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We derived 2015 wildlife-based tourism multipliers for the rural area of Zambia where input-output tables (I-OT) are unavailable. To estimate multipliers in a data-poor environment, the national direct requirements coefficients were first derived from the country's 2010 I-OT. These direct requirements coefficients were re-scaled to rural area region by multiplication with the rural area production percentage shares, while the total requirements coefficients were computed through an inverse matrix conversion (Leontief inverse matrix). This procedure is particularly useful for rural area regions with active wildlife-based tourism, where input-output tables are unavailable, with time and financial resource constraints. The ranges of the derived direct multipliers for output, income, employment and value-added multipliers were 1.10–1.27, 0.04–0.20, 6.01–35.81 and 0.52–0.71, respectively. These estimated multipliers can be used in economic models for measurement of the economic impacts of protected areas is vital for planning and management purposes and for public understanding of wildlife resource values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare different information retrieval methods that can be used to identify utility inputs for health economic models. Methods: The usual practice of using systematic review methods was compared with two alternatives (iterative searching and rapid review), using a health technology assessment (HTA) case study in ulcerative colitis (UC). We analysed whether there were differences in the utility values identified when using the alternative search methods. Success was evaluated in terms of time, burden and relevance of identified information. The identified utility values were tested in an executable health economic model developed for UC, and the model results were compared. Results: The usual practice of using systematic review search approaches identified the most publications but was also the least precise method and took longest to complete. The inclusion of data from the different search methods in the model did not lead to different conclusions across search methods. Conclusions: In this case study, usual practice was less efficient and resulted in the same health economic model conclusions as the alternative search methods. Further case studies are required to examine whether this conclusion might be generalisable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study employs a documentary review methodology to analyse the evolution of political discourse in postgraduate theses (master's and doctoral) defended in Peruvian universities. The review encompasses 24 theses. The study identifies trends and discursive representations related to the subjectivities, mediations, and manipulations of the involved actors. The results reveal a growing academic interest, concentrated in universities in the capital, and highlight the ideological complexity of the discourses, ranging from the defence of the economic model to the redefinition of the social contract. The investigative focus reveals the creation of imaginary realities to strengthen political figures and highlights the influence of the media on public perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serverless computing is one of the latest technologies that has received much attention from researchers and companies in recent years since it provides dynamic scalability and a clear economic model. Serverless computing enables users to pay only for the time they use resources. This approach has several benefits, including optimizing costs and resource utilization; however, cold starts are a concern and challenge. Various studies have been conducted in the academic and industrial sectors to deal with this problem, which poses a significant research challenge. This paper comprehensively reviews recent cold start research in serverless computing. Hence, this paper presents a detailed taxonomy of several serverless computing strategies for dealing with cold start latency. We have considered two main approaches in the proposed classification: Optimizing Loading Times (OLT) and Optimizing Resource Usage (ORU), each including several subsets. The subsets of the primary approach OLT are divided into container-based and checkpoint-based. Also, the primary approach ORU is divided into machine learning (ML)-based, optimization-based, and heuristic-based approaches. After analyzing current methods, we have categorized and investigated them according to their characteristics and commonalities. Additionally, we examine potential challenges and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop and apply a dynamic economic simulation model to analyze the multi-regional impacts of, and mechanisms of recovery from, a major disaster, the HayWired scenario — a hypothetical Magnitude 7.0 earthquake affecting California's San Francisco Bay Area. The model integrates loss pathways: capital stock damage, labor supply shocks due to short-term population displacement and longer-run out-migration from damaged areas, and the exacerbating effects of damage to transportation infrastructure capital, as well as various aspects of static and dynamic economic resilience. With input substitution-based static inherent resilience and dynamic resilience in the form of optimal intertemporal and spatial investment allocation, gross output losses range from 0.5 percent to 6 percent across regions, and welfare losses are 0.4 percent statewide but can be ten times as large in hardest-hit areas. Large-scale reconstruction investment is supported by substantial interregional transfers of resources through intra-state trade. Increased output via firms engaging in the key adaptive resilience tactic of production recapture can alleviate a substantial fraction of losses—but only if upstream and downstream barriers to recovery can be lowered quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residence-by-investment schemes, which enable wealthy people to acquire a visa in return for a financial investment, have become increasingly common. In this article, an original immigration policy index and case studies are used to examine the political economy of residence-by-investment policies in three European countries: France, Spain, and the UK. Two contributions are made to the literature. First, the article compares investment with work visas and shows that across all three countries investor routes are significantly more open and generous than work routes, including for the highly skilled. Second, drawing on theories of comparative political economy, it is explored how investor visas are shaped by capitalist diversity. Based on these three cases, it is argued that investor visa policies are conditioned by national-level economic models and the political interests that underpin them. The article aims to advance understanding not only of how investor visas vary, but why they do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the potential economic burden of long COVID in Australia. Design: A stock‐and‐flow model of weekly estimated numbers of people with long COVID (January 2021 to June 2023); application of proxy cost estimates from people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome; time series analysis of labour market and social security datasets. Setting: The working age Australian population. Main outcome measures: The likely number of Australians severely impacted by long COVID; the economic cost of long COVID; and the impacts of long COVID, determined by analysis of labour market data. Results: At its peak in late 2022, between 181 000 and 682 000 Australians may have experienced some long COVID symptoms, of whom 40 000–145 000 may have been severely affected. Severe cases potentially decreased to affecting 10 000–38 000 people by June 2023. The likely economic burden of long COVID in Australia during 2022 was between $1.7 billion and $6.3 billion (some 0.07% to 0.26% of gross domestic product). Labour market data suggest that between 25 000 (February 2023) and 103 000 (June 2023) more working age Australians reported being unable to work due to long term sickness than would have been predicted based on pre‐COVID‐19 trends. This does not appear to have translated into increased claims for Disability Support Pensions, but numbers of working age Carer Allowance recipients have grown markedly since 2022. Conclusions: Long COVID likely imposed a small but significant aggregate toll on the Australian economy, while exposing tens of thousands of Australians to substantial personal economic hardship and contributing to labour market supply constraints. Yet while some signal from long COVID is discernible in the labour force data, Australia lacks adequate direct surveillance data to securely guide policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to devolution, a significant majority of Scots believed that their new parliament would greatly improve the performance of the Scottish economy. We show that, in the subsequent twenty-five years, performance has been mixed. In some areas, Scotland's relative economic performance has improved particularly relative to an increasingly unequal UK economic model. But against key international competitors, and in areas where the parliament has levers to improve performance – such as in exports, business growth, investment, and entrepreneurship – Scotland's economy continues to lag. This is despite a raft of strategies, working groups and action plans. In reality beyond the presentation, policy agendas have remained remarkably similar to where they were back in 1999. Some exceptions exist, including most notably a greater weight upon the environment. But the lack of rigorous evaluation or review of delivery of strategy suggests that, in many ways, the economics of devolution has been more about style than substance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Incidence and mortality for bladder cancer has changed very little over the past 20 years. Approximately 40% of patients with high-risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer eventually recur/progress. It is important to understand the economic impact of disease recurrence/progression in bladder cancer. Our aim was to estimate and understand the direct costs associated with the treatment of bladder cancer from the payer's perspective in the USA, in the year of 2021, including costs for both newly diagnosed bladder cancer (stages 0a–IV) and recurrent patients. Methods: An economic model was constructed to calculate the number of patients receiving each treatment modality at every stage of disease and their respective costs. Epidemiological data were based on the CancerMPact Patient Metrics (PM) database and treatment modality data retrieved from CMP Treatment Architecture (TA), 2021 version. Resource utilization and costs were obtained from medical literature and public data sources. Only direct costs were considered. Results: There were an estimated 83,532 newly diagnosed patients with bladder cancer of all stages in 2021 with a projected total cost of treatment of ~$2.6 billion. Average cost per newly diagnosed patient varied from $19,521 (stage 0a) to $169,533 (metastatic disease). Cost profile differed substantially among the stages of disease. For the 75,760 patients that were expected to have a recurrence in 2021, an additional cost of ~$3.9 billion was estimated at an average cost per patient of $52,179. The expected total cost to treat newly diagnosed and newly recurrent patients is reported in this model, with the total cost in 2021 estimated to exceed $6.5 billion. Conclusions: Treatment and resource costs increase for bladder cancer as the disease recurs/progresses. More effective treatments that can delay recurrence/progression may reduce the economic burden associated with bladder cancer. Plain Language Summary: The costs of treating bladder cancer in the USA are high, expected to have exceeded $6.5 billion in the year 2021. The average cost for newly diagnosed patients ranges from $19,521 for the earliest stage of disease to $169,533 for metastatic disease. Average costs per patient increase upon disease recurrence and more effective initial treatments to delay disease recurrence or progression may reduce the costs associated with bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper investigates the moderating role of uncertainty in the impact of monetary policy on bank liquidity creation. Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing data from Vietnam spanning 2007–2022, the paper measures uncertainty in the banking industry through the dispersion of shocks to crucial bank-level variables and considers both interest rate- and quantity-based tools of the monetary policy regime. The study regresses economic models using different econometric methods, including the generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator in the main section and the least squares dummy variable corrected (LSDVC) estimator for the robustness check. Findings: Monetary expansion enhances banks' ability to create liquidity, affirming the existence of the bank liquidity creation channel. Further analyses suggest that monetary policy adjustments aimed at regulating bank liquidity creation may be less effective in the presence of higher uncertainty in the banking system. This observation holds for both interest rate- and quantitative-based monetary policy tools, emphasizing the functioning of the monetary policy transmission mechanism through bank liquidity creation and the mitigating effect of uncertainty. Originality/value: This study contributes novel insights to the existing literature by presenting the first attempt to explore the dynamics of monetary policy transmission through the bank liquidity creation channel in the context of banking sector uncertainty. Moreover, our contribution extends to examining a multi-tool environment, incorporating both interest rate- and quantitative-based indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What happens when patients suddenly stop their medications? We study the health consequences of drug interruptions caused by large, abrupt, and arbitrary changes in price. Medicare's prescription drug benefit as-if-randomly assigns 65-year-olds a drug budget as a function of their birth month, beyond which out-of-pocket costs suddenly increase. Those facing smaller budgets consume fewer drugs and die more: mortality increases 0.0164 percentage points per month (13.9%) for each $100 per month budget decrease (24.4%). This estimate is robust to a range of falsification checks and lies in the 97.8th percentile of 544 placebo estimates from similar populations that lack the same idiosyncratic budget policy. Several facts help make sense of this large effect. First, patients stop taking drugs that are both high value and suspected to cause life-threatening withdrawal syndromes when stopped. Second, using machine learning, we identify patients at the highest risk of drug-preventable adverse events. Contrary to the predictions of standard economic models, high-risk patients (e.g. those most likely to have a heart attack) cut back more than low-risk patients on exactly those drugs that would benefit them the most (e.g. statins). Finally, patients appear unaware of these risks. In a survey of 65-year-olds, only one-third believe that stopping their drugs for up to a month could have any serious consequences. We conclude that far from curbing waste, cost sharing is itself highly inefficient, resulting in missed opportunities to buy health at very low cost ($11,321 per life-year). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a footloose capital model in a two‐country economy and the manufacturing and natural resource sectors with heterogeneous manufacturing firms to analyze the impacts of trade liberalization and technological progress on the net capital flows, net export, and social welfare. Our main analytical result is that a lagged country initially experiences capital outflow due to the high technological gap in the manufacturing sector with increasing returns to scale, then capital inflow due to the home market effect. This corresponds with the fact that China was a net importer of manufactured goods initially, and became a net exporter recently. These results are consistent with the data obtained after the reform and opening‐up policy in 1978. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of different charging pile business models on their economic and environmental benefits. Firstly, this paper analyzes the cooperation and competition relationships among the stakeholders under three charging pile business models, and their impact on the whole process of charging pile from design, production, operation to recycling. Secondly, this paper establishes a social economic benefit evaluation model and a life cycle carbon emission evaluation model based on the differences of charging pile in quality, cost, life span and high-value component recycling rate under different business models. Finally, this paper conducts a case analysis of the economic and environmental benefits of three business models combined with China's actual situation. The research results show that the economic and environmental benefits of each party in the three business models are closely related to the quality, cost, life span and high-value component recycling rate of the charging pile. Among them, the life span of the charging pile has the greatest impact on its economic and environmental benefits. The higher the recycling rate of high-value components, the more conducive to improving its economic and environmental benefits. The research results will provide reference for policy makers and EVCI investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project HERCULES has developed a natural history model (NHM) of disease progression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that comprises eight ordered health states (two ambulatory states, one transfer state indicating increased caregiver burden in which patients cannot walk/run 10m or rise from floor but can still support their own weight, and five non-ambulatory states). The current study used data from nine sources (clinical trial placebo arms, one real-world dataset, and three natural history datasets) to further characterize patients with DMD according to these health states. The study included 1,173 patients across 5,306‬ visits. Patients were on average older and exhibited worse ambulatory, pulmonary, upper limb, and cardiac functions with each successive health state. Mean±SE ages increased monotonically across health states, starting with 8.47±0.07 for early ambulatory, 10.86±0.13 for late ambulatory, 11.65±0.35 for transfer state, and ranging from 13.17±0.32 to 16.84±0.37 for the non-ambulatory states. North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) total score, which measures motor function and ranges from 34 (best) to 0 (worst), was 23.7 (interquartile range [IQR]: 20–30) for early ambulatory patients, 12.7 (IQR: 9–16) for late ambulatory patients, and 3.9 (IQR: 2–5) for transfer patients. Pulmonary function as measured by mean±SE of forced vital capacity percent predicted (FVC%p) was 94.5±0.8 for early ambulatory, 89.1±1.4 for late ambulatory, and 80.2±2.8 for transfer states, and decreased from 77.2±1.7 to 20.6±1.6 across the five non-ambulatory health states. In summary, these findings further characterize health states and their interpretation in economic modeling and decision-making in DMD management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economics is a societally influential discipline, but the relationship of its theoretical activity to social reality and practical policy is chronically puzzling. Its theoretical models appear to involve a lot of falsehood, and modellers seem unconcerned about this and about any possible future uses of the models, while sticking to the same unifying theoretical framework. Gilboa et al. (2014, 2022) aspire to resolve the puzzle in terms of varying interpretations of models. I offer critical comments on their ideas while expanding and refining my own account of what I call model commentary whose task is to help understand and evaluate the process of modelling. I point out the rich complexity of adequate commentaries and discuss the issue of whose responsibility it is to construe and communicate them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historians and archaeologists have been debating the scale of animal husbandry in ancient Greece for decades. This study contributes to the debate by examining Classical and Hellenistic faunal assemblages from Magoula Plataniotki, New Halos, and Pherae through non-destructive zooarchaeological methods and a multi-isotopic (87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and δ18O) approach. Zooarchaeological data suggest that small-scale sedentary animal husbandry focused on caprine production in Magoula Plataniotiki and New Halos, and small-scale and semi-specialised animal husbandry was practised in Pherae. Isotopic data show both sedentary and mobile management of livestock in all sites, indicating different levels of production intensity and variety of goals. Based on our results, we propose an economic model whereby semi-specialised and small-scale animal husbandry co-existed, confirming mixed husbandry models for ancient Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Microgrids are a development trend and have attracted a lot of attention worldwide. The control system plays a crucial role in implementing these systems and, due to their complexity, artificial intelligence techniques represent some enabling technologies for their future development and success. In this paper, we propose a novel formulation of an economic model predictive control (economic MPC) applied to a microgrid designed for a faculty building with the inclusion of a predictive model to deal with the energy demand disturbance using a recurrent neural network of the long short‐term memory (RNN‐LSTM). First, we develop a framework to identify an RNN‐LSTM using historical data registered by a smart three‐phase power quality analyzer to provide feedforward power demand predictions. Next, we present an economic MPC formulation that includes the prediction model for the disturbance within the optimization problem to be solved by the MPC strategy. We carried out simulations with different scenarios of energy consumption, available resources, and simulation times to highlight the results obtained and analyze the performance of the energy management system. In all cases, we observed the correct operation of the proposed control scheme, complying at all times with the objectives and operational restrictions imposed on the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses a critical issue facing developing countries: overcoming the "middle-technology trap" to achieve sustainable economic growth. It posits that transitioning to an innovation-driven economic growth model is pivotal for surmounting this trap and is an essential prerequisite for high-quality development. This study introduces a strategic approach through a new development model, emphasizing the synergy among three core systems: basic scientific research, applied technology, and financial support. This "three-pronged" collaboration model is argued to foster sustainable innovation-driven growth, essential for leaping over the "middle-income trap" towards high-quality development. By analyzing the historical trajectories of the Soviet Union and the United States, the article delineates the critical role of the proposed model in fostering an innovation economy. The Soviet Union's failure and the United States' success are examined through the lens of their respective approaches to integrating basic scientific research, applied technology, and financial systems. The analysis underscores the necessity of a balanced and interactive relationship among these systems for technological innovation, industrial development, and sustainable economic growth. The article concludes that for China to overcome the "middle-technology trap" and achieve long-term prosperity, it should embrace this "three-pronged" new development model, ensuring continuous scientific exploration, technological innovation, and productivity enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation effects of a source-side carbon capture power plant (CCPP) and power-to-gas (P2G) equipment do not match. The response range of the load-side traditional demand response strategy is small, and the adjustment period is limited, which leads to the problem that the complementary potential of low-carbon characteristics on both sides of the source and load is not fully utilized. This article proposes an electricity-heat coupling system scheduling strategy considering the complementary low-carbon characteristics of "source-load." First, the low-carbon operation characteristics of CCPP and P2G with integrated, flexible operations are analyzed, and a source-side CCPP-P2G comprehensive flexible operation mode is proposed. Second, based on the characteristics of flexible adjustment and mutual substitution of electricity and heat load, a load-side comprehensive demand response method is proposed. Finally, the complementary mechanism of low-carbon characteristics on both sides of the source and load is analyzed, and a low-carbon economic dispatch model of the electricity-heat coupling system is constructed to realize the source-load collaborative low-carbon operations. The simulation analysis verifies that the proposed strategy can give full play to the energy time shift advantages of the source-side CCPP and P2G and improve the economic and environmental benefits of the system operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth modeling is one of the methods a government can use to formulate appropriate economic policies to improve the prosperity of its people. Differential equations and stochastic models play a major role in studying economic growth. This article aims to conduct a literature review on the use of differential equations in relation to stochastics to model economic growth. In addition, this article also discusses the use of differential and stochastic equations in economic growth models in Indonesia. This study involves searching for and selecting articles to obtain a collection of research works relevant to the application of differential and stochastic equations to economic growth models, supported by bibliometric analysis. The results of this literature review show that there is still little research discussing economic growth models using differential equations combined with stochastic models, especially those applied in Indonesia. While the application of these models remains relatively limited, their potential to offer deeper insights into the complex dynamics of economic growth is undeniable. By further developing and refining these models, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors driving growth and the potential implications of various economic policies. This will ultimately equip policy-makers with a more powerful analytical tool for making informed decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an overlapping generation model to examine the impact of fertility incentive policies on economic growth in China, incorporating endogenous fertility, education, and technological advancement by integrating unified growth theory with an R&D-based growth model. We analyze the impact of fertility incentive policies on economic growth by evaluating maternity insurance and public education. The results show that increasing the actual contribution rate of maternity insurance, maternity benefits, and public education expenditures can boost China's fertility rate; nevertheless, extending maternity leave would not incentivize an increase in the fertility rate. The impact of fertility incentives on economic growth is ambiguous, depending upon the extent to which increased fertility dilutes aggregate human capital via technical advancement. If the dilution effect is weak, the sign will turn positive, and vice versa. The simulation analysis of the benchmark model indicates that the fertility incentive policy, which encompasses increasing the actual contribution rate of maternity insurance, maternity benefits, and public education expenditure, can foster economic growth in China by enhancing the fertility rate in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article critically evaluates Itzhak Gilboa, Andrew Postlewaite, Larry Samuelson, and David Schmeidler’s account of economic models. First, it gives a selective overview of their argument, highlighting their emphasis on similarity and oversight of the role of idealizations in economics. Second, it proposes a sketch of an account of models as arguments and argumentative devices. This account not only sheds light on Gilboa et al.’s approach, including its shortcomings, but also identifies key challenges in model-based inference, suggesting a fresh perspective on the uses of models in economics for diverse objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global energy structure undergoes transformation and the low-carbon development process continues to advance, integrated energy systems have progressively emerged as crucial technical support for achieving sustainable development. In this paper, a joint-day optimal scheduling model is put forward considering the existence of dispatchable resources in community integrated energy systems (CIES). The aim is to cut down the system operation cost and enhance energy utilization efficiency. This model is founded on the concept of energy hubs and combines the shiftable, transferable, and reducible characteristics of demand-side flexible loads. It includes gas turbine power generation systems, energy storage, as well as wind and solar renewable resources. System operation cost and carbon trading cost are comprehensively taken into account, and ultimately, the CIES low-carbon economic dispatch model with the lowest total cost as the optimization objective is established. The Yalmip toolbox and Cplex solver are employed to solve the model. The optimization results of flexible electric and thermal loads participating in dispatching under different scenarios are analyzed through simulation. The economic benefits of electric and thermal independent dispatching are compared and analyzed, and the economic benefits of electric and thermal coupled dispatching are verified. The study reveals that the rational scheduling of user-side flexible loads can notably reduce operating costs, lower the load peak-to-valley difference and carbon emissions, and boost the comprehensive economic and environmental benefits of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia production has traditionally been done by using the Haber-Bosch process, that operates at extremely high pressure (200–300 bar), has a large carbon footprint, and requires significant energy. For ammonia to be used as a hydrogen carrier, it is desired that it is produced by using modular technologies under benign conditions, yet the economics remain commercially viable. This paper investigates a novel technology for ammonia synthesis by using a microwave-assisted low-pressure reactor. Microwave reactors are compact and can be readily modularized and started/shutdown thus making them ideal to be integrated with the electric grid or with regional/local renewable-based electric generation facilities. For separation of unreacted reactants from the product ammonia, if the traditional condensation separation technology used in the high-pressure Haber-Bosch process is used, then the separation process needs to be operated under cryogenic condition thus adversely affecting the economics. A solid sorbent based separation technology is investigated in this paper. A kinetic model for the microwave-catalytic synthesis process is used. An isotherm model is developed for MgCl 2 –Si adsorbent and used for modeling the dynamic adsorption-desorption cycle. A plant-wide model with heat and mass integration is developed. An economic model is developed and used for economic optimization by using an equation-oriented approach. Since the adsorption-desorption process is dynamic, for techno-economic optimization, a reduced order model for the key performance measures of the adsorption-desorption process as a function of its input and decision variable is developed under cyclic steady-state conditions. For the optimized MW-assisted process, the levelized cost of ammonia is $772/mt as opposed to $808/mt for the conventional Haber-Bosch process for a hydrogen price of $2.07/kg. The MW-assisted process is found to be economically viable in the US market if the hydrogen price is below $4/kg. • Plant-wide model of a novel MW-assisted ammonia synthesis process is developed. • A solid-sorbent based separation technology is investigated for separation. • A reduced model based approach is developed for optimizing the adsorption process. • For the optimized process, the levelized cost of ammonia is found to be $772/mt. • The technology is found to be economically viable for H 2 price below $4/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) challenges the traditional linear economic model by emphasizing the importance of resource efficiency, recycling, and regeneration in society. However, the role of gender in CE practices remains underexplored. This article presents a systematic literature review on how gender dynamics intersect with CE, highlighting the implications of gendered labor distribution, access to resources, and decision‐making processes. Women, often pivotal in household and community resource management, are underrepresented in policy and research. Gender perspectives are therefore crucial for addressing social, environmental, and justice dimensions within CE. The study employs the lens of care labor to reveal power imbalances and the exclusion of marginalized groups, advocating for inclusive policies to achieve socially sustainable and equitable CE futures. The review identifies the overrepresentation of women in undervalued, informal activities and the dominance of men in highly valued, technologically advanced CE roles. It also underscores the benefits of gender diversity in corporate governance, which enhances sustainability practices. The article calls for a deeper examination of gender's impact on CE, suggesting a research agenda to integrate gender perspectives, enhance CE effectiveness, and promote equity. The findings indicate that addressing gender inequalities in CE is essential to prevent replicating the shortcomings of the linear economy and to foster innovative, inclusive, and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A beautiful feature of nature is its complexity. The chaos theory has proved useful in a variety of fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, and economics. In the present article, we explore the complex dynamics of a rather simple one-dimensional economic model in a parameter plane. We find several organized zones of "chaos and non-chaos" and different routes to chaos in this model. The study reveals that even this one-dimensional model can generate intriguing shrimp-shaped structures immersed within the chaotic regime of the parameter plane. We also observe shrimp-induced period-bubbling phenomenon, three times self-similarity of shrimp-shaped structures, and a variety of bistable behaviors. The emergence of shrimp-shaped structures in chaotic regimes can enable us to achieve favorable economic scenarios (periodic) from unfavorable ones (chaotic) by adjusting either one or both of the control parameters over broad regions of these structures. Moreover, our results suggest that depending on the parameters and initial conditions, a company may go bankrupt, or its capital may rise or fall in a regular or irregular manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate offline retailers' cryptocurrency adoption through the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT/2), technology acceptance model (TAM) and other related variables. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-method (QUANT-Qual) was employed. The study employed a quantitative approach (partial least squares-structural equation modeling) for Study 1 and a qualitative focus group discussion for Study 2. The qualitative segment enhances the comprehension and interpretation of outcomes derived from the quantitative analysis. Findings: Study 1 identified six crucial factors in cryptocurrency adoption: trust, personal innovation, hedonic motivation, social influence, safety and a positive attitude. Perceived ease of use, price value and satisfaction were non-significant. Study 2 elaborates on the findings, and highlights the reasons for the insignificant factors. Research limitations/implications: This research contributes to theoretical knowledge by empirically testing established technology acceptance theories like UTAUT/2 and TAM in the context of retail cryptocurrency adoption. It introduces previously unexplored factors, such as personal innovativeness, hedonic motivation and safety/reliability, enriching the theoretical landscape. Practical implications: This study provides practical insights for cryptocurrency stakeholders, including government, regulators, consumers, businesses and the financial sector, regarding retailers' intentions to adopt cryptocurrencies in North Cyprus. Social implications: This study can enhance understanding of factors facilitating cryptocurrency integration into mainstream retail, potentially reshaping traditional finance. Economically, adoption can boost financial inclusion, offering efficient transaction methods. This transition may disrupt existing economic models, drive payment technology innovation and change consumer behavior toward digital assets. Originality/value: This study stands out by using a mixed-method approach to comprehensively examine cryptocurrency adoption by offline retailers, considering various factors and providing a holistic perspective, unlike previous research that often focused on specific user groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a historical review of the evolution of mathematical methods in economics, tracing their development from the earliest attempts in the 18th century to the sophisticated models of the late 20th century. The study begins by examining the initial integration of mathematical techniques into economic thought, highlighting key milestones that shaped the field. Symmetry concepts are naturally embedded in many of these mathematical frameworks, particularly in the balance and equilibrium found in economic models. Symmetry in economics often reflects proportional relationships and equilibrium conditions that are central to both micro- and macroeconomic analyses. Then, the paper elaborates on the progression of economic growth models, including the foundational Solow–Swan model, which introduced the concept of technological progress (knowledge) as a key factor influencing growth. The review also encompasses the Lucas growth model and the Mankiw–Romer–Weil model, both of which incorporate human capital into the growth equation, highlighting its importance in driving economic development. Finally, the paper addresses the Nonneman–Vanhoudt model, which extends the analysis of growth by integrating multiple types of capital, providing a more comprehensive framework for understanding economic dynamics. By documenting these developments, the paper demonstrates the significant role that mathematical modeling has played in advancing economic theory, providing tools to quantitatively analyze complex economic phenomena and driving the discipline towards greater analytical precision and rigor. This analysis emphasizes how symmetry principles, such as balance between inputs and outputs, equilibrium in supply and demand, and proportionality in growth models, underpin many economic theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant evidence now supports the quality improvement seen in castings that employ naturally pressurized filling systems in their production. However, despite the documented evidence for improvement, these systems have not become ubiquitous. Gray iron, the industry's most prominent alloy, has been particularly slow to accept the shift in system design. The suggested tolerability of gray iron to turbulence, the market's price sensitivity, and the perceived economics of naturally pressurized systems are potential factors that have hindered adoption. However, if, through improved quality, the economic justification for these systems can be made in this adverse setting, there is a merit in their application to all alloys and processes. A sample gray iron part, currently being produced in a foundry environment with known porosity issues, was selected, to which a new system and several basin designs were applied. A mixed method analysis of casting simulations, production trials, and economic and environmental modeling was used to evaluate system performance. The results show a strong association between filling system design and sub-surface porosity. However, no association was found between basin design and porosity occurrence at lower porosity levels. Nevertheless, the economic and environmental modeling highlights that quality-orientated systems yield significant financial and environmental savings for the organization due to reduced scrap levels. These findings imply that quality-orientated system designs should be employed even when cost is the most critical measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mount Hood Diabetes Challenge Network aimed to examine the impact of model structural uncertainty on the estimated cost-effectiveness of interventions for type 2 diabetes. Ten independent modeling groups completed a blinded simulation exercise to estimate the cost-effectiveness of 3 interventions in 2 type 2 diabetes populations. Modeling groups were provided with a common baseline population, cost and utility values associated with different model health states, and instructions regarding time horizon and discounting. We collated the results to identify variation in predictions of net monetary benefit (NMB) and the drivers of those differences. Overall, modeling groups agreed which interventions had a positive NMB (ie, were cost-effective), Although estimates of NMB varied substantially—by up to £23 696 for 1 intervention. Variation was mainly driven through differences in risk equations for complications of diabetes and their implementation between models. The number of modeled health states was also a significant predictor of NMB. This exercise demonstrates that structural uncertainty between different health economic models affects cost-effectiveness estimates. Although it is reassuring that a decision maker would likely reach similar conclusions on which interventions were cost-effective using most models, the range in numerical estimates generated across different models would nevertheless be important for price-setting negotiations with intervention developers. Minimizing the impact of structural uncertainty on healthcare decision making therefore remains an important priority. Model registries, which record and compare the impact of structural assumptions, offer one potential avenue to improve confidence in the robustness of health economic modeling. • Structural uncertainty is known to be an important, but often unexamined, contributor to healthcare decision uncertainty. • Conducting a common simulation exercise across 10 independent modeling groups using uniform parameterization has allowed us to investigate the structural drivers of differences in cost-effectiveness estimates between diabetes models. We show how blinded simulation exercises can be used to quantitatively examine both the drivers and impact of structural uncertainty. Similar exercises could be replicated to examine the effect of structural uncertainty in healthcare decision problems in other disease areas. • This article demonstrates the value of incentivizing collaboration and comparative assessments among modeling groups to critically examine their modeling practice. This generates more robust evidence for decision making. Healthcare decision makers may benefit from directly facilitating collaboration between modeling groups, such as aiding funding and maintenance of model registries, which can demonstrate the relative suitability of different decision models for specific decision problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State and federal governments invest millions of dollars in providing accurate and relevant information on expected outcomes to students pursuing higher education, but whether such information targets what students value about college is unclear. We use new survey data to identify the extent to which conventional indicators for college quality and returns correlate with collegegoers' satisfaction with their education. We find that alumni are on average very satisfied with their education, even among those with poor labor market outcomes. Our results suggest the consumptive value of higher education is much higher than economic models of college choices typically assume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional model of factor-driven economic growth can no longer be maintained due to an increasing demand to save energy and reduce emissions and a rapid rise in the cost of related factors. The concept of green total factor productivity (GTFP) has emerged as an essential component of high-quality economic growth; consequently, how to boost GTFP through the development of technical advancement has become an important question in recent years. An improved CES production function of labor, capital, and energy is created using the theoretical framework for biased technological growth as its foundation. Subsequently, the mechanisms resulting from the synergy of factor structure, factor efficiency and biased technological progress (BTP) on GTFP are theoretically deduced and empirically analyzed. The conclusion shows that the types of technical advancement are mainly net labor-enhancing and net energy-enhancing technical advancement in China from 2001 to 2017. Due to the biased effect of technical advancement, the relative comparison of the three elements is determined predominantly by excessive capital investment and less by labor and energy. Factor-enhancing technical advancement led to the growth of GTFP, while the synergistic effect of BTP, factor structure and factor efficiency hindered the growth of GTFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal control design of the boiler-turbine system is vital to ensure feasibility and high responsiveness over desired load variations. Using the traditional linear control techniques realization of this task is difficult, as the boiler-turbine mechanism has strong nonlinearities. Besides, environmental and economic concerns have replaced existing tracking control ones as the primary concerns of advanced power plants. Thus, this study proposes an optimal economic model predictive controller (EMPC) scheme for this unit on the basis of the input/output feedback linearization (IOFL) method. By employing the IOFL method, this unit is decoupled into a new linearized model that is utilized for developing the suggested optimal IOFL EMPC technique. The proposed control scheme is formulated in an economic quadratic programming form that considers the input-rate and input limits of the unit for optimal economic performance. In addition, an adaptive iterative algorithm is utilized for constraints mapping with guaranteeing a feasible solution in a finite number of steps without violation of original constraints over the entire predictive horizon. The outcomes of the simulation show that the suggested optimal IOFL EMPC scheme offers an improved dynamic and economic output performance over fuzzy hierarchical MPC, fuzzy EMPC, and nonlinear EMPC techniques during various load variations. • An optimal EMPC scheme based on IOFL method is proposed for boiler-turbine unit. • The IOFL EMPC scheme is formulated in an economic QP form including constraints. • An adaptive iterative algorithm ensures feasible solution without limits violation. • The IOFL EMPC scheme enhances dynamic economic performance for boiler-turbine unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of international trade activities on employment in the Portuguese textiles and apparel industry from 2010 to 2017. It finds evidence that imports and exports have a persistent, negative, and significant effect on overall job creation, with this impact intensifying over the long-run. Additionally, the increasing elasticity of substitution between imports and exports indicates that private companies of this industry have benefited from a win–win situation characterised by higher production volumes and lower marginal costs. By applying an unsupervised machine-learning method, followed by a discrete choice analysis to infer the firm-level propensity to possess green capital, we identify a phenomenon termed the green international trade paradox. This study also reveals that international trade activities positively influence green job creation in firms lacking green capital if and only if these players are engaged in international markets while negatively affecting firms already endowed with green technologies. As such, empirical results suggest that the export-oriented economic model followed over the last decade by the Portuguese textiles and apparel industry has not necessarily generated new domestic employment opportunities but has significantly altered the magnitude and profile of skill requirements that employers seek to identify in new workforce hires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating origin-destination (OD) demand is integral to urban, regional, and national freight transportation planning and modeling systems. However, in developing countries, existing studies reveal significant inconsistencies between OD estimates for domestic and import/export commodities derived from interregional input-output (IO) tables and those from regional IO tables. These discrepancies create a significant challenge for properly forecasting the freight demand of regional/interregional multimodal transportation networks. To this end, this study proposes a novel integrated framework for estimating regional and international (import/export) OD freight flows for a set of key commodities that dominate long-distance transportation. The framework leverages multisource data and follows a three-step process. First, a spatial economic model, PECAS activity allocation, is developed to estimate freight OD demand within a specific region. Second, the international (import and export) freight OD is estimated from different zones to foreign countries, including major import and export nodes such as international seaports, using a gravity model with the zone-pair friction obtained from a multimodal transportation model. Third, the OD matrices are converted from monetary value to tonnage and assigned to the multimodal transportation super network using the incremental freight assignment method. The model is calibrated using traffic counts of the highways, railways, and port throughput data. The proposed framework is tested through a case study of the Province of Jiangxi, which is crucial for forecasting freight demand before the planning, design, and operation of the Ganyue Canal. The predictive analytics of the proposed framework demonstrated high validity, where the goodness-of-fit (R2) between the observed and estimated freight flows on specific links for each of the three transport modes was higher than 0.9. This indirectly confirms the efficacy of the model in predicting freight OD demands. The proposed framework is adaptable to other regions and aids practitioners in providing a comprehensive tool for informed decision-making in freight demand modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution of the environment by plastics is a global problem that is real and needs to be resolved urgently. The authors argue that banning the use of plastic is not a reasonable and rational solution for the problem because plastics have many useful applications. Solutions to the problem must involve developing scientific approaches as well as global efforts and strategies. The world's approach needs to be guided by an economic model that eliminates or minimizes the amount of plastics in the waste stream. As long as most plastic materials are not made from a single polymer, then the idea of "recycling 100% of plastics" is so far an unrealistic solution. The development of biodegradable plastics is still far from being an effective solution because besides being expensive and having limitations in engineering applications when compared to petroleum-based ones, biodegradable plastics still require specific conditions for their biodegradation. Comprehensive studies on microplastic particles are needed, focusing mainly on the source of the particles, their distribution, transport, fate in different environments, and toxicological effects and mechanisms. Since plastic pollution is a global problem, its minimization will require an increased international cooperation platform and partnerships at a global level. While current technologies and strategies are not solving the environmental problem caused by waste plastic, the most effective solution would be to adopt the first two levels of the waste management hierarchy, which are "reduce" and "reuse". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the transition toward sustainable economic models through the circular economy (CE) in Mexico. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this research incorporates a comprehensive literature review and analyzes responses from 42 stakeholders, gathered through surveys and focus groups. These stakeholders comprise a diverse group including PhD students, professors, researchers, industry professionals in sustainability and the environment, and government advisors and coordinators from the Mexican Secretary of Environment. This representative sample provides a broad perspective on the barriers, opportunities, and societal perceptions regarding CE. The findings reveal significant challenges such as economic barriers, regulatory inadequacies, and a lack of awareness and education, all of which hinder the adoption of CE practices. Despite these challenges, there is a generally optimistic view among stakeholders about CE's potential to positively impact societal needs, suggesting robust opportunities for innovation and policy enhancement to foster sustainable development. Key recommendations include intensifying educational programs to elevate public understanding and engagement, formulating supportive policies that facilitate CE adoption, and promoting intersectoral collaboration to leverage collective expertise and resources. Additionally, the research underscores the necessity of integrating CE principles into urban planning and policy frameworks to effectively address specific local challenges such as waste management, pollution, and urban sprawl. By providing a detailed analysis of the current state and potential of CE in Mexico, this paper contributes valuable insights to the global discourse on sustainability. It proposes strategic actions to overcome existing hurdles and capitalize on opportunities within the CE framework, charting a path forward for Mexico and serving as a model for other regions facing similar sustainability challenges [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I investigate the impact of economic integration, in terms of trade costs and information technology, on the interregional location patterns of retail firms by introducing three features into a new economic geography model: individuals consume only a restricted number of varieties; firms compete for customer acquisition; and the advancement of information technology enables consumers to easily perceive and buy products sold by firms in distant regions. I consider two possibilities regarding competition for attention: relative competition, in which a firm can attract more consumers by advertising more than the average level, and absolute competition, in which each firm competes with another to enhance the share of its advertisement in the market. I show that consumption variety is richer in the agglomerated region, but spatial consumption inequality shrinks as information technology develops. A reduction in trade costs may cause the redispersion of economic activities under sufficiently low trade costs only in the case of absolute competition. This is more likely when competition for attention is fierce and information technology is not fully developed. The results not only support the complementarity between information technology and cities but also provide a new insight that competition among firms is an important factor governing the impact of information technology on economic geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of urban research takes a natural science perspective on systems of cities as self-organising human clusters. From a systems perspective, this work, particularly the growing number of city scaling studies, introduces a determinism to studies of city size, efficiency and performance that may not sit well with regional science and urban economic planning models. It finds that agglomeration economies seem to follow regular scale-free power laws that reflect competitive dynamics within an entire interacting human system of cities and that a city's performance is therefore statistically bounded by the whole system. Where does this leave empirical models of individual city performance and behavioural models of urban political economy that underpin them? The paper links two seminal economic models of the 20th century that were motivated to demonstrate the possibility of preference revelation for the 'unpriceables' that give cities their value. Tiebout's and Coase's models of social order both concern natural clustering principles, governed by voting with feet, voice and price. Voting with feet is a much more animalistic social ordering mechanism than voting with voice and the paper introduces the idea of scale-free Tieboutian models—natural science models of revealed preference for local public expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Revisiting the global impact from a slowing China" discusses the potential effects of China's economic downturn on the global economy. It highlights that a severe slowdown in China could lead to a 1% cut in world GDP by 2026, with the most significant impacts on economies closely linked to China through trade and commodity exports. The article also explores different scenarios and policy responses, emphasizing the importance of fiscal stimulus in mitigating the negative effects of a Chinese economic downturn. [Extracted from the article]

Markov chains play a key role in a vast number of areas, including life insurance mathematics. Standard actuarial quantities as the premium value can be interpreted as compressed, lossy information about the underlying Markov process. We introduce a method to reconstruct the underlying Markov chain given collective information of a portfolio of contracts. Our neural architecture characterizes the process in a highly explainable way by explicitly providing one-step transition probabilities. Further, we provide an intrinsic, economic model validation to inspect the quality of the information decompression. Lastly, our methodology is successfully tested for a realistic data set of German term life insurance contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay critically examines Building for Oil, a comprehensive study of the Daqing Oil Field and its role in the evolution of China's socialist state. It acknowledges the narrative's intricate exploration of Daqing's role in China's early-stage industrialization, highlighting its unique approach to urbanization and worker-peasant village formation, and Daqing's symbolic significance in reflecting Communist ideals and Mao Zedong's revolutionary ethos. However, this essay also identifies critical gaps in the book's narrative, notably the absence of pronounced connections between Daqing's historical significance and contemporary China's economic and energy infrastructure. The review argues for the necessity of incorporating discussions on the evolution of China's economic model, energy transition and the role of technocracy and leadership in shaping these dynamics. Concluding, the review acknowledges the book's significance while highlighting areas for further exploration to enrich the narrative, particularly in the context of China's ongoing transformation and global impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel large-dimensional positive definite covariance estimator for high-frequency data under a general factor model framework. We demonstrate an appealing connection between the proposed estimator and a weighted group least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) penalized least-squares estimator. The proposed estimator improves on traditional principal component analysis by allowing for weak factors, whose signal strengths are weak relative to idiosyncratic components. Despite the presence of microstructure noises and asynchronous trading, the proposed estimator achieves guarded positive definiteness without sacrificing the convergence rate. To make our method fully operational, we provide an extended simultaneous alternating direction method of multipliers algorithm to solve the resultant constrained convex minimization problem efficiently. Empirically, we study the monthly high-frequency covariance structure of the stock constituents of the S&P 500 index from 2008 to 2016, using all traded stocks from the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ stock markets to construct the high-frequency Fama-French four and extended eleven economic factors. We further examine the out-of-sample performance of the proposed method through vast portfolio allocations, which deliver significantly reduced out-of-sample portfolio risk and enhanced Sharpe ratios. The success of our method supports the usefulness of machine learning techniques in finance. This paper was accepted by Agostino Capponi, finance. Funding: This work was supported by the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee [Grants 11500119, 11505522, 11505721, and 21504818] and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Basic Scientific Center Project [Grant 71988101], entitled as "Econometric Modelling and Economic Policy Studies", as well as NSFC [Grants 71803166 and 72173104]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.04138. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Society as a whole faces a host of economic tradeoffs, many of which emerge around economic policies. An example of tradeoffs that any society faces in many economic realms is the tradeoff between economic efficiency and income equality (aka the efficiency-equality tradeoff). This tradeoff has been called "the Big Tradeoff" by the esteemed economist Arthur Okun, who also termed it "the Double Standard of a Capitalist Democracy." Although the efficiency-equality tradeoff is more or less an inevitable tradeoff in most societal settings and economic contexts, there are still some special circumstances in which this tradeoff can be avoided. This paper identifies five such avenues and elaborates on why and how the tradeoff between these two somewhat contradictory societal goals—efficiency and equality—can be deftly averted under the mentioned circumstances. These avenues with their transformative potential can and should be used so that a capitalist society as an integrated whole can promote both efficiency and equality at the same time under these scenarios and avoid facing the Big Tradeoff in cases where it is evitable. Static and dynamic economic models are developed, solved, and applied to facilitate the articulation and exposition of the main points of each solution with formal rigor and logical coherence. Finally, policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the solutions of saving energy and cost of the rotary hearth furnace (RHF) direct reduction process, this paper constructed an energy consumption model, an economic evaluation model, and a carbon emission calculation model of the RHF direct reduction process. According to the actual production conditions of a steel plant, the influence of combustion air temperature and oxygen enrichment rate on the energy consumption, cost, and carbon emission of the RHF direct reduction process were studied. The calculation results show that for every 50 °C increase in the combustion air temperature, the process energy consumption, comprehensive cost, and carbon emission reduce by about 11 kgce, 42 CHY, and 44 kg, respectively. For every 2 pct increase in the oxygen enrichment rate of the combustion air, the corresponding values are about 10 kgce, 26 CHY, and 37 kg, respectively. In addition, the mathematical model established in this paper can be used to calculate the process energy consumption, cost, and carbon emissions under different raw material and fuel conditions, which is of great theoretical significance for the green and low-carbon transformation of the RHF direct reduction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of public debt on economic growth and the debt threshold in selected indebted economies from 1990 to 2021. We employ several econometric methods: the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag model and the dynamic panel threshold model, which allow for common correlated effects, to analyse the short- and long-term impacts of debt on growth. Additionally, we explore the effects of changes in public debt using the panel CSARDL method. Our findings reveal that the square term of debt is negative and significant, indicating that an increase in public debt is negatively associated with long-term growth. The debt threshold is calculated to be 56% of GDP, beyond which it adversely affects growth. The negative and significant error correction term (ECT) suggests that the model converges to a long-run equilibrium path. Finally, this study recommends that policymakers in highly indebted countries focus more on resolving debt issues and effectively utilising public debts and borrowings in productive ways, as these factors significantly impact the economic growth of the countries under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological compensation mechanism is a tool for managing regional development and promoting the green economy. This paper proposes a revised model for carbon emissions and absorption based on IPCC, then analyses the spatial and temporal variations of carbon emissions, absorption, and deficit in 31 provinces of China from 2001 to 2019. A model was developed to redistribute carbon deficits and compensate for ecological imbalances, with the aim of eliminating background differences between regions. The concept of ecological compensation sensitivity was proposed, and a redundancy analysis (RDA) was conducted to detect possible influencing factors. Results indicate that: (1) The carbon deficits were relatively substantial in the centre and developed coastal regions, which were the subject regions of China's ecological compensation. Meanwhile, the northwest and southwest regions were the object regions of ecological compensation, and the compensated object regions tended to extend towards the southeast. The majority of compensated subject areas are generally less sensitive than compensated object regions. (2) The graph of carbon deficit volume over time shows that China's two carbon targets are closely aligned. The distribution of China's ecological compensation amounts follows the pattern of provincial economic development levels, with higher compensation amounts concentrated in the central and coastal regions. There is a positive correlation between GDP, year, and population size with carbon emission and carbon deficit. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between year, region, and carbon absorption. (3) This compensation model can strongly incentivise the compensation subject area to proactively adjust its economic development model to cope with the significant compensation pressure. Additionally, it can fully encourage the compensation recipient area to continue adhering to the green economic development model. The conclusions of the study hold significant reference value for promoting the development of a green, low-carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Proton beam therapy (PBT) has recently been included in Japan's health insurance benefit package for certain cancer types. This study aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of PBT as a replacement for conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC) that is not covered by social insurance. Methods: We estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of PBT as a replacement for 3D-CRT, using clinical evidence from the literature and expert opinions. We used an economic model, decision tree, and Markov model to illustrate the courses followed by patients with LAEC. Effectiveness was estimated as quality-adjusted life years (QALY) using utility weights for the health state. Social insurance fees were calculated as costs. We assumed two base cases depending on the two existing levels of fees for PBT in social insurance: 2,735,000 Japanese yen (US$20,652) or 1,600,000 yen (US$13,913). The stability of the ICER against these assumptions was appraised using sensitivity analysis. Results: The effectiveness of PBT and 3D-CRT was 2.62 and 2.51 QALY, respectively. The estimated ICER was 14,025,268 yen (US$121,958) per QALY for the higher fee level and 7,026,402 yen (US$61,099) for the lower fee level. According to the Japanese threshold for cost-effectiveness of anticancer therapy of 7,500,000 yen (US$65,217) per QALY gain, the inclusion of PBT for LAEC in the benefit package of social insurance is cost-effective if a lower fee is applied. Conclusion: PBT is a cost-effective alternative to 3D-CRT for LAEC and making it available to patients under social insurance could be justifiable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic models based on multi-agents are increasingly attracting attention and can provide a new perspective for exploring the causes behind social phenomena at the individual level. Existing research usually adopts society-level learning methods, and more research on micro-level heterogeneity among individuals is needed. For this, we propose a high-fidelity multi-agent economy (HMAE) model based on evolutionary game theory, including three types of agents: workers, firms, and the government. In particular, we characterize worker heterogeneity regarding laziness factors, work endowments, and commuting distances. These agents continuously and iteratively update their strategies by randomly exploring and imitating their neighbors to maximize their utility value. We simulated the evolution process of agent behavioral decisions through experiments and found that individual heterogeneity can significantly affect the decisions of workers and firms. These phenomena are consistent with some economic evolution trends in real life, and our research can provide an analytical tool for analyzing the causes of emerging economic phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]