Wealthy Nations Research Articles

Evaluation of cardiopreventive effects of Ximenia americana (Linn.) and Pappea capensis (Eckl. and Zeyh.) leaf aqueous extracts in rat models with myocardial infarction

BackgroundMyocardial infarction is a significant health issue in both wealthy and underdeveloped nations. Globally, it is the leading cause of deaths among cardiovascular diseases. In 2012, myocardial infarction-related deaths were about 14.1 million out of 17.5 million cardiovascular disease-related deaths. Clinical management of myocardial infarction remains a challenge because most conventional drugs provide symptomatic relief only. In addition, conventional remedies are associated with numerous advese effects and arguably, in many cases are quite expensive. Hence, herbal remedies, which are widely available, with comparatively fewer side effects, and are affordable, provide a more attractive therapeutic alternative. This study aimed at determining cardiopreventive effects of aqueous leaf extracts of X. americana and P. capensis. Phytochemical screening was done using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Wistar albino rats were employed to test for cardiopreventive effects of the extracts and were randomized into 6 groups of 5 animals each. Groups I, II, and III were normal, negative, and positive controls, respectively, and rats were given normal saline, salbutamol (7.5 mg/Kg bw), and propranolol, respectively. Groups IV, V, and VI rats were treated with extracts dose levels 50, 100, and 150 mg/Kg bw, respectively. Biochemical analysis was done to determine effects of the extracts on levels of serum cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase-1, and lipid profiles. Levels of oxidative stress markers were determined in the heart tissue.ResultsThe LC–MS analysis revealed different phytocompounds in the extracts, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, glycosides and tannins, which are known to confer cardioprotective activities. The extracts significantly prevented increase in cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase-1, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and MDA levels, as well as a significant increase in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and HDL levels.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that Ximenia americana and Pappea capensis extracts have the potential to prevent myocardial infarction in rats. Generally, P. capensis extract showed better activity as compared to X. americana extract. The effects of the extracts could be attributable to the presence of various cardioactive phytocompounds. Therefore, these plants can be considered in the development of potent and safe cardiopreventive drugs.

Consumption-based CO2 emissions in Denmark: The role of financial stability and energy productivity.

Climate change can be mitigated and policies can be catalyzed with the aid of financial institutions. By maintaining and strengthening financial stability, the financial sector's resilience could help mitigate climate-related risks and uncertainties. Hence, an empirical investigation on the effect of financial stability on consumption-based CO2 emissions (CCO2 E) in Denmark is long overdue. This study investigates the financial risk-emissions relationship in the presence of energy productivity, energy consumption, and economic growth in Denmark. Furthermore, by adopting an asymmetric approach to analyze the time series data for the period between 1995 and 2018, this study helps bridge this major gap in the literature. By adopting the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag approach (NARDL), we discovered that the positive variation in financial stability causes a reduction in CCO2 E, but the neutral connection was reported between the negative shock in financial stability and CCO2 E. The positive shock in economic growth and energy consumption intensifies CCO2 E; however, a neutral interaction exists between the negative shock in economic growth and CCO2 E. The negative shock in energy consumption has a positive effect on CCO2 E, indicating a mitigating implication on environmental degradation. In addition, a positive shock in energy productivity enhances environmental quality, while a negative shock in energy productivity increases environmental degradation. In light of the results, we suggest some robust policies for Denmark and other smaller but wealthy nations. Moreover, in order to developsustainable finance markets, policymakers in Denmark need to mobilize both public and private finance while maintaining a balance with other economic needs of the nation. The country must also identify and understand potential avenues for scaling up private financing for mitigating climate risk. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;00:1-10. © 2023 SETAC.

Attracting adolescents to become doctors and nurses: differential importance of personal and environmental factors in 61 economies

BackgroundDoctors and nurses play a fundamental role in maintaining global health systems and achieving universal health care coverage. However, significant shortages persist, and little is known about the popularity of these careers among young people in various economies or the relative impact of personal inputs and contextual factors.MethodsUsing data from the large-scale Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, we showed the recent distribution of adolescents' medical (doctor) and nursing career expectations in 61 economies. With multilevel logistic and hierarchical linear regression, we examined the relative importance of economic indicators, health work conditions, and personal background factors in affecting adolescents' health career expectations.ResultsApproximately 11% of adolescents expected to be doctors in each economy, while only 2% expected to be nurses. Adolescents were attracted to health professions mainly by system-level favourable conditions (accounting for 1/3 variance), including (a) government health expenditure beyond that expected gross domestic product (GDP); (b) a safe working environment for doctors in wealthy nations; and (c) high salaries for nurses in less-developed economies. In contrast, adolescents' background (gender, social status, and academic ability) was less influential, explaining only 10% of the differences.ConclusionsIn the technological and digital era, high-ability students are equally competitive for emerging careers other than doctors and nurses. In developing countries, a high salary package and societal respect are enough to attract adolescents to nursing careers. In contrast, for developed countries, extra expenditures beyond regular GDP allocation and a safe work environment are crucial in attracting adolescents to become doctors. Salary may effectively attract international-trained doctors and nurses, but the work environment will likely emerge as an essential factor in retaining migrants in their positions.Trial registration number: No human participants were involved in this study.

Food security definition, measures and advocacy priorities in high-income countries: a Delphi consensus study.

To establish an international consensus on the definition of food security, measures and advocacy priorities in high-income countries. A two-round online Delphi survey with closing in March 2020 and December 2021. Consensus was set a priori at 75 %. Qualitative data were synthesised and priorities were ranked. High-income countries. Household food security experts in academia, government and non-government organisations who had published in the last 5 years. Up to thirty-two participants from fourteen high-income countries responded to the Delphi with a 25 % response rate in Round 1 and a 38 % response rate in Round 2. Consensus was reached on the technical food security definition and its dimensions. Consensus was not reached on a definition suitable for the general public. All participants agreed that food security monitoring systems provide valuable data for in-country decision-making. Favoured interventions were those that focused on upstream social policy influencing income. Respondents agreed that both national and local community level strategies were required to ameliorate food insecurity, reinforcing the complexity of the problem. This study furthers the conceptual understanding of the commonly used definition of food security and its constituent dimensions. Strong advocacy is needed to ensure food security monitoring, policy and mitigation strategies are implemented. The consensus on the importance of prioritising actions that address the underlying determinants of household food security by experts in the field from across wealthy nations provides evidence to focus advocacy efforts and generate public debate.

An analysis of Property Right using the Public Private Law Divide

In previous years, the ambit of “Intellectual Property Rights” has broadened & increased to a point that it now has a significant part into the growth of the world commerce. A number of wealthy nations have by themselves reinforced the legislative structures in this direction since the early 1990s. Many more were on the verge of doing the same. The successful conclusion of the international talks is also important. The “World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) IPR Protection and Enforcement” have been elevated to an extent of a worldwide commitment. The newly emerged world order pertaining to protection of intellectual property rights has advantages and disadvantages. Intellectual Property is a wide field. Its embodiment as “Copyright, Patent, Trademark, and Design” as “Intellectual Property Rights” is quite famous & has been recognized for a long time. Some of the new forms of protection are also coming together, fueled in part by new advances in technology and science related pursuits. This study session gives students a thorough understanding of the numerous types of intellectual property rights, their importance, and commercial implications in today's evolving global public and private laws. Aside from that, the students will be familiarized with the most important international intellectual property instruments and its relation with the public and private laws.

Global shortfalls in threat assessments for endemic flora by country

Societal Impact StatementPlants are fundamental to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are key to human livelihoods. To protect plant diversity, systematic approaches to conservation assessment are needed. Many nations have legislation or other policy instruments that seek to protect biodiversity (including plants), and species‐level assessments are essential for identifying the most threatened species that require special and immediate protection measures. Some plants occur in only one place (for instance, a single country) and here we have estimated how many of these ‘endemic’ species have had their threats assessed in each country or close country‐equivalent worldwide. We show that the level of assessment completion is only weakly related to the income of countries or the likely level of threat that species face.Summary The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation ambitiously called for an assessment of the conservation status of all recognised plant taxa by 2020. This target was not met in the short term. Nevertheless, the need for conservation assessments remains urgent as plants go extinct and face increasing threats from human impacts on the biosphere. Here, the completeness of threat assessments for endemic flora in 179 countries or their close equivalents was assessed. To do so, distribution information from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants was combined with assessments collated in the ThreatSearch database. The completeness of assessments was expected to be associated with the objective affluence of countries (measured using inequality‐adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI)) and/or the exposure of their plant species to threats associated with human impacts (measured using Global Human Modification index (GHM)). The number of endemic species per country was also hypothesised to influence the completion of assessments. Overall, 58% of all country‐based endemic species examined have no conservation assessment (127,643 species). Countries' progress toward the completion of threat assessments for endemic plants could not be confidently predicted by IHDI, GHM or the richness of endemic plant flora. The shortfall in threat assessments identified here restricts national regulation of actions which imperil plant species, with particular consequences for endemic plant species subject to local laws. Some nations with high IHDI scores (i.e. wealthier nations) are not systematically assessing extinction risk in their endemic species. Scarce funding should be directed to global hotspots of endemism with few available resources for assessment.

The social challenges of not eating meat: how social interactions shape the role of meat in everyday food practices

It is widely acknowledged that to tackle global climate change, meat consumption needs to be reduced substantially, especially in wealthy nations, such as Denmark. A number of studies inspired by theories of practice have investigated various aspects of food practices and meat consumption, including their trajectories and material basis. However, the role of social interactions in organising food practitioners’ performances is still somewhat under-investigated. This article seeks to make up for this by showing some of the ways food practices are contingent on social interactions between practitioners. The article investigates how the organisation of the performances of food practitioners are produced and reproduced through social interactions with other practitioners and what this means for the role of meat and animal products. This is done through an analysis of data from 27 interviews with young Danes who have reduced or are in the process of reducing their meat consumption and four network focus groups. The analysis shows how procedures, engagements and understandings tied to meat are established and contested through social interactions. This is used to show how differences in arrangements of social encounters provide very different terms for a construction of a mainly plant-based diet as normal. Finally, in the discussion, I argue that arrangements of social encounters can, in a similar way to material arrangements, induce and prefigure certain types of performances, and I discuss the implications of the results for intervention efforts aimed at reducing meat consumption.

COVID-19 vaccine equity for the Global South: Vaccination challenges and opportunities for small and poor countries

The effects of COVID-19 have significantly interrupted countries and the social order across the globe. However, the developing countries which could not manufacture or even buy the most wanted commodity: COVID-19 Vaccine, looked on as the situation got worse even in the wealthy nations. Diplomacy seems a ray of hope among developing countries as wealthy nations have used almost all the vaccines themselves. The goal of this study was to critically analyze the challenges and opportunities around the COVID19 pandemic, especially vaccine distribution and access, and the role of diplomacy in this process in selected countries in Africa. We used the narrative literature review approach. We examined the cases of Uganda, Ghana, and South Africa on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. We found minimal accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing nations. African and other developing countries have since depended on vaccine donations. Affordability makes it challenging for wealthy countries to lend a hand while ensuring their population and market needs are catered for. We propose that nationals in the Global South must strengthen their diplomatic systems and negotiation skills with wealthy countries while reinforcing public health systems. Developing countries must build alliances to engage with high-income countries as equal partners.

Dietary transition requires work: exploring the practice-transition processes of young Danish meat reducers

ABSTRACT There is a growing acknowledgment in research and policy that populations, especially in wealthy nations, have undesirably high levels of meat consumption seen from a climate change perspective. Many studies on the subject have focused on the characteristics and choices of individual consumers to explain their food consumption habits. Instead, this paper focuses on the interrelated everyday food practices of shopping, cooking, and eating, and what practice-demands processes of transition pose for practitioners when they reduce their meat consumption. We do this by analyzing interview data from 27 interviews with young people in Denmark (which has a very high meat consumption per capita) who have reduced or are in the process of reducing their meat consumption. We show how the transition of food practices is a gradual and non-linear process, which entails that the practitioner develop the elements necessary to successfully perform the modified food practice. We also show that this transition process demands work of the practitioner, in the form of time and effort. Finally, we show that while the explicit intention to reduce meat is widespread among practitioners, such an “intention to change” is not a prerequisite element of food practice transitions that result in reduced meat consumption.

Sources of bias in observational studies of covid-19 vaccine effectiveness.

Sources of bias in observational studies of covid-19 vaccine effectiveness.

A merely national ‘universal’ basic income and global justice

A merely national ‘universal’ basic income and global justice

Global Value Chains Embeddedness for the Energy Efficiency: A Panel Data Approach with Country-Level Decomposition

This study examines the link between a firm’s energy efficiency and their participation in global value chains (GVCs). Both countries’ GVCs participation and positioning indices are designed to define the features of countries’ participation in global value chains. We begin with a theoretical approach of how GVC participation influences energy efficiency. The sample size of 54 nations from 2000 to 2019 is then investigated for empirical analysis using FE and 2SLS methods. The results show that the impact of countries’ participation in GVCs is unknown and the development of global value chains positioning increases the energy efficiency in selected countries. Further, it is found that the expansion of GVCs positioning index increases energy efficiency and the effect of forward GVCs positioning on energy efficiency is larger than the effect of backward GVCs positioning. Furthermore, increasing GVC participation in wealthy nations reduces the energy efficiency of the manufacturing industries, but increasing GVC participation in developing countries raises the energy efficiency of manufacturing industries, somewhat opposing the pollution haven approach. A key policy recommendation is that countries actively participate in GVCs to encourage energy efficiency at the macro-level.

Vertigo in the Elderly: A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: Dizziness and vertigo are among the most prevalent complaints in the elderly and have a major negative influence on (i) the perception of the quality of life; and (ii) the risk of falling. Due to population aging, particularly in wealthy nations, vertigo represents a growing issue and a serious public health concern. In order to approach the patient correctly and to offer the best treatment options, it is mandatory to identify vertigo's underlying causes. The aim of this paper was to identify the different etiologies of vertigo and possibly their frequency in the elderly population, by reviewing the scientific literature of the last decade (2012-2022). Methods: A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines, searching the Medline database from January 2012 through to December 2022. The search identified 1025 candidate papers, but after the application of specific selection criteria, only five were considered for further analysis. Results: A total of 2148 elderly patients (60-90 y old) presenting with vertigo were reported in the selected papers. A total of 3404 conditions were identified as the cause of vertiginous symptoms, (some patients presented multiple etiologies). All major diagnoses were categorized into different subgroups: the most common origin of vertigo was represented by audio-vestibular disorders (28.4%), followed by cardiovascular (20.4%) and neurological diseases (15.1%). Furthermore, 9.1% of patients were diagnosed with psychiatric conditions, whilst ophthalmologic and musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 7.5% and 6.3% of the cases respectively. Medication adverse effects and metabolic-related diseases were also considered among the causes. For 3.4% of cases the etiology remains unclear. Conclusions: Audio-vestibular disorders represent the most frequent cause of vertigo in the elderly. The etiologies affecting the vertigo patient must be defined in order to identify potential life-threatening conditions, such as cardiovascular and neurological disorders, which according to the data of this review constitute the second and third common causes of vertigo. A multidisciplinary strategy, involving different specialists (such as ENTs, Neurologists, Cardiologists, Geriatricians) is recommended for the correct assessment of these disorders.

Developing a Conceptual Framework Model for Effective Perishable Food Cold-Supply-Chain Management Based on Structured Literature Review

This paper reviews the literature on perishable food cold-chain management (FCCM) in order to assess its current state, pinpoint its knowledge gaps, and suggest a framework for addressing the issues faced by this industry. This work examines 103 academic articles on the topic of the perishable food supply chain published in various journals between 2001 and 2022. Research publications were selected from two reputed databases—Scopus and Web of Science. The study finds that the current trend in FCCM is toward sustainable FCCM, which offers financial, ecological, and social benefits. However, sustainable FCC practices are more common in wealthy nations but are still lacking in developing countries. High lead times, costs, waste, order returns, complaints, and dissatisfied consumers are the results of a fragmented market and the associated proliferation of chain intermediates. The authors have also developed a conceptual framework based on the findings that illustrates the interconnected nature of the food cold-chain facilities, collaboration among food cold-chain (FCC) stakeholders, concern among FCC stakeholders, economic enhancement, fulfilment of FCC stakeholders’ responsibilities, and overall functioning of the FCC. This study may be helpful to FCC professionals, food regulators, government authorities, and researchers because it gives a concise picture of the state of research in the field.

Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity and protect health.

> Wealthy nations must do much more, much faster. The United Nations General Assembly in September 2021 will bring countries together at a critical time for marshalling collective action to tackle the global environmental crisis. They will meet again at the biodiversity summit in Kunming, China, and the climate conference (Conference of the Parties (COP)26) in Glasgow, UK. Ahead of these pivotal meetings, we—the editors of health journals worldwide—call for urgent action to keep average global temperature increases below 1.5°C, halt the destruction of nature and protect health. Health is already being harmed by global temperature increases and the destruction of the natural world, a state of affairs health professionals have been bringing attention to for decades.1 The science is unequivocal; a global increase of 1.5°C above the preindustrial average and the continued loss of biodiversity risk catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse.2 3 Despite the world’s necessary preoccupation with COVID-19, we cannot wait for the pandemic to pass to rapidly reduce emissions. Reflecting the severity of the moment, this editorial appears in health journals across the world. We are united in recognising that only fundamental and equitable changes to societies will reverse our current trajectory. The risks to health of increases above 1.5°C are now well established.2 Indeed, no temperature rise is ‘safe’. In the past 20 years, heat-related mortality among people aged over 65 has increased by more than 50%.4 Higher temperatures have brought increased dehydration and renal function loss, dermatological malignancies, tropical infections, adverse mental health outcomes, pregnancy complications, allergies, and cardiovascular and pulmonary morbidity and mortality.5 6 Harms disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, including children, older populations, ethnic minorities, poorer communities and those with underlying health problems.2 4 Global heating is also contributing to the decline in …

“Motherwork” and communicative labor: A gendered analysis of hunger in marginalized US women

IntroductionThe feminization of hunger plays out in communities across the globe where poverty exists, including the United States, the world's wealthiest nation. The feminization of hunger and poverty can be traced to the “gender system”—deep seated gender inequities resulting in job segregation, discrimination in pay, unpaid caring work, and gender-based violence.MethodsExploratory qualitative research study with two focus groups comprising low-income women (n = 20).ResultsThe analysis identified three key themes: toxic stress related to food work, welfare stigma and racism, and the invisible loads of care work and communicative labor.DiscussionThe analysis shows how women's experience of hunger and food insecurity in the US is linked to forces of economic deprivation and symbolic violence. Consistent with Allen's (2007) theorization of “motherwork”, for women and mothers the experience of food insecurity is distinct because of its gendered link to the care work, food work, and communicative labor necessary for the survival and wellbeing of children.

Maternal Mortality in the United States: Trends and Opportunities for Prevention

Maternal mortality is unusually high in the United States compared to other wealthy nations and is characterized by major disparities in race/ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic factors. Similar to other developed nations, the United States has seen a shift in the underlying causes of pregnancy-related death, with a relative increase in mortality resulting from diseases of the cardiovascular system and preexisting medical conditions. Improved continuity of care aimed at identifying reproductive-age women with preexisting conditions that may heighten the risk of maternal death, preconception management of risk factors for major adverse pregnancy outcomes, and primary care visits within the first year after delivery may offer opportunities to address gaps in medical care contributing to the unacceptable rates of maternal mortality in the United States.

Achieving carbon neutrality in post COP26 in BRICS, MINT, and G7 economies: The role of financial development and governance indicators

Pledges and commitments from governments of wealthy nations were made at the COP26 Glasgow summit, thereby rejuvenating hope among nations to confront the climate change challenge. Thus, the study examines the complementarity of financial development and carbon emissions, while accounting for the conditional influence of good governance under three disaggregated indicators – economic, institutional, and political governance for the BRICS, MINT, and the G7 economies. First, the study reveals that financial development depending on the adopted indicator has mixed effects on environmental pollution levels. Specifically, financial development triggers the highest pollution effect via domestic credit to the private sector compared to foreign direct investments, while financial development index reduces environmental pollution. Secondly, economic governance promotes environmental quality by reducing environmental pollution through quality regulation. Third, institutional governance through weaker rule of laws induces pollution, while the control of corruption antagonizes pollution levels. Furthermore, only the voice of accountability supports the pollution-mitigating effect of political governance. On a bloc-to-bloc comparative analysis, governance effectiveness promotes environmental pollution in all the three economic blocs albeit at different magnitudes while the voice of accountability exerts a significant desirable impact on pollution only in the G7 countries. Lastly, renewable energy and trade liberalization exerts a negative and positive influence on environmental degradation respectively.

Forensic Journalism in India

Criminalistics, another name for forensic science, is the application of science to criminal and civil legislation.Investigative journalism is the parent discipline of forensic journalism. A forensic journalist follows the “TenGolden Rules” in order to ascertain the truth and spot errors by studying and researching it in any accessiblemedium. When forensics, which is thought of as combining science and law, is combined with journalism, anew phrase known as “forensic journalism” is created. Although not new in wealthy western nations, forensicjournalism is a new field in our nation. It is challenging to pursue this as a career option since being a successfulforensic journalist requires enthusiasm, tenacity, hard effort, patience, and my other attributes. Investigativejournalism is a type of reporting where reporters delve closely into a specific subject of interest, such as significantcrimes, government corruption, or corporate misconduct. Forensic journalism, which goes beyond what mostjournalists do, is described as being practised when journalists cross the boundaries between journalism and lawin order to achieve something socially, and there is overlap in this action. This action frequently aids in revealingthe truth and justice by gathering information that is admissible and withstands the scrutiny in court. Currently,journalism focuses on issues, whereas forensic journalism focuses on solutions to those problems. Broadcastingmedia, which is seen to be considerably more opinionated owing to organised discussion sessions, is a very closeillustration of this discipline. In fact, forensic journalism compromises between the media organisation and thelegal authorities. By structuring the reports so that they concentrate on the details of the entire crime under consent,the reports serve the interests of the media organisation, law enforcement agencies, as well as the general publicand make the news much more interesting and informative. In other words, via forensic journalism, the mediafinally stands up for what it believes to be right.

The role of good governance in achieving sustainable development: A study of India

Governance is a decisive factor in every nation's progress. It is necessary to have good governance to develop a wealthy nation in which the well-being of the citizens takes precedence. The legitimacy of a government can be called into question based on the criteria established by each evolving era of human civilization to define good governance. Sustainable development emphasizes addressing present demands without jeopardizing future generations' ability to do so. In addition, there are 17 Sustainable Development Goals that the international community has agreed must be met by 2030. Goal 16 allows for establishing institutions and systems for good governance, emphasizing the significance of good governance in attaining sustainable development. As India is also aiming towards achieving sustainable development for which it becomes necessary to understand the contrivance and the processes followed by the Indian Government in accomplishing such an aspiring goal, that will enlighten us to know that whether governance in India has been as per the new notions of good governance or not. This paper aims to investigate the impact of great governance on India's sustainable development.