Community perspectives on the effectiveness of watershed management institutions in the Himalayas

The sustainability of environmental management initiatives,such as watershed management programs,relies on the presence of effective institutions at the watershed level.However,there needs to be more empirical evidence from evaluating the effectiveness of watershed-level institutions.Therefore,this study presents a pioneering effort to evaluate the effectiveness of Nepal’s first watershed conservation committee at the watershed scale,focusing on the case of the Khageri Khola watershed in Central Nepal.The study involved conducting a household survey,key informant interviews,focus group discussions,and field observations to collect and analyze the data.Descriptive analysis,index value calculation,and chi-square statistics were then employed to summarize the results regarding local respondents’perceptions of twelve institutional characteristics,their rationalities,and their association with socio-demographic variables.The results reveal that the watershed conservation committee was perceived as performing well in managing the watershed.Specifically,good interaction,appropriate scale,technical,environmental,social,organizational,and government rationality were perceived as highly effective,with an average index value of less than 0.36.In contrast,clarity of objectives and economic rationality showed moderate effectiveness,with an average index value ranging from 0.36 to 0.65.However,the results suggested that adaptiveness,compliance capacity,and financial rationality merit increased attention,intending to improve their performance.Further,the results showed the association of socio-demographics with respondents’perceptions of various indicators of institutional characteristics and their rationalities.Therefore,the study provides valuable insights for policymakers,researchers,and development practitioners charged with designing sustainable and effective programs and institutions.To enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of watershed management programs,we recommend establishing a policy-guided institutional mechanism at the watershed scale.This mechanism should be based on various institutional characteristics and rationalities and should consider the extant variability in the socio-demographic and topographic characteristics of the watershed.

Ranking academic institutions based on the productivity,impact,and quality of institutional scholars

Purpose:The quantitative rankings of over 55,000 institutions and their institutional programs are based on the individual rankings of approximately 30 million scholars determined by their productivity,impact,and quality.Design/methodology/approach:The institutional ranking process developed here considers all institutions in all countries and regions,thereby including those that are established,as well as those that are emerging in scholarly prowess.Rankings of individual scholars worldwide are first generated using the recently introduced,fully indexed ScholarGPS database.The rankings of individual scholars are extended here to determine the lifetime and last-five-year Top 20 rankings of academic institutions over all Fields of scholarly endeavor,in 14 individual Fields,in 177 Disciplines,and in approximately 350,000 unique Specialties.Rankings associated with five specific Fields(Medicine,Engineering&Computer Science,Life Sciences,Physical Sciences&Mathematics,and Social Sciences),and in two Disciplines(Chemistry,and Electrical&Computer Engineering)are presented as examples,and changes in the rankings over time are discussed.Findings:For the Fields considered here,the Top 20 institutional rankings in Medicine have undergone the least change(lifetime versus last five years),while the rankings in Engineering&Computer Science have exhibited significant change.The evolution of institutional rankings over time is largely attributed to the recent emergence of Chinese academic institutions,although this emergence is shown to be highly Field-and Discipline-dependent.Practical implementations:Existing rankings of academic institutions have:(i)often been restricted to pre-selected institutions,clouding the potential discovery of scholarly activity in emerging institutions and countries;(ii)considered only broad areas of research,limiting the ability of university leadership to act on the assessments in a concrete manner,or in contrast;(iii)have considered only a narrow area of research for comparison,diminishing the broader applicability and impact of the assessment.In general,existing institutional rankings depend on which institutions are included in the ranking process,which areas of research are considered,the breadth(or granularity)of the research areas of interest,and the methodologies used to define and quantify research performance.In contrast,the methods presented here can provide important data over a broad range of granularity to allow responsible individuals to gauge the performance of any institution from the Overall(all Fields)level,to the level of the Specialty.The methods may also assist identification of the root causes of shifts in institution rankings,and how these shifts vary across hundreds of thousands of Fields,Disciplines,and Specialties of scholarly endeavor.Originality/value:This study provides the first ranking of all academic institutions worldwide over Fields,Disciplines,and Specialties based on a unique methodology that quantifies the productivity,impact,and quality of individual scholars.

Changes and Adjustments:The Rule of Law Response to Medical Institution Data Compliance

Medical institution data compliance is an exogenous product of the digital society,serving as a crucial means to maintain and balance the relationship between data protection and data sharing,as well as individual interests and public interests.The implementation of the Healthy China Initiative greatly benefits from its practical significance.In practice,data from medical institutions takes varied forms,including personally identifiable data collected before diagnosis and treatment,clinical medical data generated during diagnosis and treatment,medical data collected in public health management,and potential medical data generated in daily life.In the new journey of comprehensively promoting the Chinese path to modernization,it is necessary to clarify the shift from an individual-oriented to a societal-oriented value system,highlighting the reinforcing role of the trust concept.Guided by the principle of minimizing data utilization,the focus is on the new developments and changes in medical institution data in the postpandemic era.This involves a series of measures such as fulfilling the obligation of notification and consent,specifying the scope of data collection and usage,strengthening the standardized use of relevant technical measures,and establishing a sound legal responsibility system for data compliance.Through these measures,a flexible and efficient medical institution data compliance system can be constructed.

Can We Manage Coastal Area? Will We?——The Institutional Change of the Coastal Area Management of Taiwan

The Coastal Zone Management Act was finally promulgated in 2015,while Ministry of the Interior was asked to draft a coastal management act in 1991 by Executive Yuan.It was until the government’s lifting of martial law in 1987,vigorous activities started prevailing on coastal areas.And relevant legal documents were on sea reclamation for development in the 1980’s by Council of Agriculture.The approval of“Taiwan Coastal Area Natural Environment Protection Plan”showed an era of environmental protection in 1980s.However,it was surely not market driven,similar to land development,but some efforts by the administration systems.Through all the years,the efforts were put on drafting plans and these efforts were not quite sounding.The coastal disasters and further climate change caught the attention of relevant NGOs,scholars,politicians,and the society.At the critical juncture the government was made to react to outside demands.And then the Coastal Zone Management Act was passed by Legislative Yuan,establishing an integrated coastal management system in Taiwan.As such,it is proposed to look into this long process of the attempt with the concept of institutional change in order to understand this coastal environmental preservation and protection issue in a broader scope.

The Application of Piano in Chinese Pop Music Arrangements

By exploring the application of piano in Chinese pop music arrangements,this article aims to enhance the understanding of the position of piano in pop music and provide useful insights and references for the future development of Chinese pop music.Starting from the unique position of piano in Chinese pop music arrangements,the article analyses in detail the specific applications of piano in Chinese pop music arrangements.The analysis finds that the piano has been deeply integrated into the bloodline of Chinese popular music and become an indispensable part.From simple melodic embellishments to complex arrangement ideas,the piano has injected endless vitality and vigor into popular music with its unique timbre and expressive power.

Digital Transformation:The Impact of e-CNY on Securities Institutions and Financial Systems in China

In recent years,the rapid advancement of emerging technologies such as big data,blockchain,and artificial intelligence has accelerated the transformation of currencies,shifting from materialization towards digitization and electronization.The e-CNY stands out as a prime example of China’s pioneering digital financial innovation globally.Governed by the central bank,it embodies the national agenda.As the e-CNY’s application field and reach expand,its relationship with the financial market grows increasingly intimate.As a significant participant in China’s financial landscape and a proactive responder to national policies,the securities industry is profoundly influenced by the e-CNY across various domains.Therefore,this paper undertakes a theoretical analysis of the e-CNY’s implementation within securities institutions,concluding that it will usher in a new paradigm for the entire financial system.

Research on the Impact of China’s Foreign Trade Technology Spillover on Green Total Factor Productivity of Countries Along the“Belt and Road”:Based on the Institutional Quality Threshold Effect

China’s growing trade with countries along the“Belt and Road”Initiative is accompanied by a focus on green development.Based on the panel data from 2007 to 2018,this paper establishes a threshold regression model to empirically analyze the institutional quality threshold effect of China’s foreign trade technology spillover on the GTFP of countries along the“Belt and Road.”The results show that China’s foreign trade technology spillover has a significant institutional quality double threshold effect on the green total factor productivity of the countries along the“Belt and Road.”As the institutional quality of the countries along the“Belt and Road”crosses a specific threshold value,the impact of China’s foreign trade technology spillover on the green total factor productivity of the countries along the“Belt and Road”has a significant positive promoting effect,and corresponding suggestions are put forward.

Research on the Internal Talent Training Path and Performance Evaluation Mechanism of New R&D Institutions in Zhejiang Province

New research and development(R&D)institutions are an important part of the national innovation system,playing an important role in promoting the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.In recent years,new R&D institutions have gradually become the driving force of innovation-driven development in China.Taking new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province as the research object,this paper studies the internal talent training path and performance evaluation mechanism of new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province by using the literature research method,comparison method,case verification method,and other methods.The investigation results show that there are problems such as lack of material and spiritual support and neglect of the absorption of local talents in the internal talent training,and there are problems such as unclear standards,insufficient data,and opaque processes in the performance evaluation mechanism,which greatly affect the establishment and improvement of the performance evaluation mechanism.Given the above problems,this paper puts forward a forward-looking,oriented,flexible,and compatible talent training path and performance evaluation mechanism,hoping to optimize the effective internal talent training path of new R&D institutions,improve the evaluation performance,and promote healthy development of new R&D institutions in Zhejiang Province.

Analysis of the Current Situation of Drug Clinical Trial Institutions in Shaanxi Province

To understand the current situation of institutional registration in Shaanxi Province after the implementation ofregistration system management in drug clinical trial institutions.Relevant information was collected on the“Announcement on the Accreditation of Drug Clinical Trial Institutions”issued by the National Medical Products Administration from 2005 to August 2022,the record management information system of drug and medical device clinical trial institutions,and the drug clinical trial registration and information publicity platform.A retrospective analysis was carried out in terms of institutional development,regional distribution,registered majors,principal investigators,and the number of drug clinical trials.After the implementation of institution registration,the number of drug clinical trial institutions in Shaanxi Province increased by 47.4%,884 principal investigators were registered,the number of registered majors expanded from 58 qualified to 117,and the professional scope increased by 50.4%.The policy of institution registration is conducive to promoting the rational use of medical resources and the development of drug clinical trial institutions and improving the healthy development of the pharmaceutical industry in Shaanxi Province.

Google Scholar University Ranking Algorithm to Evaluate the Quality of Institutional Research

Education quality has undoubtedly become an important local and international benchmark for education,and an institute’s ranking is assessed based on the quality of education,research projects,theses,and dissertations,which has always been controversial.Hence,this research paper is influenced by the institutes ranking all over the world.The data of institutes are obtained through Google Scholar(GS),as input to investigate the United Kingdom’s Research Excellence Framework(UK-REF)process.For this purpose,the current research used a Bespoke Program to evaluate the institutes’ranking based on their source.The bespoke program requires changes to improve the results by addressing these methodological issues:Firstly,Redundant profiles,which increased their citation and rank to produce false results.Secondly,the exclusion of theses and dissertation documents to retrieve the actual publications to count for citations.Thirdly,the elimination of falsely owned articles from scholars’profiles.To accomplish this task,the experimental design referred to collecting data from 120 UK-REF institutes and GS for the present year to enhance its correlation analysis in this new evaluation.The data extracted from GS is processed into structured data,and afterward,it is utilized to generate statistical computations of citations’analysis that contribute to the ranking based on their citations.The research promoted the predictive approach of correlational research.Furthermore,experimental evaluation reported encouraging results in comparison to the previous modi-fication made by the proposed taxonomy.This paper discussed the limitations of the current evaluation and suggested the potential paths to improve the research impact algorithm.

Blockchain Governance: The Development and Application of a Framework for Waqf Institutions

The effectiveness of waqf administration is impeded by poor management of assets,opacity,and unstandardized reporting.Blockchain is expected to solve these issues due to its ability to record and trace every transaction,allowing administrators to discharge their accountability to waqf stakeholders.While there have been numerous proposals for waqf blockchain,there is no explicit framework for the governance of blockchain in waqf institutions.We propose a governance of blockchain framework for waqf institutions based on IT governance dimensions and blockchain governance dimensions from the literature.The framework comprises three dimensions(formation and context,actors,and means of governance/decision making)that subsume eight sub-dimensions across three layers and three stages.We then apply the framework on a blockchain-based waqf organization to examine its usefulness.The framework is among the first to be designed for waqf institutions.

The 10th China Obesity Science Conference Held in Beijing

The 10th China Obesity Science Conference was held in Beijing from May 10th to 11th, 2024. Experts from authoritative institutions such as the National Health Commission, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the China Institute of Sports Science gathered to discuss on the topics including obesity prevalence trends.

An Extensive Study and Review of Privacy Preservation Models for the Multi-Institutional Data

The deep learning models hold considerable potential for clinical applications, but there are many challenges to successfully training deep learning models. Large-scale data collection is required, which is frequently only possible through multi-institutional cooperation. Building large central repositories is one strategy for multi-institution studies. However, this is hampered by issues regarding data sharing, including patient privacy, data de-identification, regulation, intellectual property, and data storage. These difficulties have lessened the impracticality of central data storage. In this survey, we will look at 24 research publications that concentrate on machine learning approaches linked to privacy preservation techniques for multi-institutional data, highlighting the multiple shortcomings of the existing methodologies. Researching different approaches will be made simpler in this case based on a number of factors, such as performance measures, year of publication and journals, achievements of the strategies in numerical assessments, and other factors. A technique analysis that considers the benefits and drawbacks of the strategies is additionally provided. The article also looks at some potential areas for future research as well as the challenges associated with increasing the accuracy of privacy protection techniques. The comparative evaluation of the approaches offers a thorough justification for the research’s purpose.

Experimental Study on Vortex-Induced Vibration of Rough Risers with Coupling Interference Effect Under Side-by-Side Arrangement

A vortex-induced vibration(VIV)experiment of rough risers with coupling interference effect under a side-by-side arrangement was carried out in a wave-current combined flume.The roughness of the riser was characterized by arranging different specifications of surface attachments on the surface of the riser.Rough risers with three different roughnesses were arranged side by side with smooth risers to explore the VIV response of the riser under the combined action of roughness and interference effect,and to reveal the coupling mechanism between roughness and interference effect.The experimental results show that,compared with that of a smooth riser,the VIV of a rough riser under the coupling interference effect has a wider"lock-in"region,and the displacement decreases more significantly at a high reduced velocity,which is more likely to excite higher-order modes and frequency responses.In addition,the displacement response and frequency response of the smooth riser are not significantly affected by wake interference from the rough riser,which is caused by the decrease of the wake region due to the delay of the boundary layer separation point of the rough riser.

Experimental Study on Vortex-Induced Vibration of Rough Risers Coupling with Interference Effect in Tandem Arrangement

In order to study the response law of vortex-induced vibration(VIV)of marine risers under the combined action of roughness and interference effects,and to reveal the coupling mechanism of roughness and interference effects on the riser,a VIV experiment of rough risers in tandem arrangement was conducted in a wave−current combined flume.The experiment characterized the risers’roughness by arranging different specifications of attachments on the surface of the risers.Three rough risers with different roughness and smooth risers were arranged in tandem arrangement,with the rough risers arranged downstream.The experimental results indicate that the suppression of the attachments on the downstream risers’vibration are more significant both in the CF and IL directions as the reduced velocity increases.For the downstream riser,the amplitude response of rough riser is more significantly weakened compared with the smooth one at high reduced velocity.For the upstream risers,changes in the roughness and spacing ratio have an impact on their‘lock-in’region.When the roughness of downstream risers is relatively large(0.1300)and the spacing between risers is small(S/D=4.0),the reduced velocity range of‘lock-in’region in the CF direction of upstream risers is obviously expanded,and the displacement in the‘lock-in’region is severer.

Examining the Burden Reduction Policy for Primary and Secondary School Teachers in China:A Framework Analysis Centered on the Rational Selection of Institutional Doctrine

The“burden reduction”policy aims to reduce the workload of primary and secondary school teachers to alleviate their burdens.While it has improved the quality of teachers,implementation challenges still exist.This study utilizes rational choice institutionalism and Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to examine the policy.By considering the preferences of the Ministry of Education,local governments,schools,and teachers,it explores interactions and outcomes,identifies challenges,and provides policy suggestions.

Interaction Mechanisms between Natural Debris Flow and Rigid Barrier Deflectors:A New Perspective for Rational Design and Optimal Arrangement

Rigid barrier deflectors can effectively prevent overspilling landslides,and can satisfy disaster prevention requirements.However,the mechanisms of interaction between natural granular flow and rigid barrier deflectors require further investigation.To date,few studies have investigated the impact of deflectors on controlling viscous debris flows for geological disaster prevention.To investigate the effect of rigid barrier deflectors on impact mechanisms,a numerical model using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics(SPH)method with the Herschel–Bulkley model is proposed to simulate the interaction between natural viscous flow and single/dual barriers with and without deflectors.This model was validated using laboratory flume test data from the literature.Then,the model was used to investigate the influence of the deflector angle and multi-barrier arrangements.The optimal configuration of multi-barriers was analyzed with consideration to the barrier height and distance between the barriers,because these metrics have a significant impact on the viscous flow pile-up,run-up,and overflow mechanisms.The investigation considered the energy dissipation process,retention efficiency,and dead-zone formation.Compared with bare barriers with similar geometric characteristics and spatial distribution,rigid barriers with deflectors exhibit superior effectiveness in preventing the overflow and overspilling of viscous debris flow.Recommendations for the rational design of deflectors and the optimal arrangement of multi-barriers are provided to mitigate geological disasters.

Evaluation of the Living Conditions and Health Perceptions of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Handlers in the Informal Sector in Dakar

Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has reached the end of its life is mainly informal. This professional environment is characterized by the disintegration of the sector and the social heterogeneity that can be found there. The objective of this study is to assess the standard of living of electrical and electronic equipment waste handlers in the Dakar region, as well as their perception of their health. A survey was used to obtain information on sociodemographic background, living arrangements, perception of health status, and good practices to be implemented in case of work-related health problems. Life style, perception of general health and health problems were ranged as excellent, very good, good, average and poor. Informal recyclers in the Dakar region lived mainly in rooms and buildings as tenants (49.1%), or in family homes (48.4%) before starting this activity, and 51.2% continue to live in rooms and buildings as tenants compared to 41.4% who still live in a family home. The perception of health status ranged from poor to excellent, and 4.9% believe that they are limited in work due to a disability or health problem. Informal work is a heterogeneous phenomenon that makes research and policymaking particularly complex. There are several external factors within informal WEEE re-cyclers that can cause health problems or functional disability. However, the living conditions and the perception they have of their state of health are contradictory to the working conditions and the social environment to which they belong. A biomedical approach would consolidate these achievements by confirming or invalidating them.

Exploring University Campus Community’s Perceptions and Barriers toward Biking: A Case Study of the University of Tennessee Knoxville

Bicycling constitutes an integral component of sustainable non-motorized means of travel. Despite the immense benefits of bicycling, the modal share of bicycling is quite low, specifically among young and low-income commuters e.g., college and university students. This study explores the perceptions of and barriers to bicycling of the campus community at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with the aim to identify the factors that could enhance bike use among students at the university campus as well as highlight the barriers that keep young population away from biking. An online survey about bike use at the university campus was administered and responses to the survey were recorded. On the methodological front, a binary logit model was estimated with students’ willingness to use bikes at campus as the dependent variable. The survey results revealed that about 47% of the students considered vehicular traffic as the reason for feeling unsafe while biking and emphasized having separate bike routes. Most of the respondents highlighted the need to change clothes after biking in summer or carry things as the reason for not selecting bikes as a mode of transport at the campus, whereas inadequate bike lanes, paths, or trails, insufficient lighting along bike routes, and the lack of adequate bicycle parking were highlighted as the major barriers deterring bike use within the campus. The study suggests development of a campus bike network with proper bike lanes, bike runnels, installation of safety cameras and better lighting at the campus, and bike-supporting infrastructure such as communal showers to be provided in campus buildings to encourage bike use among university students. The study findings can assist campus transportation planners in devising a sustainable campus transportation plan incorporating the influencing factors and deterrents of bike use in a university campus setting.

A Study on the Quality of Life of Elderly Nurses in Two Selected Elderly Care Institutions in Shandong Province

Objective: To comprehensively understand the impact of the quality of life of elderly nurses in two selected elderly care institutions in Zibo city, Shandong province, and to provide a scientific basis for improving the professional quality of life of elderly nurses. Methods: The convenient sampling method was used to investigate the professional quality of life (proQOL) questionnaire Version 5 and the self-designed demographic data of 82 elderly nurses working in two elderly care institutions. Result: From this score, it can be seen that the occupational burnout problem of elderly nursing staff in the two nursing homes is the most significant, with empathy and secondary trauma emergency at a moderate level. After controlling the demographic variables, the working hours and monthly income level had a significant impact on nurses’ job burnout. Conclusion: Due to the particularity and high intensity of elderly nurses’ work, their physical and mental health faces many challenges, which affect their quality of life. At present, efforts will be made to reduce work pressure, increase wages and benefits, and thereby improve the quality of life.