Socioeconomic Impact Research Articles

THEORETICAL BASIS OF EDUCATIONAL TOURISM: INTERNATIONAL ASPECT

International educational mobility plays a crucial role in the advancement of science and education, with far-reaching implications for socio-economic development. The growing number of internationally mobile students intensifies competition among host countries, which goes beyond the market for educational services. In the long run, it is the competition for human capital that is crucial for economic development. This study aims to deepen the understanding of educational tourism as a distinct form of educational mobility. The article reviews the literature and analyses existing approaches to the definition of educational tourism. By analysing different types of educational mobility, the paper proposes a classification based on the goals, age of travellers and stages of career development that better emphasises the unique features of educational tourism. Taking into account the interdisciplinary nature of educational tourism, the paper considers it within the framework of the concept that the authors call "MET: Mobility, Education, Tourism". This approach allowed the authors to propose a definition of educational tourism that better reflects the nature of this phenomenon and distinguishes it from other types of educational mobility. The authors have identified key factors that influence the development of educational tourism, including technological progress, globalisation of education, economic factors, government initiatives, educational innovations and current trends in the labour market. Based on the findings, this paper offers principles for promoting educational tourism, emphasising the concept of Tourist Lifetime Value (TLV). This approach takes a long-term view of educational travel, taking into account the potential for lifelong learning and repeat visits. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of educational tourism, providing a basis for developing effective strategies to stimulate its growth and enhance its positive socio-economic impact on both host and home countries.

Private Enterprises and Innovative Interventions in Long-Term Care for Older People: Insights into Residual Stereotypes of Greek Rural Areas

In many areas of rural Greece there exist remnants of traditional stereotypes that were socially constructed in closed societies where the institution of the patriarchal family previously reigned and are regenerated by the dominant culture. These stereotypes have shaped over time the perception that long-term care for older adults should be provided within the family structure and exclusively by family members. Notably, it was previously considered a disgrace in Greek rural society if children moved their parents to a residential or nursing home. Public or other care facilities for older people emerged just two decades ago, except a few led by the church. However, these attitudes have been softened in recent years. European and National funded programmes have shaped different notions towards long-term care in these areas. This was facilitated by the structural changes that occurred in the Greek countryside in combination with the existing low birth rate in these areas and the presence of concrete migratory flows. The present study explores the business environment that is being formed and its potential to unleash the productive forces that have pinned down the relevant residual stereotypes. It also examines the socio-economic impact of the above enterprises on rural areas. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight entrepreneurs who have invested in rural long-term care settings for older persons and eight elected chairpersons of local councils. Our findings indicate that regardless of financial support towards private care entities for older people, in order for the services offered to take a more prominent social role, the development of local consensus and innovative interventions is required in tandem. If achieved, such care providers can contribute to the socio-economic development of rural areas. This study provides international literature with further evidence on the crucial role of such enterprises on supportiveness towards inhabitants’ quality of life improvement while results can be useful for Greek and European decision-making centers as well as potential rural entrepreneurs.

Association of Atrial Fibrillation and Cognitive Dysfunction: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of Current Understanding and Recent Updates.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in adults. The prevalence of both AF and dementia is steadily rising and is expected to rise further in the coming decades. There is increasing evidence to suggest an association between AF and various degrees of cognitive dysfunction, from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia. In this review, we aimed to discuss the epidemiological aspects, pathophysiological mechanisms, role of neuroimaging, impact of treatment modalities, and clinical and socioeconomic impact of this association. Numerous observational studies and meta-analyses have revealed this association to exist in AF patients with and without a history of stroke, and the association also persists after adjusting for shared risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Various pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed for this association, including silent cerebral infarcts, cerebral microbleeds, cerebral hypoperfusion, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. While neuroimaging findings have been utilized to suggest some of these pathophysiological mechanisms, more studies are needed to further elucidate this and to determine the potential role of neuroimaging in altering anticoagulation and other treatment decisions. Anticoagulants have shown effectiveness in reducing the rate of cognitive decline in AF patients; however, their role in low-risk AF patients remains under investigation. Even though AF patients receiving catheter ablation may have post-operative cognitive dysfunction in the short term, long-term follow-up studies have shown an improvement in cognitive function following ablation. Cognitive decline in AF patients often occurs with greater functional decline and other psychosocial impairments such as depression and anxiety and future research on this association must incorporate aspects of social determinants of health and associated outcomes.

The potential benefit of artificial intelligence regarding clinical decision-making in the treatment of wrist trauma patients

PurposeThe implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is gaining popularity. Many publications describe powerful AI-enabled algorithms. Yet there’s only scarce evidence for measurable value in terms of patient outcomes, clinical decision-making or socio-economic impact. Our aim was to investigate the significance of AI in the emergency treatment of wrist trauma patients.MethodTwo groups of physicians were confronted with twenty realistic cases of wrist trauma patients and had to find the correct diagnosis and provide a treatment recommendation. One group was assisted by an AI-enabled application which detects and localizes distal radius fractures (DRF) with near-to-perfect precision while the other group had no help. Primary outcome measurement was diagnostic accuracy. Secondary outcome measurements were required time, number of added CT scans and senior consultations, correctness of the treatment, subjective and objective stress levels.ResultsThe AI-supported group was able to make a diagnosis without support (no additional CT, no senior consultation) in significantly more of the cases than the control group (75% vs. 52%, p = 0.003). The AI-enhanced group detected DRF with superior sensitivity (1.00 vs. 0.96, p = 0.06) and specificity (0.99 vs. 0.93, p = 0.17), used significantly less additional CT scans to reach the correct diagnosis (14% vs. 28%, p = 0.02) and was subjectively significantly less stressed (p = 0.05).ConclusionThe results indicate that physicians can diagnose wrist trauma more accurately and faster when aided by an AI-tool that lessens the need for extra diagnostic procedures. The AI-tool also seems to lower physicians' stress levels while examining cases. We anticipate that these benefits will be amplified in larger studies as skepticism towards the new technology diminishes.

Agronomic features of introduced Argan tree in eastern of Morocco and optimization of their propagation

Argania spinosa or argan is an endemic plant of Morocco that belongs to sapotaceae family. This species has significant ecological and socioeconomical impact in Morocco and is mainly recognized by argan oil that is very known for its nutritional quality and health benefits. Our study aims to elaborate an agronomical and pomological characterization of introduced argan trees in Oujda, Morocco (about 200 trees, 10 years old) , select high-performance clone heads based on their productivity and stability criteria, by measuring various productivity parameters over a tree years study period (fresh fruit production, almonds production and oil production), and successfully propagate them asexually using apical grafting technique in controlled condition ( phytotron ) with the aim of stabilizing the high-performance clone. The obtained results indicated the existence of high diversity in terms of the various pomological parameters assessed. Parallelly, productivity and profitability parameters, the average production of fresh fruits, almonds and oil per tree and per year was 8.62 kg, 0.253 kg and 0.133 L, respectively. While, the maximal production was 34.4 kg/year for fresh fruits production, 1.07 kg/year/tree for almonds, and 0.575 liter/year/tree oil produced. Regarding the propagation of these clones, the results showed that the grafting success rate depended on the mother stock and the season, with 100% success rate. The results obtained show that the argan tree is an adaptive species, and the most suitable grafting method for the argan tree is apical split grafting during the autumn season.

The epidemiology of geriatric fractures: A nationwide analysis of 1 million fractures

ObjectiveFractures among the geriatric population impose a substantial burden on healthcare systems. This study aims to investigate the incidence and distribution of fractures among geriatric individuals over seven years, analyzing changes by age and sex. The findings will inform national healthcare strategies for addressing the growing impact of geriatric fractures. Materials and methodsElectronic health records from a nationwide personal health records system were analyzed, focusing on ICD-10 codes for fractures. Recurrent codes for the same patients within three months were excluded. Patients were categorized into three age groups (65–74, 75–84, and 85+ years), and fractures were grouped anatomically. Incidence rates for specific fracture locations were calculated based on the actual population at risk annually. Incidence rates were further stratified by sex and age groups using Turkey's age- and sex-specific populations. ResultsA total of 1,004,663 geriatric fractures (66.9 % female, 33.1 % male) were identified over seven years. The overall fracture incidence among the geriatric population was 1.9 % (1910/100,000). Hip fractures were the most common (25.2 %), followed by wrist (15 %) and lumbar-pelvic fractures (11.9 %). Femur fractures were predominant in the 75–84 and 85+ age groups, while wrist fractures were more common in the 65–74 age group. Fracture incidences generally increased with age, except for ankle, foot, and toe fractures, which decreased with age for both sexes (p < 0.05). The male/female ratio was lowest for wrist, elbow, and humeral shaft fractures (1:3.2, 1:2.7, and 1:2.7, respectively). The lowest overall fracture incidence was observed in 2020 (1568/100,000), while the highest was in 2017 (2523/100,000). ConclusionWith Turkey's aging population, the socioeconomic impact of geriatric fractures is anticipated to rise. Fracture patterns and incidence vary by age and sex among geriatric individuals. These findings provide valuable insights for healthcare planning and the development of community-based preventive measures tailored to specific fracture locations and demographics.

Amaranthaceae Pollen Trends in the Air

Understanding the trends of airborne pollen allergens is of great importance given the high prevalence and socioeconomic impact of pollen-related allergic diseases globally. To study the morphological features of Amaranthaceae pollen, assess its contribution to the aerobiological situation in the city of Karakol and identify periods of increased concentration in order to improve the diagnosis and prevention of pollinosis symptoms in patients. Aerobiological sampling using a Lanzoni pollen trap was carried out from April to October over a three-year period (2015–2017) in Karakol city. Pollen identification and differential counting were performed according to current standard methodology and specially developed guides and atlases. Pollen characteristics of 4 Amaranthaceae species were visualized using scanning electron microscopy (Hitachi) to provide a detailed understanding of the surface structure and ornamentation of pollen grains. The decadal curve of Amaranthaceae pollen concentration in Karakol is unimodal, with often overlapping quantitative characteristics: 6615 (2nd decade of August 2015), 1326 (1st decade of 2016), 444 pollen grains / m3 (1st decade of 2017). At the same time, strong interannual variability of atmospheric pollen levels was observed, depending both on the pollen production of the plants themselves and on meteorological parameters, especially temperature and precipitation, changes in the traditional farming system. The response of summer-flowering Amaranthaceae weeds to climate change was demonstrated, which consists in a decrease in the annual pollen index, which corresponds to the global trend. Peak concentrations of Amaranthaceae pollen many times exceeded clinical threshold values in the air. On the surface of the Bassia scopariapollen exine, the ultrastructure study revealed the smallest (1.5-2.0 μm) granules of sporopollenin or orbicules (Ubisch bodies), which play a role in the spread of allergens. The obtained data are important in terms of increasing public awareness of the dominant pollen of the Amaranthaceae family, optimizing diagnostics, treatment and prevention of pollinosis.

Mapping local green hydrogen cost-potentials by a multidisciplinary approach

For fast-tracking climate change response, green hydrogen is key for achieving greenhouse gas neutral energy systems. Especially Sub-Saharan Africa can benefit from it enabling an increased access to clean energy through utilizing its beneficial conditions for renewable energies. However, developing green hydrogen strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa requires highly detailed and consistent information ranging from technical, environmental, economic, and social dimensions, which is currently lacking in literature. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive novel approach embedding the required range of disciplines to analyze green hydrogen cost-potentials in Sub-Saharan Africa. This approach stretches from a dedicated land eligibility based on local preferences, a location specific renewable energy simulation, locally derived sustainable groundwater limitations under climate change, an optimization of local hydrogen energy systems, and a socio-economic indicator-based impact analysis. The capability of the approach is shown for case study regions in Sub-Saharan Africa highlighting the need for a unified, interdisciplinary approach.

Forecasting of changes in electricity consumption due to EV diffusion in South Korea: Development of integrated model considering diffusion and macro-econometric model

Electrification is on the increase globally. The transportation sector is being electrified to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. South Korea aims to diffuse 8.3 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2040 to reduce emissions in the transportation sector. However, BEV diffusion policies have not been considered for BEVs' electricity consumption. Given that the rapid diffusion of BEVs significantly increases the electricity demand, forecasting BEVs' electricity consumption is necessary to inform electricity production plans. Furthermore, electricity is produced through various energy sources, and electricity prices and consumption are affected; therefore, forecasts that reflect the overall energy market are needed. This study presents a forecasting model for BEV demand and energy consumption by combining it with a macroeconometric model that reflects the overall energy market and socioeconomic impact using an innovation diffusion model. Incorporating electricity prices and renewable energy consumption derived from the macroeconometric model, annual BEV demand and electricity consumption are predicted. Moreover, BEV demand is more diffused and slower when forecasted using the Generalized Bass model with electricity prices and renewable energy consumption, compared to forecast without these factors, and the predictive power of BEVs is superior to that forecasted using the Bass Model alone.

Archetypes of Open Science Partnerships: connecting aims and means in open biomedical research collaborations

Open Science Partnerships (OSPs) are gaining attention as alternatives to university–industry collaborations with restrictive IPR and knowledge sharing policies. OSPs have different expected outcomes and deploy varying means to reach them. Appreciating these differences is crucial to understanding their scientific and socio-economic impact, and yet these differences have never been systematically investigated. This exploratory study draws on qualitative case studies of five biomedical OSPs involving academic partners and pharmaceutical companies. It identifies key elements—purpose, activities and structure—that can be used to describe how OSPs are designed. We identify two key aspects of purpose—predominant intent and research aims—which we argue affect the activities and structure of an OSP. Based on these two aspects, we propose four ideal types of OSPs that are designed to provide a starting point for researchers who explore the nature and impact of OSPs and for practitioners who are developing OSPs and wish to ensure that they deploy appropriate means to meet the intended outcomes of their partnership.

Socio-economic impact of food insecurity on vulnerable population in Nigeria

Socio-economic impact of food insecurity on vulnerable population in Nigeria

Socio-economic impacts of the recent bio-invasion of Callinectus sapidus on small-scale artisanal fishing in southern Italy and Portugal

IntroductionThe recent and growing bio-invasion of the Callinectes sapidus (known as blue crab) is causing damages in the European aquatic ecosystems, and affecting the livelihoods of the fishermen. In this context, this study explores the socio-economic impacts of this bio-invasion on small-scale artisanal fishermen in the Apulia (southern Italy) and Algarve (southern Portugal) regions, analyzing their perceptions and highlighting the repercussions of this bio-invasion on their livelihoods.MethodsFor this purpose, we carried out a field survey with representative small-scale artisanal fishermen based on the “Socio-economic Impact Classification of Alien Taxa” (SEICAT) approach by means of an “Exploratory Factor Analysis” (EFA), and a “Hierarchical Analysis and K-means Cluster Analysis”.Results and discussionThe findings reveal that the two study areas, Apulia and Algarve, exhibit markedly different perceptions of the impact of the blue crab invasion on the well-being and activity of fishermen. In Apulia, the invasion has led to extensive damage to fishing nets, physical harm, a decline in other commercial species, reduced catch quantities, increased working hours, higher costs, and lower incomes. Conversely, in the Algarve, while net damage is less severe, the primary concerns are physical harm, increased working hours, higher costs, and reduced income. Consequently, this research provides an empirical basis for the adoption of management measures and interventions to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the blue crab on the fishing community and local economy, thereby contributing to the well-being of both individuals and the marine ecosystem.

Social protection, food security and sustaining households during COVID-19: Experiences of single mothers residing in Umkhanyakude, South Africa

This study examines the relationship between access to state cash transfers, food security and the sustainability of single-mother households in the rural Umkhanyakude Municipal area in Kwa-Zulu Natal province, South Africa. We explored the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 and cash transfers as a primary contributor to the economic well-being of single mothers from low-income rural communities. We also focus on financial transfers from non-state sources such as non-governmental organisations, kin and non-kin support systems. The sustainable livelihoods framework provides an analytical tool to understand how cash transfers from the state enable single mothers to navigate challenges during the pandemic. Drawing on interviews with 16 women from a rural community in Umkhanyakude, we analyse the distribution of family income to meet household expenses and the survival strategies such as livelihood activities initiated by single mothers to sustain households. The challenges and constraints that limit their livelihood outcomes, such as menial state support and financial constraints to sustain their economic activities are highlighted. Three key themes are discussed in this paper: the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on food security, cash transfers as a strategy for reducing food insecurity, and access to sustainable livelihood activities to reduce food insecurities. This paper contributes to understanding single mothers' roles as actors and beneficiaries of the South African social protection system. It highlights opportunities for various state and non-state agents to advocate and support self-initiated economic activities in single-mother households.

Assessing the economic burden of vision loss and irreversible legal blindness in Spain (2021–2030): a societal perspective

ObjectiveTo estimate the economic impact for the society, generated as a consequence of the onset of loss of vision and irreversible legal blindness, for the main ophthalmologic diseases in Spain: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic macular edema (DME), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and high myopia (HM).MethodsA cost analysis model was developed to estimate the economic burden of glaucoma, DR, DME, AMD and HM over a 10-year time horizon (2021-2030), from a societal perspective in Spain.The epidemiological and economic parameters used in the model were obtained through a literature review. Prevalence, incidence, and progression stages were used to establish the epidemiological flows. Annual costs per patient from publications were included and classified into direct healthcare, direct non-healthcare and indirect costs. Costs from other countries were converted based on purchasing-power-parity (€EUR, PPP). Epidemiological parameters about population and cost results were validated by a panel of experts.All costs were adjusted to euros, 2021 (€, 2021), and using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the last 10 years, extrapolated to 2030 euros (€, 2030).ResultsIt was estimated that the total population of patients with the main diseases pathologies (glaucoma, DR, DME, AMD and HM) will increase to 7.99 million patients by 2030, representing an increase of 103%.The total cost by 2030 of all pathologies would amount to 99.8 billion euros. Direct non-healthcare costs account for the largest item (44%), followed by loss of productivity costs (38%), and direct healthcare costs (18%). The pathologies with the highest cumulative costs will be glaucoma (€33.6 billion) and DME (€19.8 billion).The greatest increment costs compared to 2021 will likely be generated by pathologies related to diabetes mellitus, such as DR (703%) and DME (317%).ConclusionsKnowing the costs associated with the pathologies that generate loss of vision and irreversible legal blindness is essential to understand the socioeconomic impact associated with these pathologies. Furthermore, the high cost of treating these diseases makes necessary to coordinate efforts between administrations, together with the support of patient associations, to meet their needs.

The neuronal biomarker NSE correlates with the volume of lung contusion in polytraumatized patients.

Severe injuries caused by accidents, like traumatic brain injury (TBI) or thoracic trauma (TT) continue to be the leading cause of death in younger people with relevant socio-economic impact. Fast and targeted diagnostics is essential for further therapy decisions and prognosis. The following study investigates NSE as a potential biomarker for lung injury after blunt TT. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in a level-1 trauma center from 2014 to 2020. Serum levels of Neuron-specific Enolase (NSE) and Interleukins (IL-6, IL-10) in injured patients (n = 41) with isolated TT (AISthorax ≥ 3) compared to isolated TBI (AIShead ≥ 3) were assessed from day 0 to 5 after trauma. The extend of lung injury was quantified by Hounsfield scale in CT scans. 30 patients with TT (ISSmed = 20, age 50y ± 17, 83,3% male) and 11 patients with TBI (ISSmed = 25, age 54y ± 17,27,3% male) were included. After TT, NSE concentration increased initially after trauma with a peak value on the day of admission (8.51 ± 3.68 ng/ml) compared to healthy controls (4.51 ± 1.504 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Isolated thoracic trauma and TBI lead to equally strong NSE release ad the day of admission. There is a significant linear relationship (r = 0.636, p = 0.035) between serum NSE levels and severity of pulmonary contusion at the time of admission and after 24 hours. A significant NSE release after isolated thoracic trauma peaks on the day of admission. The extent of lung contusion volume (defined as alveolar parenchymal density) correlates with NSE serum concentration. Thus, NSE has predictive value for the extent of pulmonary contusion. However, according to these data, NSE seems to have no diagnostic value as a TBI biomarker in concomitant TT.

Nutrient Status of Some Food Fishes with Respect to Their Proximate Composition: A Review

The nutritional awareness is a vital issue in most of the developing countries. Consumption of imbalance nutrients is globally responsible for the malnutrition, a curse for the people who belongs to below poverty line. Fish is a vital source of protein and many other essential nutrients for the human health. More than one billion of people around the world include fish food in their regular diet. Many of the developing countries like India are resided by poor villagers who gladly consume the small fish species which are of low cost and easily available in the water lands. The nutrient status the small food fishes are of greater interest to the researchers in the field of biochemistry in terms of their socio-economic impact and sustainable human food chain. Advanced researches on the biochemical constituents of different fishes are signified and essential to the human health as well as medicinal practitioners to formulate newer medicines for the prevention of many life risk diseases of the community. This review article is an attempt to review the current scientific literatures on the nutrient status with respect to their proximate composition of different fish species across the globe. The significance of such study on Food-to-food fortification (FtFF) on the basis of proximate composition of fish along with challenges and future perspectives are also highlighted.

Native seed collector networks in Brazil: Sowing social innovations for transformative change

Abstract To investigate whether and how Social Innovation (SI) can contribute to transformative change, we explored nine Native Seed Collectors Networks (NSCNs) in Brazil. Employing Social Network Analysis, we delved into the organisational structure of four NSCNs. Additionally, we identified five instances of social innovations (SIs) using the guiding questions of the Social Innovation—Forest and Landscape Restoration (SI‐FLR) framework. These networks, which received a total of US$ 12 million in investments from 2018 to 2021, have not only contributed to the production of 180 tonnes of native seeds but also had a significant socioeconomic impact. They have generated a total income of US$ 1.01 million for 997 seed collectors, 46% of whom are from traditional communities and marginalised groups. Furthermore, 55% of these collectors are women, and 23% rely solely on seed collection as their only source of income. While the NSCNs represent a fledgling economy, they have effectively activated local agency capacity. With the support of the NSCNs' social capital, a favourable context and clear motivations, this agency capacity can trigger SIs. By generating positive impacts, these SIs are changing values and empowering local agents (scaling deep), inspiring agents in other geographies (scaling out) and even influencing policies favourable to socially inclusive landscape restoration (scaling up). This three‐dimensional scaling underscores the catalysing power of SI in NSCNs and their potential contribution to transformative change. We also emphasise the role of public bodies in promoting enabling conditions, the vital role of local experimentation and the rarely evidenced local agency capacity to leverage SIs in FLR. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The cingulum: a central hotspot for the battle against chronic intractable pain?

Chronic pain causes a major burden on patient's lives, in part due to its profound socioeconomic impact. Despite the development of various pharmacological approaches and (minor) invasive treatments, a subset of patients remain refractory, hence why alternative targeted neurosurgical interventions like cingulotomy and deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex should be considered in the last resort. Despite clinical evidence supporting the potential of these treatments in the management of chronic intractable pain, physicians remain reluctant on its clinical implementation. This can be partially attributed to the lack of clear overviews summarizing existent data. Hence, this article aims to evaluate the current status of cingulotomy and deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex in the treatment of chronic intractable pain, to provide insight in whether these neurosurgical approaches and its target should be reconsidered in the current era. In the current study, a literature searches was performed using the PubMed database. Additional articles were searched manually through reviews or references cited within the articles. After exclusion, 24 and 5 articles remained included in the analysis of cingulotomy and deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex, respectively. Results indicate that various surgical techniques have been described for cingulotomy and deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex. Cingulotomy is shown to be effective 51-53% and 43-64% of patients with neoplastic and non-neoplastic pain at ≤6 months follow-up, and 82% (9/11) and 76% (90/118) at ≥ 12months follow-up, respectively. With regard to deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex, no data on neoplastic pain was reported, however, 59% (10/17) and 57% (8/14) of patients with non-neoplastic pain were considered responders at ≤ 6 months and ≥ 12months follow-up, respectively. The most reported adverse events include change in affect (>6.9%, >29/420) and confusion (>4.8%, >20/420) for cingulotomy, and infection (12.8%, 6/47), seizures (8.5%, 4/47) and decline in semantic fluency (6.4%, 3/47) for deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex. It can be concluded that cingulotomy and deep brain stimulation of the anterior cingulate cortex are effective last resort strategies for patients with refractory non-neoplastic and neoplastic pain, especially in case of an affective emotional component. Future research should be performed on the cingulum as a neurosurgical target as it allows for further exploration of promising treatment options for chronic intractable pain.

Socio-Economic Impact of Ethnobotanical Appraisal of Traded Medicinal Plants on Local Communities of District Astore (Gilgit Baltistan)

Medicinal plants are the only possible solution to treat various complications of human beings. The local community of district Astore, Gilgit Baltistan are dependent on medicinal plants for their primary healthcare. The present study was conducted to identify and document the medicinal uses of traded medicinal plants and to assess their socio-economic impact and current status in the respective area. A total of 26 traded medicinal plants were explored from the various villages as informed by the experienced respondents. The collected plants were pasted on herbarium sheets for identification purpose. Ethno medicinal uses were also documented and the collected data was analyzed by using statistical indices i.e. Use value, Relative frequency citation, Fidelity level and Pearson correlation coefficient. Questionnaire survey was conducted and 80 respondents were interviewed to assess the socio-economic impact and current status of traded medicinal plants. The most frequent used part of medicinal plant was leaves followed by roots and seeds. The RFC (0.88) and UV (0.98) were recorded highest for Thymus linearis. The Pearson correlation coefficient value between RFC and UV was 0.944, indicating a strong relationship between RFC and UV. Survey results showed that the traded medicinal plants played a pivotal role by enhancing socio-economic condition of local communities. Findings also indicated that the traded medicinal plants are gradually decreasing due to anthropogenic activities like improper method of collection, illegal trade, unsustainable use and lack of protection and conservation measures.

Mosquitoes: The Long-term Effects of Malaria Eradication in West Africa

Malaria has been a critical public health issue in West Africa for centuries, resulting in widespread morbidity and mortality, especially among vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women. Recent eradication efforts, bolstered by insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), and antimalarial drugs, have significantly reduced the disease burden. This review examines the long-term socio-economic impacts of malaria eradication in West Africa, including improved public health, enhanced productivity, economic growth, and better access to healthcare. The reduction of malaria-related healthcare costs has led to increased investments in education, infrastructure, and other essential services. However, challenges persist, such as insecticide resistance among mosquitoes, financial constraints, and emerging public health concerns. Ecological effects of mosquito eradication, including impacts on biodiversity and the evolution of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes, raise important considerations for future control strategies. The role of climate change in shaping mosquito ecology and malaria transmission dynamics is also explored. This review underscores the need for sustained political and financial commitment, regional collaboration, and innovation to ensure the continued success of malaria eradication in West Africa. Integrating these efforts with broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing ecological sustainability are essential for achieving long-term health and socio-economic benefits. Keywords: Malaria eradication, West Africa, public health, insecticide resistance, socio-economic impact, mosquito ecology.