Modelling the role of energy price movements toward economic stability in Malaysia: new evidence from wavelet-based analysis.

Energy is one of the prime factors in influencing the sustainable development of a country. Different energy sources play important roles in driving the income growth of different economic sectors such as industrial, agricultural, and services. Fossil fuels, however, have come under strong criticism for actively accelerating climate change. As such, it is imperative to investigate the contributions of various energy sources toward sustainable growth. With Malaysia as the test-bed, the present study analyzes the impact of energy prices on economic stability using the novel wavelet-based analysis. Specifically, the study analyzed the impact of crude oil, natural gas, and gasoline prices on the economic (brown) and green growth from 1995 to 2020. The results show that in continuous wavelet transform, the cone of influence of all five factors exhibits strong short-run variance and fluctuations from 2005 to 2013. However, the intensity of brown growth is more influential than green growth. Similarly, in wavelet coherence graphs, the downward right arrows indicate positively significant associations between crude oil prices, natural gas prices, and gasoline prices with brown and green growth. Additionally, wavelet-based Granger causality reveals a bidirectional causal relationship between all variables. The results thus strongly suggest that energy prices predominantly affect the economic (brown) and green growth progression of the Malaysian economy. The study concludes with some suggested implications to augment the country's sustainable growth.

Sustainability-oriented innovation system and economic stability of the innovative countries.

Novelcoronavirus-19 has created a challenging situation for developed as well as developing countries to sustain economic stability. There are a lot of controversies for policymakers to formulate an effective policy for reviving economic stability and minimizing the economic effects of this pandemic. The present study focuses on the internal mechanism of the Sustainability Oriented Innovation System and its subsequent effects on economic stability in most innovative economies. For empirical analysis of the most innovative countries (12 countries) high-income, middle-income, low-income, and lower-middle-income countries are selected. The Sustainability Oriented Innovation System is represented through the innovation input index and innovation output index. Economic stability is measured through the GDP growth rate of respective countries. A set of panel data was developed for the period of 11 years and Fixed Effect Methods were used to ascertain the empirical findings. The outcomes indicate that innovation is the main force of economic stability. The study's results are important to policymakers to promote, stimulate and support economic stability through their strategies. Future studies may focus on the effects of the Sustainability Oriented Innovation System on economic stability in regional blocks like the EU, ASEAN, and G-20 countries.

A strategic review on sustainable approaches in municipal solid waste management andenergy recovery: Role of artificial intelligence,economic stability andlife cycle assessment.

The consumption of energy levels has increased in association with economic growth and concurrently increased the energy demand from renewable sources. The need under Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) intends to explore various technological advancements for the utilization of waste to energy. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has been reported as constructive feedstock to produce biofuels, biofuel carriers and biochemicals using energy-efficient technologies in risk freeways. The present review contemplates risk assessment and challenges in sorting and transportation of MSW and different aspects of conversion of MSW into energy are critically analysed. The circular bioeconomy of energy production strategies and management of waste are also analysed. The current scenario on MSW and its impacts on the environment are elucidated in conjunction with various policies and amendments equipped for the competent management of MSW in order to fabricate a sustained environment.

The National School Lunch Program and Obesity: A Look at Economic Stability's Influence on the Relationship.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 20% of US children are obese and these rates are expected to increase. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides meals to millions of students and may influence their body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to investigate whether students who participate in the NSLP have a higher BMI when compared to those that do not. METHODS: Secondary data from the US Census Bureau were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis H tests were performed to find associations between NSLP participation and students' BMI. Race and economic stability were included as moderating variables. RESULTS: NSLP participation and respondents that identified as White/Caucasian, African American, and Native American were positively associated with BMI. Lower economic stability was also positively associated with BMI. CONCLUSION: Participation in the NSLP was significantly associated with participants' BMI, race, and economic stability. While a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be determined, these results are important given their potential influence on students' long-term health.

Associations of self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with indicators of economic instability and stress - 16 states, 2017.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status and indicators of economic instability and stress to better understand the magnitude of these issues in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: Analyzed 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 16 states that administered the 'Social Determinants of Health' module, which included economic instability and stress measures (N = 101,461). Associations between self-reported doctor-diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status and each measure were examined using multinomial logistic models. RESULTS: Adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were more likely (p < 0.001) than adults without to report not having enough money at month end (21.0% vs. 7.9%) or just enough money (44.9% vs. 37.2%); being unable to pay mortgage, rent, or utility bills (19.2% vs. 8.8%); and that often or sometimes food did not last or could not afford to eat balanced meals (37.9% vs. 20.6%), as well as stress all or most of the time (27.3% vs. 11.6%). Associations were attenuated although remained significant after adjustments for sociodemographic and health characteristics. DISCUSSION: Financial, housing, and food insecurity and frequent stress were more prevalent in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than without. Findings highlight the importance of including strategies to address challenges related to economic instability and stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease management programs.

Intimate Partner Violence, Economic Insecurity, and Health Outcomes Among American Indian and Alaska Native Men and Women: Findings From a National Sample.

Limited data are available on experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) and health outcomes among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations. This study explores the relationship between IPV and SV, food insecurity, housing insecurity, healthcare access, and self-reported physical and mental health status in a nationally representative sample of AIAN adults (N = 3,634). IPV and SV were associated with poorer physical and mental health at the bivariate level, but not in multivariate analyses. Economic inequalities are a salient predictor of health and may be compounded by demographic and geographic contexts.

Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Urban Economic Resilience and Influencing Factors in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Due to the changes in the domestic and international economic situation in the post-pandemic era, the economic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has become unstable in many aspects. The paper adopted the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model to build a regional economic resilience evaluation system from the perspective of public health emergencies. Then, the spatial and temporal evolution of the economic resilience of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the influencing factors were explored by using entropy weight method, GIS and gray correlation method. The conclusions show that: (1) Temporally, the economic resilience of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has generally increased from 2010 to 2021, and is divided into three main stages: rapid development, adjustment to fluctuations and stable development. (2) Spatially, the overall pattern of economic resilience in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is high in the middle and south and low in the northwest, and shows a "stochastic-equalized-polarized" pattern of transformation. (3) In terms of influencing factors, economic status and economic response are the main dimensions affecting the resilience level of the economic system in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region. The level of scientific research and innovation, medical governance, government regulation and the rationalization of the industrial system are the key factors.

La salud como representación social: el fenómeno de la salud dentro de la cotidianidad de las personas migrantes nicaragüenses en Costa Rica / Health as a social representation: The phenomenon of health within the daily life of nicaraguan migrants in Costa Rica

Resumen Introducción: la salud está cargada de simbolismos y manifestaciones prácticas que difieren según los grupos sociales y los contextos socioculturales. Con el fin de visibilizar la cotidianidad y las necesidades, el paradigma teórico de las representaciones sociales aporta las bases teórico-metodológicas pertinentes para comprender los conocimientos de sentido común asociados a la salud entre la población migrante nicaragüense en Costa Rica. Metodología: estudio de abordaje cualitativo y enfoque etnográfico con el fin de identificar la representación social de la salud por medio de los procesos de la objetivación y el anclaje presentes entre las personas migrantes nicaragüenses radicadas en Costa Rica. Datos recolectados por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas, observación participante y diarios de campo. Procesamiento según análisis de contenido. Resultados: la representación social de la salud hallada se comporta de manera análoga a una fórmula, en donde la búsqueda de ambientes pacíficos se suma a la consecución de estabilidad financiera para dar como resultado dos representaciones interdependientes: 1) salud como fuerza físico-mental y 2) salud como sensación futura y abstracta de bienestar, felicidad y trascendencia. Los antecedentes socio-políticos en Nicaragua, el proceso migratorio, y la adaptación a Costa Rica juegan un rol preponderante en dicha conformación. Conclusión: las representaciones sociales sobre la salud poseen implicaciones prácticas directas sobre los modos de vida y las necesidades de los colectivos migrantes. Comprender su conocimiento de sentido común permite avanzar hacia políticas públicas más contextualizadas. Se recomienda mayor integración de los pensamientos, las opiniones y los sentimientos de las personas migrantes en plataformas de toma de decisiones

Abstract Introduction. Health is loaded with symbolisms and practical manifestations that differ according to social groups and sociocultural contexts. In order to make everyday life and needs visible, the Theoretical Paradigm of Social Representations provides the theoretical-methodological bases necessary to understand the common sense knowledge associated with health among the Nicaraguan migrant population in Costa Rica. Methodology: Qualitative study with ethnographic approach that aimed to identify the social representation of health, through the process of objectification, present among Nicaraguan migrants living in Costa Rica. Data collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and field diaries. Processing according to Content Analysis. Results: The social representation of health found behaves analogously to a formula; where, the search for peaceful environments is added to the achievement of financial stability to result in two interdependent representations: 1) Health as physical-mental strength; and 2) Health as a future and abstract sensation of well-being, happiness and transcendence. The socio-political antecedents in Nicaragua, the migratory process, and the adaptation to Costa Rica play a preponderant role in shaping the representation on health. Conclusion: Social representations about health have direct practical implications on the ways of life and needs of migrant groups. Understanding their common sense knowledge allows to move towards more contextualized public policies. More integration of the thoughts, opinions and feelings of migrants in decision-making platforms is recommended.

Bovine respiratory microbiota of feedlot cattle and its association with disease.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), as one of the most common and costly diseases in the beef cattle industry, has significant adverse impacts on global food security and the economic stability of the industry. The bovine respiratory microbiome is strongly associated with health and disease and may provide insights for alternative therapy when treating BRD. The niche-specific microbiome communities that colonize the inter-surface of the upper and the lower respiratory tract consist of a dynamic and complex ecological system. The correlation between the disequilibrium in the respiratory ecosystem and BRD has become a hot research topic. Hence, we summarize the pathogenesis and clinical signs of BRD and the alteration of the respiratory microbiota. Current research techniques and the biogeography of the microbiome in the healthy respiratory tract are also reviewed. We discuss the process of resident microbiota and pathogen colonization as well as the host immune response. Although associations between the microbiota and BRD have been revealed to some extent, interpreting the development of BRD in relation to respiratory microbial dysbiosis will likely be the direction for upcoming studies, which will allow us to better understand the importance of the airway microbiome and its contributions to animal health and performance.

Race, Racism, and Cardiovascular Health: Applying a Social Determinants of Health Framework to Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease.

Health care in the United States has seen many great innovations and successes in the past decades. However, to this day, the color of a person's skin determines-to a considerable degree-his/her prospects of wellness; risk of disease, and death; and the quality of care received. Disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD)-the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally-are one of the starkest reminders of social injustices, and racial inequities, which continue to plague our society. People of color-including Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, and others-experience varying degrees of social disadvantage that puts these groups at increased risk of CVD and poor disease outcomes, including mortality. Racial/ethnic disparities in CVD, while documented extensively, have not been examined from a broad, upstream, social determinants of health lens. In this review, we apply a comprehensive social determinants of health framework to better understand how structural racism increases individual and cumulative social determinants of health burden for historically underserved racial and ethnic groups, and increases their risk of CVD. We analyze the link between race, racism, and CVD, including major pathways and structural barriers to cardiovascular health, using 5 distinct social determinants of health domains: economic stability; neighborhood and physical environment; education; community and social context; and healthcare system. We conclude with a set of research and policy recommendations to inform future work in the field, and move a step closer to health equity.

The acute and persisting impact of COVID-19 on trajectories of adolescent depression: Sex differences and social connectedness.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 era is a time of unprecedented stress, and there is widespread concern regarding its short- and long-term mental health impact. Adolescence is a sensitive period for the emergence of latent psychopathology vulnerabilities, often activated by environmental stressors. The present study examined COVID-19's impact on adolescent depression and possible influences of different domains of social connectedness (loneliness, social media use, social video game time, degree of social activity participation). METHODS: A community sample of 175 adolescents (51% boys, mean age = 16.01 years) completed questionnaires once before and twice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Piecewise growth modeling examined the acute (7 weeks) and persistent (8 months) effects of COVID-19 on depressive symptoms, and differences across sex and social connectedness. RESULTS: Significant increases in depressive symptoms followed pandemic onset for boys and girls. However, this increase was earlier and more pronounced among girls than boys, whose depression only increased significantly during the persistent period and to a lesser degree. Trajectories of depression were influenced by loneliness and social connections. LIMITATIONS: Most participants had economic stability and minimal exposure to the virus. Exacerbation of depressive symptoms may be more severe in higher risk populations. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent depression levels have increased during COVID-19, and are higher for girls and those who are lonely. Enhanced screening and management for adolescent depression and social connectedness could play a critical role in mitigating the negative mental health fallout of COVID-19 and future pandemics within this population.

"No Man Is an Island": Perspectives of CHamorus in Guam on COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Guam is a United States territory situated in the western Pacific Ocean with a multiethnic population numbering approximately 168,000. The CHamorus, who are the Indigenous people of Guam, make up 37%. In this study, we sought to explore CHamorus' perspectives on and experiences of COVID-19. DESIGN: Interviews were conducted with 10 CHamoru adults in June-July 2020 via telephone for a larger study on understanding how the collective history of the CHamoru people is perceived relative to contemporary health beliefs and practices. This study is a secondary data analysis of questions that focused on COVID-19. We used thematic analysis techniques to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: self and other, or "no man is an island"; trust in government; and focusing on the positives. A cross-cutting theme was commitment to the common welfare of the community through interconnectedness and inafa'maolek (doing good for others). CONCLUSION: Results indicated that CHamorus recognized a balance between community and individual, the need to protect the vulnerable while also considering personal choice, and the implications of enforced social distancing on community and economic stability.

Economic instability and child maltreatment risk: Evidence from state administrative data.

BACKGROUND: The effects of economic instability and the role of economic conditions preceding child protective services (CPS) involvement have not been fully considered in the child welfare literature. OBJECTIVE: This paper investigates the link between earnings instability and CPS involvement. Specifically, it examines whether adequate access to safety net programs mitigates the likelihood of child welfare involvement when families encounter negative earnings shocks. METHODOLOGY: The study used quarterly administrative data from a sample of at-risk families for CPS involvement in Wisconsin. Event history analysis was employed to estimate the relationship between earnings instability and subsequent child maltreatment investigations. RESULT: Experiencing a negative earnings shock of 30% or more increases the likelihood of CPS involvement by approximately 18%. The effect diminishes and becomes nonsignificant when an earnings decline is compensated by benefit receipt. Each additional earnings drop is associated with a 15% greater likelihood of CPS involvement. Each consecutive quarter with stable income is associated with 5% lower probability of a CPS report. The results are more pronounced for abuse than neglect and are marginally significant for neglect reports. CONCLUSION: Unfavorable economic instability is linked to greater CPS-involvement risk, particularly for child abuse. Moreover, accessing sufficient social benefits as supplemental income when negative earnings shocks occur serves to effectively buffer against the risk of child maltreatment, particularly among families with young children (ages 0-4).

Migração e atividade econômica das esposas de militares da União e de trabalhadores dos setores público e privado no Brasil em 2010 / Migration and economic activity of wives of union soldiers, public and private sector workers in Brazil in 2010 / Migración y actividad económica de las esposas de militares y trabajadores del sector público y privado en Brasil en 2010

Resumo Militares da União podem, como parte de sua função, ter que migrar a cada dois ou três anos. Enquanto a carreira do homem militar é assegurada nessa situação, suas esposas podem não ter estabilidade suficiente para desempenharem suas carreiras no mercado de trabalho. O objetivo do presente estudo é analisar como as migrações e a carreira dos esposos podem afetar a participação das mulheres no mercado de trabalho formal. Para tanto, utilizaram-se modelos logit comparando os resultados para esposas de militares, de outros servidores públicos e de trabalhadores formais do setor privado controlando pelo tempo de migração dos casais, entre outras variáveis. Os resultados mostram que as esposas de militares participam menos do mercado de trabalho formal do que as cônjuges dos demais trabalhadores. As esposas que migraram também têm menor chance de estarem no mercado formal do que as que não migraram, independentemente da atividade do marido, a menos que tenha migrado antes do esposo e o esposo não seja militar. As mulheres de militares têm menores chances de participarem no mercado formal em qualquer situação de tempo de migração, mesmo que tenham migrado antes de seus cônjuges.

Abstract Union military personnel may, as part of their mission, be required to migrate every 2 or 3 years. While the military man's career is assured in this situation, his wife may not have enough stability to develop her career in the labor market. The objective of this work is to analyze how migrations and spouses' career may affect women's participation in the formal labor market. For this purpose, logit models were used, comparing the results for wives of military personnel, other civil servants and formal workers in the private sector, controlling for the migration time of couples, among other variables. The results show that wives of military personnel participate less in the formal job market than wives of other workers. Wives who have migrated are also less likely to be in the formal market than those who have not, irrespective of the husband's activity, unless they migrated before the husband and the husband is in the military. Military wives are less likely to be in the formal market at any time of migration, even if they migrate before their husbands.

Resumen El personal militar de la Unión puede, como parte de su función, tener que migrar cada dos o tres años. Si bien la carrera del militar está asegurada en esta situación, sus esposas pueden no tener la estabilidad suficiente para desarrollar su carrera en el mercado laboral. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar cómo las migraciones y la carrera de sus cónyuges pueden afectar la participación de las mujeres en el mercado laboral formal. Para ello se utilizaron modelos logit para comparar los resultados para esposas de militares, otros servidores públicos y trabajadores formales del sector privado, controlando por el tiempo de migración de las parejas, entre otras variables. Los resultados muestran que las esposas de los militares participan menos en el mercado laboral formal que las de otros trabajadores. Las esposas que migraron también tienen menos probabilidades de participar del mercado formal que aquellas que no lo han hecho, independientemente de la actividad de sus esposos, a menos que hayan migrado antes que ellos y que el esposo sea militar. A su vez, es menos probable que las esposas de militares estén en el mercado formal en cualquier situación de migración, incluso si migraron antes que sus esposos.

Strengthening the WHO in the pandemic era by removing a persistent structural defect in financing.

BACKGROUND: The WHO's success in its vital role is constrained by inadequate financial support from member states and overreliance on earmarked voluntary contributions, which erodes autonomy. The agency's broad functions, including coordination among 194 members, cannot be performed by any other entity. However, despite experts' well-articulated concerns that the agency's legitimacy and authority in global health matters have been undermined, a decades-long freeze on member assessments means that WHO priorities are disproportionately influenced by a few powerful donors. A STRUCTURAL DEFECT: To overcome inertia in addressing well-known limitations, it may be helpful to consider the weaknesses in WHO's financing mechanism as a persistent structural defect. This perspective strengthens the focus on corrections needed to remove the defect. In our view, the main features of the structural defect are the self-imposed constraints that foster the perception-if not the reality-that the agency's legitimacy is compromised. These constraints include WHO's inadequate level of financing; lack of direct control over 80% of its funds; and unbalanced participation, such that over 60% of financing originates from only 9 donors. With renewed commitment, however, member countries can remove these constraints. REMOVING THE STRUCTURAL DEFECT: To meaningfully strengthen structural integrity of the financing mechanism, restore WHO's autonomy, and minimize concerns about wealthy-donor supremacy, it will be necessary to define specific requirements and implement restrictions on financial contributions. We make five recommendations, including tripling total financing; ensuring that 70% or more of financial support derives from member assessments; limiting contributions from individual members to a maximum of 4% of total WHO financing; and limiting donations from individual partners to a maximum of 3% of total WHO financing (1% for earmarked donations). Although some might consider these measures impractical, they are justified by the magnitude of the crises the world faces, by member states' increased economic strength in recent decades, and by the importance of shielding the WHO's financing structure from perceived neocolonialism. This necessary step calls for an adjustment of priorities: the higher level of assessed contribution-from nearly all members regardless of wealth-required to reach the proposed targets would still represent only a small fraction of most members' annual military expenditures. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic, with its devastating toll on human life and global economic stability, presents an opportunity for reflection and refocusing. Realigning WHO's financial structure to its founders' vision, as proposed here, would likely safeguard both the agency's autonomy and member states' trust, while alleviating concerns about undue influence from powerful donors. Removing the persistent structural defect in financing would empower WHO to lead and coordinate global response to meet the inevitable challenges of the coming decades.

Potential of Community Volunteers in Flood Early Warning Dissemination: A Case Study of Bangladesh.

Flood early warning (FEW) is a vital component of disaster risk management and is particularly important for saving lives, developing a sustainable agro-based economy, economic stability, and the overall development of the people of Bangladesh as well as others. This study was conducted in a northern, flood-prone area of Bangladesh to investigate the potential of incorporating volunteers of the community to the Union Councils (UCs) to disseminate FEW alongside the top-down approach. Several studies have found that despite having a sophisticated flood forecasting technology, local communities are not reaping the benefits of it, as the existing dissemination system is inaccessible to most local people. Since risk communication takes place in a social context, this study investigated and thereby proposed that volunteerism, as a form of social capital or communal virtue, can potentially assist the community-based disaster management (CBDM) institutions in enhancing their capacity to reach the maximum population at times of flood risk. Therefore, it was confirmed that the trained volunteers need to be integrated into and endorsed by the national policy. In addition, this study also provides a number of recommendations connecting literature with policy documents of Bangladesh.

Prevalence and associated characteristics of youth who trade sex in a representative sample of high school students.

INTRODUCTION: Our understanding of youths' sex trading predominantly stems from non-representative studies with high-risk populations (e.g. homeless/runaway youth). The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence and associated characteristics of youth who report sex trading (compared to those who do not) in a representative sample of high school students. METHODS: Data comes from the 2018 Youth Assessment, a cross-sectional survey administered to 9th through 12th graders across 24 high schools in Dane County, a predominantly urban area in Wisconsin, U.S.A. All youth who answered the question, "have you ever had sexual contact in order to stay safe or to get something like a place to stay, money, gifts, alcohol or drugs?" were included for secondary data analysis (n = 13,714). Participants were 70% White, 50% female/47% male, and 90% minors. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: 2.47% of youth reported sex trading, of whom 91% were minors. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences across demographics, economic instability, behavioral health and substance use, delinquency, and romantic/sexual behaviors. Multivariate results suggested that students who reported substance use, cutting class, 3 or more out-of-school suspensions, knowing a friend involved in a gang, dating violence, foster care involvement, or identifying as LGBTQ+ were more likely to report sex trading. CONCLUSIONS: Although the causal order of characteristics analyzed in relation to the sex trading is not known, these findings have important implications for sex trading prevention, assessments, and intervention, particularly among youth with marginalized identities and adverse experiences.