey data obtained from 4809 households in 16 provinces of rural China, the empirical results indicate a significant adverse influence of volatile land reallocation on collective action related to irrigation, which is mediated by land transfer, average parcel size, and village disputes. These results underline the need for secure land tenure to foster collective action in rural areas. This research contributes new variables and empirical evidence from China to the field of collective action research. Additionally, this study broadens the scope of the traditional economic focus of agriculture on land reallocation by encompassing the realm of commons governance.

The effects of sensorial and mobility frailty on the overall and domain-specific cognition performance of Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

This study aimed to investigate the different impacts of sensorial and mobility frailty on overall and domain-specific cognitive function. Further, the independent associations between other intricate capacity (IC) dimensions, including vitality and psychological dimensions, and overall and domain-specific cognitive function were investigated. A total of 429 participants (mean age, 72.91 ± 7.014 years; 57.30% female) underwent IC capacity assessment. Other covariates, such as demographics, health-related variables were also assessed. Overall or domain-specific cognitive impairment was used as a dependent variable in logistic regression analyses adjusted for demographic, health-related, and psychosocial confounders. After adjustment for demographic, health-related, and psychosocial confounders, individuals with sensorial frailty (odds ratio [OR] = 0.435; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.236-0.801; P = .008) had a significantly lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), marginally low delayed memory impairment (OR = 0.601, 95% CI = 0.347-1.040; P = .069), and language impairment (OR = 0.534, 95% CI = 0.305-0.936; OR = 0.318, P = .029; OR = 0.318,95% CI = 0.173-0.586; P < .001) by Boston naming and animal fluency tests than did those with both sensorial and mobility frailty or mobility frailty only. Depressive symptoms had a significant negative influence on executive function. Cardiovascular disease and non-skin malignancy were independent determinants of MCI, and diabetes mellitus was independently associated with processing speed, attention, and executive function. Sensorial and mobility frailty were independent risk factors for cognitive impairment. Mobility frailty had a greater negative influence on the overall cognitive function and memory and language function than did sensorial frailty. The reserve decline in the psychological dimension of IC and chronic diseases also had a significant adverse influence on overall and domain-specific cognition function.

Trends in the livestock and pork market in Poland with regard to the environmental impact of this production direction

After joining the European Union, the market economy continued to drive structural changes in meat production and processing. Unfortunately, the functioning of meat markets was impacted by several threats with significant adverse influence. Phenomena such as the spread of ASF disease, the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union or the Covid-19 epidemic added instability to the already cyclical pork market. The study aims to evaluate the functioning of Poland’s pork market and to identify the main trend in this market. Livestock and pork meat production in Poland form a significant economic sector; however, it creates considerable environmental challenges. The study focuses on key aspects such as greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, feed consumption, and waste management. The study covers the years 2004-2021, i.e., the period of seventeen years after Poland's accession to the European Union. The statistical data analysis methods showed four to three-year cycles in pork live stock with a decreasing amplitude over time and high and relatively stable domestic demand for pork. This provides a favourable foundation for future production direction. However, the systematic changes in the structure of meat consumption and price development led to a steady increase in the share of poultry meat at the expense of pork and bovine during the observed year span.

Analyzing organic food purchase intentions: eco-literacy and innovation resistance

Purpose This research examines consumer reluctance to purchase organic food using the theory of innovation resistance and also extends the theory by investigating the moderating influence of eco-literacy. In addition, the authors used a multigroup analysis to identify differences between consumer segments.Design/methodology/approach Data collection used computer-assisted web interviewing and a prior screening process to confirm engagement. Through stratified quota sampling, 1,000 useable responses were obtained from 2,887 recipients.Findings The findings reveal barriers are significant inhibitors to adopting organic food. Among these barriers, usage, risk tradition and image barriers have a significant adverse influence on purchase intention. In contrast, the value barrier has a nonsignificant influence on the purchase intention of organic food. However, the study found that eco-literacy significantly reduces the negative influence of risk and tradition barriers on consumers' intentions. In addition, a multigroup analysis examines notable differences between consumer groups based on education, age and income.Social implications This research has significant social implications for boosting sustainable consumption in Lithuania. It identifies key barriers to organic food adoption, emphasizing the need for strategic interventions. The study highlights eco-literacy as an essential tool in diminishing resistance to organic food, advocating for targeted educational initiatives. Additionally, it reveals the importance of tailored marketing strategies based on different consumer demographics. Overall, this study provides important insights to promote environmentally conscious consumer behavior and overcome resistance to innovation in the organic food sector.Originality/value This study expressively advances the understanding of intentional behavior by exploring organic food within Lithuania's Baltic economy. It authenticates the innovation resistance theory's applicability to organic food behavior in the region while emphasizing the moderating impact of eco-literacy in the link between barriers and purchase intention concerning organic food. Furthermore, using advanced methods such as partial least squares statistical modeling and multi-group analysis, the research reveals how barriers affect the purchase intention of organic food among different groups of consumers.

Towards integrated sustainability for China's rural revitalization: an analysis of income inequality and public health.

Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being are paramount among the priorities outlined in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations. In China, rural revitalization stands as a pivotal national strategy aimed at fostering prosperity and sustainable development in rural areas. Despite its comprehensive evaluation system, which encompasses industry, ecology, culture, organization, and livelihood, the current index system overlooks the critical dimension of public health in rural areas. The existing body of literature predominantly focuses on the correlation between income and health, leaving a gap in understanding the relationship between income inequality and health from the perspective of villagers. This study addresses this gap by utilizing data from 3,771 villager samples and 302 village samples obtained from the 2019 China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS) to explore the correlation between income inequality and public health in China's rural areas. We employ the Ordered Logistic Regression (Ologit) model in the baseline regression and heterogeneity analysis. Additionally, a mediating effect analysis, using the Sobel test, examines the role of villagers' health awareness as a mediating variable in the correlation between income inequality and villagers' health. The empirical findings of this study unveil a statistically significant adverse influence of income inequality on public health in China's rural areas. Furthermore, the research identifies that participation in regular exercise and the attainment of higher education levels serve as effective measures to alleviate the detrimental impact of income inequality on the health of rural residents. Additionally, income inequality is observed to shape villagers' health awareness, thereby influencing their overall health status. The study's outcomes have significant implications for policymakers and governmental authorities, providing valuable insights into some pathways for enhancing public health in rural China. Ultimately, these insights contribute to the broader objective of achieving integrated sustainability in rural China.

Drivers of Sustainable Green Finance: Country’s Level Risk and Trade Perspective for OECD Countries

In contemporary times, developed economies are adopting environmentally friendly initiatives such as green finance and energy efficiency. However, the factors affecting energy efficiency are widely explored, and green finance remains overlooked in the empirical literature. The present research examines the drivers of sustainable green finance in OECD economies during 2004–2021. The study uses several panel diagnostic tests and validates the mixed integration order of the variables. Still, the long-run equilibrium relationship is valid between financial inclusion, energy efficiency, human capital, foreign trade, composite risk, and green finance. Using panel autoregressive distributed lag model, the study found that financial inclusion, energy efficiency, foreign trade, and composite risk significantly improve green finance in the long run. However, only energy efficiency is effective in the short run. On the other hand, human capital exhibits a significant adverse influence on green finance. The long-run results are robust due to the significant estimates offered by panel dynamic ordinary least square. Besides, there exist one-way and two-way causal associations between variables. The study recommends improving the financial sector performance to enhance financial inclusivity, increase investment in the energy efficiency sector, and encourage trade in environmentally friendly initiatives.

Correlation of mechanical and optical properties of polypropylene plastic waste for application in composite panels

Sustainable plastic waste management systems are needed to reduce environmental pollution impacts as they are non-biodegradable and emit greenhouse gases when burned. This study investigates the feasibility of using recycled polypropylene (PP) from commonly used plastics to process composite panels. The samples were obtained from household plastics with a Resin Identification Code (RIC) of 5. In addition, other common polymer samples were obtained from plastic coffee cups (W) and red basin tubs (R) and moulded using an injection moulding machine. The mechanical strengths of the resultant composites were plotted and compared with the theoretical value of the pure polymer. The ultimate tensile strength of the white cups and the red basin tubs was found to be 36 MPa and 14.55 MPa, while their yield points were 14.45 MPa and 4.55 MPa, respectively. Infrared spectra of the absorption of the samples were obtained using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The band gaps were analysed from Tauc’s plot and were found to be of white cups and the red bath tubs at 3.392 eV and 3.646 eV, respectively. These properties were found to be suitable for recycled plastics to be applied to process value-added panels with no significant adverse influence on material properties.

Towards inclusive transport: The responsiveness of intercity bus services to the needs of people with disabilities in Tamale, Ghana

AbstractPeople with disabilities (PWDs) have an equal right to independent mobility and dignified involvement in society, which is intrinsically related to their access to inclusive public transit systems. Yet, very often PWDs face injustices of unequal mobilities emanating from a combination of access barriers. Based on qualitative interviews and Focus Group Discussions with PWDs and station managers, this exploratory study assessed the responsiveness of public intercity bus services to the needs of PWDs with vision, hearing and walking/climbing difficulties. The findings show that, despite the Persons with Disabilities Act's passage in 2006, intercity public bus transportation services in Tamale, Ghana, do not meet the needs of PWDs. Intercity bus stations and vehicles are not disability‐friendly, leading to people with disabilities facing severe discrimination and having a more difficult time using intercity bus services. This is due to a combination of environmental barriers, legislative/policy inadequacies, negative public attitudes and low compliance of transport operators to transport provisions in the Disability Act. PWDs express deep‐seated feelings of marginalisation and resentment about the uneven access to transport services and the violation of their rights to autonomy in movement. It is concluded that the journey experiences of PWDs have a significant adverse influence on their travel decisions and full participation in society. Hence, suggestions for further research and policy recommendations to promote inclusive transport systems have been proffered.

Experimental study on the endplate effect on the cold-start performance of an open-cathode air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack

The temperature gradient inside an open-cathode air-cooled fuel cell is large because it uses air as its reaction and cooling media; moreover, the temperature of single cells near the endplates is low because of the high heat capacity of the endplate compared to single cells. Therefore, the cold start of open-cathode air-cooled fuel cells is difficult. In this work, the cold-start performance of an open-cathode air-cooled fuel cell stack, including the stack voltage, single-cell voltage and temperature distribution, are tested in a climatic chamber. The results show that the endplate effect has a significant adverse influence on the cold-start performance. Due to the existence of the endplate effect, the voltages of the single cells near the endplate decrease significantly. The stack can be successfully started at −5 °C without any external heating; however, when the temperature decreases below −10 °C, it cannot be started. At this time, if a certain power of endplate heating is adopted, successful cold-start can be achieved. However, if the temperature continues to decrease, the stack cannot be successfully started only through endplate heating because both the endplates and cold air affect the cold-start performance. Combining endplate and air heating may be a feasible cold-start method.

Natural resources and undesired productions of environmental outputs as green growth: EKC in the perspective of green finance and green growth in the G7 region

Green Growth is measured via generating income from natural resources consumption and undesired productions of environmental outputs (Green growth is a crucial economic growth perspective). Similarly, greenhouse gas, carbon, and other pollution emissions are regarded as the leading causes of climate change and global warming, swiftly increasing over the past few decades. As a result of the increased income level, the economic activities in developed economies increase the use of trade-adjusted carbon (CCO2) emissions. This research analyzes the nexus between globalization, green finance, green growth, and CCO2 emissions in the G7 economies throughout 1990–2021. Using second-generation estimation approaches, the study found the cointegration between the variables. Due to the non-symmetric data distribution, it is essential to use the novel moment quantile regression approach method. The examined outcomes indicate that income (economic) growth is progressive in CCO2 emissions. Whereas globalization exhibits a significant adverse influence on the CCO2 emissions in the region. Further, the results revealed that green finance and green growth are not yet developed, positively related to the CCO2 emissions. However, after reaching a threshold level, both these variables substantially decline the level of CCO2 emissions in the region. The models' robustness is validated via the bootstrap quantile estimator. In addition to the robust analysis, this study also found that the region's leading factors of CCO2 emissions are natural resources, including minerals and natural gas. Based on empirical estimates, this study suggests increased investment in green finance.

Energy Crisis, Firm Productivity, Political Crisis, and Sustainable Growth of the Textile Industry: An Emerging Economy Perspective

Pakistan’s textile industry is suffering from an electricity shortage and political turmoil. Due to a state of instability in which nothing is certain, things cannot be brought into balance by the state. Therefore, we employ firm-level data (101) to investigate the impact of expected and unexpected power outages on textile firm productivity throughout 2014 to 2019. The study assesses the importance of political stability for the flourishing of Pakistan’s textile sector. Outages were found to significantly negatively impact textile sector sales revenue, likely leading to lower results (by 0.240% and 0.0569%). The duration and frequency of outages had significant adverse influences on reducing firm revenue. It has been estimated that a 1 h outage will cause to loss of revenue of approximately 24 percent. Comparatively, load-shedding hours had a smaller impact on lowering firms’ sales revenues, which were 5% to 8% with and without political stability inclusion. Further, outage hours decreased the export of textiles by 0.286%. The magnitude of export reduction by outages and load shedding was higher. The driving impact of political stability was higher than the impacts of expected and unexpected shortages. A stable political system is necessary to develop feasible solutions.

R-DA-Edoch/R-DHAP Alteration Could Overcome High Risk Factors in Younger Mantle Cell Lymphoma

Background: Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, with a median overall survival of only 3~5 years in the era of immunochemotherapy. Although first-line intensive chemotherapy with rituximab (R) and high dose cytarabine combined with autologous transplantation (ASCT) has significantly prolonged the survival of patients with MCL, some patients still die within few years. Our published data show that Chinese patients with MCL are younger and have a higher proportion of TP53 deletion and MYC abnormality [Oncotarget, 2015 Dec 8;6(39):42362-71]. Considering the efficacy and tolerability of the dose-enhanced immunochemotherapy R-DA-EDOCH regimen in patients with multiple high-risk aggressive B-cell lymphomas and the potential higher proliferative activity of tumor cells in Chinese patients, we conducted a prospective clinical study of alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP induction therapy for young patients with newly-diagnosed MCL (NCT02858804). Here, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of this regimen. Methods: The main inclusion criteria for patients with newly-diagnosed MCL included age ≤ 65 years, Ann Arbor stage II~IV and ECOG ≤ 1. During induction, patients received alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP for two cycles. Patients who achieved less than partial remission would quit the trial, while the other patients would continue another one cycle of treatment. After finishing the 3 cycles of inductive treatment, patients would decide whether to continue ASCT consolidation therapy or another cycle of consolidation. R maintenance therapy was recommended to all patients. The primary endpoint of this study was the progression-free survival (PFS). Key secondary endpoints were complete response rate (CRR) and objective response rate (ORR) at the end of induction (EOI), overall survival (OS), minimal residual disease (MRD) status and the incidence of adverse events (AEs). Results: In this study, we recruited 55 patients with a median age of 53 years (range, 37~65 years) and a male/female ratio of 2.2:1. Totally, 61.8% of patients were of at least one risk factor (HR) according to risk stratification, pathological classification and molecular genetic abnormalities. All patients received at least two cycles of alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP immunochemotherapy, and one patient dropped out due to the poor response. The ORR of the alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP inductive treatment was 98% (95% CI 90-100), and the CRR was 89% (95%CI 78-96). There was no significant difference in CRR and ORR among patients with different prognostic characteristics. Moreover, patients rapidly achieved MRD-negative and the rate of MRD-negative after 2 cycles of treatment, the end of the inductive therapy and the end of the overall treatment was 79.2%, 88.7% and 90.6%, respectively. The median follow-up of the cohort was 31 months (range 4-86). The 3-year PFS and OS rates were 66.3% and 85.4%, respectively. Sequential ASCT consolidation and/or R maintenance slightly increased CRR but significantly prolonged PFS of patients (3-year PFS rate: ASCT+R 90.4% versus R 64.6% versus without ASCT/R 33.3%, P<0.001). There was no significance difference in PFS and OS between patients with (n=34) and without (n=9) HR (PFS P=0.537, OS P=0.408). For patients receiving ASCT and R maintenance, OS was even longer in patients with HR (mOS not reach versus 47m, P=0.007). Univariate analysis showed that age≥60 years, blastoid/pleomorphic pathologic morphology and TP53 double-allele events were still the risk factors for PFS in this therapeutic pattern. However, high tumor proliferative activity (such as Ki-67≥30% and MYC abnormality) and specific genetic abnormalities (such as 17p deletion, 9p deletion, etc) showed no significant adverse prognostic influence. In particular, patients who achieved MRD-negative by treatment had longer PFS (P<0.001). The alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP regimen was well tolerated, and no patients were discontinued due to intolerance of treatment-related AEs. AEs were mainly hematologic and at least one hematologic AEs occurred in 85.5% of the patients. Grade 3-4 leukopenia and neutropenia were found in 49.1% and 58.2% of the patients, respectively. Conclusion: The alternate R-DA-EDOCH/R-DHAP induction therapy showed great efficacy and tolerability in young patients with newly diagnosed MCL and could overcome the adverse prognostic impact of some high-risk factors. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Impacts of Insurers’ Financial Insolvency on Non-Life Insurance Companies’ Profitability: Evidence from Bangladesh

A stable and healthy insurance industry plays a vital role in sustaining an economy resistant to economic shocks by providing an efficient risk-transition mechanism. There is a relative scarcity of research inspecting the impact of insurers’ financial insolvency on the profitability of insurance firms. Employing 2011–2019 panel data of 16 non-life insurance companies operating in Bangladesh, this research endeavors to examine the impacts of insurers’ financial insolvency on the profitability of insurance companies measured by return ratios, return on assets (ROA), and return on equity (ROE). Fixed-effect regression outcome implies that insurers’ financial insolvency has a significant adverse influence on non-life insurance companies’ profitability. Further findings indicate that financial leverage, technical provision, age, and inflation have a noteworthy adverse influence on profitability. The outcomes of this research are of greater significance for policymakers in tackling insolvency and formulating policies to boost the growth of insurance profitability. In addition, this study aims to serve as a benchmark for other countries’ insurance industries to emulate recovery strategies from financial insolvency.

IMPACTS AND MEASURES COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND TOURISM INDUSTRY IN SABAH

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant adverse influence on the country’s economic and social situation, especially with regard to the tourism industry. This study examines the implications of the global pandemic on the tourism industry in Sabah, the study will consider the impact of the movement control order (MCO) and other mitigating measures adopted by tourism industry players. The survey and focus group findings indicate that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry in the state, compelling operators and policymakers to re-evaluate current response strategies. The adoption of the MCO in response to the pandemic has resulted in business interruptions and income loss for tourism industry service-providers, with most of them losing more than 80% of their revenues. Diversification is one of the strategies used by operators in the industry to ensure long- and short-term viability. Meanwhile, a government vaccination program is a long-term strategy aimed at ensuring that the tourism sector in Sabah can return to normalcy. As with any study, this study too has limitations in terms of the number of industry sectors studied and sample size used to collect data.

Prognostic Impact of EGFR Amplification and Visceral Pleural Invasion in Early Stage Pulmonary Squamous Cell Carcinomas Patients after Surgical Resection of Primary Tumor.

Simple SummaryLung cancer is the most prevalent malignant neoplasm worldwide. Pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a histological subtype of non-small cell lung carcinoma with a high rate of morbimortality. The identification of biomarkers with prognosis value is critical in the follow-up and management of SCC patients. Amplification of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gen on 7p12 is frequently found in pulmonary SCC. We analyzed this alteration with immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization, along with clinic-pathological variables such as gender, age, pT-stage, lymph node status, pleural invasion, stage, recurrence, metastasis, and overall survival, in a homogeneous population of 108 patients. We found that EGFR amplification, exclusively in early stage SCC (pT1–pT2), is an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival and combined with visceral pleural invasion, allows the identification of three groups of pulmonary SCC patients with significantly different outcome, which could be established at diagnosis.Over the last few decades, an increasing amount of information has been accumulated on biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite these advances, most biomarkers have been identified in the adenocarcinoma histological subtype (AC). However, the application of molecular-targeted therapies in the prognosis and treatment of SCC in the clinical setting is very limited, becoming one of the main focus areas in research. Here, we prospectively analyzed the frequency of numerical/structural abnormalities of chromosomes 5, 7, 8, 9, 13 and 22 with FISH in 48 pulmonary SCC patients. From a total of 12 probes, only abnormalities of the 7p12 and 22q12 chromosomal regions were identified as unique genetic variables associated with the prognosis of the disease. The study for these two chromosomal regions was extended to 108 patients with SCC. Overall, chromosome losses were observed more frequently than chromosome gains, i.e., 61% versus 19% of all the chromosome abnormalities detected. The highest levels of genetic amplification were detected for the 5p15.2, 7p12, 8q24 and 22q11 chromosome bands, of which several genes are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of SCC, among others, include the EGFR gene at chromosome 7p12. Patients who displayed EGFR amplification (n = 13; 12%) were mostly older than 65 years (p = 0.07) and exclusively patients in early T-primary tumor stage (pT1–pT2; p = 0.03) with a significantly shortened overall survival (OS) (p ≤ 0.001). Regarding prognosis, the clinical, biological, and histopathologic characteristics of the disease that displayed a significant adverse influence on OS in the univariate analysis included patients older than 65 years (p = 0.02), the presence of lymph node involvement (p = 0.005), metastasis (p = 0.01) and, visceral pleural invasion (VPI) at diagnosis (p = 0.04). EGFR amplification also conferred an adverse impact on patient OS in the whole series (p = 0.02) and especially in patients in early stages (pT1–pT2; p = 0.01). A multivariate analysis of the prognostic factors for OS showed that the most informative combination of independent variables to predict an adverse outcome was the presence of VPI and/or EGFR amplification (p < 0.001). Based on these two variables, a scoring system was built to stratify patients into low- (no adverse features: score 0; n = 69), intermediate- (one adverse feature: score 1; n = 29) and high-risk (two adverse features: score 2; n = 5) groups, with significantly different (p = 0.001) OS rates at 50 months, which were as following: 32%, 28% and 0%, respectively. In the present study, we show that the presence of a high level of 7p12 (EGFR) amplification, exclusively detected in early stage SCC (pT1–pT2), is an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS. The identification of the EGFR gene copy number using FISH techniques may provide a more accurate diagnosis of high-risk populations after the complete resection of the primary tumor. When combined with VPI, three groups of pulmonary SCC were clearly identified that show the extent of the disease. This is of such importance that further prospective studies are necessary in larger series of SCC patients to be classified at the time of diagnosis. This could be achieved with the combined assessment of 7p12 amplification and VPI in primary tumor samples.

Environmentally sustainable socio-economic welfare and agricultural employment: evidence from ECOWAS

Environmental sustainability considerations in socio-economic welfare has been argued in recent welfare literature. With an emphasis on the role of agricultural employment, this present study explores environmentally sustainable socio-economic welfare in ECOWAS, which features countries abundant in agriculture resources, although with low levels of socio-economic welfare and low carbon emissions. The study utilises a balanced panel data set of observations in respect of all fifteen ECOWAS countries over the period of 2010 to 2019. The Human Sustainable Development Index (HSDI) was used to measure environmentally sustainable socio-economic welfare. On the other hand, agricultural employment was measured using the percentage of the employed population earning their livelihoods from agricultural employment. Panel data fixed effects estimation was used to estimate the model for the study, and the findings were that agricultural employment had a significant adverse influence on environmentally sustainable socio-economic welfare as measured by HSDI, while a further comparison of the findings with that of welfare measured using HDI indicated that agricultural employment also adversely affected HDI. The study recommends that socio-economic welfare be assessed from the view point of environmental sustainability, and the governments of ECOWAS member countries provide strong governance including strong laws and policies to ensure that socio-economic welfare that is environmentally sustainable is realised as abundant agricultural resources as well as agricultural employment are well managed.

An Empirical Analysis of Globalization-Poverty Nexus: Evidence from Pakistan

Despite the significant progress that has been observed towards the Millennium goals, more than one billion people still live on less than 1.25 US dollars per day. A large body of the literature has focused on the growth effects of globalization and generally documents favourable effects of globalizing on economic growth. Does globalization reduce poverty? This question has received relatively less attention and the available evidence is not conclusive. This study investigates the impact of globalization on poverty in Pakistan using annual time series data from 1975 to 2018. The empirical analysis for the effect of globalization on poverty is based on the ARDL approach to cointegration. The empirical findings show that globalization exerts a significant adverse influence on the annual poverty of Pakistan. It implies that the ongoing process of globalization is leaving the poor of Pakistan behind. Globalization accentuates not ameliorates poverty and thus marginalizes the poor of Pakistan.

Long-Term survival and functional status in patients with elevated mitral valve pressure gradient after transcatheter mitral valve repair

Abstract Background A growing number of patients are currently treated for severe mitral regurgitation (MR) using a transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr). In clinical routine, the potential risk of elevated post-procedural mitral valve pressure gradient (MPG) may prohibit optimal MR reduction driven by the avoidance of additional clip implantations. Thus, the unfavorable impact on survival and functional outcome of increased MPG in patients undergoing TMVr is currently debatable. Methods In this single-center, prospective study, survival and functional outcome of 780 consecutive patients with severe MR undergoing TMVr between September 2008 and January 2020 were investigated. After exclusion of patients with unsuccessful procedure and those lost to follow-up, data of 676 patients with a median follow-up time of 5.26 (5.11, 5.51) years were analyzed. MPG was determined by transthoracic echocardiography at discharge and considered elevated in excess of 4.5 mmHg. Kaplan-Meier analysis as well as multivariable Cox regression models were performed for the impact on elevated MPG on 5-year outcomes for the subgroups of functional MR (FMR) and degenerative MR (DMR). The primary outcome measure was a combined endpoint of death or rehospitalization for congestive heart failure. Results Among 676 patients undergoing TMVr (mean age 74.6±8.5 years, 59.0% male, median STS Score 3.9 [interquartile range 2.5; 6.0]), 179 (26.4%) patients had elevated MPG &amp;gt;4.5 mmHg. FMR was present in 426 (63.0%) patients. In the overall patient cohort, Kaplan-Meier and Cox Regression analyses could not demonstrate significant differences for the combined endpoint (p=0.99). In contrast, subgroup analysis according to MR etiology indicated a significant adverse influence of elevated MPG on the combined endpoint as well as functional outcome in patients with DMR, but not with FMR (Figure 1). After adjustment, multivariate Cox Regression analysis showed an inferior prognosis in patients with DMR and elevated MVPG &amp;gt;4.5 mmHg (hazard ratio 1.79 [1.17, 2.72], p=0.0069, Figure 2). Conclusions TMVr-patients with DMR and measurable elevated post-procedural MVPG face an inferior prognosis and reduced functional outcomes compared to patients with FMR. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1Figure 2

The role of forest and agriculture towards environmental fortification: designing a sustainable policy framework for top forested countries

Climate change has been a concern in the public sphere throughout the decades. Also, a constant change in climate as a result of geologic history is posing a global problem. Many earlier studies have focused on various factors; however, this study intends to contribute distinctly; therefore, we select 22 countries among the top 30 forested countries in the world declared by CEO-WORLD in 2020. The study explores the relationship between energy consumption, agricultural value-added, agricultural land, forest area, and real GDP with CO2 emissions from 1980 to 2019. For analysis, we account for heterogeneity in the cross sections by developing a novel panel nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model in order to capture within-group variations, which is the panel data form of the Shin et al. (2014) model. The Pesaran 2007, CADF and CIPS panel unit root testing results indicate that the investigated variables are stationary at their first differences. The empirical finding shows positive and negative shocks in electricity consumption and agricultural land have a favourable and statistically significant long-term effect on CO2 emissions. Positive shocks in agricultural value-added and forest areas have a significant adverse influence on environmental degradation, while negative shocks have a substantial long-term positive effect on CO2 emissions. Positive shock in real GDP is insignificant, whereas negative shock shows adverse and substantial long-term impacts on CO2 emissions. This research's contributions will help policymakers evaluate energy needs and implement clean energy; combating deforestation will help reduce CO2 emissions and improve the quality of the environment and climate change.

Environmental Impact of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria, Their Role in Intestinal Bowel Diseases, and Possible Control by Bacteriophages

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) represent a group of prokaryotic microorganisms that are widely spread in the anoxic environment (seabed, riverbed and lakebed sediments, mud, intestinal tract of humans and animals, metal surfaces). SRB species also have an impact on processes occurring in the intestinal tract of humans and animals, including the connections between their presence and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since these SRB can develop antimicrobial resistance toward the drugs, including antibiotics and antimicrobial agents, bacteriophages could represent an additional potential effective treatment. The main objectives of the review were as follows: (a) to review SRB (both from intestinal and environmental sources) regarding their role in intestinal diseases as well as their influence in environmental processes; and (b) to review, according to literature data, the influence of bacteriophages on SRB and their possible applications. Since SRB can have a significant adverse influence on industry as well as on humans and animals health, phage treatment of SRB can be seen as a possible effective method of SRB inhibition. However, there are relatively few studies concerning the influence of phages on SRB strains. Siphoviridae and Myoviridae families represent the main sulfide-producing bacteria phages. The most recent studies induced, by UV light, bacteriophages from Desulfovibrio vulgaris NCIMB 8303 and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 13541. Notwithstanding costly and medically significant negative impacts of phages on SRB, they have been the subject of relatively few studies. The current search for alternatives to chemical biocides and antibiotics has led to the renewed interest in phages as antibacterial biocontrol and therapeutic agents, including their use against SRB. Hence, phages might represent a promising treatment against SRB in the future.