Policy Themes Research Articles

A framework for agent-based models of human needs and ecological limits

The social and ecological challenges of our time require a better understanding of the complex interactions between the multiple dimensions of human well-being and environmental impacts. This article introduces the Needs and Limits (N&L) framework, a theoretical and computational foundation for agent-based simulations of heterogeneous individuals who try to increase their quality of life through the satisfaction of human needs. Based on psychological research, human needs are described as satiable, adaptive, and interdependent with the social and bio-physical environment. The N&L framework represents a generic foundation that can be applied to a broad range of socio-economic and ecological scenarios. A comparison is provided with classical utility approaches. The framework is illustrated for the topics of income inequality and climate policy.

A heuristic approach based on Leiden rankings to identify outliers: evidence from Italian universities in the European landscape

We propose an innovative use of the Leiden Rankings (LR) in institutional management. Although LR only consider research output of major universities reported in Web of Science (WOS) and share the limitations of other existing rankings, we show that they can be used as a base of a heuristic approach to identify “outlying” institutions that perform significantly below or above expectations. Our approach is a non-rigorous intuitive method (“heuristic”) because is affected by all the biases due to the technical choices and incompleteness that affect the LR but offers the possibility to discover interesting findings to be systematically verified later. We propose to use LR as a departure base on which to apply statistical analysis and network mapping to identify “outlier” institutions to be analyzed in detail as case studies. Outliers can inform and guide science policies about alternative options. Analyzing the publications of the Politecnico di Bari in more detail, we observe that “small teams” led by young and promising scholars can push the performance of a university up to the top of the LR. As argued by Moed (Applied evaluative informetrics. Springer International Publishing, Berlin, 2017a), supporting “emerging teams”, can provide an alternative to research support policies, adopted to encourage virtuous behaviours and best practices in research. The results obtained by this heuristic approach need further verification and systematic analysis but may stimulate further studies and insights on the topics of university rankings policy, institutional management, dynamics of teams, good research practice and alternative funding methods.

Poultry Consumption and Human Health: How Much Is Really Known? A Systematically Searched Scoping Review and Research Perspective.

This scoping review was conducted to systematically search and chronicle scientific literature pertinent to poultry intake and human health. The protocol (uploaded to Open Science Framework, https://osf.io/2k7bj/) was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines. Articles with observational and experimental research, narrative and systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were included. Among 13,141 articles identified, 525 met inclusion criteria. Among these 525 articles, 212 focused on cancer morbidity and mortality; 41 on cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality; 52 on CVD risk factors; 32 on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) morbidity and mortality; 33 on T2DM risk factors; and 42 on body weight and body composition. An "Other" category (181 articles) included nutrient status, psychological well-being/mental health, cognition, microbiome, chronic kidney disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, skin disorders, and fertility, among others. Among the 525 included articles, 366 were observational, 64 were experimental, and 76 were reviews and meta-analyses. Eighty-three percent of articles focused on adults or older adults. A paucity of research exists to support poultry as health-promoting foods, with most research only indirectly assessing poultry intake compared with other foods of interest (e.g., red meats or plant-based protein foods). No randomized controlled trials and only 1% of OBS assessed the influence of processed poultry intake on human health. In the future, the relative health effects of consuming poultry will be compared with a widening array of traditional and new protein-rich food products, necessitating the need for research to assess poultry as foods of choice. Science and health professionals, the poultry industry, and the public will benefit from new observational and experimental research to address cutting-edge scientific, public policy, and consumer topics pertinent to poultry intake and human health.

The impact of policy topic networks on recombinant creation capabilities: Empirical evidence from the energy field

Existing research on policy topic networks usually aims at revealing policy evolution, but few studies explore the antecedents of policy evolution. The dynamic change in networks results mainly from the innovative combination or recombination of nodes. Therefore, we propose that the characteristics of the policy topic network will influence the recombinant creation capabilities of topics and thus affect the subsequent network. This paper constructs the policy topic network, consisting of policy topics and co-occurrence relationships among them. After analysing the characteristics of networks and topics, we empirically test the hypotheses of the relationship between policy topic network characteristics and the recombinant creation capabilities of topics. The results show differences in energy policy topics at different stages. The period 2001–2005 focus on “water resources” and “energy saving”; from 2006 to 2010, “electric energy” became the high-frequency topic second only to “energy”, and “clean energy” began to appear. From 2011 to 2015, the ranking of “safety” improved significantly; from 2016 to 2020, topics such as “electricity”, “security” and “clean energy” appeared consistently. Empirically, we find continuity in the evolution of energy topics. Energy topics with high centrality, rich structural holes or strong ties are more likely to have more potential for recombinant creation, while the policy relatedness of energy topics has no significant effect. The study fills gaps in previous research and has practical significance for China's energy policy.

Optimal capacity allocation in accordance with renewable energy sources: the US electricity market

ABSTRACT Electricity generation cost and environmental effects of electricity generation continue to be among central themes in energy policy and planning. This study aims to forecast the optimal capacity expansion of the electric power sector in the US energy market for 2022–2050. We propose a fuzzy multi-objective linear programme to minimise cost and environmental effects. We depict how different policies and price evolution may alter the capacity composition by employing sensitivity analyses on contributing factors. The effects of the new composition and implied generation on the cost of electricity and emissions are examined, and yield that direct modelling of capacity factors is meaningful to be considered in energy strategy planning. In the literature, the optimal mix is usually found via a dispatch model yielding hourly or sub-hourly dispatch decisions, which is computationally demanding. As a contribution, we overcome this task with a simpler and effective approach, by modelling of capacity factors directly. Results show that renewable energy is expected to reach more than 1100 GW installed capacity in the US by 2050 by reducing the average cost of electricity generation and C O 2 emissions by more than 70% and 80%, respectively, compared to end-of-2021 estimates.

Beyond Counting Words

Topics and frames are at the heart of various theories in communication science and other social sciences, making their measurement of key interest to many scholars. The current study compares and contrasts two main deductive computational approaches to measure policy topics and frames: Dictionary (lexicon) based identification, and supervised machine learning. Additionally, we introduce domain-specific word embeddings to these classification tasks. Drawing on a manually coded dataset of Dutch news articles and parliamentary questions, our results indicate that supervised machine learning outperforms dictionary-based classification for both tasks. Furthermore, results show that word embeddings may boost performance at relatively low cost by introducing relevant and domain-specific semantic information to the classification model.

İki Taraflı Piyasalarda Piyasa Gücü

İki taraflı piyasalar, platform olarak isimlendirilen firmalar aracılığıyla talep yapıları birbirinden farklı ve aralarında dolaylı ağ etkileri bulunan birden fazla farklı guruba eşanlı olarak hizmetin verildiği piyasalardır. Bu piyasaların çok yönlü yapısı, taraflar arasındaki dolaylı ağ etkileri ve fiyat yapısının işlem hacmi üzerindeki etkisi gibi özellikleri geleneksel piyasalar için geçerli olan birçok kabulün yeniden tartışılmasını ve değerlendirilmesini gerektirmiştir. Dolayısıyla iki taraflı piyasaların analiz ve değerlendirilmelerinde bu piyasaların kendine has karakteristiğini dikkate alarak yeni yol ve yöntemlerin tercih edilmesi ve/veya geleneksel yaklaşımların uyarlanarak kullanılması gerekmektedir. Bu noktada bu çalışma iki taraflı piyasalarda rekabet politikasının öne çıkan başlıklarından birisi olarak piyasa gücü konusunu literatürdeki son gelişmelerle ele almakta ve geleneksel yaklaşımdan farklılaşan özelliklerini tartışmaktadır. Çalışma amacı doğrultusunda dolaylı ağ etkileri, ölçek ekonomileri ve kullanım şekilleri gibi iki taraflı piyasalarda piyasa gücünün kaynaklarını ve pazar payları, Lerner Endeksi ve karlılık gibi iki taraflı piyasalarda piyasa gücünün göstergelerini detaylı olarak incelemektedir.

Research on science and technology policy theme clustering based on root theory

Taking 34 science and technology policy documents issued by Hubei Provincial Government in 2013-2020 as analysis samples, the qualitative research method was used to analyze the theme clustering of science and technology policies. Then, the science and technology policy system was sorted out based on the policy text, and the theme clustering model of science and technology policy was obtained.It is concluded that science and technology policies can be understood from function dimension and effect dimension, function dimension mainly reflects the function of science and technology policies, and effect dimension mainly reflects the supply, demand and environmental effect of science and technology policies.

Research on science and technology policy theme clustering based on root theory

Taking 34 science and technology policy documents issued by Hubei Provincial Government in 2013-2020 as analysis samples, the qualitative research method was used to analyze the theme clustering of science and technology policies. Then, the science and technology policy system was sorted out based on the policy text, and the theme clustering model of science and technology policy was obtained.It is concluded that science and technology policies can be understood from function dimension and effect dimension, function dimension mainly reflects the function of science and technology policies, and effect dimension mainly reflects the supply, demand and environmental effect of science and technology policies.

Doing More with a DM: A Survey on Library Social Media Engagement

Objectives – This study sought to determine the role social media plays in shaping library services and spaces, and how queries are received, responded to, and tracked differently by different types of libraries. Methods – In April and May of 2021, researchers conducted a nine-question survey (Appendix A) targeted to social media managers across various types of libraries in the United States, soliciting a mix of quantitative and qualitative results on prevalence of social media interactions, perceived changes to services and spaces as a result of those interactions, and how social media messaging fits within the library’s question reporting or tracking workflow. The researchers then extracted a set of thematic codes from the qualitative data to perform further statistical analysis. Results – The survey received 805 responses in total, with response rates varying from question to question. Of these, 362reported receiving a question or suggestion via social media at least once per month, with 247 reporting a frequency of less than once per month. Respondents expressed a wide range of changes to their library services or spaces as a result, including themes of clarification, marketing, reach, restriction, collections, access, service, policy, and collaboration. Responses were garnered from all types of libraries, with public and academic libraries representing the majority. Conclusion – While there remains a disparity in how different types of libraries utilize social media for soliciting questions and suggestions on library services and spaces, those libraries that participate in the social media conversation are using it as a resource to learn more from their patrons and communities and ultimately are better situated to serve their population.

How do practitioners view Arctic shipping Routes? a cognitive appraisal approach

Companies obtain insight into experiences and expectations of stakeholders through social media (SM), where users openly express their opinions and feelings. Shipping companies also extensively use SM to engage stakeholders. Having better engagement is directly influenced by to what extent SM posts touch on the emotions and cognition of stakeholders. This study aims to identify the perspectives and sentiments of stakeholders on Arctic shipping routes (ASR) and to explain the emotional and cognitive standings of stakeholders about ASR. The results show that majority of practitioners are against ASR, and they position this issue as an environmental dilemma in their minds. Also, environmental considerations, companies’ behaviors & attitudes, and policy themes dominate practitioners’ minds. The current paper is the first that identifies the feelings and opinions of stakeholders towards ASR. The findings have the potential for shipping companies to clarify first their Arctic policies and second their SM-based engagement strategies.

Exploring degrowth policy proposals: A systematic mapping with thematic synthesis

Degrowth – the planned and democratic reduction of production and consumption as a solution to the social-ecological crises – is slowly making its way to the sphere of policy-making. But there is a problem: proposals are scattered through a voluminous literature, making it difficult for decision-makers to pinpoint the concrete changes associated with the idea of degrowth. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic mapping of the degrowth literature from 2005 to 2020 using the RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) methodology. Out of a total of 1166 texts (articles, books, book chapters, and student theses) referring to degrowth, we identified 446 that include specific policy proposals. This systematic counting of policies led to a grand total of 530 proposals (50 goals, 100 objectives, 380 instruments), which makes it the most exhaustive degrowth policy agenda ever presented. To render this toolbox more accessible, we divided it into in 13 policy themes – food, culture and education, energy and environment, governance and geopolitics, indicators, inequality, finance, production and consumption, science and technology, tourism, trade, urban planning, and work – systematically making the difference between goals, objectives, and instruments. Following this, we assess the precision, frequency, quality, and diversity of this agenda, reflecting on how the degrowth policy toolbox has been evolving until today. • Largest systematic mapping of degrowth policy proposals (1166 texts). • Degrowth is increasingly popular and associated with more and more policies. • The inventory contains 530 different proposals, split into 13 policy themes. • Most proposals lack precision, depth, and overlook interactions between policies.

Strategi dan kebijaksanaan P4GN dalam menciptakan penggiat anti Narkoba di lingkungan kerja

Drug abuse in Indonesia has reached an alarming level. The largest proportion of drug abusers in 2017 was the group of private workers and laborers, which was 59%. BNNK Batam in collaboration with trade unions and academics conducted a workshop with the theme of strategies and policies on Prevention, Eradication, Abuse, and Illicit Trafficking of Narcotics (P4GN) in creating anti-drug activists in the work environment. The purpose of this workshop is so that the participants can become BNN activists in the local environment. The strategies that must be carried out by the company and the trade unions themselves in P4GN's efforts in the work environment include: conducting medical tests for employees; drug testing for employees suspected of being addicts, intensive information dissemination and advocacy to provide education to workers; Trade unions must encourage their members to be active in P2K3, include drug problems in the collective labor agreement (PKB), and for employees: active in spiritual activities, nature lover activities, social activities, in sports activities, trade union activities, adequate rest and relaxation with family on holidays.

Digitalization of Governments during the Pandemic: The Case of Türkiye

This study questions how the increasing digitalization of public administrations has been affected by the pandemic process with the rising use of technology in administrative functions. The general digitalization processes and the pandemic period’s effects were examined in this context. Then, the case of Türkiye and the digitalization steps taken by the government in different policy topics were discussed. The practices and policies developed by the local and central governments have been addressed in this context. As a result, the outputs of digital service delivery, which became widespread during the pandemic, were evaluated in relation to Türkiye. The efforts and potential benefits of this period are also emphasized. In addition, the risks and opportunities of digitalization in Türkiye were discussed. From this point of view, evaluations were made on the present and future steps.

P60. Strengthening health systems globally for prevention and management of musculoskeletal health conditions: development of a global strategy using a three phased mixed methods design

<h3>BACKGROUND CONTEXT</h3> Global health estimates suggest the burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) impairments, especially spinal pain, will rise globally, painting a stark warning to health systems and economies. Health system strengthening efforts are urgently needed to improve the prevention and management of MSK impairments and arrest the global disability burden. <h3>PURPOSE</h3> To engage and consult with the MSK health and broader health and policy communities to inform the co-design of a blueprint for a global strategy. The purpose was to identify requisite components to guide later strategy development, adaptable for global-level and/or national-level health systems. <h3>STUDY DESIGN/SETTING</h3> A mixed-methods, three-phased design was utilized. The three phases included a qualitative study with international key informants (KIs) (phase 1); a scoping review of national health policies (phase 2); and a global eDelphi (phase 3). <h3>PATIENT SAMPLE</h3> Participants were recruited through intentional sampling of representatives of international organizations involved in MSK health care, health systems strengthening, and patient advocates (phase 1). In phase 3, open recruitment was leveraged through professional networks and social media. <h3>METHODS</h3> In phase 1, virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory approach. Phase 2 was a scoping review of national health policies to identify MSK policy trends and foci across the 30 most populated nations. Text data were extracted from the documents and evaluated using content analysis to identify themes and subthemes. Phase 3, informed by phases 1–2, was a global two-round eDelphi where panelists rated and iterated a framework of priorities and detailed components/actions, including identification of essential actions. In round 1, feedback on the logic model and components was sought using quantitative ratings (analysed using the RAND UCLA approach) and free text fields. A revised framework was presented in round 2 where participants rated the overall framework for value and credibility using a Likert scale (1-5) and to identify elements that were ‘essential, desirable, or unsure.' <h3>RESULTS</h3> Phase 1: Thirty-one KIs representing 25 organizations were sampled from 20 countries (40% low- and middle-income (LMIC)). Inductively derived themes were used to construct a logic model consisting of 5 guiding principles, 8 strategic priority areas and 7 accelerators for action. Phase 2: Of the 165 documents identified, 41 (24.8%) from 22 countries (88% high-income countries) and 2 regions met the inclusion criteria. Eight overarching policy themes, supported by 47 subthemes, were derived, aligning closely with the logic model. Phase 3: 674 panelists from 72 countries (46% LMICs) participated in round 1 and 439 (65%) in round 2. Fifty-nine components were retained with 10 (17%) identified as essential for health systems globally and 15 (25%) identified specifically for LMICs. 97.6% and 94.8% of panelists agreed or strongly agreed the framework was valuable and credible for health systems strengthening. Ultimately, a framework of 8 pillars and 59 components was proposed. <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3> An empirically derived framework, co-designed and strongly supported by multi-sectoral stakeholders, can now be used as a blueprint for global and country-level responses to improve musculoskeletal health and prioritize health system strengthening initiatives. Further exploration of issues and priorities relevant to LMICs and implementation monitoring are warranted. <h3>FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS</h3> This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs.

Cost-effectiveness analyses of monovalent mumps vaccination programs for Japanese children

BackgroundThe most common preventative measure against mumps is vaccination with mumps vaccine. Over 122 countries have implemented mumps vaccine routine immunization programs, mostly via Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine. In Japan, the unexpectedly high incidence of aseptic meningitis caused by mumps vaccine led to the discontinuation of the MMR national vaccination program in 1993, inadvertently resulting in the re-emergence of mumps. Plans of introducing monovalent mumps vaccine into routine vaccination schedule have become one of the emerging topics in health policy that has warranted the need in evaluating its value for money. MethodsWe conducted cost-effectiveness analyses with Markov model and calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of two different vaccination programs (a single-dose program at one-year-old, a two-dose program with second dose uptakes at five) compared to status quo from both payers’ and societal perspectives. Transition probabilities and utility weights in estimating quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), and disease treatment costs were either estimated or obtained from literature. Costs per vaccination were assumed at ¥6140 (US$58;1US$ = ¥106). ResultsBoth programs reduce disease treatment costs compared to status quo, while the reduction cannot offset vaccination cost. ICER of either program is found to be under ¥5,000,000 (US$47,170)/QALY willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold from either perspective. Results of probabilistic sensitivity analyses expressed by net monetary benefit indicated that at the WTP threshold, the acceptability is at 92.6% for two-dose vaccination program, 0% for single-dose vaccination program, and 7.4% for current no vaccination program. Two-dose program was optimal among the alternatives. One-way sensitivity analyses revealed that proportion of mumps-related hearing loss among mumps cases and vaccine effectiveness (VE) were key variables in changing the ICERs. ConclusionRoutine vaccination program of single- and two-dose programs were cost-effective from both payers’ and societal perspectives. Between the two, the two-dose vaccination program was observed to be more favorable.

The transition to a “Green Economy” – a challenge and a solution for the economy

Abstract In the context of the multiple economic crises, the degradation of the quality of life in correlation with the environment are intensely debated topics in the current international policy. Thus, the concept of “Green Economy” was developed as an answer and as a solution to these pressing problems. The development of this concept has taken into account an economic revolution by integrating the environmental factors that will have to be taken into account in any political decision, in a joint international effort. By implementing this concept, the previous term “sustainable economy” will be developed through economic policies that make the economy more efficient, taking full account of climate change, the health and wellbeing of the population in the medium and long term. This study follows an overview of the concept of “Green Economy” and how it could be integrated into the Romanian context.

Pathways of less healthy diets. An investigation of the everyday food practices of men and women in low income households

ABSTRACT Dietary health is a key theme of health policy and public debates on health and inequality. The social gradient in dietary health is evident, but less is known about the processes in everyday life through which less healthy diets are shaped among people with low socio-economic status. In this mixed methods study we recruited 30 men and women living in low income households in Denmark and combined qualitative interviews about household practices with quantitative estimates of the quality of participants’ diets. The qualitative findings show that in general, the participants’ food practices were conditioned by budget restrictions and bundled with other non-food practices in their everyday life, which in most, but not all, cases conflicted with engagement in healthy eating. Only few participants reported feeling able to provide ‘proper foods’ according to their own preferences. We identified five distinct pathways through which food practices were performed. All were structured by distinct life situations which created different ways in which food practices were bundled with other practices. The quantitative estimates of participants’ diets show that none of the participants’ diets categorized as healthy. The combined analysis showed that estimated dietary quality varied between the five pathways, and that the degree of budget restraint and the practice of handling a disease in the household were notably important for the performance of food practices.

Sentiment Analysis on Power Rationing Micro Blog Comments Based on SnowNLP-SVM-LDA Model

In the context of energy conservation and emission reduction, many places across the country have introduced "power rationing" policies. In order to understand the public's emotional attitude and emotional characteristics of the policy, help government departments to grasp the trend of public opinion and optimize strategic decision-making, this paper proposes a public opinion analysis method based on the SnowNLP-SVM-LDA model. This paper takes micro blog comments on power rationing as the research object, and obtains a total of 5242 micro blog comments through Python collection and data cleaning. Firstly, the word cloud map is drawn for the comment text after Jieba word segmentation, and then the SnowNLP-SVM model is used to classify the sentiment of micro blog comments, and then LDA topic mining is carried out for positive and negative comments respectively.Research shows that most micro blog netizens (69.34% of the total sample) hold a negative attitude towards power cuts. This paper identifies three major topics of national policy, support for the government, and power supply security in positive emotions, and three major topics of people's livelihood issues, rising coal prices, and government work in negative emotions. Through the analysis of this paper, it provides data support and theoretical support for government departments to guide the trend of public opinion and optimize work decisions.

Early (years) reactions: comparative analysis of early childhood policies and programs during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundDuring the first wave of COVID-19 there was little evidence to guide appropriate child and family programs and policy supports.MethodsWe compared policies and programs implemented to support early child health and well-being during the first wave of COVID-19 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore, the UK, and the USA. Program and policy themes were focused on prenatal care, well-baby visits and immunization schedules, financial supports, domestic violence and housing, childcare supports, child protective services, and food security.ResultsSignificant heterogeneity in implementation of OECD-recommended policy responses was found with all of the included countries implementing some of these policies, but no country implementing supports in all of the potential areas.ConclusionsThis analysis gives insight into initial government reactions to support children and families, and opportunities for governments to implement further supportive programs and policies during the current pandemic and future emergencies.