Environmental Policy for the Restriction on the Use of Plastic Products in Taiwan: Regulatory Measures, Implementation Status and COVID-19’s Impacts on Plastic Products Recycling

In response to international trends regarding the reduction in plastic waste (or plastic pollution), this work used the official statistics that were recently released, focusing on regulatory actions restricting the use of plastic products and/or the increase in recycling in Taiwan. In addition, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on plastic waste generation and plastic products’ recycling were also addressed in the present study. The results showed that the plastic compositions in the garbage slightly increased in recent years, suggesting that the effect of restrictions on the use of plastic products in Taiwan was not significant, even though the regulatory measures have been implemented since 2002. However, chlorine contents in the garbage were significantly increased in 2020. The increase could be attributed to the fact that kitchen waste (containing salt), household waste containing disinfectant (e.g., chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite) or PVC-made products were generated more during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the data also indicated that the monthly quantities of recycled plastic containers and other plastic products had no significant change since January 2020, especially in the outbreak period from May 2021 to July 2021.

Exploring the Prevalence of Protective Measure Adoption in Mosques during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

Muslims worship together more frequently than members of other religions. They pray in congregation at the mosque five times a day, causing the mosque to become a central hub for COVID-19 transmission. Therefore, the adoption of protective measures as a method of mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic in mosques is vital. This study aims to account for the implementation status of protective measures in mosques in Surakarta City, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire sent to mosque caretakers as research participants. The mosques were chosen using a simple random sampling technique for a total sample of 247 mosques in Surakarta City. Participants were asked how often they implement the following protective measures in mosques, as recommended by the Majelis Ulama Indonesia: checking body temperature before entering the mosque, prayer distancing, carrying own prayer mat, wearing a mask when praying and no handshaking after prayer. The prevalence of the adoption of protective measures was revealed to be amongst 44.6% to 92.6%, with the lowest prevalence in checking body temperature before entering the mosque. Overall, only 33.7% of mosques implemented all protective measures. In mosques affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama and the small mosques, the prevalence of protective measures was lower than in mosques affiliated with Muhammadiyah and the large mosques, respectively, suggesting that it is crucial to develop targeted health messages for these groups. Finally, as religious communities remain active in congregational worship during the outbreak, the contradictions between medical and religious practices must be addressed in society for believers to adopt public health policies and for policymakers to comprehend the importance of religious observances.

Causal interactions among essential factors of Industry 4.0 innovation using DEMATEL technique in manufacturing industries

Purpose Industry 4.0 implementation appears to have a far-reaching effect on consumer demand. Research findings on market prospects and implementation status are also rare. The purpose of this study is to address the essential factors regarding the implementation status of the Indian manufacturing industries that would entail a complete implementation of the Industry 4.0 innovations in developing nations and execute them entirely to achieve related benefits. Design/methodology/approach The primary factors impacting the Industry 4.0 implementation status recognized a focus on comprehensive literature analysis and its validation by recommendations from 12 specialists with substantial expertise in Industry 4.0. The DEMATEL technique has been implemented in this analysis to examine the structure of causal interactions among the recognized essential factors. Findings From a literature analysis and recommendations from specialists, 16 essential factors are recognized. Using DEMATEL techniques, ranking of the essential factors has been obtained according to their importance. Moreover, the findings show the cause and effect interactions among essential factors in the perspective of Industry 4.0 innovations in Indian manufacturing industries. Research limitations/implications The current research is restricted to Indian manufacturing industries (developing nations). Practical implications It will help industries move towards an Industry 4.0 implementation by knowing their status. A research model is being developed, including specific vital features of Industry 4.0 as indicators for its implementation. Nevertheless, few are renowned for how industries, especially in developing nations, perceive the possible effects of Industry 4.0 technological innovations and industrial efficiency. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present research contributes first to be carried out regarding the model of information about the nature of causal interactions among the recognized essential factors of Industry 4.0 in the surrounding of Indian manufacturing industries to address the implementation status of Industry 4.0 innovations using DEMATEL technique.

Perception and implementation status of enhanced recovery after surgery

Background: The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program that is being implemented in Korea is difficult to investigate because it is not a standardized protocol with a unified content, and it instead differs according to the details for each hospital. Herein, the author would like to introduce and analyze the results of a recently conducted large-scale survey on the current status and perception of the ERAS program in Korea among large domestic hospitals.Current Concepts: Surveys of domestic general surgeons in 2019 and hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgeons in 2020 both showed lower-than-expected response rates of less than 50% in questions related to perception and clinical implementation of the ERAS program. Thus, implementation of ERAS items related to the limited application of preoperative fasting and surgical drain insertion and active nutritional support before and after surgery remains low.Discussion and Conclusion: For surgeons in Korea, the implementation of ERAS programs and perception levels were low. In this regard, it is necessary to improve awareness through systematic education and promotion of the ERAS program, and supplementation of related multidisciplinary professional manpower and financial resources is essential to facilitate practical implementation of ERAS programs in clinical practice.

Intension, Current Implementation and Improvement Path of Instructional Leadership: A school Case of Hong Kong

This paper aims to analyze the implementation status of instructional leadership of a HK primary school that benefits in mid-ranking and mainly uses instructional leadership to develop their curriculums. Instructional leadership is the result of introducing leadership concepts into the teaching field, and it reflects the changing trend of school management to a certain extent. At present, the research on instructional leadership is limited to the principal's leadership, which limits the overall function of instructional leadership. By investigating the actuality of school and the implementation of school policies and programs, the paper deeply analyzes the existed problems in a Hong Kong school and offers optimization suggestions: strengthen the school distributive leadership construction, promote the professional development of teachers and curriculums, establish a diversified evaluation system, develop an organizational culture of democratic cooperation and improve the curriculum leadership of principals.

A Review of the Implementation Status of and National Plans on HPV Vaccination in 17 Middle-Income Countries of the WHO Western Pacific Region

The World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Region is responsible for one-fourth of the global cervical cancer burden, and nearly 90% of that burden is concentrated in middle-income countries (MICs). Applying a conceptual model of implementation of population-based interventions, we synthesized the current implementation status of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and national plans that form the basis of its implementation in 17 MICs. We gathered information from a range of governmental documents, published studies, and global databases. For all available national cancer-related plans and immunization plans, we examined the description of HPV vaccination. We found that, as of July 2021, only four countries (24%) had a mature HPV vaccination program with a high first-dose coverage; three (18%) had introduced HPV vaccination, but needed further efforts to scale it up, seven (41%) had not been able to introduce it after conducting demonstration projects, and three (18%) did not have any experience in HPV vaccination. In the national plans, most of the countries recognized the importance of HPV vaccination, but only 10 (59%) provided an implementation strategy on how it would be introduced or scaled up. Countries with a mature program were more likely to have their implementation strategy detailed in their national cancer control plan. Successful implementation of HPV vaccination requires overcoming known challenges and having a clear national plan. Positioning HPV vaccination clearly in the overall national cancer control plan may be key to accelerating its nationwide implementation.

Implementation of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response system among health facilities in Morogoro Region: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Background When used effectively, the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system can bring into reality a revolutionary victory in the fight against maternal and perinatal mortality from avoidable causes. This study aimed at determining the status of implementation of the system among health facilities in the Morogoro Region. Method This study was conducted among 38 health facilities from three districts of the Morogoro region, Tanzania, from April 27, 2020, to May 29, 2020. Quantitative data were collected through document review for MPDSR implementation status. The outcome was determined by using a unique scoring sheet with a total of 30 points. Facilities that scored less than 11 points were considered to be in the pre-implementation phase, those scored 11 to 17 were considered in the implementation phase, and those scored 18 to 30 were considered to be in the institutionalization phase. Results The majority 20(53 %) of health facilities were in the pre-implementation phase, only 15(40 %) of assessed health facilities were in the implementation phase, and few 3(8 %) of health facilities were in institutionalization phase. There was a strong evidence that MPDSR implementation was more advanced in urban compared to rural health facilities (Fisher’s test = 6.158, p = 0.049), hospitals compared to health centers (Fisher’s test =14.609, p <0.001) and private and faith-based organization than public facilities (Fisher’s test, 15.897 = p = 0.002). Conclusions The study revealed that health facilities in Morogoro Region have not adequately implemented the MPDSR system. The majority of health facilities in rural settings and owned by the government showed poor MPDSR implementation and hence called for immediate action to rectify the situation. Strengthen MPDSR implementation, health facilities should be encouraged to adhere to the available MPDSR guidelines in the process of death reviews. Transparent systems should also be established to ensure thorough tracking and follow-up of recommendations evolving from MPDSR reviews. Health facilities should also consider integrating MPDSR to other quality improvement teams to maximize its efficiency.

Global governance reforms to achieve Sustainable Development Goal One (no poverty) in BRICS

Background: The article discusses whether global governance is effective enough to uphold the economic development and can it combat poverty to achieve Sustainable Development Goal One (SDG 1) in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). It is an area that is least researched in the domain of global governance.Aim: This article focuses on the SDGs as part of global goals and investigates the implementation status of SDG 1 (no poverty) in BRICS countries.Setting: The research is descriptive in nature that played an important role in developing an in-depth account of the status of SDG 1 in BRICS.Methods: The article employed a qualitative, descriptive research method. This article, which is theoretical in nature, drew its arguments on secondary data, which included books, journal articles, newspaper clippings, internet sources and official documents.Results: The findings confirm that global governance cannot be successful completely until it deals with aspects of legitimacy and representation.Conclusion: From the literature reviewed, it can be deduced that BRICS is not in a position to achieve SDG 1 on absolute terms.

Swirls: A Platform for Enabling Multicluster and Multicloud Execution of Parallel Programs

Swirls is a general purpose application for interactive building, deploying, and execution of message-passing parallel programs that address multicluster and multicloud requirements. It is implemented on HPC Shelf, a cloud-based platform for providing HPC services. Swirls enables the communication between MPI programs written in C#, C, C++, and Python across one or more clusters, either on-premise or cloud-based ones. At the current implementation status, The users of Swirls may use clusters formed by virtual machines over Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

Assessing Capacity and Implementation Status of the Disaster Risk Management Strategy for Health and Community Disaster Resilience in Malawi

Floods are among the most frequently occurring natural hazards in Malawi, often with public health implications. This mixed methods study assessed the capacity for and implementation status of the disaster risk management (DRM) strategy for the health sector in Malawi, using flooding in the Nsanje District as a case. Data were collected using desk review and a workshop methodology involving key officials from government ministries, national and international development partners, and the academia. The results show that Malawi had recently strengthened its DRM institutional frameworks, with a pronounced policy shift from reactive to proactive management of disasters. Health sector personnel and structures were key contributors in the design and implementation of DRM activities at all levels. Development partners played a significant role in strengthening DRM coordination and implementation capacity. Lack of funding and the limited availability, and often fragmented nature, of vulnerability and risk assessment data were identified as key challenges. Limited human resource capacity and inadequate planning processes at district level impeded full implementation of DRM policies. These findings call for community-level interventions for improved coordination, planning, and human resource capacity to strengthen community disaster resilience and improve public health. The approach used in this study can serve as a model framework for other districts in Malawi, as well as in other low- and middle-income countries in the context of Sendai Framework implementation.