The Innovation Public Policies and the Firms＇ Adoption of Innovative Processes： Some Notes About the Portuguese Case

Innovation is considered an important competitiveness factor for firms and a source of wealth for economies. Innovation appears as a positive value and as a solution to solve social problems and firm＇s competitiveness. Therefore it is an important subject of policy intervention and territory development, so organizations are encouraged to adopt innovative practices through incentives and innovation policies. This paper aims to propose a new methodological approach for public policy supporting innovation evaluation in a territorial-based analysis. A new methodology which intended to contribute to strengthen and reinforce the innovation effectiveness in firms and territory development resulting from support of public mechanisms. Some economic and sociological studies had showed that Portuguese firms adopt more easily technological innovations （with short-term effects） than organizational and social innovations. In this sense, we will consider innovation public policies effects at firms and how they take available opportunities for innovation. The aim is to know if the concept of innovation spread by these policies is multidimensional （e.g., social, economic and technological） or restricted. We propose to study the factors （internal and external） that affect innovation processes in firms through case studies methodology. This research strategy will show the processes of innovation from within the organizations and analyze the socio-economic context in which organizations operate.

Extreme rain event highlights the lack of governance to face climate change in the Southeastern coast of Brazil

New rainfall records were registered in the southeastern region of Brazil during February 2023.The amount of rain in the north coast region of the State of São Paulo was more than 650 mm in less than two days.Landslides and tragedies with a socioeconomically vulnerable population marked this climatic extreme.The country has a regulatory system that suggests the elaboration and implementation of municipal public policies aimed at territorial organization,environmental conservation,and the prevention of disasters induced by natural hazards.In addition,both federal and state funds earmarked for such hazard's prevention have been underutilized over the last decade.In addition to this current devastating climate episode,other events were registered in this decade,reinforcing that financial governance is a key challenge to face the climate crisis in Brazil.The predicted future extreme events in different regions of Brazil will require a different governance system to minimize social inequality,seek sustainable alternatives for urban environments and manage to adapt cities for the challenges posed by climate change.

Climate change,ambient air pollution,and students'mental health

The impact of global climate change and air pollution on mental health has become a crucial public health issue.Increased public awareness of health,advancements in medical diagnosis and treatment,the way media outlets report environmental changes and the variation in social resources affect psychological responses and adaptation methods to climate change and air pollution.In the context of climate change,extreme weather events seriously disrupt people's living environments,and unstable educational environments lead to an increase in mental health issues for students.Air pollution affects students'mental health by increasing the incidence of diseases while decreasing contact with nature,leading to problems such as anxiety,depression,and decreased cognitive function.We call for joint efforts to reduce pollutant emissions at the source,improve energy structures,strengthen environmental monitoring and governance,increase attention to the mental health issues of students,and help student groups build resilience;by establishing public policies,enhancing social support and adjusting lifestyles and habits,we can help students cope with the constantly changing environment and maintain a good level of mental health.Through these comprehensive measures,we can more effectively address the challenges of global climate change and air pollution and promote the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Exploring the Prevalence and Contributing Factors of Depression among Sickle Cell Anemia Patients in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan Region

Sickle Cell Anemia(SCA)is a prevalent genetic condition in Saudi Arabia,particularly in the Jazan region.The study’s purpose was to assess the prevalence of de-pression among individuals with SCA in this area and to identify the factors associated with this condition.The study involved 391 adult participants,all patients in the hematology center of Prince Mohammed bin Nasser Hospital(PMNH).Data was collected through an anonymous interview questionnaire–the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9)–between March–May 2022.The questionnaire covered socio-demographic information and variables related to the participant’s SCA history,such as pain levels,frequency of pain,hospitalization duration,and frequency of blood transfusions.These variables underwent Chi-square and One-way ANOVA testing,followed by multivariate regression.The study found a 42%prevalence of depression among the SCA patients.Factors significantly linked with heightened depression levels included being widowed or divorced,experiencing frequent and severe pain,and longer duration of hospital stays.An educational level of at least a bachelor’s degree was also a significant factor.The study reveals a high prevalence of depression among SCA patients in the Jazan region.It underscores the need for policymakers to educate both physicians and patients about the importance of mental health in SCA management.The study also highlights the need for more research into the specific causes and effects of depressive symptoms in SCA patients to inform the creation of effective management plans.

The Intervention Path of Fundamental Rights under the Scope of International Private Law

In recent years, international private law scholars have argued for the radiating effect of fundamental rights on international private law by introducing constitutional theory. However,there remains a lack of systematic research on how fundamental rights should be integrated into judicial practices concerning foreign-related civil and commercial cases. Throughout the development of international private law, public policy has served as a historical carrier of substantive values for judicial entities and has consistently played a crucial role in value review. In cases of international private law where conflicts arise with the values of fundamental rights, public policy indirectly excludes the legal choice outcomes to safeguard the human rights values inherent in fundamental rights from infringement.However, due to limitations imposed by the degree of connection and relative conditions, traditional paths of public policy have certain constraints and cannot provide comprehensive protection for fundamental rights. Therefore, there is a need for judges to shift their logical paradigms, transcend bilateral choice-of-law models, and introduce a direct intervention path for fundamental rights. This direct intervention path utilizes the logical analysis framework of the protection scope,intervention, and justification of fundamental rights. It can effectively balance conflicting legal interests and maximize the protection of the fundamental rights of the parties involved.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of surveillance policies to control the COVID-19 pandemic in São Paulo,Brazil

Background:Surveillance efforts are essential to pandemic control,especially where the state is the primary health provider,such as Brazil.When public health testing guidelines limit molecular tests,there are reductions in detection efforts aimed at early recognition,isolation,and treatment of those infected with the virus.This study evaluates the effectiveness of surveillance policies to control the COVID-19 pandemic in São Paulo.Methods:We conducted an interrupted time series analysis with a segmented regression model to analyze if changes in the state’s guidelines improved RT-PCR testing outcomes in Brazil’s most affluent and largest state,São Paulo.Anonymized daily data on the RT-PCR tests conducted in public laboratories belonging to the state-wide network from March 1,2020 to June 5,2021 were extracted from the Sao Paulo State open-source database,while the data on the genomic sequences were obtained from GISAID.We then aggregated these data for the 17 regional health departments in the state to evaluate regional-level outcomes.Results:The public health system restricted RT-PCR testing to hospitalized cases in the first months.Testing was expanded to permit symptomatic testing of non-hospitalized persons only in July 2020,but a statistically significant increase in surveillance efforts was not observed.Case definition was expanded to allow case confirmation based on clinical,laboratory and image data criteria other than an RT-PCR test without increasing the testing effort for asymptomatic suspicious cases in September 2020.There was an increase in the mean volume of testing in each RHD,but the test positivity rate increased due to insufficient testing expansion.Results also show an uneven improvement in testing outcomes following these changes across the state’s regional health departments.Conclusions:Evidence suggests that lower RT-PCR testing and genomic surveillance efforts are associated with areas characterized by a higher population concentration and a greater population reliance on the public health system.Our results highlight the need to structure health surveillance and information systems for disease control and prevention in emergency settings considering local demographics and vulnerabilities.In high prevalence settings,efforts at identifying and including vulnerable populations in routine and enhanced surveillance programs during COVID-19 must be significantly improved.

人工关节国家集中带量采购的政策效果分析

目的利用中选结果数据评估人工关节集中带量采购的政策效果,以完善后续高值医用耗材集中带量采购政策。方法利用韦唐政策评估模式中的目标模式,依据人工关节集中带量采购的政策目标,构建效果评估体系,以评估人工关节集中带量采购政策效果。结果根据韦唐政策评估模式中的目标模式评估,人工关节集中带量采购平均降幅66.60%,带量比例超90.00%,价差普遍控制在2倍左右,关联中选情况少,企业分量增幅与报价及需求量的相关性符合预期,91.67%企业直接或复活中选,88.32%的分量具有延续性,至少56.87%的跨类别分量较为合理,因此基本实现了政策目标,但也出现了少数组别中选价差较大、伴随服务报价价差较大以及对医疗机构高价偏好的行为缺乏应对措施等问题。结论人工关节集中带量采购基本实现了降低耗材价格、挤压灰色空间、稳定价差、保证企业参与积极性、提高临床选择性、稳定临床供给和使用、优质产品临床替代的政策目标。建议:优化价差控制机制,减少异常中选价的出现;细化伴随服务报价规则,优化价格形成机制;避免医疗机构选择高价产品的倾向对集采产生负面影响。

China's Urbanization in 1949–2015: Processes and Driving Forces

The pace and scale of China＇s contemporary urbanization are stunning. This paper reviews process and the underlying driving forces of China＇s urbanization between 1949-2015. Contemporary China＇s urbanization has experienced four stages, and each has had different driving forces： 1） economic re-construction and industrialization-led urbanization 0949-1977）; 2） economic reform and mar- ket-led urbanization （1978-1995）; 3） economic globalization and the global-local urbanization （1996-2010）; and 4） the land-economy- led urbanization （2010-）. These urbanization processes and driving forces will undoubtedly provide scientific reference and have sig- nificant implications for developing countries, especially African countries, to formulate their urbanization public policies.

Government Data Openness and Coverage. How do They Affect Trust in European Countries?

Purpose: This paper aims to assess if the extent of openness and the coverage of data sets released by European governments have a significant impact on citizen trust in public institutions.Design/methodology/approach: Data for openness and coverage have been collected from the Open Data Inventory 2018(ODIN), by Open Data Watch;institutional trust is built up as a formative construct based on the European Social Survey(ESS), Round 9. The relations between the open government data features and trust have been tested on the basis of structural equation modelling(SEM).Findings: The paper reveals that as European governments improve data openness, disaggregation, and time coverage, people tend to trust them more. However, the size of the effect is still small and, comparatively, data coverage effect on citizens' confidence is more than twice than the impact of openness.Research limitations: This paper analyzes the causal effect of Open Government Data(OGD) features captured in a certain moment of time. In upcoming years, as OGD is implemented and a more consistent effect on people is expected, time series analysis will provide with a deeper insight.Practical implications: Public officers should continue working in the development of a technological framework that contributes to make OGD truly open. They should improve the added value of the increasing amount of open data currently available in order to boost internal and external innovations valuable both for public agencies and citizens.Originality/value: In a field of knowledge with little quantitative empirical evidence, this paper provides updated support for the positive effect of OGD strategies and it also points out areas of improvement in terms of the value that citizens can get from OGD coverage and openness.

Environmental regulatory and policy framework in China: an overview

China has developed one of the most comprehensive environmental regulatory and policy framework in the world. This paper provides a description of the main institutions for environmental management in China, and overviews the regulatory and policy framework in place.

Does knowledge of physical activity recommendations increase physical activity among Chinese college students？ Empirical investigations based on the transtheoretical model

Background: Based on the transtheoretical model, the current study investigated whether awareness of physical activity(PA) recommendations had an impact on the stages of PA behavior change and levels of PA among Chinese college students.Methods: In Study 1, with a cross-sectional study design, 9826 students were recruited, and their knowledge of international PA recommendations,PA stage distribution, and self-reported PA level were surveyed. Pearson's χ2 test was used to test whether those participants who were aware and not aware of PA guidelines were equally distributed across the stages of PA behavior, and independent t test was conducted to test the group difference in the actual levels of PA. In Study 2, 279 students who were not aware of the PA recommendations were randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a control group, and only those in the intervention group were presented with international PA guidelines. In both groups,students' PA stages and PA level were examined before the test and then 4 months post-test. Mc Nemar's test for correlated proportions and repeated-measures analysis of variance were conducted to examine the changes in PA stage membership and PA level after the intervention.Results: Study 1 results revealed that only 4.4% of the surveyed students had correct knowledge of PA recommendations. Those who were aware of the recommendations were in later stages of PA behavior(χ~2(4) = 167.19, p < 0.001). They were also significantly more physically active than those who were not aware of the recommendations(t(443.71) = 9.00, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.53). Study 2 results demonstrated that the intervention group participants who were at the precontemplation and contemplation stages at the pre-test each progressed further in the PA stages in the post-test(χ~2(1) = 112.06, p < 0.001; χ~2(1) = 118.76, p = 0.03, respectively), although no significant change in PA level was observed(t(139) < 1, p = 0.89).Conclusion: The results showed that awareness of the PA recommendations was associated with higher stages and levels of PA behavior, and a brief educational exposure to PA recommendations led to improved stages of PA behavior but no change in the levels of PA among Chinese college students. More effective public health campaign strategies are needed to promote the dissemination of the PA recommendations and to raise the awareness of the Chinese student population.

Equipping the Public Primary Schools in Puebla： The Case of the Enciclomedia System in the State of Puebla, Mexico

The primary school system in Mexico is affected by serious shortfalls in the installation of related information and communication technologies resources in the teaching-learning process. This lack of resources has an impact of the context of the digital divide as well as in joining the knowledge society. The present article will deal with the outfitting of classrooms with the enciclomedia system in the 5tb and 6th grade in the State of Puebla. It will demonstrate important findings, demonstrating the deepening digital divide between the state capital and the rest of the municipalities in this state. In fact, the furthest （300 km far away from Puebla city） the less primary school equipped with the enciclomedia system. We will also demonstrate the resource distribution by school-type and inhabitants. Another finding is the influence in resource distribution by political party. This study should provide public policy decision-makers with valuable information for the apportionment of resources in all municipalities of the State of Puebla.

Scientific and targeted prevention and control measures to optimize COVID-19 response

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,under the strong leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping,China has made firm decisions to prioritize people's lives and health.Efforts have been made to avoid foreign imported infection and domestic rebound of COVID-19 cases;the“dynamic zero COVID”policy has been executed without wavering;and the prevention and control measures have been optimized and improved in response to changing circumstances,actively responding to the impact caused by multiple waves of COVID-19 surge globally.China has made extraordinary efforts to safeguard people's lives and health.Meanwhile,prevention and control measures were timely updated to coordinate with economic and social development.On November 10,the Standing Committee of the Central Political Bureau held a meeting to discuss the latest situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Twenty measures(referred to as“the 20-point measures”)were officially announced to further optimize the COVID-19 response.The latest prevention and control measures involve the requirements and guidance for isolation at home,high-risk area delineation,nucleic acid testing,international inbound flights and travelers,vaccination rollout,medical resource preparedness,and protection for special places and vulnerable population.

Prevention and control measures to further optimize COVID-19 response

On November 11,2022,the Chinese government released the Scientific and Targeted Prevention and Control Measures to Optimize COVID-19 Response.Since that time,adjusted measures have been implemented throughout China,leading to major shifts in implementation of the national prevention and control strategy.On the basis of the current situation of the epidemic and the evolving SARS-Cov-2 variants,an additional 10 specifications(referred to as“the 10-point measures”)were officially released on December 7,2022,in an effort to further optimize the prevention and control measures.The latest adjustments pertain to the specification of:precise delineation of high-risk areas,nucleic acid testing scheme,isolation and health monitoring,restriction and lifting of high-risk areas,medicine supply,vaccination rollout among older people,health status of key populations,social functioning,and campus response.

Public Policy Supply for Successful Practice of the Xin’anjiang River Ecological Compensation Mechanism

The ecological protection of the inter-provincial river basin of Xin’anjiang River takes the ecological compensation mechanism as the starting point and achieves good results.The success of the mechanism is best reflected in its innovation of public policy supply,which is not only a vivid practice of Xi Jinping’s ecological civilization thought in the new era,but also establishes a model for absorption,transformation and export of policy supply.The effective supply of public policies on ecological environment is the realistic choice for the construction of ecological civilization in the new era.

Intervention Research and Support Systems for People Affected by Cancer and Their Families:Results of a Descriptive Analysis

Population health intervention research(PHIR)was initiated in the field of primary prevention by proposing a research paradigm focusing on intervention and the theory of solutions.The intervention was coconstructed with the stakeholders as part of a global approach until its deployment in the local area.The development of PHIR raises the question of its application to tertiary prevention.This study proposes some initial thoughts on the similarities and specificities of PHIR projects-funded by the French National Cancer Institute(INCa)-of support systems for people affected by cancer and their families,which were based on a descriptive analysis.The selected projects were obtained from the databases of PHIR projects funded from 2010 to 2021,which included 72 projects to which the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied.A descriptive analysis was carried out for each project using the application files and the interim or final reports sent to INCa.A total of 30 projects were selected,half of which were in the public health field.Almost all of the projects involved a university–hospital partnership,and one-third involved healthcare professionals and patients in the research process.Patient involvement was classified into four types,which were linked to the supporting structure and the target population.The main themes of the projects were quality of life and adapted physical activity,which were assessed in hospitals through randomized controlled trials targeting specific cancers.Research has revealed several specificities and similarities between support systems for people affected by cancer and their families developed in PHIR projects;however,these support systems vary widely,and PHIR in tertiary prevention can be conducted in several ways.Any modeling of the systems is complicated;PHIR is evolving in its application and is the subject of research and evaluation.

Mathematical Model of the Spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Burkina Faso

In this paper, we develop a mathematical model of the COVID-19 pandemic in Burkina Faso. We use real data from Burkina Faso National Health Commission against COVID-19 to predict the dynamic of the disease and also the cumulative number of reported cases. We use public policies in model in order to reduce the contact rate, this allows to show how the reduction of the daily report of infectious cases goes, so we would like to draw the attention of decision makers for a rapid treatment of reported cases.

The World Production and Trade of Rare Earth Elements： The Position of the Pacific Area

In this paper we analyze the characteristics of the so-called rare earth elements （REEs） and its industrial applications. We present the policy, or lack thereof, in the countries in the Pacific Rim for its mining and commerce, and the current and future weight that rare earth minerals will have in international trade. The technological revolution experienced over the last 25 years, has brought the REEs to the public＇s attention for being instrumental in obtaining catalysts, lasers and optical fiber, luminescent substances and LEDs, superconductors, permanent magnets, batteries and ultra-capacitors. China＇s leading position as the supplier of these minerals worldwide, and its recent export restriction policy for domestic industrial activities have driven up international prices. Price increase for REEs is leading to the need for both recycling and its replacement. It has also led other countries in the Asia Pacific Rim to prospect new potential sites on their own territories, or even to restart operations in deposits that had been previously abandoned. Those strategies will likely gain greater importance as environmental pollution problems associated with the exploitation, processing, and recovery of REEs increase.

Institutions as Tools of Public Policy： A Comparative Evaluation of South East Asian-Sub-Saharan African Post War Development

In general, it can be argued that institutional framework a country or region designs plays a significant role in crafting, applying or even success of public policy. Drawing lessons from how Asia exploited the developmental state＇s concept by designing institutions which targeted key public policy areas such as education, health, domestic savings, and rural development, or aligned infrastructures such as roads, transport and ports, to drive economic development. The paper explores how this approach can be applied in sub-Saharan Africa （or individual countries）. The objective is to extricate constant factors impacting development both in ahistorical and atemporal terms. The investigation is guided by the key question： whether quality of institutions and institutional analysis can help explain development failures in Africa？ Hence, on one part, it probes institutions, institution-making, public policy making and what uniquely the Asian developmental state did that can help illuminate institutional role in policymaking and application. In pursuing this objective, the paper is cognisant of the question by Brousseau et al. asked, regarding generalizability of institutional capabilities, ＂If growth-enhancing institutions are identified in a specific country, can other countries learn from and transplant these＂. The investigation concludes that in public policy and development strategy-making institutions do matter as they delimit or even help create possibilities necessary for development and its sustenance, and to a certain extent, they are the vital constant （factors） that explains development differentiations in different geographic spaces or time periods.

Water-Energy-Food Nexus： Comparative Scenarios and Public Policy Perspectives from Some Latin American Countries Regarding Biogas from Agriculture and Livestock

Latin American and the Caribbean countries have one of the world＇s largest sources of renewable energy. Nonetheless, it estimated that nearly three-quarters of their energy consumption relies on the use of fossil fuels, with most of the countries being net importers, ultimately imposing a marked economic and political dependence on those energy commodities. Therefore, the opportunity lies in a higher utilization of various renewable energy resources, which contribute to the country＇s energy security while promoting significant environmental benefits. This manuscript aimed to provide a comparative analysis of current energy scenarios of six Latin American countries （Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, Chile and Ecuador） to evaluate their policies, programs and strategies implemented in the search for greater participation of renewable energy, with a special attention to biogas. Given the importance of the water-energy-food nexus that could foment the use of renewable energies under conditions of water scarcity, a qualitative data comparison was accomplished, considering biogas production potential, biogas projects and CO2 emissions.