Search Results (56)

Background: The co-occurrence of obesity and elevated blood pressure (EBP) in childhood represents a critical but underrecognized public health concern, with potential long-term consequences for cardiometabolic health. Understanding its trends and disparities is essential for early prevention strategies. Methods: This study analyzed data from 1,692,660 Han Chinese children and adolescents aged 7–18 years collected across seven waves of the Chinese National Survey on Students’ Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) from 1985 to 2019. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate temporal trends, and logistic generalized additive models were fitted to predict prevalence through 2030. Results: The prevalence of co-occurring obesity and EBP increased from 0.06% in 1985 to 2.36% in 2019 and is projected to reach 5.87% by 2030. A slowdown in the growth rate was observed approximately in 2000. Notably, rural areas experienced a faster and more recent rise, especially among girls, suggesting widening disparities. Conclusions: The growing dual burden of obesity and EBP in Chinese youth, especially in rural areas, calls for urgent and integrated interventions. Public health efforts must prioritize early prevention, with equitable policies that engage schools, families, and communities, particularly in underserved populations. Full article

The performance evaluation of production systems is essential for optimizing throughput caused by machine failures and operational constraints. In this study, we introduce an aggregation method designed to evaluate serial production lines (SPLs) that operate under the Slowdown Policy (SP). The SP dynamically adjusts machine service rates based on buffer levels, reducing blocking and ensuring a stable production rate. We propose an aggregation-based analytical approach that simplifies the evaluation of large-scale production systems while maintaining accuracy. To validate the method, a five-machine, four-buffer production line was analyzed, and the aggregation results were compared with those of a simulation. The results showed that our method provides a fast and good approximation of system performance. Full article

Despite remarkable quantitative growth in Application Programming Interface (API) call volume, Korea’s Open Banking Platform faces a critical qualitative imbalance. This paper investigates this hidden challenge, revealing a significant divergence between quantitative metrics and qualitative indicators. Through time-series analysis of registered accounts and user data, alongside examining financial institution and FinTech dynamics, I identify decelerating platform growth and constrained user base expansion. While API calls exploded, registered account and user growth lagged substantially. Platform growth exhibits player bias, and user base expansion has stagnated despite increased accounts-per-user ratios. These findings indicate that Korea’s Open Banking Platform’s sustainability is threatened by qualitative imbalances masked by quantitative success. I advocate for a shift to data-driven governance, moving beyond API call volume-centric metrics to qualitative indicators focused on user and account base assessment. I call for data-driven policy innovation to foster a more balanced and sustainable platform ecosystem, addressing growth slowdown and user base limitations. Full article

Modeling changes in ecosystem service value (ESV) resulting from land use/cover change (LUCC) in coastal regions play a crucial role in promoting regional sustainability and guiding policymaking. This study focuses on the Chaoshan region of China and analyzes the impact of land use changes in 2000, 2010, and 2020 on ESV. The Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model was used to simulate LUCC for 2030 under three different scenarios: natural development (ND), urban development (UD), and ecological protection (EP). The spatial distribution and aggregation degree of ESV were assessed to explore the intrinsic relationship between land use and ecosystem service value in the Chaoshan region. The results showed the following: (1) The cropland area in the Chaoshan region has significantly decreased, with the per capita cropland area dropping to 113.34 m² (0.028 acres) by 2020. The continuous expansion of construction land has been mainly concentrated in Shantou, Jieyang, and Chaozhou, with an increasingly evident trend of urban integration among these three cities. By 2030, the growth rate of construction land in the EP scenario is expected to decline, indicating a slowdown in urban expansion. (2) Between 2000 and 2020, Shantou was the only city in the region to experience a decline in total ESV. Low ESV values in the Chaoshan region are primarily concentrated in the southeastern area. As urban integration progresses, ESV values in this region are expected to continue to decline. (3) The ongoing trend of urban integration between Shantou, Chaozhou, and Jieyang may result in the region becoming an ecologically vulnerable area. Close monitoring of potential ecological risks in this area is crucial to ensure a balance between urban development and ecological protection. This study will provide important guidance for land use policies and sustainable development in the Chaoshan region, as well as in similar coastal cities globally. Full article

Against the backdrop of a global economic slowdown, this study examines the impact of the digital intelligence economy on regional high-quality development across 30 Chinese provinces from 2008 to 2022, considering the moderating role of economic policy uncertainty. Using the entropy method to construct composite indicators for the digital intelligence economy and high-quality development, this study applies benchmark regression, mediation analysis, moderation analysis, spatial Durbin models and threshold models. The results show that the digital intelligence economy significantly promotes regional high-quality development through increased innovation investment, enhanced innovation capabilities and entrepreneurship. However, this impact is non-linear: while it initially hinders high-quality development in less developed regions, it becomes beneficial as the economy matures. Economic policy uncertainty negatively moderates this relationship, especially in the more developed eastern regions. Additionally, the digital intelligence economy exhibits positive spatial spillover effects, driving high-quality development in the neighboring areas. The study concludes that policymakers should prioritize digital infrastructure, stabilize economic policies to reduce uncertainty, and promote interregional collaboration to leverage spillover benefits, and tailored strategies are essential to bridge development gaps. This study fills the gap in understanding the interactive effects of the digital intelligence economy and economic policy uncertainty on regional development. Full article

Under the Positive Energy Districts framework, cities authorities must be informed of the energy demand of districts to design tailor-made policies and strategies to promote the deployment of energy efficiency, sharing and transition actions. However, the diverse data sources and long procedures to collect data because of privacy permissions may result in a slow-down of the development of these roadmaps. To overcome these challenges, this paper is the outcome of the methodology developed under the UP2030 Project designed to estimate the energy demand and energy profile consumptions within urban areas to contribute to the stakeholders involved in decision making processes to inform them about the savings potential related with the use of energy in geographically delimitated areas. The methodology was validated in CIRCE’s headquarters, where the yearly energy estimation consumption is about 98% of the real energy consumed. The main finding of this study is obtaining a model that can estimate the energy usage for occupants’ comfort with minimal data required from the citizens’ side, which will allow stakeholders to consider global energy estimations at the district level in a fast and reliable way to design strategies in a timely manner as required by the energy transition and efficiency standards proposed by the European Union. Full article

Building employee loyalty is a prerequisite for a company to achieve a competitive advantage, high organizational performance, and sustainability. The lack of voluntary leaves does not result in recruitment costs or reduced efficiency during the adaptation period of a new employee. It helps retain knowledge and experience within the organization. The article aims to explore employees’ loyalty in terms of voluntary employment continuity during the pandemic slowdown of COVID-19, when employee loyalty was put to an exceptional test, and identify the factors that have had the most significant impact. This empirical study was carried out for Germany, mainly due to the strength and position of the German economy in Europe and the availability of a large, detailed micro dataset necessary for in-depth econometric analyses. The dataset used in the survey is the fifth wave of the German Linked Personnel Panel—LPP in 2020/21 (N = 7397). A multinomial logit model was used as a research tool. Loyalty appears as an explained variable in four ordered logit models that differ in the set of explanatory variables. The explanatory variables include demographics, job title, working conditions, compensation and rewards, job content, training and career development, teamwork, and relationships with colleagues and superiors. The results confirm the influence of extra-organizational factors, such as age and living in a four- or five-person household, on employee loyalty. However, age seems to be a factor of decreasing importance. Too much complexity of work, manifested by great task variety, working in multiple teams, and the requirement to perform work remotely, harmed employee loyalty during the pandemic. Findings justify building loyalty based on sustainable human resource policies to increase income satisfaction, reasonable workload, competence development, and greater autonomy at work. It is also clear that leadership issues (fairness in contact with superiors and recognition for work) mattered during this challenging time and have a high potential to improve employee loyalty in the future. Full article

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a critical air pollutant that has significant health and environmental impacts. Tropospheric NO₂ refers specifically to the vertical column density of NO₂, which is measured by satellites and serves as an indicator of anthropogenic NO₂ sources. This pollutant is frequently assessed using satellite data owing to limitations in local monitoring. This investigation employs the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), a geometric machine-learning model, given its advantages in simplicity and computational efficiency, and OMI satellite measurements to carry out spatially supervised classification of tropospheric NO₂ global patterns from 2005 to 2021. This study identifies four typical trends across developed urban centers, examining correlations with population growth, economic factors, and air quality policies. The results demonstrated regional variations, with a general downward trend in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, underscoring the efficacy of stricter emission controls. However, upward trends persist in some Asian regions, reflecting varying policy implementations. This study revealed a pivotal inflection point around 2013, marking a shift in global NO₂ dynamics. Although policies have led to improved air quality in some regions, achieving absolute decoupling of economic growth from NO₂ emissions remains challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exerted a significant influence, temporarily reducing emissions due to economic slowdowns. Overall, the SAM model effectively delineated NO₂ patterns and provided insights for future policy and emission control strategies. Full article

We analyze the predictive effect of monthly global, regional, and country-level financial uncertainties on daily gold market volatility using univariate and multivariate GARCH-MIDAS models, with the latter characterized by variable selection. Based on data over the period of July 1992 to May 2020, we highlight the role of the global financial uncertainty factor in accurately forecasting gold price volatility relative to the benchmark GARCH-MIDAS-realized volatility model, with a dominant role of European financial uncertainties, and 36 out of the 42 regional financial market uncertainties. The forecasting performance of the global financial uncertainty factor is as good as an index of global economic conditions, with results based on a combination of these two models depicting evidence of complementary information. Moreover, the GARCH-MIDAS model with global financial uncertainty cannot be outperformed by the multivariate version of the GARCH-MIDAS framework, estimated using the adaptive LASSO, involving the top five developed and developing countries each, chosen based on their ability to explain the movements of overall global financial uncertainty. Our results imply that as financial uncertainties can improve the accuracy of the forecasts of gold returns volatility, it would help investors to design optimal portfolios to counteract financial risks. Also, as gold returns volatility reflects financial uncertainty, accurate forecasts of it would provide information about the future path of economic activity, and assist policy authorities in preventing possible economic slowdowns. Full article

In an era of global economic slowdown, effectively stimulating urban economic development has become a critical challenge for governments around the world. Based on the panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2017, this study adopts the double-difference method to evaluate the impacts of innovative cities pilot policies on urban economic growth, explore the mechanism through the intermediary effect model, and study the heterogeneity of cities with different development endowments by sub-samples. This study shows the following: (1) The policy of innovative pilot cities has significantly promoted their economic growth: GDP growth rates in the pilot cities are 1.14 percent higher than those in non-pilot cities. (2) The innovative city policy can effectively improve technological progress and human capital, thereby promoting economic growth. (3) The promotion effect of the pilot policy on the economy varies by region, city size, administration grade, market level, and government efficiency. Specifically, the policies have the most substantial positive effects in cities with lower administrative levels, smaller sizes, less market orientation, and higher government efficiency. This research, based on the city data from the world’s largest economy, evaluates the impact of government intervention—targeted urban innovation policies—on economic development, providing valuable insights into how innovation policies can be tailored and optimized for diverse urban contexts. Full article

The slowdown in income not only hinders the sustainable development of farmers but also exacerbates ecological and environmental problems. Likewise, the digital economy model represented by e-commerce has become a key path for growing farmers’ income. This article is based on 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey data and uses the OLS and mediation effect models to examine the impact and mechanism of e-commerce operations on farmers’ income. The research results indicate that e-commerce operations can significantly improve the income level of farmers. After robustness and endogeneity tests, this conclusion still holds. The mechanism analysis results indicate that e-commerce operations promote farmers’ income growth by enhancing information acquisition, reducing operating costs, and enhancing financial support. The results of the heterogeneity analysis indicate that the impact of e-commerce on farmers’ income is heterogeneous in terms of income structure, education level, and regional distribution. Specifically, e-commerce significantly increases farmers’ agricultural operating income, non-agricultural operating income, and transfer income but significantly reduces their wage income. At the same time, e-commerce has a more significant income-increasing effect on highly educated and central and western farmers. Therefore, in promoting the development of a rural digital economy, it is necessary to improve the supporting facilities of e-commerce in rural areas; strengthen the supply of information, technology, capital, talent, and other elements; continue to improve the inclusiveness of rural e-commerce; and promote the sustainable growth of farmers’ income. The above findings not only provide new channels and ideas for farmers to increase income through e-commerce operations, but also help relevant decision-making departments to formulate new policies to promote farmers’ income growth and the development of e-commerce in China. Full article

How is the circular economy policy utilised to transform mining facilities? This paper analyses projects undertaken under increasing pressure for economic and energy transformation (transitioning away from coal), using the example of the municipality of Brzeszcze in Poland. These projects highlight the planned key spatial initiatives deemed feasible for implementation in the area, emphasising mining facilities and waste management (including waste from outgoing industries) that can break or speed transformation. The article aims to analyse solutions considered viable for implementation in mining towns, which can contribute to a better understanding of transformations in other monofunctional industrial centres in Europe. Data were collected using the research by design method. It is concluded that stakeholders perceive the development of peripheral mining areas as an action that can significantly impact the conduct and perception of activities related to the circular economy while also promoting a gradual transition away from coal mining. The article highlights the role of initiatives enabling the combination of transformations with a slowdown in the pace of mining activity cessation, considering the need for waste management, energy transformation, and the financial and energy stability of urban centres that have long relied on coal. Full article

The preferential regime of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation is the latest regulatory mechanism designed to overcome negative socio-economic trends in the macroregion. The accumulated factual data over the three-year period of this work have made it possible to make the first reasonable estimates of its effects on the regional economy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of transformational changes in the relationship between employment and investment due to the introduction of the preferential regime for key sectors in the regions that are fully or partially included in the Russian Arctic. The relationship between investment and employment in regional industries was studied using least squares regression analysis using Advanced Grapher 2.2 software. The results show, firstly, significant differences in trends in the implementation of preferential treatment: increased economic specialization of some regions and diversification of the economies of other regions. Secondly, there is a slowdown in the emergence of new projects. Thirdly, the markedly different employment effects across industries and regions of the Russian Arctic, as well as the changing nature of the relationship between investment and employment, require a significant revision of regulatory measures and economic policies to maximize regime effects and achieve sustainable long-term regional development. Full article

This article analyzes Israel’s food security in comparison to other developed countries, using multiple indicators divided into four sections: food availability, food affordability, food quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience. Overall, the state of food security in Israel is better than in most countries, but the threats to food security arising from the triple risk of climate change, international conflicts, and disruptions in global supply chains, require better preparation for the future. Israel’s population growth and the slowdown in the growth rate of its agricultural production, as well as the short-term political desire to reduce prices, are leading the country to increasingly rely on food imports. Such imports expose Israel to even greater global risks, and require the formulation of a risk-management strategy that will balance local production and imports. The global triple risk to food security is currently exacerbated for Israel by the risk of shortage of labor due to the security situation, making this risk-management strategy even more necessary. This calls for the establishment of a governmental authority to oversee the formulation of a long-term food-security strategy, to break it down into feasible objectives and policy measures, and to supervise their implementation. Most importantly, in order to maintain and perhaps even enhance the productive capacity of the agricultural sector, the government must reinstall trust between farmers and the state by establishing a stable long-term policy environment. Full article

The global crisis associated with COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict has affected progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Projections for SDG7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all) indicate a slowdown in the pace of electrification. Thus, the problem of poverty will persist in many regions as long as access to electricity remains difficult. This work analyzes some solutions to the lack of electricity supply in a rural community using organic waste from its economic activity and the integration of other available renewable sources to make electricity affordable and reliable. A model that minimizes the levelized cost of energy and restricts the proportion of annual energy not supplied to less than 5% of the community’s annual demand optimizes the performance of off-grid and on-grid systems. These systems have in common the production of electricity from biogas produced from swine manure, supplemented with wind and solar generation. Batteries and diesel generators support the operation of off-grid systems. As expected, the grid-connected system presented the best performance; however, the result reaffirms the need for governments to ensure the policy and infrastructure conditions that facilitate the grid connection of vulnerable communities to achieve SDG7. Full article