An Analysis of Liberia’s Vulnerability to Climate Change in the Context of Least Developed Countries (LDCs): A Review

Climate change is an alarming global challenge, particularly affecting the least developed countries (LDCs) including Liberia. These countries, located in regions prone to unpredictable temperature and precipitation changes, are facing significant challenges, particularly in climate-sensitive sectors such as mining and agriculture. LDCs need more resilience to adverse climate shocks but have limited capacity for adaptation compared to other developed and developing nations. This paper examines Liberia’s susceptibility to climate change as a least developed country, focusing on its exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. It provides an overview of LDCs and outlines the global distribution of carbon dioxide emissions. The paper also evaluates specific challenges that amplify Liberia’s vulnerability and constrain sustainable adaptation, providing insight into climate change’s existing and potential effects. The paper emphasizes the urgency of addressing climate impacts on Liberia and calls for concerted local and international efforts for effective and sustainable mitigation efforts. It provides recommendations for policy decisions and calls for further research on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The Implications of Urbanization Processes in Developed Countries for Africa

Urbanization is the inevitable path of national economic development,and the level of urbanization development in most African countries is still low.By analyzing five typical developed countries in the United States,Britain,France,Germany,and Japan,this paper discusses the promoting factors and problems of the rapid urbanization development in their specific years,as well as the experiences and lessons that Africa can learn,so as to prevent Africa from taking the detour in the urbanization process of Western developed countries and promote the balanced regional development of various African countries.

A DIFFERENTIAL GAME MODEL FOR A DEVELOPING AND A DEVELOPED COUNTRY

A differential game (DG) model for a developing and a developed country is considered.Each player makes decisions about how much resource to be used to restrict the opponent's developmentso as to maximize his weighted sum of current consumption and final output.Current consumption isassumed to be preferred to final output for both players.The developing country is assumed to havea higher economic growth rate and a higher preference to final output,whereas the developed countryis assumed to have a higher initial income and a higher efficiency in restricting his opponent.Thisproblem is investigated under three kinds of information structures,i.e.,a zerosum,a nonzero-sum,anda Stackelberg game.Open-loop equilibrium solutions are obtained for all the three cases.Economicimplications of the result are provided.

Nutrition impacts of non-solid cooking fuel adoption on under-five children in developing countries

This paper examines the nutrition impacts of using non-solid cooking fuel on under-five children in developing countries.We draw on data from more than 1.12 million children in 62 developing countries from the Demographic and Health Surveys(DHS).Results from both fixed effects(FE)and instrumental variable(IV)estimates show that using non-solid cooking fuel significantly improves the nutrition outcomes of under-five children.Compared with their peers from households mainly using solid fuel,children from households mainly using non-solid fuel exhibit a lower probability of experiencing stunting(by 5.9 percentage points)and being underweight(by 1.2 percentage points).Our further investigation provides evidence for several underlying mechanisms,such as improved indoor air quality,induced reduction in children’s respiratory symptoms,benefits on maternal health,and reduction in maternal time spent on fuel collection or cooking.Heterogenous analyses suggest that the nutrition benefits of using non-solid cooking fuel are more prominent among boys,children above three years old,and those from households of lower socioeconomic status,rural areas,and Southeast Asia.

Snapshot Survey of the Presence of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Products, Articles, and the Environment in Ecuador

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants(POPs)is a legally binding instrument for 186 Parties(status:April 2023).Accordingly,among other responsibilities,countries are obliged to report the production,import,or export of the POPs listed in Annexes A,B,or C;provide information to registers;maintain inventories;and monitor the presence of POPs in the environment.In the broader context of international chemicals and waste management,producer responsibilities,harmonized reporting,and compliance with national and international regulations,Ecuador has addressed the newly listed group of perfluorinated alkyl substances(PFAS)in its national implementation plan and sent selected products from its national market for PFAS analysis.The products analyzed came from the initially listed fields of specific exemptions and acceptable purposes,including:fire-fighting foams;photographic aids;greasers/degreasers;various kinds of paper/packaging;textiles;and leather,coatings,cleaners,metal plating,and pesticides.Our results showed that the three PFAS presently listed in the Stockholm Convention could be quantified in only a few samples;additional PFAS,not yet listed in the Convention also had low detection frequencies.Although the number of samples was limited,the samples covered a large spectrum of sample matrices,making it possible to conclude that—once these products become waste and are regulated under the Basel Convention—they would not constitute a disposal problem.Nevertheless,verification of the presence of PFAS in products on the market is expected to pose an analytical challenge for both,developed and developing countries.

Women’s Awareness and Attitudes towards Labor Analgesia Influencing Practice between Developed and Developing Countries

Childbirth experience is one of the most intense pain that majority of women will endure during their lifetime. Concerns about pain in labor remain a hot topic, and its popularity gets more common day by day as more women become aware of their rights to achieve a better quality of care during labor. There are various non-pharmacologic (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, hydrotherapy, intradermal water injections and acupuncture) and pharmacologic treatments (nitrous oxide, opioids and regional analgesia techniques: spinal, epidural and combined epidural analgesia) available today. Among these, epidural analgesia offers the most effective form of pain relief and is considered to be the gold standard of labor analgesia. Despite having labor analgesic services, most women still go through painful labor due to lack of knowledge regarding it, particularly in developing countries. The main source of information regarding pain reliefs is from friends and relatives, revealing the lack of information from caregiver’s side. So this study reflects that there is a wide gap in the communication between pregnant women and obstetricians. It supports the fact that obstetricians through the practice of routinely offering labor analgesia can significantly improve the maternal and perinatal outcomes of pregnancy. Provision of standardized epidural analgesia information at an appropriate time in their pregnancy may benefit them by the practice of mutual decision-making. Thus, it may prevent women from making a difficult choice of cesarean section to avoid the fear of painful labor.

ISO/TC 321电子商务标准化工作对非洲发展中国家的启示

This paper draws on the experience of the eighth plenary meeting of the ISO/TC 321, Transaction assurance in e-commerce, held in Hangzhou of China in November 2023, and explores potential ways in which developing countries in Africa can drive their development and contribute to global industrial progress by leveraging ISO/TC 321 standards. It provides practical recommendations for utilizing e-commerce standardization and related standards to stimulate economic growth and enhance business practices.

Challenges to establishing and maintaining kidney transplantation programs in developing countries:What are the coping strategies?

Kidney transplantation(KT)is the optimal form of renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal diseases.However,this health service is not available to all patients,especially in developing countries.The deceased donor KT programs are mostly absent,and the living donor KT centers are scarce.Single-center studies presenting experiences from developing countries usually report a variety of challenges.This review addresses these challenges and the opposing strategies by reviewing the single-center experiences of developing countries.The financial challenges hamper the infrastructural and material availability,coverage of transplant costs,and qualification of medical personnel.The sociocultural challenges influence organ donation,equity of beneficence,and regular follow-up work.Low interests and motives for transplantation may result from high medicolegal responsibilities in KT practice,intense potential psychosocial burdens,complex qualification protocols,and low productivity or compensation for KT practice.Low medical literacy about KT advantages is prevalent among clinicians,patients,and the public.The inefficient organizational and regulatory oversight is translated into inefficient healthcare systems,absent national KT programs and registries,uncoordinated job descriptions and qualification protocols,uncoordinated on-site investigations with regulatory constraints,and the prevalence of commercial KT practices.These challenges resulted in noticeable differences between KT services in developed and developing countries.The coping strategies can be summarized in two main mechanisms:The first mechanism is maximizing the available resources by increasing the rates of living kidney donation,promoting the expertise of medical personnel,reducing material consumption,and supporting the establishment and maintenance of KT programs.The latter warrants the expansion of the public sector and the elimination of non-ethical KT practices.The second mechanism is recruiting external resources,including financial,experience,and training agreements.

Blastocystis hominis as a cause of chronic diarrhea in low-resource settings:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Blastocystis hominis(B.hominis),an anaerobic unicellular protist parasite,is known for its diverse clinical manifestations upon infecting the human gastrointestinal tract.Although globally distributed,it is particularly prevalent in developing nations.Examining the symptoms and treatment outcomes of B.hominis infection in low-resource settings holds immense significance,providing healthcare practi-tioners with valuable insights to enhance patient care.AIM To synthesize existing evidence on the symptomatology and treatment outcomes of B.hominis infection in low-resource settings.METHODS Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines,a systematic review was conducted.The search spanned electronic databases including PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar.After a comprehensive screening process,a thorough examination of the papers,adhering to inclusion and exclusion criteria,and data extraction from eligible studies was conducted.The findings underwent summarization through simple descriptive analysis.RESULTS The search yielded 1200 papers,with 17 meeting inclusion criteria.Chronic diarrhea due to B.hominis infection was reported in only two studies,while abdominal pain,diarrhea,flatulence,constipation,and nausea/vomiting emerged as the most commonly documented symptoms.Recovery rates after one week of treatment ranged from 71.8%to 100%,and after two weeks,from 60%to 100%.CONCLUSION In low-resource settings,chronic diarrhea resulting from B.hominis infection is infrequent.Common symptoms include abdominal pain,diarrhea,flatulence,constipation,and nausea/vomiting.Post-treatment,clinical outcomes are notably favorable,supporting the recommendation for treatment.Metronidazole is advocated as the first-line agent,with consideration for switching to a second-line option in cases of treatment failure or poor response.

Food Security in Developing Countries: Factors and Mitigation

Since 1976, eradicating hunger has become one of the priority objectives of the United Nations, which is included in the Charter of Human Rights;the right to get adequate food. The qualification of food security in time and space must analyze not only the three components it covers but also the relationships that these three components maintain. Climate change contributes to food insecurity, but it is not the only factor. To address food insecurity in various forms, greater food security must be combined with improved sustainable agricultural practices with minimal strain on the environment. This review of literature insists on the principles of food security, which in particular allows a better understanding of food insecurity in developing countries and favors a greater contribution of agriculture and food systems in general to nutritional progress.

Superplasticized vs. Conventional Concrete: A Comparative Review

The global awareness and utilization of superplasticizers (SPs) in concrete have significantly contributed to developing resilient and sustainable infrastructure. Despite this, many developing nations face limited adoption of SPs in construction practices due to a lack of knowledge. This study provides a concise overview of concrete’s mechanical and durability properties, comparing formulations with and without superplasticizers. The focus is on compressive and flexural strengths, modulus of elasticity, water sorptivity, and chloride penetration. The results underscore the considerable improvement in both mechanical and durability properties when SPs are incorporated. The study recommends the widespread use of SPs, particularly in developing countries, to enhance the longevity of concrete structures.

Development and Application of Integrated Indicators for Assessing Healthcare Waste Management Systems in Kenyan Hospitals

Healthcare waste management (HCWM) is an important aspect of healthcare delivery globally because of its hazardous and infectious components that have potential for adverse health and environmental impacts. The paper introduces a set of indicators for assessing HCWM systems in hospitals. These indicators are: HCWM policies and standard operating procedures, management and oversight, logistics and budget support, training and occupational health and safety, and treatment, disposal and waste treatment equipment housing. By plotting a mark on a continuum which is defined as good and poor on the extremes and is connected with all other marks in a spoke arrangement, it’s possible to describe a baseline for HCWM in any specific hospital. This baseline can be used to improve awareness of the actors and policy-makers, compare the same hospital at a different point in time, to compare observations by different evaluators and to track improvements. Results suggest that in Kenya, the application of such indicators is useful for evaluating which priorities should be addressed to improve outcomes in HCWM systems. Systematic sampling technique was used to identify and collect data by use of observational checklist, interviews, visual verification and review of documents and a HCWM assessment tool. The objective is to suggest an integrated management tool as a method to identify prevailing problems with a HCWM system. The method can be replicated in other contexts worldwide, with a focus on the developing world. The integrated indicators focus on management of HCW and not its potential impact on human health and environment, an area recognized to be critical for future research.

Feasibility and Challenges of 5G Network Deployment in Least Developed Countries (LDC)

Growing client population, ever-increasing service demand, and complexity of services are the driving factors for the mobile operators for a paradigm shift in their core technology and radio access networks. 5G mobile network is the result of this paradigm shift and currently under deployment in many developed countries such as United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, and China—to name a few. However, most of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have very recently been implemented 4G mobile networks for which the overall role out phase is still not complete. In this paper, we investigate how feasible it is for LDCs to emphasize on a possible deployment of 5G networks at the moment. At first, we take a holistic approach to show the major technical challenges LDCs are likely to face while deploying the 5G mobile networks. Then we argue that various security aspects of 5G networks are an ongoing issue and LDCs are not technologically competent to handle many security glitches of 5G networks. At the same time, we show that most of the use cases of 5G networks are not applicable in the context of many LDCs (at least at the present time). Finally, this paper concludes that the start of the 5G network deployment in LDCs would take much longer time than expected.

Challenges Brought about by Rapid Changes in Chinese Diets: Comparison with Developed Countries and Implications for Further Improvement

Given developments in urbanization, agricultural, and technological practices, the diet and lifestyle of developed countries has changed dramatically over the course of the last century[1].

Challenges in the management of paediatric cataract in a developing country

AIM:To review the management of cataract in children in a tertiary hospital in a developing country,and to highlight the challenges therein.· METHODS:The hospital records of children aged 15 years or less that had cataract surgery at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital,Enugu from 2005 to 2008 were reviewed retrospectively.Information was obtained on bio-data,pre-and post-operative visual acuity(VA),biometry,and type of surgery,use of intraocular lens(IOL) and presence of co-morbidity.SPSS was used for data entry and analysis.· RESULTS:The hospital records of 21 children(26 eyes) were analyzed.There were 12 males(57.1%) and 9 females(42.9%).Pre-operative VA could not be assessed in 11 eyes(42.3%),14 eyes(53.9%) had VA <3/60 and one eye(3.8%) had VA 6/60.Biometry was done in only 5 eyes(19.2%).All eyes had standard extracapsular cataract extraction without primary posterior capsulectomy;12 eyes(46.2%) had posterior chamber intraocular lens(PC-IOL) implant while 13 eyes(50.0%) had no IOL.After 12 weeks of follow up,vision assessment was available in only 15 eyes.With best correction,VA of 6/18 or better was achieved in only 5 eyes(33.3%).· CONCLUSION:Inadequate facilities and inadequate follow up after surgery are some of the challenges in managing paediatric cataract in the developing countries.If these challenges are not addressed,cataract will remain a major cause of childhood blindness and low vision in Africa for many years.There should be collaboration between Paediatric Ophthalmology Centres in industrialized and developing countries to enhance skill transfer.Governmental and International Non-governmental Organizations can go a long way to facilitate this exchange.

Extra-financial Analysis of IFRS Adoption and Application in Developing Country： The Case of Indonesia

This study was aimed to investigate the challenges and impacts of International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS） adoption and implementation in Indonesia, an emerging country by focusing on extra-financial factors analysis. A series of questionnaires was built up regarding some selected items which have a marginal effect on IFRS adoption and implementation by Indonesian companies, the first part of the questionnaires was designed to gather information relating participants background, the second part of the questionnaire was set to collect participants opinion regarding IFRS adoption and implementation in Indonesia, and the third part of the questionnaire was an open questionnaire to enable the participants to give them suggestion or any additional information they feel can help IFRS adoption and implementation in Indonesia. The findings of this investigation reveal that Indonesia companies have facing several challenges and impacts in their IFRS adoption and implementation such as legal system, taxation system, economy and political ties, accounting education and its infrastructure, and culture structure. To ensure adoption and effective implementation of IFRS, Institute of Indonesia chartered accountants （IAI）, Indonesia government, Indonesia accounting body and academic must work together to reform the consistence of accounting standard for better applicability of IFRS in ensuring transparent information environment.

Profile of Geriatric Trauma in a Developing Country

Geriatric trauma patients require special consideration. They frequently have comorbidities and reduced physiologic reserves, influencing treatment decisions and outcomes. Hence, a comprehensive approach is fundamental to ensure better results. The authors retrospectively evaluated the profile of 332 cases of geriatric trauma over ten years (January 2010-December 2019) at National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu, in South-East Nigeria. The mean age of patients was 74.78 years (SD = 8.69), with females presenting at a later age than men (76.05 vs 73.69 years), p = 0.013. The commonest mechanism of injury was ground-level fall (47.59%), with proximal femoral fractures being the most common (41.27%). Only 47% of geriatric patients presented to a hospital within 24 hours following injury, and the mean duration of admission was 28 days. Approximately 77% of patients had operative care, and 68.67% expressed satisfaction with the outcome of their management. The mortality rate was 2.11%. In conclusion, most geriatric fractures require surgical intervention and education to facilitate early hospital presentation is needed.

A Panel Granger Causality Test of Investment in ICT Capital and Economic Growth： Evidence From Developed and Developing Countries

This paper applies the Pairwise Panel Granger Causality test to examine the relationship between ICT （information and communication technology） expenditure and the rate of growth of GDP （gross domestic product） per capita. This is accomplished by using cross-country time-series data for a total of 70 developed and developing countries for the period from 2003 to 2008. The study reveals that the existence of causality and its direction differ across different income-group of countries and over the number of lags included. ICT investment expenditure as a percentage of GDP appears to cause the rate of growth of GDP per capita for the high income group and all income groups combined with lags higher than one year. However, for the upper- and lower-middle income groups, the study detects causality in neither direction. Also, when only one lag is included, the study suggests no causality in either direction for any of the income-groups of countries.

Modem Economic Diplomacy： Evidence from Developed Countries

Nowadays, globalization has become an essential tool for cooperation in the world and it is remarkable in many aspects, characterized by economic interdependence of states. Economical diplomacy became a precious element in foreign mutual relation. This paper discusses the evidence of modern economic diplomacy within an environment of economic interdependence and how it is seen in third world countries. The paper investigates also the relation between Africa continent and the rest of the world as well. The predominant actors in this modern economic diplomacy are developed countries. As we may all expect, countries will expect that their economic diplomacy and commercial diplomacy will serve their national interest in the economic and business sphere. With the increasing complexity of international economic relation, the traditional state-to-state diplomacy is no longer accurate and has been fragmented making more complex due to the growth of non-state actors in the international economic relations. What is the role of those non-state actors in international economic and diplomatic cooperation？ The participation of these non-state actors in the modern economic diplomacy will be discussed in this paper as well.

A Summary of the Developments Regarding the Economic Regime Implemented in Developed and Developing Countries

Since the developments regarding the economic regime in developed countries follow a different path as opposed to those in developing countries, in this article, these two groups of countries will be examined separately. Priority will be given to investigate the economic regime in developed countries due to historical and theoretical reasons. Today, both in developed and developing countries the economic activities basically are taken up by the private sector, nevertheless the government contributes to these activities through intervention, guidance, protectionism, and investment. Still the level of government intervention, protection and public investments in developed countries appears to be at the minimum. The role of government in developing countries, however, seems to be more significant. The gravity of the government＇s role depends on the degree of development for the countries concerned In the countries where the level of development is low, the role of government increases, in other words, the improvement in development decreases the role government.