The new framework of innovation biosphere for analysing innovation policies facing COVID-19 grand challenge.

BACKGROUND: Facing global grand challenges such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) require the participation of various actors in different sectors and systematically directing their innovative efforts. Considering the complexity, non-linear dynamics, and global extent of the COVID-19 challenge, developing and applying a multi-level, resilient, and systematic innovative framework is vital. Therefore, this study aims to apply the "innovation biosphere" framework inspired by ecological studies for examining and analysing the management dimensions of COVID-19. METHODS: In this research, based on a deductive-inductive approach, the case study methodology is used. In accordance with this strategy, the innovation biosphere metaphor is considered as the basic framework (deductive approach) and subsequently the grand challenge of COVID-19 (inductive approach) is analysed at three levels: micro, meso and macro. RESULTS: The research findings verify the correspondence between what happened in the management of COVID-19 and the proposed framework of innovation biosphere. In other words, the findings of the research show that the effect of global cooperation, role-playing and co-evolution of different actors and subsystems in facing the grand challenge of COVID-19 under an ecosystemic and eco-innovation approach has been evident. These events subsequently led to the cessation of the pandemic after about four years. CONCLUSIONS: The main policy implications include the role of self-organization, the capability of global value networks, mission orientation, and co-evolution between actors as the contributions of innovation biosphere framework for managing grand health challenges, and global cohesion, oligopoly market, supporting local innovations, the critical role of basic research, and deregulation as the contributions of the COVID-19 case study for enhancing the innovation biosphere metaphor.

How does the problem-oriented innovation system (PIS) help in the management of cardiovascular diseases?

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a multifaceted and complex problem in the health system that can change the priorities of the economic, social, and even political systems of countries. Therefore, as a grand challenge (GC), its management requires adopting a systematic, interdisciplinary, and innovative approach. In Iran, the most common causes of death, have changed from infectious and diarrheal diseases to cardiovascular diseases since 1960. Methods: In this study, the novel framework of the problem-oriented innovation system (PIS) has been used, and cardiovascular diseases in Iran have been selected as a case study. To this end, first, the main challenges related to cardiovascular diseases in Iran were identified in two layers of "governance-centered" (including legal and policy gaps, insufficient education, financing, lack and unbalanced distribution of medical personnel) and "society driven" (including unhealthy diet and lifestyle, uncontrolled and hard-to-regulate factors, and high costs) through a library research. Then, the functional-structural framework of the problem-oriented innovation system was used to analyze cardiovascular diseases and provide policy recommendations. Results: The findings indicate that based on the eight functions of the problem-oriented innovation system, an important part of cardiovascular diseases can be managed and controlled in three short-term, medium-term, and long-term periods. Conclusion: Increasing public awareness in the form of university courses, participation of the government with the private sector in building and equipping specialized cardiovascular centers, creating an electronic health record from birth, implementing a family health plan focusing on less developed areas, supporting agriculture and guaranteeing the purchase of agricultural products and healthy food, increasing the capacity of accepting students in medical and paramedical fields, and allocating pharmaceutical currency in the form of pharmaceutical subsidies directly to cardiovascular patients, are among the most important policy recommendations for this grand challenge.

Stability and dynamic analysis of a grid-connected environmentally friendly photovoltaic energy system.

Photovoltaic (PV) system is the cleanest form of electricity generation, and it is the only form with no effect on the environment at all. However, some environmental challenges persist, which must be overcome before solar energy may be used to represent a source of truly clean energy. This paper aims to study the stability and dynamic behavior of a grid-connected environmentally friendly photovoltaic energy system using the bifurcation theory. This theory introduces a systematic method for stability analysis of dynamic systems, under changes in the system parameters. To produce bifurcation diagrams based on the bifurcation theory, a parameter is constantly changed in each step, using MATLAB and AUTO, and eigenvalues are monitored simultaneously. Considering how the eigenvalues approach the system's imaginary axis in accordance with the changes in the targeted parameter, the occurred saddle-node and Hopf bifurcations of the grid-connected PV system are extracted. Using the obtained bifurcations, the system's dynamic stability limits against changes in controlled (controller coefficients) and systematic parameters (such as the Thevenin impedance network) are found.

Differences between health technology assessment topics in high- and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has encountered different issues and challenges over the last two decades. The main purpose of this research is to review the issues and challenges in high- and middle-income countries through reviewing studies related to the HTA. METHODS: The HTA area literature of different countries was collected from 2009 to 2020 and analyzed using scoping review, based on Scopus and WoS databases. RESULTS: Given the fact that the HTA is practically done in high- and middle-income countries, the results of reviewing the studies and articles of countries reveal that high-income countries seek to increase the participation of stakeholders and enhance the transparency of processes, policy-making, and regulation of the HTA, as well as the systematization of various participant institutions in this area. Middle-income countries, on the other hand, are mostly involved in raising awareness, training and skill development of HTA-related staff, institutionalizing the concept of HTA, and allocating appropriate resources for effective and safe decision-making in their health system. CONCLUSION: The problem of incoordination between stakeholders (participant institutions) in the HTA, and thereby, problems in decision-making were found in many of the studied reports and articles. Thus, one of the useful efforts to be made by different countries to maintain the integrity of this system would be the process of involving all members of this system and the formation of a healthy ecosystem in the HTA.