The Younger Researchers of the Brazilian Chemical Society committee supports early career researchers promoting communication, collaboration, education, networking, representation, and career development. The establishment of national and international scientific networks has been progressively encouraged by scientific and governmental entities worldwide. This movement aims to strengthen science and technology sectors, given the advantageous intersection of ideas, promotion of interdisciplinary projects, and stimulation for creating multilateral opportunities in research and innovation. We live in a constantly changing world, and we must be prepared to handle local and worldwide challenges that emerge from the social, economic, and health fields. In this regard, strategic decisions and sustainable actions depend largely on the exchange of knowledge, flexibility to deal with adversities, and the ability to manage complex situations.1 Undoubtedly, the creation and maintenance of networks composed and directed to young researchers are highly beneficial for both the younger and senior scientists. Whereas experienced researchers provide valuable training, mentoring, and professional advice that contribute to the younger researcher’s career advancement, early career researchers provide up-to-date information about new and upcoming technologies in an era of rapid digitalization, for example. Besides, they can also offer their undeniable enthusiasm and fresh ideas.2Scientific societies play an essential role in this process by aggregating experts in their areas. However, it is a challenge for their knowledge to be further fructified into the preparation of future leaders and training them as new decision-makers. Indeed, there is a common sense that the active participation of younger generations of researchers in scientific societies is vital for the dissemination of the knowledge acquired by experienced scientists who have been building those societies.3 which started in 2018. Its first activities included the alignment with the demands of the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) board and divisions, the search for institutional support, writing bylaws, and defining the initial activities for its consolidation. The committee would have its existence centered on the organization of a workshop during the SBQ annual meetings and on the representation in national and international meetings and initiatives. However, after the first months of its launch, the committee took on other roles, both within the Brazilian Chemical Society itself and in the broader scientific community. These activities highlighted the enormous demand already existing in the scientific environment, and the potential of young researchers as agents of transformation, renewal of ideas, and workforce. After this initial structuring, the official launch occurred in 2019 during the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Society . Since then, the committee has been promoting the representation of Brazilian, young and early-career researchers, in the national and international scientific community. Among several activities and objectives, the committee aims to organize and support the community of younger scientists, fostering communication, collaboration, education, networking, exchange, and career development in an inclusive and effective way. Both in the national and international scenario, the core activities include: (1) full support of several actions headed by the Brazilian Chemical Society; (2) governance; (3) public outreach; (4) social media management; (5) assistance, coordination and transmission of web-based courses, seminars and podcasts; (6) organization of events during the SBQ annual meetings; (7) representation and participation in external conferences; (8) organization of journal themed issues dedicated to young researchers; (9) structuring and launching recognition awards.Bringing the discussion to the Latin American scenario, this can be illustrated by the creation of the committee of Younger Researchers of the Brazilian Chemical Society (JP-SBQ),The principles of equality, inclusion, freedom of ideas, and a range of views are also fundamental premises of the committee. It supports people from all ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, socioeconomic status, disabilities, and other individualities. The result is the creation of an environment where all young researchers feel represented and comfortable in a safe, respectful, harassment-free, accessible, and welcoming space.To promote professional collaboration and interaction between young researchers from different chemistry fields from companies or universities, the network includes representatives from most Brazilian regions. However, in a continental country such as Brazil, promoting the development of a network that reaches towards underrepresented regions is not an easy task. Overcoming this bottleneck by increasing diversity, exchange of ideas, and, finally knowledge advancement, is the aim.4 The committee advocates for urgent revision of the governmental policies, turning them into enduring state policies for investments in science, technology, and innovation. This agenda could also be promoted by the mobilization of society, industrial, and academic bodies to put Brazil on a path to becoming a developed and self-sufficient country and not an exporter of the young science talent. By these means, proper investment in highly skilled early-career scientists will contribute to building a modern and sustainable economy based on human capital, technology, and innovation, rather than mainly on the exploitation of natural resources.5Another key aspect of the committee’s activities involves career development in a country threatened by unstable funding for science, inadequate financial support, and PhD salaries based on monthly scholarships without any professional register, such as retirement or payroll taxes contribution.6Implementing a committee composed of young researchers in the Brazilian Chemical Society was only possible due to the support of senior and well-established researchers, as well as the support of university bodies, research, and funding institutions. In common, those bodies are aware that investments in young leadership are essential to address national and global challenges.Prof. Dr Shirley Nakagaki, current president of SBQ, says:SBQ is the largest scientific society for Chemistry in Brazil. It has a long history of representing chemists in all instances where such representation is necessary, whether in academia, research funding agencies or committees involved in formulating and making decisions about current scientific and technological policies in the country. For us, the board of the Brazilian Chemical Society, it has always been a challenge to involve our young researchers in the society’s activities, as we understand that without active young researchers and decision-makers, no scientific society has a future. Investing in our young scientists, equipping them with the skills they deem important, is key to building a sustainable society. Guiding them along the scientific path, igniting their interest in science, particularly in the field of chemistry, begins in academia, research laboratories, and the development of scientific work that, in most cases, is destined for success. We, as educators and researchers, are trained for this. However, showing them the path involved in making the right decisions regarding their involvement with universities and representation committees that guide research policies, is a fundamental role in establishing a solid and fruitful scientific community in our country. In scientific organizations like SBQ, we have groups of individuals with this expertise, and the creation of committees like JP-SBQ serves as an open and efficient channel to provide our young researchers with the necessary information and training to achieve this learning in an appropriate, ethical, and scientific environment. As the current president of SBQ, and undoubtedly speaking on behalf of my predecessors, I have been striving to accommodate the demands and ideas of our young researchers in order to make SBQ a facilitating environment for their lifelong scientific learning. However, within the society, we certainly possess the expertise to facilitate this knowledge acquisition. Our goal, from the perspective of JP-SBQ, is to have our young researchers become national and international scientific leaders, trusted educators, influencers, and decision-makers who will help shape Brazilian scientific policies.”“


Regarding the mode choice of farmland transfer, the existing literature have more examined the choices between market-based transfer (spontaneous transfer) and government or village committee-led transfer, and between formal contract and informal contract. However, the question that how the two parties choose among various specific transfer modes has not attracted extensive attention of scholars. Based on contract theory and transaction cost economics, this paper uses the public samples of the third national agricultural census data to investigate how large-scale households choose among the specific transfer modes when transferring into farmland, like the transfer of the contracted management right (TCMR), lease and shareholding. The findings of this paper are as follows. Firstly, with the increase in the transfer-in area and the education level of the household head, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding increases relatively, but the latter rises faster. Secondly, compared with large-scale farmers whose aim is to plant crop, the probability of those who transfer into farmland for gardening and forestry operation choosing shareholding has increased significantly. Thirdly, the age of the household head and the number of household laborers have an interactive effect on the mode choice of transferring into farmland. In addition, the mode choice of large-scale households’ transferring into farmland is also significantly affected by environmental factors such as local topography, irrigation, traffic conditions, industrial structure, and social security development. Therefore, adhering to the parties to choose the mode of farmland transfer independently is crucial. The government and rural grassroots organizations should help the parties to understand the characteristics, adaptability and supply and demand of different modes, and help the parties to explore the most economical mode. The contribution of this paper is that it expands the study of the transfer of rural land rights to the choices of specific transfer modes, and partially reveals the rule of choices, which provides a reference for the parties to choose the most efficient transfer mode under different conditions and for the government and rural grassroots organizations to play a role. Farmland transfer plays an important role in the revitalization of rural industry, agricultural modernization, and rational utilization of land, scale management, as well as the improvement of land output rate, labor productivity and resource utilization rate [Since the implementation of the household contractual system in rural China in the 1980s, farmland transfer and moderate scale management have occurred and become popular, and diversified transfer modes like the exchange of contracted land, the transfer of contractual management rights (TCMR), substituting farming, subcontracting, lease, “Reverse Renting and Subcontracting”, shareholding and land trust have also emerged. This is due to the change of family population and labor force and the difference of farming ability; especially with the development of industrialization, urbanization and modern agriculture, a large number of rural labor force enter the industry and commerce, and thus new agricultural management entities such as, family farms, farmers’ cooperatives and agricultural enterprises have emerged in large numbers. By 2020, the areas of transfer of contracted farmland had reached nearly 37.64 million hectares, accounting for 36.15% of the contracted  and government or village committee-led transfer, and between formal contract and informal contract. Some studies explore that there are more spontaneous transfer among farmers in land transfer in non-suburban rural areas; however, in suburban rural areas, the government or village committee-led circulations occur more frequently . Driven Farmland property rights and its supporting system, the relationship between the parties to the transaction and the participation of government or village collective, land use and so forth have an important effect on the choice of the contract form of land transfer . The signing of formal contracts are significantly promoted by the confirmation of contracted land rights, the establishment of land transfer dispute mediation institutions , the conBesides, some studies examine the choice of price of land transfer and contract flexibility. For instance, the land rights  and its Some researchers have explored how farmers choose among specific land transfer modes. They show that those choices are mainly affected by farmers’ age, education level, risk preference, land endowment, as well as non-agricultural employment, family income and its stability. For instance, Wang and Gu  examinesMoreover, some scholars analyze the choice and change of fixed rent contract and shared tenancy contract. Barzel  argues tAs mentioned above, regarding the mode choice of farmland circulation, the previous literature have mainly examined the selection between market-based transfer (spontaneous transfer) and government or village committee-led transfer, as well as between formal contract and informal contract. However, the problem that how the transferor and transferee in farmland market choose specific circulation modes such as TCMR, lease, and shareholding, namely the circumstance that the circulation subjects with different characteristics may choose which specific modes under what conditions has not yet attracted extensive attention of the existing literature.Based on contract theory and transaction cost economics, this paper adopts the public samples of the Third National Agricultural Census, and takes the case that large-scale households transfer into cultivated land to analyze how they select among three basic circulation modes of TCMR, lease and shareholding, focusing on the impacts of circulation areas, uses and family characteristics on the mode choices of circulation.As mentioned above, in China, there are various circulation modes in cultivated land transfer, such as exchanging contracted land, the transfer of contractual management rights (TCMR), substituting farming, subcontracting, lease, “Reverse Renting and Subcontracting”, shareholding, land trust, auction and sale of land management rights during realizing mortgage of that rights. But from the perspective of land transfer-in and expanding management scale, only TCMR, lease and shareholding (namely absorbing others to share with the land management rights) are three basic circulation modes . Meanwhile, TCMR will make the transferor lose the contractual rights and the security function of land, thus, only a few households are willing to choose TCMR to transfer out of land . AccordiIn addition, circulation areas may also affect the mode choice of farmland transfer-in through capital demand. The greater the areas of transfer-in , the greater the capital demand, and the more likely the transferee is to choose the contractual form which can reduce capital demand. Under the contracts of TCMR and the fixed rent contract, the transferee or lessee needs to pay the price of TCMR or rent, while it is not required to pay that price or rent under the shareholding contract. Therefore, ceteris paribus, in order to reduce the demand for funds, the probability of large-scale households’ choosing shareholding may increase faster than that of choosing lease with the increase of the areas of transfer-in.The uses of farmland transfer-in include crop cultivation, garden and forestry management, breeding, etc. Different uses have different production cycles. The longer the cycle, the greater the uncertainty , and the higher the operational risks may be . TherefoThe characteristics of human capital of large-scale households include the ability to search for trading partners and information, organizational ability, and the specificity of human capital. Firstly, when large-scale households transfer into farmland, the costs and scope of searching for trading partners are affected by search capability. The stronger the search ability, the more likely they are to lease land or absorb others to share with land management rights beyond the collective, so the probability of choosing lease and shareholding may rise relatively. Secondly, from the perspective of management decision-making, the transferee or the lessee enjoys the exclusive management decision-making rights under the contracts of TCMR and lease. While, under the contract of shareholding, the costs of decision-making are more higher as shareholders collectively execute their decision-making rights , 62. In The environment of cultivated land includes topography, traffic, irrigation water and so forth, which may have multiple effects on the mode choice of farmland transfer-in. First, ceteris paribus, the contractors’ willingness to transfer out of the contractual management rights may be relatively lower in areas with better environmental conditions, such as plains, traffic-developed areas and water-sourced areas. That is, for the transferee, the number of potential counterparties choosing TCMR is relatively smaller, and the costs of searching and waiting for transaction are relatively higher. Thus, subject to this, the probability of large-scale households’ choosing TCMR to transfer into farmland may be reduced relatively. However, there may also be an opposite forces, that is, for land with better environmental conditions, the transferee may relatively prefer to establish a stable and persistent contractual relationship. While as mentioned above, compared with lease and shareholding, TCMR is the most stable and lasting. Therefore, the probability of choosing TCMR may relatively increase. Subsequently, environmental conditions may affect the future value of cultivated land. Nevertheless, due to the complexity and uncertainty of environmental factors that affect the future value of land and the bounded rationality of human beings, it is fairly difficult to predict the future value of land, and the costs of finding transaction prices and bargaining may be quite high in TCMR and lease. In the shareholding, equity returns automatically reflect the change of land future value, thus saving the costs of predicting the change of land future value. As a result, ceteris paribus, the more complex and uncertain the environmental factors that affect the future value of land are, the more likely large-scale households are to choose shareholding when they transfer into farmland. Therefore, the influence of environment of cultivated land on the mode choice of transfer-in is uncertain and needs to be tested.As mentioned above, large-scale households’ mode choices of transferring into cultivated land are subject to the number of potential counterparties with different modes in the market, namely households’ mode choices of transferring out of cultivated land. The land security function  is The data used in this paper are from the public sample of the Third National Agricultural Census of the People’s Republic of China . As shown in In this paper, the explained variable is the mode of large-scale households’ farmland transfer-in: TCMR = 0, lease = 1, shareholding = 2. In the sample, 96.77% of large-scale households transfer into land by lease, with 1.73% by TCMR and 1.50% by shareholding.The explanatory variables include circulation areas, uses, and human capital of large-scale households.The average households’ areas of transfer-in in the sample are about 7.25 hectares, with the minimum of 0.0067 hectares and the maximum of 866.67 hectares.The most majority of large-scale households transfer into cultivated land for crop cultivation, accounting for about 87.15 percent of the total sample, only 6.73 percent for breeding and 5.61 percent garden & forestry managements. In addition, few used for other business.This paper chooses gender, age, educational attainment of the household heads and the number of labor forces to reflect the characteristics of human capital of large-scale households. Among the samples, 92.52% household heads are male and 7.48% are female. The average age of the household heads is about 47 years old. The smallest is 1 year old, and the largest is 94 years old. Moreover, the education attainment of household heads is mainly junior high school, accounting for 60.53%, followed by primary school, and high school & above education accounting for 26.02% and 12.02% respectively. Additionally, few have not attended school and the average number of labor forces per household is about 2.7, with the minimum of 0 and the maximum of 12.Control variables include village topography , township traffic conditions , the main irrigation water source of the village , the ratio of pension insurance coverage , and the proportion of output value of the primary industry of the province (city) taking up in GDP . Among them, the first three variables reflect the environmental conditions of cultivated land, and the last two variables reflect the security function of local land.Owing to the database used in this paper have been desensitized, it is impossible to identify or infer which administrative village or township corresponds to the large-scale households in the sample, but it can identify whether they belong to the same prefecture-level city. Therefore, this paper uses the prefecture average level of topography, traffic, water and RPI among those control variables.mlogit regression. According to the above theoretical analysis, the mlogit model is established as follows:The explained variable contains three unordered categories , so this paper adopts ML indicates the logit predicted value or Log Odds of households choosing different modes of farmland transfer-in. ix represents each explanatory variable; iz represents each control variable; μ is a random error item; β0, i, δiβ are parameters to be estimated.In function (1), Since the circulation areas have abnormal observations, the logarithm of circulation areas is taken in the model.mlogit regression analysis is carried out on the data with the minimum value as reference and the results are shown in Using STATA for statistical analysis, age-mean)#(labor-mean), is introduced into Model 2. The impacts of these variables are discussed as follows.This paper also examines the interaction effect between explanatory variables. In order to avoid multicollinearity, a middle strategy is used for interaction items . The results show that there is a significant interaction effect only between the age of household heads and the number of labor forces. Therefore, the interaction term of age and labor, namely .One the other hand, the following is the effect of circulation uses on the mode choice. In contrast to large-scale households who transfer into cultivated land to operate crop cultivation, for those whose purposes are garden and forestry, the Log Odds of choosing lease of is relatively higher, but it is insignificant. Log Odds of choosing shareholding increases by 1.7166 at the 5% significance level (Model 1), that is, large-scale households prefer to choose shareholding. This may be mainly because that garden & forestry have longer business cycle, greater uncertainty and higher operational risks compared with crop cultivation, and large-scale households tend to choose shareholding contracts to decentralize risk when they transfer into cultivated land. In addition, compared with those whose purpose is crop cultivation, Log Odds of choosing lease decreases relatively when large-scale households’ purpose is breeding, and Log Odds of choosing shareholding increases relatively, but they are insignificant.First, in contrast to large-scale households with female household heads, for those with male household heads, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding is relatively higher in transferring into cultivated land, but both are insignificant.Second, with the improvement of household heads’ educational attainment, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding increases, but the latter increases faster. Compared with those uneducated, Log Odds of large-scale households whose household heads have primary school, junior high school, senior high school & above diplomas choosing to lease increases by 0.6877 at the 10% significance level, 0.7287 at the 10% significance level and 0.7406 at the 5% significance level, respectively. Log Odds of large-scale households’ choosing to share increases by 2.7996, 2.8103 and 3.7307 (Model 1) at 1% significance level, respectively. It is probably because that cross-collective lease and shareholding require higher ability to search for trading partners and information, communicate, and negotiate, as well as supervise and execute contracts in contrast to the transfer of contractual management rights (TCMR) among members within the collective. Additionally, compared with TCMR and lease contracts, shareholding contracts have higher requirements on organization and control capability of the core subjects, whereas education significantly improves the ability of the educated in these aspects. Therefore, when households transfer into cultivated land, households’ educational attainment has a significant positive impact on the selection of lease and shareholding, but the impact on shareholding is more greater.Ceteris paribus, with the increase of the age of household heads, the probability of large-scale households’ choosing lease and shareholding when transferring into cultivated land decreases significantly, but the latter decreases faster. In other words, the probability of choosing TCMR increases relatively. The followings are two possible reasons for that. One reason is that older farmers have less opportunities for non-agricultural employment, but own stronger specificity of their human capital and more farming experience dedicated to agriculture than younger farmers. Consequently, they pay more attention to the stability of contracts when they transfer into cultivated land. As mentioned above, at present, the contracts of TCMR are more stable and durable than lease and shareholding contracts in China. Besides, for shareholding contracts, farming experience is not included in the surplus distribution, which further restricts older farmers with more farming experience to share with land management rights. Therefore, when large-scale households transfer into cultivated land, the negative impact of household heads’ age on the selection of shareholding is greater than that on lease.According to the interaction term between the age of household heads and the number of family labor forces in Model 2, for large-scale households with different numbers of labor forces, the impact of household heads’ age on the mode choice of transferring into cultivated land has significant differences. In terms of the average number of family labor forces (about 3), for one year increase in household heads’ age, Log Odds of choosing lease and shareholding decrease by 0.0123 and by 0.0335 at the 5% significance level respectively. The coefficient of interaction term is positive, indicating that the increase in the number of family labor forces weakens the negative impact of household heads’ age on the selection of lease and shareholding. In other words, the household heads’ age has a negative impact on choosing lease and shareholding, but this negative impact is less for families with more labors than those with less labors.In the light of the choice of TCMR and lease, the number of family labor forces has a significant negative impact on the selection of lease. From the interaction term in Model 2, the impact of the number of family labor forces is significantly different for large-scale households with different household heads’ age. At the average age of household heads about 47 years old, for each additional family labor forces, Log Odds of the selection of lease decreases by 0.1408 at the 5% significance level. In addition, the coefficient of interaction term is positive, indicating that the increase of household heads’ age weakens the negative impact of the number of family labor forces on the selection of lease. In other words, the number of family laborers has a negative impact on choosing lease, but the negative impact on households with older household heads is less than those with younger household heads. From the perspective of the selection of TCMR and shareholding, the probability of choosing shareholding also shows a downward trend with the increase of the number of labor forces, but it is insignificant.5.2.4.1. Effects of topography. Log Odds of choosing lease decreases by an average of 0.4129 at the 1% significance level in accordance with the order of plains, hilly areas, and mountainous areas (model 1). On the contrary, the probability of choosing TCMR increases in turn in the same order. This may be because the worse the topography conditions, the higher the households’ willingness to transfer out of contractual management rights, which brings about more suppliers of TCMR. That is, for the transferee, through TCMR, the costs of searching and waiting for in the transaction decrease relatively. Accordingly, when large-scale households transfer into cultivated land, the probability that they choose TCMR increases relatively. Additionally, there is also a decreasing trend to choose shareholding in accordance with the order of plains, hilly areas, and mountainous areas, but it is insignificant.5.2.4.2. Impacts of traffic conditions. In terms of the choice of TCMR, lease and shareholding, with the improvement of traffic conditions, the probability of choosing lease increases relatively, but it is insignificant and the probability of choosing shareholding increases significantly at the 5% significance level. Log Odds of choosing shareholding increases by 1.0665 on average as traffic conditions improve by per one level. It is probably due to the fact that the better the traffic conditions, the greater the space for the rise of land value. But it is difficult to predict the future value of land, and the costs of finding transaction price and bargaining in TCMR and lease may be high. However, from the perspective of shareholding, the return on equity of shareholders automatically reflects future changes in land value, saving the costs of predicting that changes.5.2.4.3. Impacts of water sources. Between the choice of TCMR and lease, compared with regions without water sources, Log Odds of lease in regions with water sources decreases by 3.5972 at the 1% level (Model 1). This may be because ceteris paribus, the costs of irrigation in regions with water sources are lower, which makes the transferee prefers to choose a more stable way to transfer into farmland with water sources. As mentioned above, in contrast to lease contracts, TCMR is more stable and persistent. Furthermore, Log Odds of choosing shareholding in regions with water sources also shows a downward trend compared with regions without water sources, but it is insignificant.5.2.4.4. Impacts of the ratio of pension insurance coverage. From the perspective of the choice of TCMR and lease, for every 1% increase in the ratio of pension insurance coverage, Log Odds of choosing lease decreases by 0.0254 when large-scale households transfer into cultivated land at the 1% significance level (Model 1). That is, with the increase in the ratio of pension insurance coverage, the probability of choosing TCMR increases relatively. It is probably because that ceteris paribus, the higher the ratio of pension insurance coverage, the smaller the security function of land, and thus the higher the probability for households to transfer out of the contracted land, the more the transferor. That is, for the transferee, the more potential counterparties to choose TCMR, the lower the costs of searching and waiting for the transaction. As a result, the probability of choosing TCMR is relatively higher when transferring into cultivated land. Between the choice of TCMR and shareholding, with the increase in the coverage rate of pension insurance, Log Odds of shareholding also decreases, but it is insignificant.5.2.4.5. Impacts of the proportion of primary industry. Between the choice of TCMR and lease, when the proportion of primary industry increases by per 1%, Log Odds of choosing lease increases 0.0756 at the 1% significance level (Model 1). That is, with the increase in the proportion of primary industry, the probability of choosing TCMR is reduced. This may be because the higher the proportion of primary industry, the more backward the secondary and tertiary industries, which brings about more stronger land security function. According to this, when the contractor transfers out of the cultivated land, the probability of choosing TCMR and lease relatively decreases and increases respectively. Namely, for the transferee, the potential counterparties of TCMR relatively reduce, and the cost of searching and waiting of TCMR relatively increases. When the transferee chooses lease, the potential counterparties increase and the cost of searching and waiting decreases relatively. Therefore, the probability of choosing lease is relatively higher when transferring into cultivated land. However, the influence of the proportion of the primary industry on the selection of TCMR and shareholding is insignificant.Considering that models may have endogenous problems and the results are not robust, in this paper, we carry out the robustness tests in model 3 and model 4. On the one hand, according to Lu & Wang’s  practiceOn the other hand, in Model 4, the educational attainment of the heads of large-scale households is treated as a continuous variable. It is shown that among the choice of three circulation modes, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding increases significantly with the improvement of educational attainment, while the latter increases faster, which is consistent with the results of Model 1 and Model 2. In addition, the symbols of other variables also correspond to those of Model 1 and Model 2, and the coefficient and significance change little. Consequently, in this study, the estimation results are robust.Based on the contract theory and transaction cost economics, this paper adopts the public samples of the Third National Agricultural Census of People’s Republic of China, and takes the case that large-scale households transfer into farmland to analyze the choice of three basic circulation modes which include the transfer of contractual management rights (TCMR), lease and shareholding. According to the contract theory and transaction cost economics, saving the transaction cost is the basic principle of contract choice. TCMR, leases and shareholding have different characteristics in terms of the scope of transaction, land security function, market supply, capital demands, transaction costs and risks; and thus have different transaction costs and risks under different conditions such as the area of transfer-in, the use, the human capital of the parties, the number of laborers, and farmland environment (see Part 3 for details). Therefore, under different conditions, the transfer subjects have different tendencies on the mode choice of land transfer namely contract form. The followings are the findings of our study.On the one hand, when large-scale households transfer into cultivated land, the areas and uses of circulation, the number of family labor forces and characteristics of household heads have important impacts on the selection of the mode of circulation. First, with the increase of circulation areas and improvement of educational attainment of household heads, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding increases relatively, but the latter increases faster. Subsequently, in contrast to large-scale households whose transfer purpose is crop cultivation, those whose transfer purpose is garden and forestry management are more likely to choose shareholding. Furthermore, there is an interaction effect between the age of household heads and the number of family labor forces on the mode choice of circulation. Specifically, the probability of choosing lease and shareholding shows a downward trend as household heads’ age increases, but the latter decreases faster, and this trend weakens with the increase of the number of family labor forces. With the increase of the number of family labor forces, the probability of choosing lease also presents a downward trend which weakens gradually with household heads’ age increasing.On the other hand, the mode choice of large-scale households’ transferring into cultivated land is also significantly affected by local topography, irrigation, traffic conditions, industrial structure and social security development. First, from the perspective of topography, according to the order of plains, hilly areas and mountainous areas, the probability of choosing lease decreases significantly, and the probability of choosing TCMR increases in turn. Subsequently, in the light of irrigation conditions, large-scale households in areas with water sources prefer to choose TCMR, and the probability of choosing lease significantly reduces. Moreover, the probability of choosing shareholding shows a marked increase in areas with better traffic conditions. Additionally, as the proportion of primary industry rises, the probability of choosing lease increases significantly, and the probability of choosing TCMR is reduced relatively. Ultimately, as the ratio of pension insurance coverage increases, the probability of choosing lease decreases significantly, and the probability of choosing TCMR increases relatively.Based on the above research findings, five policy implications are put forward as follows. First, saving transaction costs is the basic principle of contract selection. Different circulation modes have different transaction costs under the conditions of different areas and uses of circulation, human capital and number of labor force. Generally speaking, both the transferor and transferee pretty understand that conditions. Therefore, the mode choice of farmland transfer must adhere to circulation parties’ independent choice and negotiation to stimulate the initiative and creativity of them. In addition, mandatory orders and one-size-fits-all policy should be inhibited. Second, for the selection of circulation modes, the government and rural grassroots organizations should play a main role in educating, training, demonstrating and guiding farmers by providing them with necessary knowledge to choose circulation modes, such as the characteristics and adaptability of different circulation modes. Moreover, it is important for government and rural grassroots organizations to help farmers to obtain information, provide negotiation platform, analyze the characteristics of supply and demand of different circulation modes, and discuss the possible circulation modes from the ability to save transaction costs and then put forward suggestions. Meanwhile, the government should support the development of rural land rights value assessment institutions through fiscal, taxation and credit policies to reduce the costs of discovering transaction prices and bargaining in land rights transactions. Third, improve the quality of rural education and develop vocational education and skills training. Thus, that will enhance farmers’ search capability for transaction partners and information, communication and negotiation, supervision and implementation of contracts to promote the circulation of land management rights. Fourth, support the development of rural transport and play a positive role of it in land lease and shareholding. Specifically, strengthen village road construction; improve the transportation network; increase the density of highway exits and entrances, railway stations and docks. Furthermore, it is extraordinarily possible to try to achieve a scene where there are entrances and exits for villages and towns along the expressway, docks for villages and towns along the waterway, and railway stations for villages and towns with a certain population along the railway. Fifth, it is necessary to reduce farmers’ dependence on land. Specifically, improve the level of rural social security; increase the employment of farmers and then promote the transfer of rural labor force by developing the processing and circulation of agricultural products, rural leisure tourism, rural service industry and so on. Additionally, water conservancy construction of cultivated land should be strengthened to solve the problem of irrigation water source in water-free areas. Accordingly, these measures will play a positive role in TCMR.Regarding the study of rural land rights transfer or configuration modes, the contribution of this paper is mainly reflected in two aspects. First of all, it expands the research field of rural land transfer, turning the focus to the choice of specific transfer modes, like TCMR, lease and shareholding. Taking large-scale households’ land transfer-in as an example, this paper investigates the effect of the area and use of transfer-in, labor resources and human capital of households, farmland environment and land security function on the mode choice of land transfer-in. Secondly, the different modes of land rights transfer are regarded as different forms of contracts, and the analysis paradigm of transaction cost economics is applied to the analysis of the mode choice of farmland transfer-in for large-scale households in this study. This study partly reveals the rule that the parties of rural land rights transfer choose the modes of transfer, and provides a reference for the parties with different characteristics under different conditions to choose the most efficient mode of transfer, and also for the government and rural grassroots organizations to play a role.However, this study has some limitations due to the restriction of data resource. First, some factors that may have an impact on the mode choice of farmland transfer-in are not included in the analysis, like the local agricultural insurance and the financing environment. Second, the classification about the uses of farmland transfer-in is relatively rough. Third, the indicators reflecting the security function of farmland and land environment are not accurate enough since this paper uses regional averages or provincial data.Therefore, this study can be further broadened from the following aspects. Firstly, a comprehensive analysis of the factors that affect the mode selection of farmland transfer-in could be considered in the future research. Secondly, environmental factors could be more accurate. In addition, future studies can focus on the mode choice of rural land rights transfer from the perspective of agricultural enterprises, farmers’ cooperatives, and the party who transfers out of land.


The co-construction of conjugality is influenced by the interactions established in the family as a whole. It manifests itself, therefore, as a relational model in the expression of affectivity and the management of conflicts.In this clinical case report, the couple assumes relational difficulties focused on the significant reduction of time in individual leisure activities and, on the other hand, a 24-hour coexistence in the same space, in a period of compulsory confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.This study is exploratory-descriptive, using the case study as an empirical approach.The case described, reports to Couples Therapy, with the sessions taking place in 2022, in a total of seven. The couple, N, male, and J, female, have been married since 2020, shortly before the first confinement because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding their marital relationship, they reported that it deteriorated due to the difficulty in expressing an adaptive reaction to the stressor confinement and the opposite position regarding their desire to become parents.Integrative strategies were developed, with different theoretical and operative references. The couple took control of their relationship due to a greater empathic awareness and the establishment of a healthy and balanced communication system.None Declared


As health and care workers represent the backbone of health systems, addressing the challenges posed by the escalating demand for medical services has become imperative for central governing bodies, the scientific and medical community, and non-governmental organizations.A spectrum of global obstacles, including a growing elderly population, a surge in chronic illnesses, ecological threats due to shifting climates, unforeseen epidemics, and the heightened expectations of medical service users emphasize the need for immediate and targeted interventions.Across Europe, a healthcare crisis has materialized, underscored by medical personnel strikes driven by insufficient resources and unfavorable working conditions. These strikes have been observed in nations such as France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, asserts that “The health workforce crisis in Europe is no longer a looming threat – it is here and now. Health providers and workers across our region are clamouring for help and support” .Currently, all countries in the WHO European Region face severe challenges related to the health and care workforce, including staff shortages, migration, concerns about mental well-being, and gender-related disparities. The need for action is urgent, demanding not only efficient and impactful solutions, but also approaches tailored to the distinct needs of the population, taking into consideration the socio-economic disparities inherent to national and regional contexts.One issue, especially pertaining to Eastern Europe, is staff shortage due to migration or uneven distribution. The Romanian healthcare system experienced a substantial outflow of medical professionals migrating to OECD countries in the past. By the end of 2020, more than 21,500 Romanian doctors had relocated primarily to nations such as France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, Hungary, Belgium, Sweden, and Ireland. However, this migration trend has been on a decline, primarily attributable to factors such as salary increases in the public sector implemented in 2017 and various government initiatives. Notably, the number of doctors who migrated between 2018 and 2020  is less than half of the trend observed between 2012 and 2014 . Moreover, Romania boasts a record of trained medical professionals. In 2020, 26.3 medical students graduated per 100,000 population, surpassing the ratios of all European Union (EU) nations and significantly exceeding the EU19 average of 17.7 in the same year ..1].Given the extent and impact of the issues approached, it is of great importance that the Bucharest Declaration is transposed into concrete political action, to address the needs of the medical system and, ultimately, ensure improved patient outcomes. Moreover, there is a need for a resolution coming from the World Health Organisation that aligns with the principles laid out in this declaration to commit towards addressing the health and care crisis.The Bucharest High-Level Regional Meeting on Health and Care Workforce in Europe took place in the capital of Romania between 22 and 23 March 2023, showcasing a view on the state of European healthcare .The opening ceremony was moderated by Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, Director at the Division of Health Systems and Public Policy from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, and featured Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, and representatives of the Romanian Government. Medical practitioners and nurses then shared their accounts, highlighting the state of health and care.The event  featuredOver the course of the first day, the High-Level Regional Meeting delved into an array of critical topics, exploring the recruitment and retention challenges faced by health and care personnel in remote and rural settings, the domain of digital health, and innovative nursing methodologies. The topics extended to the examination of retention policies and the sharing of successful practices across various regions within the WHO framework. An essential aspect of the day's discourse was dedicated to the mental well-being of health and care workers. This segment was distinguished by spotlighting the experiences of Albania, Ukraine, Italy, and Ireland, thus underlining the significance of mental health support within the field.Transitioning to the second day, the event embarked on an exploration of healthcare planning and governance, enriched by valuable insights from Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, and Georgia. Additionally, the imperative role of health data in facilitating well-informed policy decisions, particularly concerning human resources, was underscored. Further discussions revolved around the practical intricacies of health systems, encompassing forecasting methodologies and the seamless integration of scientific evidence into policy-making. At the heart of these deliberations was the endeavor to enhance the appeal of health and care professions, aligned with the overarching goal of advancing the quality and reach of healthcare services.In a broader context, the High-Level Regional Meeting also approached strategies to attract young and passionate talents to the realm of healthcare, as well as focused on addressing pressing matters such as workforce migration, promoting work-life balance, and mitigating gender-based pay disparities within the sphere of European health and care.The event conveyed a concise yet powerful message, while there is no single solution to the healthcare crisis, collaborative efforts are essential to achieve incremental and consistent progress that could lead to significant changes.We were honored to host this regional meeting tackling a subject of extreme importance to the sustainability of healthcare systems in WHO’s European Region. “TIME TO ACT” is not only a slogan, but means assessment, coordinated planning, and, most importantly, implementation. Healthcare professionals are the beating heart of our healthcare systems, and we hope that the adoption of the Bucharest Declaration on Health and Care Workforce will emphasize the importance of taking more robust measures aimed at providing better training to healthcare professionals, better distribution of workforce, increasing the attractiveness of a healthcare career, as well as more effective planning and governance.


Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology , which was first released in March 2016, saw significant developments in 2022. This journal provides an advanced forum for research studies on functional morphology and kinesiology and the regulatory functions of movement. JFMK meets the growing demand for high-quality, peer-reviewed international journals, offering easy access, high publicity via open access, the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), ORCID, and CrossRef to all researchers. We are indexed in Scopus (Elsevier’s abstract and citation database), PubMed, PMC, DOAJ , Scilit , Google Scholar, World Health Organization Hinari, Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA), IFIS, and Norwegian Register for Scientific Journals, Series and Publishers (NSD). Our full texts are archived in CLOCKSS , e-Helvetica , and J-Gate (Informatics India).The In 2022, JFMK was assessed by SCImago Journal Rank as having a 2.7 CiteScore and reached Q2-quartiles in the following research fields: Anatomy, and Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation.In 2023, the CiteScoreTracker result for our journal in Scopus is 3.6, which is higher than in the previous year, which demonstrates the citation growth of our journal. In October 2022, we applied to be indexed in the Web of Science.JFMK is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). To verify the originality of content submitted to our journals, we still use iThenticate to check submissions against previous publications. MDPI works with Publons to provide reviewers with credit for their work and with MDPI Scitations Alert to provide our authors information on new publications in their research field.Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology has continued to grow on functional morphology and kinesiology research dealing with the analysis of structure, function, development, and evolution of cells and tissues of the musculoskeletal system and the whole body. It is my pleasure to confirm the progress recorded in recent years [https://www.mdpi.com/journal/jfmk/stats (accessed on 15 January 2023).The journal publishes articles focusing on molecular, cellular, tissue, system, and the whole-body response to a broad definition of physical activities. Furthermore, the journal provides an advanced forum for the analysis of the structure, function, development, and evolution of the cells and tissues of the musculoskeletal system and associated clinical disorders. We are proud to let you know that, thanks to your continuous support, the nt years ,2,3,4,5,Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology receives more manuscripts than it is able to publish, and the decision as to which papers are accepted or rejected is a difficult one. The decision is based on several factors, including originality, experimental design, scientific quality, data interpretation, clarity, and the quality of the written English, in order to uphold the high standards we have set for our journal.Indeed, the number of published manuscripts has jumped from 98, in the 2021 volume, to 112, in the 2022 volume, and we rejected 35% of the contributions to maintain the high standards of our journal. The In 2022, different Special Issues were activated thanks to the huge support of our editors. They include the following: “Motor Competence, Physical Activity and Health 2022”, edited by Prof. Dr. Vítor P. Lopes and Prof. Dr. Luis Paulo Rodrigues ; “MotivaJournal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology will be published in full open access in order to provide free access to readers, and to cover the costs of peer review, copyediting, typesetting, long-term archiving, and journal management, an article processing charge (APC) of 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be applied to papers accepted after peer review.All articles published in the In 2022, we added new keywords related to our journal as follows: Exercise and Physical Health; Sports Psychology and Cognitive Functioning; Muscle Structure and Musculoskeletal Disorders; Anatomy and Kinesiology; Adapted Physical Activity for Health Promotion; Rehabilitation and Rheumatology; Sports Medicine, Injury Prevention and Treatment; Strength and Power; Nutrition and Body Composition; Physical Activity and Neurodegeneration; Postural Control and Balance; Resistance Training; Sport Physiology and Performance; Athlete Monitoring and Management; Team Sports and Technology.In 2023, we shall continue our efforts to improve the journal through further growth and increased visibility.Follow up the planned papers from editorial board members;Contact international conferences recommended by the Editor-in-Chief or by editorial board members and try to establish media partnerships with them to make JFMK increasingly well known among scholars;Communicate with editorial board members more frequently and seek their generous and valuable input and expertise for journal development;Post high-quality papers through social media  and increase online readership;Reduce the processing time of each submitted manuscript;Take steps to have publications indexed by the Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science), by EMBASE (Elsevier) and by Web of Science—Clarivate;Improve the Citescore in the SCImago Journal Rank in the kinesiology-related sections such as Anatomy, Histology, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy, and Rehabilitation;Achieve the First Impact Factor status, as released by Clarivate Analytics;Accomplish, for our authors, the JFMK Best Paper Award and the JFMK Travel Grant Award;Garner, for the sake of journal promotion, support from sponsors for our editors to participate in, and disseminate our journal to, international conferences.In order to achieve this target and lay a strong foundation for publications in 2023, and in our application for indexing, we have made the following plans:Since 2021, MDPI has included the accepting Academic Editor’s name on published articles, where they have accepted that manuscript after full peer review. This supports greater transparency for the readership, demonstrates the care that our Academic Editors take in making decisions, and offers full acknowledgement of the effort put in when making expert judgements about the suitability of a manuscript for publication. We strongly believe that this will also support the rigorous and robust quality of our peer-review process.We hope that you share our enthusiasm for this journal, and we look forward to working with you to make JFMK a leader in its field. Your contributions are vital for the success of this new journal. We look forward to receiving your contributions , and proposals for Special Issues are always welcome.I have personally found this to be quite a challenge, one not helped by the COVID-19 pandemic, but one due in large part to the special position that JFMK is trying to navigate in the highly competitive publishing landscape. I wish you a healthy and prosperous new year and look forward to continuing to expand the reach and impact of the journal with your help next year.I take also this opportunity to warmly thank, for their confidence, the following: our authors, readers, and reviewers, as well as our editorial advisors, eminent scientists in these fields, who, with their experience and important suggestions, guide us in this great enterprise; our excellent editorial board members, whose depth of experience covers a very broad spectrum on different disciplines related to morphology and kinesiology arenas; the managing editor, Ms. Molly Lu, for her huge support, the publishing manager, Dr. Peter Ribar, and the other members of the Editorial office, who day after day, thanks to their valuable contributions, ensure the growth of this journal; and finally, all members of our teams in Basel, Barcelona, Beijing, Belgrade, Romania, Tokyo, and Wuhan, as well as our sponsors.


Journal of Personalized Medicine presents extended versions of selected contributions to pHealth 2021, the 18th International Conference on Wearable Micro and Nano Technologies for Personalized Health, held on 8–10 November 2021 in Genoa, Italy. The original papers have been published in the IOS Press Studies in Health Technology and Informatics 2021, volume 285  (URL accessed on 15 June 2023).This Special Issue of the JPM pHealth 2021 Special Issue before giving the green flag for formal submission. Mauro Giacomini, as Chair of the pHealth 2021 Local Organizing Committee, has managed the review process, performed by at least two independent international experts.The 2021 edition of pHealth emphasized the interrelated aspects of advanced pHealth, i.e., personalized, participative, preventive, predictive, precision medicine (5P medicine) in health and social services. In that context, mobile technologies, micro–nano–bio smart systems, artificial intelligence and robotics, data management and analytics, machine learning and deep learning for personalized health, the Health Internet of Things (HIoT), systems medicine, public health, and virtual care are of interest. Those new technologies create new potential risks for security, privacy, and safety, resulting in new challenges for meeting ethical and trustworthiness requirements of systems, partners, and processes. Bernd Blobel as the long-term Chair of the pHealth conferences’ Scientific Program Committee as well as of the pHealth Steering Committee has checked and edited every paper invited for publication in the MDPI The book starts with an introduction into the ongoing transformation of health and social care including the related organizational, methodological, and technological paradigm changes. For designing and managing ethical and intelligent transformed health ecosystems, the comprehensive and correct formal representation complex, dynamic, interdisciplinary ecosystems with their knowledge spaces is inevitable. Regarding ethical, legal, security, and privacy aspects, the system’s policy domain and their aforementioned subdomains must be especially addressed. Therefore, the paper specifically discusses the deployment of ontologies for representing ecosystems and their domains, hereby also considering newly standardized ontologies for representation and management of ethically driven robotics and automation systems. Thereafter, knowledge representation and management for semantic data integration is discussed in the context of practical solutions for biobanks. As the new technologies and methodologies are not just necessary for developing and running transformed health and social care ecosystems, but are also inevitable for properly including the current and potential actors, the introductory chapter of the book concludes with a paper on didactic concepts for digital learning in care settings.The second chapter presents two papers tackling the deployment of mobile technologies for pHealth. The first discusses and compares different approaches to learning systems for managing ambulant stress detection. The second one studies the deployment of mobile applications for improving care processes, especially the communication between care providers in pediatrics.The third chapter discusses the deployment of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and automation in transformed health and social care ecosystems with concrete solutions. The first paper focuses on Natural Language Processing, and the last one on unsupervised learning for automatically analyzing notes and electronic medical records. The second paper analyzes processes optimization with machine learning. The papers that follow investigate the deployment of Chatbots in the context of behavioral health, the deployment of machine learning to analyze the side effects of CVD interventions, the intelligent analysis of COVID-19 pneumonia cases using Hybrid Bayesian Networks, and, finally, the use of decision support systems.The last chapter addresses security, privacy, safety, and trust issues changing their characteristics as well as occurrence and importance in the context of the transformation of health and social care ecosystems. First, the implementation of standard-based security and privacy in genomic information systems is discussed at length. Thereafter, a new methodology is presented for assessing privacy and trust in eHealth. The penultimate paper of this volume addresses the importance of data democratization for the advancement of data sharing at a national and European level, as well as globally, while the last paper offers a risk prediction methodology in cardiac surgery.Journal of Personalized Medicine and its Editorial Office, and especially to Penny Su, for the valuable continuous support. Without all those efforts, this volume would not have been possible.The editors thank all authors and reviewers for their important contribution to the success of this volume. Furthermore, they are deeply indebted to the MDPI


Malaria is a major public health threat worldwide, and it was also widely prevalent in the history in China, seriously endangering people's health and affecting socioeconomic development. China was certified malaria elimination in 2021 with unremitting efforts since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This great achievement has been another milestone in the fight against major infectious diseases following the elimination of smallpox, poliomyelitis, leprosy, filariasis, neonatal tetanus and blinding trachoma in China. This paper briefly introduces the malaria burden dynamics and the corresponding malaria transmission risk stratificantions, as well as systematically reviews the evolution of anti-malaria policies and measures from severe epidemic to elimination in China. Meanwhile, five key lessons in malaria control and elimination in China are also briefly summarized. All of the above provide evidences for promoting global malaria eradication and preventing reestablishment of malaria transmission, finally benefit all individuals still suffering from the scourge of malaria. Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Plasmodium parasites that infect humans include Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale  and P. knowlesi, of which P. falciparum is the most lethal, and P. vivax and P. ovale can relapse due to the presence of latent liver stages known as hypnozoites, which can activate weeks, months, or even years after the primary clinical infection  from 1950 to 2021 . FurtherIn order to actively response to the health-related Millennium Development Goals, and the ultimate global goal of malaria eradication, the Chinese government launched the national malaria elimination program (NMEP) in 2010, with the corresponding National Action Plan for Malaria Elimination in China (2010–2020) . As a reWith the launch of the NMEP in 2010 and the WHO certification of malaria-free in 2021 as milestones, three phases of the malaria control phase (1949–2009), the elimination phase (2010–2020) and the post-elimination phase (2021~) can be divided from the founding of the People's Republic of China. Furthermore, the control phase could be roughly divided into four different stages according to the characteristics of malaria transmission and the anti-malaria policies and measures in different periods, namely, the focal investigation and control stage (1949–1959), the control of severe epidemics stage (1960–1979), the incidence decline stage (1980–1999), and the achievement consolidation/pre-elimination stage (2000–2009)  Figure .Anopheles mosquitoes. It was recorded that four Plasmodium species  have been endemic in China, among which P. vivax and P. falciparum were the main species. Moreover, P. vivax was distributed nationwide, and P. falciparum was the dominant species in the hyperendemic area in southern China, which was the major cause of severe malaria and death. In addition, P. malariae was mainly scattered in southern China, and P. ovale was only found sporadically in some areas of southwest China and some counties in Hainan.In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was estimated that there were 1,829 malaria-endemic counties nationwide, accounting for more than 70% of the total number of counties at that time . The claAnopheles anthropophagus and Anopheles minimus, and the northern edge of P. falciparum malaria transmission  were first divided in 1958 according to the disease survey data combined with topography, climate and other factors, then this stratification was updated with more characteristics in 1965  were stratified based on the national malaria reports from 2006 to 2008 in China , 39 Fig.In the post-elimination phase, risk stratification of the re-introduction was defined in the Technical Guideline for Prevention of Reestablishment of Malaria Transmission based on the border malaria status, the receptivity and vulnerability  Figure .P. ovale was reported in Pingba County in Guizhou Province  responsible for malaria investigation, personnel training and pilot prevention and control were began to be established in severely endemic areas. In 1953, the report on the National Health Administrative Conference and the second National Health Conference was approved by the Government Council, and the prevention and control against the most serious endemic diseases including malaria was required to be strengthened. By 1955, malaria transmission nationwide was basically clear, and more lessons on malaria control were summarized. At the same time, a variety of antimalarial drugs such as proguanil, cycloguanil, chloroquine, primaquine and pyrimethamine could be synthesized, with a capacity to provide batch supply of some antimalarial drugs such as proguanil and cycloguanil. In 1956, the Draft of National Program for Agricultural Development (1956–1967) was proposed, in which malaria was included as one of the most serious diseases affecting the population that could be virtually eliminated in all possible areas and within a limited period of time. In the same year, the first National Malaria Control Program was developed by the Ministry of Health, and malaria was classified as a notifiable disease for the first time. In 1958, Kaili County in Guizhou Province was selected as the first pilot county for malaria eradication by the Ministry of Health.As a result, remarkable progress such as the significant reductions of prevalence and incidence of malaria was achieved in the hyperendemic areas such as Simao County in Yunnan, Kaili County in Guizhou, and Hainan Island.P. vivax were occurred mainly in the Huanghuai Plain in the early 1960s and early 1970s.At this stage, China's malaria control unfortunately failed to achieve continuous results, and serious epidemics caused by Plasmoduim species and the transmission level were specified in the National Technical Plan for Malaria Prevention and Control issued in 1964  established in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China to carry out focal investigation and control, or the malaria surveillance network relying on three-level primary health network at the county, town and village levels, or the implementation of various control and elimination policies and measures, all of which are inseparable from a stable malaria control team. In addition to natural factors, the repeated recurrences of malaria transmission in China in the past were related with brain drain, team dispersion, and work stagnation. Meanwhile, the establishment of a real-time surveillance and response system with detailed case epidemiological information, the establishment of a nationwide malaria diagnostic reference laboratory network and quality management system, as well as the continuous implementation of various forms of training and assessment, have improved the level and quality from timely detection and standardized treatment of cases to rapid identification and effective response of epidemics, laying a solid foundation for malaria control and elimination.Plasmodium species, distribution and ecological habits of malaria vectors, etc. in China, thus different strategies and measures have been developed, tailored and implemented in various malaria transmission phases and settings, which made control and elimination feasible in different subregions of China. For instance, the technical specifications for malaria elimination around the core of 1-3-7 approach was carried out in the elimination phase, and the strategy for prevention of malaria re-establishment was updated in a timely manner from the elimination strategy focusing on each case/focus to the prevention of reestablishment focusing on timely identification of the source of infection in the post-elimination phase.Development and implementation of evidence-based strategies and policies across the whole country have been the key to China's successful response to the disease. There are great differences in various topography, climate, level of socioeconomic development, people's living habits, transmission characteristics of etc., have not only provided advanced concepts, technologies and financial support, but also strengthened timely information sharing and experience exchange, which facilitated the malaria elimination.Community involvement has played an important role in malaria control and elimination in China from the following three aspects at least: (1) extensive participation in health education and promotion organized by different sectors to improve public awareness and behavior of malaria prevention and control and to create a healthy and harmonious community; (2) extensive mobilization of community residents to protect environment and implement vector control in combination with new rural construction and China Patriotic Health Campaign; and (3) assistance and cooperation with local CDCs and township health centers in malaria case epidemiological investigation, foci investigation and disposal. Furthermore, inter- or multi-sectoral collaboration to develop and perform guidelines, policies, plans and measures for malaria elimination, intranational collaboration such as the joint prevention and control mechanism for malaria control in Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Anhui and Hubei, and the international cooperation such as the close collaboration and cooperation with the WHO, the Global Fund, and the cross-border cooperation under bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, Research in basic science and field applications has made great contributions to malaria elimination in China, not only in the control and elimination strategies, but also in key technologies, covering pathogen biology, vector biology, and interventions such as diagnostics, antimalarial drugs, insecticide-treated mosquito nets and radical treatment of vivax malaria, etc. . Among tMalaria is another major infectious disease eliminated in China after the elimination of smallpox, poliomyelitis, leprosy, filariasis, neonatal tetanus and blinding trachoma , which iZ-GX: conception or design of the work. J-HY and Z-GX: drafting the article. LZ and X-YF: critical revision of the manuscript. All authors final approval of the manuscript.


This study aimed to analyze coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)vaccine policies and effectiveness in Korea, Japan, and Singapore, thereby providing empirical experience for vaccination and response to similar public health emergencies.The study systematically summarized the COVID-19 vaccine policies in Korea, Japan, and Singapore through public information from the Our World in Data website and the official websites of the Ministries of Health in these three countries.Total vaccinations, COVID-19 vaccination rates, rates of fully vaccinated, rates of boostervaccinated, and total confifirmed cases were selected for cross-sectional comparison of COVID-19 vaccination in these three countries. Combining the basic characteristics of these three countries, daily cases per million, daily deaths per million, and the effective reproduction rate were calculated to measure the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine policies implementation in each of these three countriesThe countermeasures against the COVID-19 in Korea, Japan, and Singapore, although seemingly different on the surface, have all taken an aggressive approach. There are large similarities in the timing of the start of COVID-19 vaccination, the type of vaccine, how vaccine appointments are made, and whether vaccination are free, and all had high vaccination rates. A systematic comparison of the anti-epidemic practices in the three East Asian countries revealed that all three countries experienced more than one outbreak spike due to the spread of new mutant strains after the start of mass vaccination with COVID-19 vaccination, but that vaccination played a positive role in reducing the number of deaths and stabilizing the effective reproduction rate.This study comparatively analyzed the COVID-19 vaccine policies and their effects in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, and found that there is a common set of logical combinations behind the seemingly different strategies of these three countries. Therefore, in the process of combating COVID-19, countries can learn from the successful experience of combating the epidemic and continue to strengthen the implementation of vaccination programs, as well as adjusting public perceptions to reduce the level of vaccine hesitancy, enhance the motivation for vaccination, and improve the coverage of COVID-19 vaccine based on different cultural factors, which remains the direction for future development. The worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most serious public health threat since the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic ; On MarcSince the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the various measures taken by countries to control the epidemic, the high transmission capacity of the virus, the rapid mutation rate, the general susceptibility of the population and the many asymptomatic infected persons have put enormous pressure on global public health, vaccination has become the most cost-effective means of controlling outbreaks . The devAlthough each country fights the epidemic differently, the external shocks and expectations to end the epidemic are the same for all countries. Therefore, we need to understand why the same effects occur in different countries, that is, what is the common logic behind the seemingly different strategies. The central question of this study is: Why did the three countries achieve similar results with different policy strategies? Thus, this article is a study in search of commonalities. Finding and refining the basic principles for fighting the epidemic can provide important guidance for future epidemic prevention and control . ConsideThe COVID-19 epidemiological data used in this study were obtained from publicly available information on the Our World in Data website and the official websites of the national health ministries of Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The data were selected for the period from the start of COVID-19 vaccination in each of the three countries to May 5, 2023. Total vaccinations, COVID-19 vaccination rates, rates of fully vaccinated, rates of booster-vaccinated, and total confifirmed cases were selected for cross-sectional comparison of COVID-19 vaccination in these three countries. Daily cases per million, daily deaths per million, and the effective reproduction rate (Rt) were calculated to measure the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine policies implementation in each of these three countries.Total vaccinations are the sum of the basic and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and are the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered. COVID-19 vaccination rates are the proportion of the population that has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, including the proportion of the population that is fully vaccinated and the proportion of the population that is partially vaccinated. Daily cases per million is the number of new confifirmed cases per million population per day for each country. Daily deaths per million is the number of new deaths per million population per day for each country. The effective reproduction rate is an indicator of how many people are infected by one individual. If Rt = 2, this implies that each infected person transmits the virus to two others, resulting in an uncontrolled epidemic . Rt can The COVID-19 vaccine policies of Korea, Japan and Singapore are obtained from official WHO documents, survey reports, and official government websites and official documents of the three countries, such as Ministry of Health of Singapore, Japanese ministry of health, labor and welfare, Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, etc. The COVID-19 vaccine policy extracted from this study includes the following aspects: basic vaccination program, vaccine procurement and supply, vaccine development, vaccine booster vaccination, vaccination of underage groups, mandatory vaccination, incentive vaccination, and vaccination support policies.Finally, we conducted a cross-sectional comparison of basic COVID-19 vaccination in Korea, Japan, and Singapore, summarized the COVID-19 vaccination policies in each of these three countries, plotted the epidemiological curves of each of these three countries, and labeled the major vaccination policies to assess the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination policies adopted by each country and to examine their commonalities.Cross-country comparative studies need to be based on an understanding of the underlying country context, otherwise they tend to yield unrealistic policy recommendations . First, As seen by Fig. Korea launched a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination on February 26, 2021, as can be seen by Table The main goal of the Korean government was to achieve universal vaccination as soon as possible in order to control the epidemic and restore normal socio-economic activities. The government has actively promoted the vaccination program by providing free vaccines to the Korean public and ensuring the supply of vaccines to the public through a variety of means, including mass vaccination centers, local vaccination centers, and corporate vaccination. At the public perception level, the Korean public has been supportive of vaccination and widely recognizes the importance of vaccines in controlling the epidemic. The majority of the public actively participated in vaccination and cooperated with the government's vaccination program. At the same time, as Korea focuses on collective consciousness and social responsibility , this isWhile most countries around the world started vaccinating their populations in early 2021, the Japanese government's delay in doing so has been met with accusations from both inside and outside Japan. Starting with the first mass vaccination on February 17, 2021, the vaccination was carried out in the order of medical-related personnel, the elderly, and the general public, as can be seen by Table The main objective of the Government of Japan was to achieve universal vaccination as soon as possible in order to control the epidemic and restore normal socio-economic activities. The government was actively promoting the vaccination program by providing free vaccines to the Japanese people and ensuring the supply of vaccines to the public by providing services such as appointments and vaccinations through multiple channels. In terms of public perception, Japan has some disagreements with Korea. Influenced by a long history of self-confidence in the strength of medical resources, science and technology, and health education, Japan is more cautious in accepting new things and viewing external information , for exaSingapore launched its National Vaccination Programme (NVP) on December 30, 2020, with the first vaccines being the Pfizer-BioTech/Comirnaty vaccine, jointly developed by Pfizer and Biotech, the first country in Asia to receive mass vaccination. As can be seen by Table The Singapore Government's main objective was to achieve universal vaccination as soon as possible to contain the outbreak, to reduce transmission and to protect public health. The Government was actively pursuing the vaccination programme by providing free vaccines to Singaporeans and ensuring the availability of vaccines and vaccination services through the establishment of multiple vaccination centers and the provision of a booking system, among other things. The public in Singapore has been supportive of vaccination and generally recognizes the importance of vaccines in combating epidemics. The majority of the population was willing to be vaccinated and participated in the government's vaccination program. Vaccine-related information has been made widely available to the public, and decisions based on official guidance and expert advice. One of the cultural characteristics of Singapore is the emphasis on social responsibility and the collective good , and thiAs seen by Fig. In terms of the number of deaths and mortality rates during the wave phase, this round was lower than the previous four waves in Japan, with only 2100 and 0.26%, and the rapid spread of the vaccine played a huge role in this round, as Japan began mass COVID-19 vaccination on February 17, 2021. Except for a small fluctuation in the low level of the epidemic in July and August 2021 due to the Tokyo Olympics, both daily cases per million and daily deaths per million remained at extremely low levels until the end of 2021, and the epidemic in Japan was nearly dissipated after the Delta epidemic. As seen by Fig. Since the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination, the situation of daily new cases per million varies among countries, with a decrease in daily deaths per million, and the effect is more pronounced in countries with high coverage, but except for Singapore. Vaccination levels in Singapore were very high, with daily new cases per million starting to decline 40 days after vaccination initiation . With 72Through a comparative analysis of the vaccination policies of the three countries, it can be seen that the three countries share many similarities in their vaccination strategies. Korea, Japan and Singapore all attach great importance to vaccination as an important means of outbreak control, and have developed scientific and rational vaccination strategies and priorities. Based on specific target populations, a phased vaccination program has been formulated, and vaccination priority is determined based on risk assessment to ensure early vaccination of high-risk groups. In terms of vaccine supply and distribution, all three countries were committed to ensuring an adequate supply of vaccines, signing agreements with multiple vaccine manufacturers to ensure the stability of the vaccine supply, thus guaranteeing smooth vaccination, and distributing vaccines through the establishment of vaccination centers and appointment systems. In terms of improving vaccine coverage, Korea, Japan and Singapore have attached great importance to improving vaccination coverage by setting up multiple vaccination centers and providing convenient vaccination services in each region to ensure easy access to vaccinations and vaccinate as many residents as possible.At the same time, there are differences in vaccination policies. In terms of the challenges faced by the three countries in the early stages of vaccination, Japan faced delays in supply and distribution in the early stages of vaccination, while South Korea and Singapore moved forward with their vaccination programs relatively quickly. In terms of strategies for vaccination, Korea and Singapore adopted mass vaccination centers and appointment systems, while Japan focused more on establishing vaccination sites and strengthening promotion and publicity at the local level. In terms of the speed of vaccination, Korea achieved high nationwide coverage for a large part of the population in a relatively short period of time, while Japan and Singapore reached high coverage at a later stage.A comprehensive analysis of vaccination policies and epidemiological curves shows that in terms of vaccination coverage, Korea, Japan and Singapore have all actively promoted vaccination, and although there are some differences in vaccination speed and strategy, they have all achieved higher vaccination coverage earlier. In terms of outbreak control effects, although all three countries had more than one outbreak peak caused by new mutant strains, with the increase in vaccination coverage, all three countries achieved some outbreak control results, with decreases in daily cases per million, daily deaths per million, and Rt values. Korea's outbreak control after vaccination reached the expected goal and the situation improved significantly; Japan's outbreak control effect gradually appeared, but further efforts are still needed; Singapore successfully controlled the outbreak and reached a more controllable state. In terms of social life and economic recovery, with the advancement of vaccination, people can participate in more social activities, and various industries have begun to recover; in terms of the safety of vaccination, all three countries have implemented stringent vaccine safety testing and regulatory measures, and have rigorously evaluated the quality, safety and efficacy of vaccines, and the vaccines that have been put into use are in line with international standards and regulations, although all three countries Although there are reports of individual adverse reactions and side effects in all three countries, these countries have actively taken measures to detect and manage them, such as setting up reporting systems, strengthening testing and treatment, and other ancillary measures. In terms of ongoing prevention and control measures, the intensity of prevention and control and the degree of implementation varied by country based on the outbreak situation and the level of social compliance, but all three countries emphasized the ongoing implementation of prevention and control measures after vaccination, including non-pharmacological interventions such as social education distances and the use of face masks.The ostensibly different vaccination policies of Korea, Japan and Singapore selected for this study show great similarities in vaccination rates and vaccination levels. Therefore, by comparing the anti-vaccination practices of Korea, Japan and Singapore, this study reveals the common logic behind the seemingly very different anti-vaccination approaches and policy combinations of the three countries, i.e., positive willingness to vaccinate, multi-party collaboration, and protection from multiple perspectives are the main threads running through the three countries.In terms of vaccine policy objectives, although, due to the differences between countries in terms of epidemic situation, healthcare systems and economic conditions, different countries have chosen different policy instruments and focuses; for example, while accelerating the speed of vaccination, South Korea and Japan have taken measures such as restricting public gatherings in order to control the spread of the cases; while Singapore has adopted means such as retrospection and quarantine. However, in essence, the objective of all three countries is to safeguard public health and safety. First, the general principles of the anti-epidemic institutional arrangements in the three countries are very similar, with epidemic prevention and control planning, national leaders personally directing and taking the lead in vaccination, and all using the risk of infection and serious illness as the first criterion for vaccination consideration; second, in the medical and public health fields, the strength of the resource allocation in Singapore, South Korea, and Japan is at the forefront of the world, and they have played an important role in this epidemic, and during the epidemic, the Singaporean government During the epidemic, the Singaporean government took the initiative to follow up on its social security policies, South Korea had multiple appeals, and Japan vigorously strengthened its medical response system to bridge the infection prevention gap.It is worth mentioning that the public's willingness to vaccinate and vaccine hesitancy have always had an impact on the advancement of COVID-19 vaccination . On the In the practices of Korea, Japan and Singapore, the combination of these factors has contributed to increased vaccination coverage, which in turn has had a significant impact on controlling outbreaks. Therefore, the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination also requires adjusting public perceptions as much as possible based on different cultural factors to reduce the level of public vaccine hesitancy, adequately publicizing the safety and efficacy of vaccination, developing incentives to enhance the motivation of the population to vaccinate, and appropriately conducting mandatory vaccination to increase COVID-19 vaccine coverage.Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) are public health measures aimed at reducing virus transmission by reducing exposure rates, such as contact tracing, international travel controls, closure of public transportation, wearing of masks, closure of workplaces, and cancellation of public events . In thisThis study assessed the effectiveness and impact of different policies in promoting vaccination by examining non-pharmacological interventions during vaccination in three countries and analyzing the vaccination situation in the three countries comparatively, and then explored the impact of factors such as the social, cultural and economic contexts on the implementation and effectiveness of the policies, in order to contribute to a better understanding of the reasons for the differences in the policies between the different regions, as well as the factors behind the same results.The study found that, despite the different degrees of challenges in vaccine supply and public trust in vaccines in these three countries, they all adopted active vaccination policies, committed to achieving universal vaccination and thus controlling the outbreak, and formulated relevant policies based on the actual situation of the countries in a pragmatic and locally adapted manner, which ultimately led to significant results in controlling the outbreak and protecting public health in all of them. Thus, COVID-19 vaccination is a key public health strategy to reduce the overall burden of COVID-19 globally , and theAt the same time, we should also recognize that epidemic prevention and control is a multi-task, multi-link complex activity, and there is no need for countries to adopt a one-size-fits-all policy mix, but rather a need to follow a common goal, and it is entirely possible that different combinations of anti-epidemic policies can be formed according to their respective national conditions, which may lead to different paths to the same end. The great difference between East Asia and the rest of the world in this outbreak is that there is some consensus on the basic anti-epidemic goals and logical starting point, as epitomized by Korea, Japan and Singapore. In the global fight against COVID-19, countries can continue to strengthen the implementation of vaccination programmes, drawing on the successful experience of combating the epidemic. At the same time, based on different cultural factors, public perceptions should be adjusted as much as possible so as to reduce the level of public vaccine hesitancy. On this basis, fully promoting the safety and efficacy of vaccination, developing incentives to enhance the public's motivation to vaccinate, and appropriately carrying out mandatory vaccination to enhance COVID-19 vaccine coverage remain the direction for future development.


Polymer nanomaterials have emerged as a promising class of materials within the field of biomedicine, owing to their unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. These materials have been extensively investigated for a wide range of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and diagnostic imaging. In this editorial, we review recent research articles about the use of polymer nanomaterials in biomedicine. More specifically, we examine the development of new nanomedicines in combination therapy for cancer treatment, the use of thermosensitive liquid suppositories for drug delivery, and the development of nanoparticulate photoluminescent probes for bioimaging. These articles highlight the potential of polymer nanomaterials in addressing some of the key challenges in biomedicine, such as the improvement of drug delivery, the enhancement of therapeutic efficacy, and the development of new diagnostic and imaging tools. As the field of polymer nanomaterials continues to advance, it is important to consider their safety and long-term effects. With careful designs and tests, polymer nanomaterials have the potential to revolutionize the field of biomedicine and improve patient outcomes.Anna et al.  focused Kim et al.  developeMoreover, Maria et al.  developeMagdalena et al.  exploredLee et al.  studied The use of polymer nanomaterials in biomedicine is an exciting and rapidly growing field with a wide range of potential applications. The articles reviewed in this editorial highlight some of the latest developments and advancements within the field, including the development of new nanomedicines in combination therapy for cancer treatment, the use of thermosensitive liquid suppositories for drug delivery, and the development of nanoparticulate photoluminescent probes for bioimaging.Furthermore, these studies demonstrate the versatility and potential of polymer nanomaterials in addressing some of the key challenges in biomedicine, such as the improvement of drug delivery, the enhancement of therapeutic efficacy, and the development of new diagnostic and imaging tools. The use of these materials can lead to better outcomes for patients; that is, disease management can be improved and survival rates can be increased.