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The evolution of the 21st century international system towards a complex and chaotic system, due to the simultaneous global and regional transition of power between China and the United States, has made the seas more prominent in the process of order transition. Such a transition can be seen in Indo-Pacific maritime tensions, especially in the South China Sea. Such a multi-level transition has brought new challenges to the traditional model of power transition theory and it’s necessary to adjust it within the framework of complex systems. This paper examines the role do seas and oceans play in the transition of power in complex international systems? The author argues that competition to dominate the seas and oceans can be the point of transferring systemic pressures to the branches of the regional order and changing its security architecture towards a new maritime-based security order. The paper, using the multi-level power transition theory, contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics surrounding maritime competition and contestation between China and the United States in the process of power transition from a systemic perspective. The research method is deductive-inductive based on inference and synthesis. In this regard, at first the principles and rules of transition in complex and chaotic systems are extracted, then by combining them, the bifurcation transition model and comprehensive network control system is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explains how China uses a debt Trap diplomacy to gain hegemony. The paper's descriptive-analytical hypothesis was that China seeks to expand its economic, political, and strategic influence in the region and the world to become a hegemonic power. Along the way, the country, through its Belt and Road initiative, especially lending to infrastructure projects called "public goods" to countries along its route, is trapping these countries in its circle and making them a platform for used its regional and global influence. This approach has created a negative perception of China in the eyes of international public opinion, and this has led China to move away from it instead of approaching the hegemonic position. The findings of the paper show that if countries have a negative perception of the public goods in the realm of international relations, the acquisition, maintenance, and promotion of the hegemonic position will be challenged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disputes between China and India are a complex historical issue. The 70th anniversary of China-Indian relations in 2020 became one of the most crucial years in the history of bilateral relations. Following the formation of a dispute between the two countries over shared borders and the creation of military posts, Chinese and Indian forces were heavily involved in battles in the Galvan Valley near Ladakh on June 15, which killed Indian and Chinese forces. The question that arises here concerns the causes of the Sino-Indian border disputes as well as their continuation. The hypothesis of the present descriptive-analytical study is that the colonial heritage and the unwillingness of the great powers to accurately determine the common boundaries in the past have led to the formation and persistence of critical conditions between the two countries. The findings of the study show that although the colonial contexts have led to border disputes between China and India, none of the parties took advantage of the opportunities to solve the problem at various historical stages and did not succeed in bilateral negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, one of the tools for Environmental sustainability, along with increasing manufacturers' performance is Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). In this way, the purpose of this paper is to study "Identifying & prioritizing the effective factors on Green Supply Chain Management in chemical and detergents manufacturers by using Path Analysis Approach". The empirical data used in this study consists of questionnaire responses from 36 managers chemical and detergents manufacturers. Statistical analysis of data was done in two stages; Kendall's Tau-b Correlation study and use of statistical method of Path Analysis. The results show the rejection of influence on internal drivers on Green Supply Chain Management practices (third hypothesis), while the influence of external drivers on internal drivers and GSCM practices have been approved. This indicates that external drivers can provide positive bias of internal drivers towards a GSCM practice and manufacturers have to do this in order to stay in this competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open access mega journals represent an increasingly important part of the scholarly communications. The current research aims to introduce eight international mega journals and to investigate their performance in a five-year time span (2012-2016). The current study is an applied research in terms of objectives while it is a descriptive study in terms of data analysis and conducted using scientometric indicators. Research population comprised of 195011 articles published in eight mega journals during 2012-2016 and indexed by the Web of Science. Data was collected using three products of the Clarivate Analytics, namely Web of Science, Journal Citation Reports as well as InCites. Data analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel. Results of the study showed 101% growth in 2016 compared to 2012 with regard to publications in eight studied mega journals. A total of 195011 articles have been published in eight mega journals during 2012-2016. Considering article processing fees of each journal, we can assume that roughly 300 million USD has been charged by eight mega journals. Papers published in mega journals were found to have higher citation impact compared with the average of the Web of Science database. Results revealed that two mega journals, namely PLoS One and Scientific Reports, were accountable for 91.6% of total publications and 96.1% of total citations. The highest share of publications in eight mega journals was found to be in the following research categories: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Multidisciplinary Sciences, Neurosciences, Oncology and Immunology. Moreover, the US, China, the UK, Germany and Japan had the highest number of publications in eight studied mega journals. Reputable publishers have identified a market demand for publication of scholarly output and are offering their services using open access mega journals. The mega journal market seems likely to keep increasing in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: After the Ukraine crisis in 2014, Russia's foreign policy actually experienced an eastward shift, especially in terms of increased cooperation with China. The energy sector played a significant role in this strategic partnership between the two countries. Before the crisis, Russia's energy cooperation with China was relatively unstable and limited in scope. However, in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis, the relationship deepened and transformed into a more robust and strategic partnership. Research Question: The article examines the issue of what is the strategic partnership between Russia and China in the field of energy in recent years? Research hypothesis: The hypothesis suggests that the progress of bilateral cooperation in the field of energy, along with Russia's focus on looking to the east in its energy strategy and China's emphasis on energy diversity and security, has led to the implementation of a strategic partnership between the two countries. Methodology and Theoretical Framework: The method of this research is qualitative and with an analytical-explanatory approach. The research uses a qualitative analysis of texts, reports and documents related to Russian and Chinese energy sectors, using the theory of neo-classical realism to evaluate factors at the system and unit levels, as well as geopolitics. The operationalization of the strategic partnership between Russia and China in the field of energy can be understood by examining the mechanisms and measures that have been taken to strengthen their cooperation. Results and Discussion: Some key aspects that have contributed to the operationalization of this partnership in recent years include: -Bilateral Cooperation: Russia and China have engaged in various forms of cooperation in the energy sector, including the signing of long-term contracts for the supply of oil, gas, and other energy resources. These agreements provide a foundation for stable energy trade between the two countries. Energy Strategy Alignment: Russia has been actively shifting its energy strategy towards the east, emphasizing closer ties with China. This strategic shift is based on the recognition of China's growing energy demand and its potential as a reliable energy partner. By aligning their energy strategies, Russia and China have created a framework for mutual benefit and collaboration. Infrastructure Development: Both countries have invested in the development of energy infrastructure to facilitate the transportation and trade of energy resources. This includes the construction of pipelines, such as the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, which enables the export of Russian natural gas to China. The establishment of transmission lines and infrastructure projects enhances the connectivity between the energy sectors of Russia and China. -Investment and Financing: Russia and China have also engaged in significant investment and financing activities in the energy sector. Chinese companies have invested in Russian energy projects, while Russian companies have sought capital and expertise from Chinese partners. These investments strengthen the economic ties between the two countries and facilitate the implementation of joint energy projects. The energy sector is also influenced by geopolitical factors. Both countries share a common interest in diversifying their energy partnerships and reducing their dependence on the West, particularly the United States. This strategic alignment allows Russia and China to pursue their geopolitical objectives while enhancing their energy security. The consequences of this operationalized strategic partnership can be significant. It strengthens the energy trade and cooperation between Russia and China, providing them with reliable sources of energy and contributing to their respective energy security. The partnership also enhances the geopolitical positioning of both countries, allowing them to counterbalance the influence of other global powers, particularly the United States. In addition, the deepening integration of energy cooperation between Russia and China could have implications for the global energy landscape, potentially shaping the dynamics of energy markets and resource flows. Conclusion: The findings of the research suggest that Russia and China are further deepening their energy trade integration, which enables them to have more leverage in pursuing their agenda. This includes balancing the US and promoting a favorable multipolar model on the world stage. The institutionalized interaction between China and Russia is a complex topic that involves multiple factors shaping their foreign policy strategies. While economic and security motivations are important, they alone cannot fully explain developments in Sino-Russian relations. In addition to these factors, changing the perceptions of oneself and others, as well as the experience of interaction between the two countries, has a decisive role in the formation of their foreign policy. A key aspect is the changing narrative about world politics among elites in both countries. The way Chinese and Russian elites perceive themselves and their roles on the world stage has evolved over time. They have developed narratives that emphasize their shared interests and the need for closer cooperation. These narratives help shape their foreign policy decisions and create a sense of common purpose between the two countries. Moreover, changes in domestic factors within China and Russia also influence their foreign policy strategies. Domestic political considerations, public opinion, and economic conditions can all play a role in shaping the approach taken by these countries in their interactions with each other and the rest of the world. For example, the dynamics of Russia's dominant public narrative and domestic politics have influenced its eastward trend. This shift in national interests is a response to how Russian politicians interpret and react to European positions, particularly in light of efforts to isolate Russia economically and geopolitically. When analyzing China-Russia relations, it is important to consider the interplay between these factors. Economic and security motivations are undoubtedly important drivers, but alone they are not sufficient to explain the depth and direction of cooperation. The evolving narratives about world politics and changing domestic factors in both countries are equally important in understanding the dynamics of institutionalized interaction and their foreign policy strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's foreign policy dramatically changed in the post-Mao era as Mao's ideological approach was replaced by an ambition for economic development gaining a share of the world economy. In the meantime, China has resorted to multilateral organizations and institutions to make an impact on international politics. The Chinese elite’s new strategic perception contributed to this shift. This article investigates the background based on which Chinese foreign policy shifted from ideological confrontation to participatory development as well as the role of multilateral organizations and institutions in this process. This research argues that multilateral organizations and institutions are very important in the post-Mao Chinese foreign participatory developmental policy. China's foreign policy will first move towards institutional participation and later towards institutional balancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang Autonomous Region has been a complex puzzle for Chinese rulers throughout history and its people have been diverse in cultural, religious, and ethnic areas. In addition, geographical features and the existence of a border region challenge China's control on this area. Since 1949, the Uyghur separatists and the independence of East Turkestan as an internal problem. Since early 1990s, China has recognized the international aspects of this dilemma and has been forced to confront its consequences. The new policy affected China's relations with Turkey, which in addition to its historical, linguistic, religious and cultural ties with the Muslim Uighurs, was ideologically inspired by Uighur nationalism as well as a suitable place for Uyghur refugees. So the authors intend to investigate how the Xinjiang situation has affected China-Turkey relations. It seems that the quality and quantity of China-Turkey relations before the 1990s have been affected by the Xinjiang developments, and have been undermined, and the Xinjiang developments after the 1990s have been managed at the expense of the Uighurs by the economic, military and political relations between the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual soil erosion in different regions of the world has been estimated using various empirical and numerical methods whose accuracy is very dependent on their utilized parameters. One of the most common methods in the evaluation of the mean annual soil erosion especially in sheet and furrow regions is the USLE method. In this relationship, almost all factors that normally affect the soil loss process such as land cover, slope, precipitation, soil type, and support practice parameter of soil have been employed but, in this research, it was shown that the accuracy of this method in mountainous areas covered by rock and snow is somewhat low. To do this, a part of the Tibet plateau in China, where observation soil loss data were available, was selected for investigation. To implement the numerical and analytical analysis, many maps including DEM, NDVI, orientation, soil type, mean monthly and annual precipitation for 30 years were collected. For increasing the accuracy of the model, the cover management parameter was extracted from high accuracy NDVI maps and all USLE parameters were calculated in ArcGIS. The final results were shown that the amount of annual soil loss which was estimated by the USLE method is more than the observed data which were collected by Chinese researchers. This is because the large areas of the study area are covered by lichen and snow where soil loss due to the erosion process is very low but these regions cannot be recognized from NDVI maps. Also, the analysis of the NDVI maps was shown that the relationships of Fu, Patil, and Sharma were not suitable for soil loss estimation in elevated mountainous areas. If the other relationships such as Lin, Zhu, and Durigon are used for the regions with a height of more than 5500 m, a new correction coefficient needs to be used for the C factor which was calculated as 0.2 for the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim COVID-19, a viral respiratory disease. In this review study, we discuss about the genetic structure, pathogenic mechanism, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 based on the latest findings. Methods & Materials In this review study, the articles were searched in Medline database using kewwords such as “Coronavirus”, “COVID-19”, and “Respiratory infection”. Ethical Considerations Ethical principles in writing this article have been observed in accordance with the guidelines of the National Ethics Committee and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Results In December 2019, the unprecedented outbreak of pneumonia with unknown etiology began in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Its cause was a new coronavirus named “COVID-19” by the World Health Organization. This virus has high transmissibility and affects the lower respiratory tract. Research into the mechanism and treatment of COVID-19 is already underway, and new information is being provided every day, some of which are contradictory. COVID-19 is a serious and dangerous infectious disease and a significant threat to the health of the world, and should be prevented from spreading. Conclusion Since the exact mechanism of the COVID-19 has not been fully elucidated and no specific drug or vaccine has been developed for it, control is mainly based on the interruption of the transmission cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]