[The long 1992 year in medicinal (non-)security of Russia. Report I. Market trial].

The year 1992 is an important landmark in the history of Russian pharmaceutical market. It began not in January, but in December 1991, when orders of the President and the Government to open free market of medications were promulgated. The Yeltsin advisers conceived that market economy was infallible means to combat medication shortages, corruption and bureaucratic monopoly. However, panacea did not work. Moreover, it gave rise to completely new problems. The human and state security implies protection from threats of dependence. The unprepared dive into market plunged Russians and the country into deep dependence on imported medications and foreign pharmaceutical companies. The proposed study proceeds our publications in this journal and in journal "Pharmacia" in 2022. At that time, analysis of medication "famine" was implemented on basis of published sources and relied on journalistic evidences. The current study was carried out on the basis of archive documents of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and authors interviews of representatives of the regulator. The first report reveals administrative mechanism that engendered crisis of medication supply in the first post-Soviet year of our country.

[Resources and utilization of medicinal plants in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative].

The protection, development, and utilization of medicinal plant resources are important cornerstones of maintaining human health. However, due to factors such as the reduction of high-quality land resources, deterioration of ecological environments, and excessive and disorderly resource development, medicinal plant resources are becoming scarce, and some of them are insufficiently supplied. With the proposal of "the Belt and Road" Initiative, the cooperation between China and "the Belt and Road" partners(the countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative)is increasingly close, which provides a new opportunity for carrying out trade of medicinal plant resources and alleviating the problem of imbalance and relative inadequacy of medicinal plant resources in countries. This study first determined the distribution and species information of plant resources in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative by investigating the database of plant distribution and that of medicinal plant resources. Then, according to the published data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES), this study identified the rare and endangered medicinal plants and the medicinal plants under trade control in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative and finally sorted out the list of potential medicinal plant resources in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative that can be used by China. This data resource can not only be used for the overall protection of important endangered species but also scientifically guide the development and utilization of medicinal resources, providing guidance and a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of medicinal plant resources in countries and regions involved in "the Belt and Road" Initiative.

The effectiveness of emerging markets' legal structure in explaining financial development.

This article examines the role of legal structure in explaining financial development in twenty-three emerging markets, which has not been explored in institutional economics literature before. This study relied on Pedroni, and Kao cointegration tests, which is followed by the renowned panel cointegration technique. The results of the Pedroni and Kao cointegration tests show that the variables understudy is cointegrated in the long-run. These findings are confirmed by the panel cointegration showing that legal structure (LS) has positive impact on financial development (FIND) in long-run that support Law and Finance, and New Institutional Economics theories in emerging markets. This study is the first to directly examine the long-run impact of LS on FIND in emerging markets, and the result remains consistent across alternative measure of FIND. The findings of this study have important policy implications for emerging markets. Policymakers should focus on creating a legal environment that is conducive to financial development. This includes strengthening the legal framework, improving regulatory regimes, and promoting market autonomy. Additionally, policymakers should work to attract foreign investment, which can help spur economic growth and development in emerging markets. The findings of the study are consistent across battery of robustness testing.

Impact of sanitary and phytosanitary measures on agri-products quality upgrading and environmental protection.

Protecting human, animal, and plant life or health from additives, toxins, and contaminants in agri-products and promoting green free trade are the main components of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. However, the SPS measures are heterogeneous. This study examines the impact of SPS measures on the measured export quality and discusses their influence on the environmental protection of the exporting country. International heterogeneous measures do not necessarily promote quality upgrading but greatly increase transaction costs. By contrast, China's agri-product' quality upgrading and environmental pollution are in sharp contrast. Based on a heterogeneous firm-trade model, this study obtains three hypothetical propositions and conducts empirical regressions using the Tobit method. This study finds that heterogeneous SPS measures hinder quality upgrading because firms present a different quality upgrading trend, which in turn impedes the environmental protection of the exporting country; the quality upgrading made by diversified SOEs is higher than that of foreign firms and private firms; the quality upgrading made by general firms is higher than that of processing firms; and protective SPS measures have a stronger negative effect on quality upgrading and environmental protection.

Research on the impact of equity incentive model on enterprise performance: A mediating effect analysis based on executive entrepreneurship.

In implementing the equity incentive system, this paper delves into the listed enterprises' selection of equity incentive models. While previous research has extensively covered the effects, models, and influencing factors of equity incentives, there needs to be more in-depth literature focusing on the diverse incentive models and their impact on corporate performance. Notably, there needs to be more literature on considering entrepreneurial spirit as a mechanism. It aims to explore the relationship between executives' choices under different incentive models, the entrepreneurial spirit fostered by these models, and their combined impact on corporate performance. The findings reveal that adopting the restricted stock incentive model by listed enterprises implementing the equity incentive system significantly positively affects enterprise performance. Mechanistic tests show that when a company implements the restricted stock incentive model, executives prioritize maximizing their interests, leading them to embrace more risk in their investment decisions. This behavior, in turn, stimulates the adventurous spirit of executives, positively impacting enterprise performance, particularly pronounced in companies with more concentrated executive power. Moreover, executives may be more inclined to invest in high-risk, high-reward innovative projects, a behavior indicative of innovation and more prevalent in firms with higher research and development (R&D) investment. However, the limitation of this paper is that the study evaluates the operation of the equity incentive system in China by taking listed companies in China as an example, which is not necessarily suitable for foreign developed capitalist countries. This study contributes to the study of principal-agent problems by exploring the relationship between executives, entrepreneurship and firm performance.

Characteristics and outcomes of the drug patent linkage system in China.

BACKGROUND: On July 4, 2021, China officially introduced the drug patent linkage system, which has made more localized adjustments than have similar systems in the US and South Korea. This study describes the characteristics and outcomes of China's patent linkage system. METHODS: For this study, we used the database of China's patent information registration platform for marketed drugs to capture all listed patents and patent certifications from June 25, 2021, to June 30, 2023. We used descriptive statistics for the above data to assess the impact of patent linkage on branded drug manufacturers, generic drug manufacturers, and the public's access to medicines. RESULTS: During the study period, the patents of 632 branded drugs were listed, and 5058 ANDAs submitted patent certifications to the Registration Platform. Of these 632 branded drugs, 462 (73.1%) drugs were approved before the year of patent registration, and the average number of listed patents per drug was 1.8, with a standard deviation of 1.4. However, of these 5058 ANDAs, P1 certifications accounted for 85.1%, and P3 and P4 certifications accounted for 16% combined. In addition, according to the detailed statistics of P2 certifications, we found that the proportion of patent invalidation cases was 46.4%. The remaining validity of the patents corresponding to P3 certifications was longer, with a median value of 17 months, and the IQR was 10-30.75, ranging from - 2 to 204 months. CONCLUSIONS: China's patent linkage aims to promote the balance of multiple interests -innovation, imitation and public health-and has its own system characteristics. Patent listing and patent certification are the key indicators reflecting the implementation effect of the system. From the perspective of system outcomes, ANDAs have been connected to the patent linkage system in an orderly manner, but the growth of patent challenges is not obvious. Moreover, manufacturers of foreign branded drugs that have not yet entered the Chinese market need to pay more attention to the role of patent listing.

Assessing the technical efficiency performance of Chinese ports logistics: Evidence from the DEA and fsQCA.

Ports are critical centers of international trade and global logistics now that economic globalization has taken hold. The efficiency performance of port logistics is crucial to building an emerging pattern of development in which domestic and foreign dual cycles are complementary for China. This paper examines the efficiency performance of 19 ports within five major economic circles in China. It explores how their efficiency is distributed, and the configurations of efficiency improvement during the new normal of China's economy. First, the DEA-BCC model is employed to calculate the technical efficiency performance and distribution of each port from 2011 to 2020. Then, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was applied to integrate and analyze the influencing factors. The results show as follows: (1) Each port group performed differently on efficiency rankings, as well as regional distributions. Among these, the port groups of the Bohai Rim region, the Yangtze River Delta region, and the Bohai Rim region continue to rank highly. (2) From the perspective of configuration analysis, the results suggest that government support is not necessary for port logistics with better economic endowments. However, it is critical for backward ones. (3) A rational industrial structure can enhance levels of infrastructure, openness, and information technology, improving port performance. The findings can provide theoretical and practical references for better promoting the development of Chinese port management.al references for better promoting the development of Chinese port management.

The association between disability and all-cause mortality in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There are 1·3 billion people with disabilities globally. On average, they have poorer health than their non-disabled peers, but the extent of increased risk of premature mortality is unknown. We aimed to systematically review the association between disability and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Global Health, PsycINFO, and EMBASE from Jan 1, 1990 to Nov 14, 2022. Longitudinal epidemiological studies in any language with a comparator group that measured the association between disability and all-cause mortality in people of any age were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality by disability status. We then conducted meta-analyses separately for different impairment and age groups. FINDINGS: We identified 6146 unique articles, of which 70 studies (81 cohorts) were included in the systematic review, from 22 countries. There was variability in the methods used to assess and report disability and mortality. The meta-analysis included 54 studies, representing 62 cohorts (comprising 270 571 people with disabilities). Pooled HRs for all-cause mortality were 2·02 (95% CI 1·77-2·30) for people with disabilities versus those without disabilities, with high heterogeneity between studies (τ2=0·23, I2=98%). This association varied by impairment type: from 1·36 (1·17-1·57) for visual impairment to 3·95 (1·60-9·74) for multiple impairments. The association was highest for children younger than 18 years (4·46, [3·01-6·59]) and lower in people aged 15-49 years (2·45 [1·21-4·97]) and people older than 60 years (1·97 [1·65-2·36]). INTERPRETATION: People with disabilities had a two-fold higher mortality rate than people without disabilities in LMICs. Interventions are needed to improve the health of people with disabilities and reduce their higher mortality rate. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health and Care Research; and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Diversity of returnee executives' foreign experience and corporate social responsibility performance.

Top managers' past experiences (e.g., foreign experience) significantly impact their decision-making behavior, which may influence firms' sustainable development. The available literature, focusing on the role of the increase in the number of top executives with foreign experience in corporate social responsibility (CSR), yields mixed results. In order to clarify the ambiguous relationship between executive foreign experience and CSR, we empirically examine the effect of the geographic diversity of top executives' foreign experience on CSR. Based on a hand-collected dataset of the top management team's (TMT's) foreign experience, we demonstrate the positive impact of the geographic diversity of returnee executives' foreign experience on firms' CSR using Chinese A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2018. Moreover, this impact is stronger in firms with political connections with the central government and in regions with good market development. Furthermore, the mechanism analysis shows that returnee executives drive firms' CSR by promoting corporate donations and green innovation. This paper offers clear policy implications by suggesting that hiring returnees with a broad geographic scope of foreign experience as corporate executives is an efficient way to enhance firms' CSR.

Current progress in international pediatric emergency medicine.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Over the past four decades, pediatric emergency Medicine (PEM) has witnessed significant global development, with a notable increase in training programs and official recognition by regulatory bodies. However, disparities persist in the recognition of PEM as an independent subspecialty, availability of training programs on a global scale, academic recognition, and the ability to provide high-quality care to children worldwide. There is paucity of published literature regarding development of PEM globally. This review explores the current trends and challenges in international pediatric emergency medicine. RECENT FINDINGS: Current trends in international pediatric emergency medicine encompass the provision of training in pediatric-focused emergency and acute care, increased propagation of evidence-based guidelines specific to the care of children, the growth of collaborative research networks and interest groups within national and international societies. Simultaneously, the field continues to face challenges such as the lack of recognition, inequities in access, and a lack of dissemination of global PEM initiatives. SUMMARY: While recent advancements have significantly enhanced the state of international pediatric emergency medicine, including pediatric specific research networks and training programs, barriers still hinder its overall quality. Many of these obstacles are not unique to pediatric emergency medicine but are directly affected by financial disparities and lack of governmental and public recognition of the essential role of pediatric emergency care.

Assessment of burnout, resilience, and thriving among academic health professionals: findings from an international study.

Introduction: Burnout, resilience, and thriving significantly impact academics, particularly in health professions, where responsibilities are extensive. This study aimed to explore these constructs among academic health professionals, examining sociodemographic and work-related factors influencing these outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among academic health professionals via web-based professional networks from August 2022 to February 2023. Validated tools were used, and descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Results: 505 participants were included, predominantly female (63%), with a mean age of 38.15 ± 9.6 years. High burnout was reported by 10.9%, 13.7% experienced exhaustion, and 6.3% were disengaged. Resilience and thriving were moderate at 59.2 and 51.9%, respectively. Age correlated negatively with burnout (r = -0.131, p = 0.003) but positively with resilience (r = 0.178, p < 0.001). Females reported higher exhaustion (p = 0.014), while males showed greater resilience (p = 0.016). Instructors exhibited lower resilience compared to assistant professors (p < 0.001) and associate professors (p < 0.001). Those at public universities reported higher exhaustion than those at private universities (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Variable levels of burnout, resilience, and thriving were observed among academic health professionals, influenced by sociodemographic and work-related factors. Interventions targeting resilience and thriving may mitigate burnout risk and enhance engagement among academics in health professions.

The adoption of renewable energy towards environmental sustainability: Evidence from Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).

The effect of carbon emissions on the environment has made some of the Sustainable Development Goals difficult to achieve. Despite the efforts of international bodies, there is still a need to address the problem since the transition is not complete. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of globalization, economic growth, financial inclusion, renewable energy, and government institutions on carbon emissions from the period of 1998 to 2021. To be able to assess both the direct and indirect effects of the variables, the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling is employed, where renewable energy serves as the mediator, and the Two-Stage Least Squares is employed as the robustness check. The findings of the study reveal that globalization promotes the use of renewable energy, but financial inclusion has a negative effect on renewable energy use. Renewable energy has a direct positive and significant effect on carbon emissions. Financial inclusion has an indirect negative and significant effect on carbon emissions. The results imply that more enlightenment on financial inclusion will help a smooth transition, and globalization should be embraced when all environmental regulations are enforced.

[PUBLICATION TRENDS AND IMPACT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY DEPARTMENTS IN ISRAEL: SUMMARIZING OVER A DECADE OF RESEARCH WITH AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE (2011-2021)].

BACKGROUND: A focused bibliographic analysis of Israel's ophthalmology research productivity has never been performed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the research output of Israeli ophthalmology departments between the years 2011-2021 and compare to leading countries in the discipline. METHODS: The PubMed search engine was used to detect all medical articles published between the years 2011 and 2021, with at least one author from an Israeli ophthalmology department. Each entry was reviewed for: year of publication, journal, department, sub-specialty, and study design. Journals were ranked according to Scopus Cite Score. Research output and population data of 7 top-ranked countries in ophthalmology (USA, UK, Japan, Germany, Australia, Canada, China) were documented for comparisons. RESULTS: Overall, 1,919 publications were included. Total research output of Israeli ophthalmology departments significantly increased throughout the study period (R2=0.85, P<0.0001). Medical retina publications were the most prevalent (493 articles, 25.6%), and the most commonly utilized design was cohort (536 articles, 28%). Over a third of all articles (669) were published in Q1 ophthalmology journals, and 16% were published in the top-10 journals. Israel was ranked (1/8) and (3/8) in publications per population and physician, respectively, compared to the other assessed countries. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2011-2021, the research productivity of the Israeli ophthalmological community has constantly increased across all sub-specialties and in high-impact journals. Israel's relative contribution to the ophthalmic medical literature is noteworthy internationally.

Evaluation of farmers friendly IPM modules for the management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) in maize in the hot semiarid region of India.

Invasive alien species (IAS) pose a severe threat to global agriculture, with their impact projected to escalate due to climate change and expanding international trade. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), a native of the Americas, has rapidly spread across various continents, causing significant damage to several food crops, especially maize. Integrated pest management (IPM) programs are vital for sustainable FAW control, combining multiple strategies for sustainable results. Over three consecutive years, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, the field demonstrations were conducted in semiarid regions of India, testing a four-component IPM approach viz., pheromone traps, microbial, botanicals and ETL based applications of insecticides against farmers' practices (sole insecticide application). IPM implementation led to substantial reductions in FAW infestation. Furthermore, egg mass and larvae infestations were significantly lower in IPM-adopted villages compared to conventional practices. Pheromone-based monitoring demonstrated a consistent reduction in adult moth populations. The lowest technology gap (10.42), extension gap (8.33) and technology index (12.25) was recorded during 2020-21. The adoption of IPM led to increased maize yields (17.49, 12.62 and 24.87% over control), higher net returns (919, 906.20 and 992.93 USD), and favourable benefit-cost ratios (2.74, 2.39 and 2.33) compared to conventional practices respectively during 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22. The economic viability of IPM strategies was evident across three consecutive years, confirming their potential for sustainable FAW management in the semiarid region of India. These strategies hold promise for adoption in other parts of the world sharing similar climatic conditions.

International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work: Second Edition.

Writing this Editorial for our second collection of papers on "International Perspectives on Mental Health Social Work", we reflected upon the content of our First Edition [...].

Cancer control collaborations between China and African countries.

Over the past decade, China has emerged as Africa's largest trade partner and source of foreign direct investment, with public health ranked as a top priority in China-Africa collaborations. During the same period, cancer has emerged as a leading cause of death in Africa, with more than 700 000 deaths per year and projections of more than 1 million deaths per year by 2030. In this Review, we explore the effects of increasing China-Africa collaborations on cancer control in Africa. We review the published literature on health-care assistance, research, education and training, and infrastructure and present the results of an institutional review board-approved survey of African oncology health-care professionals and institutional leaders that assessed their perception of the effects of China-Africa collaborations. From peer-reviewed articles and grey literature, we found that the number of China-Africa collaborations have grown substantially over the past decade in different areas, especially in patient care and infrastructure. Research publications have also surged in quantity in the past decade compared with previous years. However, the survey results suggest research collaborations remain infrequent and that medical professionals in African cancer centres rarely participate in direct research collaborations with Chinese institutions. The Review also highlights the challenges and benefits of increasing China-Africa collaborations. Challenges include insufficient monitoring and evaluation of the projects in Africa and poor coordination and alignment of the various initiatives. The benefits of these collaborations for Africa include improved health outcomes, strengthened health systems, and socioeconomic development. Benefits are also apparent for China, such as securing energy and resource supplies, expanded trade and investment opportunities, and improved diplomatic relations. Overall, China-Africa collaborations are increasing and having a substantial effect in both China and the African continent. Recommendations to minimise the challenges and maximise the benefits for more positive consequences on cancer control in Africa are discussed.

The Global Environmental Impacts of China's Accession to the WTO: A 20-Year Review.

Robust empirical assessments of the long-term cumulative global effects of free trade and economic globalization on the environment are limited. This account fills this gap by constructing a dynamic computable general equilibrium model to estimate the environmental effects of a milestone in the recent history of trade liberalization: China's 20-year World Trade Organization (WTO) accession. The modeling shows that China's accession could have resulted in an increase in the global cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by roughly 14,000 Mt CO2-eq, 64 Mt, and 46 Mt, respectively. The global production scale effect contributed to most of these estimated increases. The regional total output composition effect also caused higher emissions. Meanwhile, the sectoral output composition effect helped reduce total emissions to a limited extent. Fortunately, a package of emission abatement measures led to a decrease in emission factors and a drop in the global cumulative emissions of GHGs, SO2, and NOx. The findings suggest that to enjoy the free trade and economic globalization benefits and minimize the induced emission increases, it is vitally important to systemically reduce emissions across the entire economy and nurture a low-carbon trade regime.