The research objects are the tax and budgetary policies of the Russian Federation. In this research, financial (budgetary) risks are understood as a decrease in the balance of the state (national) budget resulting from a reduction in revenues or an increase in expenditures. This research considers production in the main sectors of the economy as a key factor of financial risk in the COVID-19 pandemic. The research aims to analyze the main directions of the budgetary and tax policy of the Russian Federation aiming at supporting the economy and the population during the spread of COVID-19, which is especially relevant in connection with the expected recession in a number of sectors of the economy and a decrease in the level of employment and, accordingly, the well-being of citizens. In these conditions, it is necessary to adjust the budgetary and tax policy to preserve the state’s social obligations and expand social and economic support for businesses and citizens to smooth out the negative consequences of the impact of restrictive measures. The authors applied systemic and institutional approaches and statistical methods. The main results of the research reflect the need to (1) implement support measures (tax and budgetary incentives) for small and medium-sized enterprises, on which the crisis provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic has had the most destructive impact, and (2) to expand the volume of budgetary financing of social programs for financial risk management of the Russian economy during the COVID-19 pandemics.

Public-private partnership (PPP) is a prominent tool for sustainable infrastructure development. However, the positive contributions of PPPs towards attainment of sustainable, climate resilience and zero carbon infrastructure projects are hampered by poor financial risk management. This problem is more prevalent in developing countries like Ghana where private investment inflow has plummeted due to COVID-19 recession and poor project performance. Thus, this study aims at assessing the key financial risk management strategies in ensuring sustainable PPP infrastructure projects in Ghana. The study utilised primary data from PPP practitioners in Ghana solicited through survey questionnaires. Factor analysis, mean scores and fuzzy synthetic analysis are the data analysis techniques for this study. The results revealed sustainable and green funding models, effective cost reduction initiatives, competent team with committed leadership, and emerging technologies and regulations constitute the key strategies to manage financial risks of sustainable PPP infrastructure projects. Although, future studies must expand the scope of data gathering, the findings of the study enrichen the theoretical understanding of financial risks in sustainable investments in PPP infrastructures. Relevant remedies that will aid the development of practical financial risk management guidelines are provided in this study for PPP practitioners.

In the construction business, which is known for its intricate and strategic nature, it is crucial to have efficient risk management in place. This is because various internal and external elements can cause disruptions to projects. Although the industry has had a historically negative reputation for risk analysis, the methodical process of identifying, analyzing, and managing risks has been more widely recognized and respected. This paper examines the historical progression of construction risk management, highlighting the need to identify and classify risks promptly. The study examines various risk factors related to finance, law, environment, and logistics. The study explores various risk management strategies, such as contract management, risk distribution, evaluation, mitigation, and sharing. The article discusses the significant impact of risk management software, such as Procore, PlanGrid, e-Builder, Autodesk BIM 360, and Oracle Primavera, on improving project results. The study finishes by highlighting the importance of proactive risk management in protecting against financial losses and maintaining a reputation in the construction business.

The famous Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) takes into account only business risk. In practice, companies use debt financing and operate at non–zero levels of leverage. This means that it is necessary to take into account the financial risk associated with the use of debt financing along with business one. The purpose of this paper is to simultaneously take into account the business and financial risk. A new approach to CAPM has been developed that takes into account both business and financial risk. We combine the theory of CAPM and the Modigliani–Miller (MM) theory. The first is based on portfolio analysis and accounting for business risks in relation to the market (or industry). The second one (the Modigliani–Miller (MM) theory) describes a specific company and takes into account the financial risks associated with the use of debt financing. The combination of these two different approaches makes it possible to take into account both types of risks: business and financial ones. We combine these two approaches analytically, while Hamada did it phenomenologically. Using the Modigliani–Miller (MM) theory, it is shown that the Hamada’s model, first model, used for this purpose half a century ago, is incorrect. In addition to the renormalization of the beta–coefficient, obtained in the Hamada model, two additional terms are found: the renormalized risk–free return and the term dependent on the cost of debt kd. A critical analysis of the Hamada model was carried out. The vast majority of listing companies use debt financing and are levered, and the Hamada model is not applicable to them in contrast to a new approach applicable to leveraged companies. Implemented a new approach to specific companies. A comparison of the results of the new approach with the results of the conventional CAPM is shown. Two versions of CAPM (market or industry) are considered.

This research article focused on discovering appropriate liquidity risk concerns in the financial Sector. Primarily, it deals with the appropriate liquidity factors that affect financial performance services pertained to several liquidity crises and the respective liquidity measures. Liquidity is considered the primary constraint. The Liquidity Ratios are the defective condition of calculating the financial performance services and their respective status. For fulfilling this performance service status prediction, this research use calculation for consistency index procedure. Liquidity index-based predictions have collaborated concerning the price movement in the stock market. The Liquidity will affect the trading and market transparency whenever the price moment varies. To control this trading and not market transparency of liquidity index be employed the greedy approach for estimating the most factor affected by the liquid index. Hence, this research elaborates on the greedy approach today with 25 essential financial factors. Each Panther will have combined with the tractor-confirmed liquidity crisis whenever the factors of liquidity crisis are combined with the actual financial factor, the minimum and maximum Degree of matching are calculated. This calculation determines the factors that affected the Liquidity concerning their exact, Plugin, subsume, and fail condition. Eventually, the search concludes the determination of factors affecting Liquidity concerning the actual finance factor and liquidity crisis. Finally, the result was concluded with the Degree of matching and their efficiency of finding liquidity factors with a successful reasonable result. Based on the Degree of matching result, this research found the actual reason for Liquidity with the help of various financial factors

Subnational governments play a key role responding to climate change risks in terms of policy strategies and instruments. This article analyzes how Brazilian municipal and state governments have developed and implemented public policies to mitigate and to adapt to climate change risks. We surveyed all cities’ and states’ climate policies within the country. The methodological approach includes five main points of analysis: 1. mitigation targets and intentions; 2. adaptation actions; 3. stakeholders’ participation; 4. policy implementation; 5. participation in networks related to climate change. Our results suggest that even though subnational climate policies in Brazil are isolated initiatives within the national context, they play an important role responding to climate change risks in different scales and levels. The strongest Brazilian policies with both mitigation and adaptation actions counted on previous mobilization for the climate issue involving different stakeholders from several segments of the society. These governments have also participated in transnational cooperation networks related to climate change.

The study of the concentrations and effects of fine particulate matter in urban areas have been of great interest to researchers in recent times. This is due to the acknowledgment of the far-reaching impacts of fine particulate matter on public health. Remote sensing data have been used to monitor the trend of concentrations of particulate matter by deriving aerosol optical depth (AOD) from satellite images. The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) has released the second version of its global PM_2.5 data with improvement in spatial resolution. This paper revisits the study of spatial and temporal variations in particulate matter in Saudi Arabia by exploring the cluster analysis of the new data. Cluster analysis of the PM_2.5 values of Saudi cities is performed by using Anselin local Moran’s I statistic. Also, the analysis is carried out at the regional level by using self-organizing map (SOM). The results show an increasing trend in the concentrations of particulate matter in Saudi Arabia, especially in some selected urban areas. The eastern and south-western parts of the Kingdom have significantly clustering high values. Some of the PM2.5 values have passed the threshold indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO) standard and targets posing health risks to Saudi urban population.

Institutional quarantine was one of the key public health measures used to control the spread of the COVID-19. Institutional quarantine has been associated with several psychosocial and economic risks to affected individuals. However, little is known about the psychosocial and economic risks it poses to affected persons in low-resource countries, since it is a relatively new strategy for controlling disease spread in these settings. This article provides insights into the economic and psychosocial risks encountered by affected persons in a low-resource context. We conducted narrative interviews with 20 adults placed under institutional quarantine to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. Institutional quarantine exposed affected persons to an intricate range of economic and psychosocial risks including loss of livelihoods and/or income, financial distress, fear, worry, anger, loneliness and stigma. The experience of specific risks was shaped by an intersection of individual and contextual factors. However, disregard for economic and social issues and shortcomings in the implementation of institutional quarantine contributed profoundly to the occurrence of risks. Integration of measures for identification and continuous management of the broad range of potential risks to individuals and bridging gaps in the implementation of institutional quarantine, may help to minimise associated economic and psychosocial risks.

The growth of the wind power sector has been marked by environmental, economic, and political drivers. Its starring role is also visible in the emergence of the so-called “green jobs”. Notwithstanding, its evolution ought not to compromise issues related to occupational risks. This exploratory study examines psychosocial risks in the operation and maintenance of onshore wind turbines in a leading Portuguese company. We conducted interviews with main stakeholders (Human Resources, OHS professionals, and team leaders); developed an “activity diary” for the operation and maintenance technicians to describe their activity and perceived impacts on health, complemented with collective interviews; and applied the Work and Health Survey. The results revealed particular risks and health impacts: working under adverse weather conditions; working at heights and in confined spaces; spending long work hours inside of the nacelles to achieve an optimum balance between favorable wind slots to intervene and avoiding additional trips up and down the wind turbines without lifts (70m-120m); and the feeling of early ageing. At a time when these workers are striving for recognition of their profession as a “rapid wear profession”, it is a key moment to discuss these results to guarantee sustainable conditions for future generations of workers.

The effects of climate change health impacts on urban health care systems and vulnerable populations are a researched topic with foundations on urban risk management, urban health methodologies, and sustainable urbanization. As climate change is a dynamic and transformative global issue the gap between adaptation and mitigation efforts and urban planning relies, among other things, in the limitations of previous studies of risk management structures tailored to the existing strategy to calculate the uncertainties and predict their influence on urban systems and subsystems. Moreover, as climate and health is a well-researched issue, it is also complex as the methodologies and strategic approach to minimize health risks of climate change is intrinsically contingent to risk methodologies and policy-making processes that are efficient with support of knowledge-based information. This paper emphasis the need for focusing on urban health risk management methods that serves to identify potential opportunities, and then manage and take action to prevent adverse health effects. It also emphasizes the probability of events and their consequences, which are measurable both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The permanent protection of groundwater and surface sources of drinking water in the required raw water quality from contamination is the primary foundation of preserving the life of society and the entire engineering infrastructure operability not only in the Czech Republic but also in other countries of the world. One of the basic ways of contamination prevention enhancement and risk mitigation of putting a water source out of operation is the identification of the given risk as well as soil contamination monitoring. The purpose of this study is to understand specific aspects of contamination threats to drinking water sources and determine possible solutions to eliminate the risk, shown in the example case study in the Czech Republic conditions. Based on the findings, a proposal to enhance the prevention of water source contamination has been elaborated in the form of recommendations regarding the ways and means used to monitor the risk areas and to implement technical measures so as to eliminate or terminate the specified risk. A complex approach based on the integration of interdisciplinary factors and methodology is required to minimize the threats of aquatic ecosystems contamination in the Czech Republic.

Introduction Blunt carotid injuries (BCI) in pediatric trauma are quite rare. Due to the low number of cases, only a few reports and studies have been conducted on this topic. This review will discuss how frequent BCI/ BCVI on pediatric patients after blunt trauma is, what routine diagnostics look like, if a CT/ CTA scan on pediatric patients after blunt trauma is always necessary and if there are any negative health effects? Methods This literature review includes reviews, systematic reviews, case reports and original studies in english language between 1999 and 2020 that have dealt with pediatric blunt trauma and the diagnostics of BCI and BCVI. Furthermore, publications on the risk of radiation exposure on children were included in the study. For literature research, Medline (PubMed) and the Cochrane library were used. Results Pediatric BCI/ BCVI, shows an overall incidence between 0.03 – 0.5% of confirmed BCI/ BCVI cases due to pediatric blunt trauma. 1.1 – 3.5% of pediatric blunt trauma patients underwent CTA to detect BCI. Only 0.17 – 1.2% of all CTA scans shows a positive diagnosis for BCI. In children, the median volume CT dose index on a non-contrast head CT is 33 milligray, a computed tomography angiography needs at least 138 mGy. A cumulative doses of about 50 mGy almost triples the risk of leukemia, and doses of about 60 mGy triples the risk of brain cancer. Discussion Knowing that a BCI could have extensive neurologic consequences for children, it is necessary to evaluate routine pediatric diagnostics after blunt trauma. Computed tomography scans (CT) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) are mostly used in routine BCI diagnostics. However, since radiation exposure in children should be as low as reasonably achievable, it should be asked if other diagnostic methods could be used to identify risk groups. Trauma guidelines and clinical scores like the McGovern score are reflect established BCI screening options, as well as using duplex ultrasound.

Aspects are presented on the interpretation of certainties by assessing risks with maximum level in order to establish reasonable limits of acceptance, tolerance or assumption of risks, supplementing environmental risk factors with external, social, financial elements and introducing a category in the work system analysis.Comparative aspects between INCDPM and MEvAR methods are presented as proposals in the associated tables.The conclusions highlight the current aspects implemented in the method and their usefulness.

Mercury contamination in the Amazon is a significant public health concern arising from both natural sources and intensive mining activities in the region. This metal is used to separate Au from sediments, forming an amalgam that facilitates the extraction of precious metals. Accordingly, this study aimed to address the following question: What is the impact of mining on mercury contamination in the animal and human populations of the Amazon? The overall objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature to identify gaps in geographic coverage and assess the impact of Hg contamination on human and animal populations in the Amazon region. Our hypothesis was that higher mercury concentrations in tissue samples would be found closer to the mining areas. We employed the PECO and PRISMA-ScR protocols to collect articles published between 2017 and 2023, selected based on criteria representing projected points on a map within the biogeographic boundaries of the Amazon. Mercury concentrations increase with trophic levels, reaching high values of 3.7 µg/g in the muscles of predatory fish and 34.9 µg/g in human hair. The average level of mercury in humans exceeds 6 µg/g, surpassing tolerance levels. Although mining regions show high concentrations of Hg, the highest incidence was observed among populations with fish-based diets. Research on fish is crucial for assessing the risk to human health, given that fish are the main source of protein in the region.

Using measures for sustainable development and reducing the risk of disasters in order to protect the population, goods and the environment, is the duty of every state in the fight against the security challenges that disasters bring. Disaster risk reduction is a multidisciplinary policy designed to implement various measures to strengthen community resilience and preparedness for disasters. The region of Southeast Europe is recognized as extremely endangered by natural disasters. The countries of the region, especially their national risk management policies, continue to be based in part on solutions from earlier times. The subject of the research is focused on the analysis of disaster risk management policies in the countries of Southeast Europe, their comparison and review of similarities and differences. The countries of this region base their policies on similar solutions aimed at reducing the risk of disasters. There are shortcomings in the full implementation of the adopted international frameworks in the national risk management policies and normative-legal frameworks in certain countries of this region.

Introduction: Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood disability Aims: Analyze and determine the main risk factors for the development of cerebral palsy in the population of Kazakhstan Materials and methods: Retrospective, analytical "case" - "control". Core group "case" - medical records of 100 pregnant women whose children at different ages has been diagnosed with cere-bral palsy Results: Thus, a retrospective analysis revealed the following features and complications in the perinatal period, which could promote the formation of cerebral palsy in children. Analytical results of the study are set significant results in cerebral palsy development Conclusion: Premature birth and urinary tract infections turned out to be the largest contribu-tors to the development of cerebral palsy, however, according to statistics, the rate of preterm birth, as well as the detection of infections, stably remains at the same level, while the number of cerebral palsy has been steadily growing since the early 1990s in Kazakhstan.

Social media informs the public about the most important events and conveys important information. Before, during and after disasters, social media are used to disseminate information about disasters and to collect data relevant to the implementation of preparedness, response and recovery activities and measures. Social networks are effective in disseminating information and warnings, as well as in educating the public. The subject of the research is examining the influence of demographic factors on the effectiveness of social media in informing the public about the risks of disasters. Using an online survey questionnaire, and according to the snowball principle, a survey of 247 respondents was conducted in 2022. The research results show no statistically significant relationship between the level of education of the respondents and the assessment of the effectiveness of social media reporting on disasters. The use of social media can improve communication between stakeholders in disaster management and facilitate coordination of efforts, fostering communication and allocation of resources. To effectively use social media in disaster management, decision-makers in the disaster management system must be aware of new technologies, their disadvantages and advantages, as well as ways in which data from social networks can be collected and analyzed.

While studies that examined risk perceptions in various environments have been previously conducted, the relationship between risk perceptions measured in such environments had not been examined. Such a relationship, if found, may indicate that when one learns to identify risks in one environment, they may identify risks more easily and quickly in another.This study examined the relationship between measures of risk perception in several separate environments. The findings suggest that when learning to identify and assess risks in a particular environment, one may better identify and assess risks in a similar environment – for example, learning to identify and assess risks while driving makes it easier to identify and assess risks when crossing a road. Conversely, the findings also indicate that learning to identify and assess risks in one environment does not make it possible to better identify and assess risks in a disparate environment – for example, learning to identify and assess risks while driving does not make it easier to identify and assess risks in a workplace environment. This may also suggest that while disparate environments such as the road environment and the workplace environment are perceived as two separate environments, the road environment is experienced as one single environment by both drivers and pedestrians.

This article describes the POTENTIALS project, which aimed to develop business models for the reuse of former industrial and mining sites in different regions. The project focused on the creation of eco-industrial parks as a result to enable sustainable energy production and reduce waste and pollution. A key aspect was the Territorial Impact Assessment (TIA), a new and complex policy assessment tool. Therefore, the TEQUILA (Territorial Efficiency Quality and Identity Layer Assessment) approach is used to describe the TIA and emphasizes its application in assessing the impact of EU policies and projects on territorial cohesion. It underlines the need for a differentiated understanding of the regional characteristics and potential impacts of policies; and stresses the importance of regionalized impact models for the assessment. Furthermore, the process and results of applying the TEQUILA methodology to assess the territorial impact of different scenarios of business models within the POTENTIALS project is given.

Recently there is a growing concern regarding potential health hazards linked with 5G deployment and radio frequency emitted by these stations. It becomes fundamentally important to scientifically address these concerns. In this paper, the health risks incorporated with 5G are discussed critically in the light of scientific work and debunk these tittle-tattles where required. We confute scientifically the “5G appeal”, discuss effects of 5G on health, its implications on privacy, pandemics, ecosystem and role of world health organization in fighting these narratives. Finally, we provide future direction to negate these false claims linked with 5G.

Background: Overweight and obesity are becoming serious public health menace in the world today. Weight gain is skyrocketing across the globe due to growing economy, fast food expansion and a shift towards more sedentary living. However, most people lack knowledge regarding risks associated with overweight and obesity. Aim: The study aimed to explore the knowledge level of bankers in the Ho Municipality on the health risks associated with overweight and obesity. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design with quantitative method was employed. The study spanned from September 7, 2018 to April 25, 2019. A self-administered questionnaire and convenience sampling technique were used to obtain data. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 21 Developer and the results presented in statistical tables and graphs. Results: Of 136 participants investigated, 67 (49.3%) were between 31 - 40 years. 2 participants (1.5%) were underweight, 49(36.0%) had normal weight, 43(31.6%) were overweight while 42 (30.9%) were obese. The study revealed that female bankers were prone to overweight (37.78%) while the males were prone to obesity (56.52%). Participants generally had low knowledge and awareness on health risks of overweight and obesity. Conclusion: Most bankers in the Ho Municipality were overweight and obese due to insufficient knowledge and low awareness on the risks associated with overweight and obesity. Public education and awareness creation are urgently needed to stem the tide.

The population’s mobility in urban areas is a necessary variable in the modeling of risk scenarios caused by atmospheric contamination. The inclusion of this concept makes static models more dynamic while considering people within a city to be an entity with complex mobility processes. We propose a conceptual and methodological tool to make the representation of the social, economic and territorial components, as well as the patterns in the population´s mobility to delimitate risk areas for human health by exposure of contaminants. In the volatile organic compounds (VOC), benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene (BTEX) are amongst the most dominant substances in fugitive vapor emissions in gas stations (GS). In urban areas, the exposure to BTEX by residential proximity and proximity to other facilities, which cause intra-urban agglomeration, can impact and affect human health. This model seeks to facilitate the focalization, identification and prioritization of risk areas by BTEX environmental contamination. This article goes beyond de conceptual framework. It suggests methodological and instrumental aspects to be applied in other cities. The government agencies must consider these results when establishing rules, permissions and procedures to reduce environmental pollution for managing the risk in a complex urban environment.

The insurance industry plays an important role for European economic stability and the threats and opportunities it faces should be carefully determined. In this paper we highlight the main challenges by using a PEST analysis. This work applies conventional actuarial thought on this area by focusing strictly on the European sector.

The 2022-2023 influenza season in Romania was characterized by high pediatric hospitalization rates, predominated by influenza A subtypes H1N1 and H3N2. Lowered population immunity to influenza after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and subsequent stoppage of influenza circulation, particularly in children who had limited pre-pandemic exposures, influenced hospitalization among children immunosuppressed, and patients with concurrent medical conditions who are at increased risk for developing severe forms of influenza. This study focused on the characteristics of influenza issues among paediatric patients, as well as the relationship between different influenza virus types and viral and bacterial coinfections and illness severity in the 2022-2023 season after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We conducted a retrospective clinical analysis on 301 cases of influenza in pediatric inpatients (age ≤ 18 years), hospitalized at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balș" IX Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinical Section between October 2022 and February 2023. The most significant age group was 57.8% representing children between one to four years old and female. The average clinical forms were found in 61.7%, whereas severe versions represented 18.2% of cases. Most of the complications were respiratory (acute interstitial pneumonia, 76.1%), hematological (72.1%), represented by intra-infectious and deficiency anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia), 33.6% were digestive, such as diarrheal disease, liver cytolysis syndrome, and the acute dehydration syndrome associated with electrolyte imbalance (71.4%). Severe complications were associated with a risk of unfavorable evolution: acute respiratory failure and neurological complications (convulsions, encephalitis). No deaths were reported. We noticed that the flu season 2022-2023 was characterized by the association of co-infections (viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic) more frequent than in previous years (26.2% vs. 16%), which evolved more severely, with prolonged hospitalization and more complications (p<0.05), and time of use of oxygen therapy was statistically significant (p > 0.05); influenza vaccination in this group was zero. In conclusion, coinfections with respiratory viruses increase the severity of the pediatric population's immunity to influenza, especially among young children who are more vulnerable to developing a serious illness. All people above the age of six months should get vaccinated against influenza to prevent the illness and its severe complications.

Abstract: Interface risks are inherent in every construction project from start to finish. Identifying and managing these risks effectively in every project phase is crucial for actualising project objectives. This paper shows a comprehensive framework showing several relationships between project stakeholders and how the interface risks between them that influence project execution are identified and managed for the overall construction project success. Firstly, literature review on interfaces and interface risks were car-ried out and how organisations managed interface risks were discussed and secondly, the collection of quantitative data was conducted by means of structured online questionnaires. The sample consisted of 205 construction project professionals who were selected randomly. This group included individuals with various roles in the construction industry, The data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods, including factor analysis, reliability assessment, and calculations of frequencies and percentages. Finally, the results showed all the factors, work culture and organisational approaches that influence interface risk management and ways to identify and manage interface risks effectively.

Following the unprecedented and global health crisis of COVID-19, without a doubt, there has been a tremendous impact on international tourism for two reasons: the imposed travel restrictions discourage people from traveling, while travelers watch increased anxiety when responding to the new travel landscape. We address the problem of travelers’ changing travel risk perceptions in the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath. Our main goal is to identify and weigh critical emerging travel risks and create a risk evaluation index in which one can measure the destinations and strategic interventions’ performance for South African travelers. We found that tourist perceived risks are multidimensional, including categories like additional expenses, exchange rates, and refund-related factors. These three criteria are the most important to overall travel risk perception. We applied the developed risk evaluation index to five tourist destinations to evaluate their performance regarding the identified risks, being the UK the country with the best performance.

In resettlement planning literature, much has been written on economic, land valuation and compensation, infrastructure and services aspects of the land. Psychological risks and stresses of resettled communities, however, have been under-researched. The current research looks at the psychological risks of resettlers in a Development-Induced Displacement and Resettlement (DIDR) project in Sri Lanka. Focusing on the stages of resettlement planning process discussed by Scudder and Colson four-stage model (1980) and the psychological risks discussed by Cernea’s (1990) impoverishment risks and reconstruction (IRR) model. This study evaluates the significant level of the psychological risks faced by the communities in DIDR projects in Sri Lanka relating to before and after resettlement. Moragahakanda Resettlement Project (MRP) was selected as the case study which is located in Naula DS division of Matale District, Central Province, Sri Lanka. A questionnaire survey, documents and field observations were used to evaluate the current psychological risks. The responses received from multiple choice questions were analyzed by Significant Point (SP) index. The research findings point that there are no conspicuous changes of psychological risks related to before/after resettlement has occurred in re-settlers. The findings highlight that the psychological risk levels in transition stage have remained the same level in the potential development stage. This research provides a systematic guidance enabling the physical planners to prioritize the most significant psychological risks which should be considered in the decision-making process of DIDR projects.

Safety and health issues are growing concerns in the agricultural sector among farm-workers in South Africa. The current health pandemic arising from the corona virus has thrown these issues into the spotlight, and this study explored the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of using personal protective materials among farm-workers in the banana sector. Using a case study of 10 large farms in the lower south coast of South Africa, we utilized descriptive and inferential analysis to identify the demographic composition of farm-workers in the study area, examine their perception of specific personal protective materials, and determine the relationship between demographic characteristics and perception of personal protective materials. Farm-workers in the study area were found to be predominantly single black males aged between 36-55years, with no more than a primary education, with work experience of between 6-10 years and employed as unskilled farm-labourers. Perceived usefulness (83%) and perceived ease of use (79%) for personal protective materials was high. Respondents gender (p=0.012), marital status (p=0.029), level of education (p=0.035) and farm-work experience (p=0.008) were significant, while their age (p=0.057), population group (p=0.160) and work classification (p=0.203) were not found significant in determining perceived usefulness or perceived ease of use. Our study makes valuable contribution to the existing body of knowledge regarding farm-worker safety issues by exploring perception of personal protective materials.

1) Background: Studies have shown that there is a higher risk of burnout among employees in the healthcare sector. Therefore, this study focused on “Certified Nursing Aides” (CNAs) who have shown a high prevalence of burnout, and are therefore considered an especially vulnerable group. The objective of this study was to identify the relationships between some organizational, personal and sociodemographic factors and burnout; 2) Methods: The final study sample was made up of 278 working CNAs with a mean age of 40.88 (SD=9.41). To compile the data, an ad hoc questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information, and to collect professional and employment information, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Adults, the Brief Questionnaire on Perceived Social Support, and The General Self-Efficacy Scale.; 3) Results: The results show that the Burnout Syndrome is significantly related negatively to all the emotional intelligence factors, self-efficacy and perceived social support. The risk of burnout is higher in younger persons and in permanently employed professionals. General self-efficacy and stress management act as protective factors against the likelihood of burnout.; and 4) Conclusions: This study suggests that organizations should urge coaching and transformational leadership training programs to promote the wellbeing and organizational commitment of workers.

The adoption of harmful postures due to a sedentary lifestyle, which involves long periods at work in offices, is a factor that exacerbates musculoskeletal risks. To examine these risks, there are numerous postures analysis methods, such as Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA). RULA is a consolidated method to evaluate the exposure of individual workers to ergonomic risk factors associated with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. In turn, ROSA is a more recent method that quantifies exposure to risk factors in an office work environment. This research aims to identify whether there is harmony between these two methods, ROSA and RULA. Through applied research, from a qualitative perspective, the scientific procedures adopted were direct observation and ROSA and RULA postural assessment instruments. The study was conducted in the radiology service and focused on the outpatient reception workstation. Results indicated that further investigation must occur to make working conditions changes as soon as possible and that both methods are harmonic. As contributions of the analysis, we have discussed the working conditions and suggested improvements to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal morbidity symptoms. We recommend future studies aimed at measuring the levels of complementarity between these methods by quantitative approaches.

Objective:The application of information technology (IT( is fundamental in the hospitals to stay competitive.In this regard, recognizing the main risks to the implementation of IT in hospitals can provide vastopportunities to improve its efficiency and help to make strategic decisions. This study aimed tosearch for the main risks of implementation of IT projects in the hospitals of Tehran. Methods: This was a practical and cross-sectional study which was conducted in the 18 hospitals of Tehran,Iran, 2018; in which a sample of 65 members were studied. The required data were collected using a questionnaire to examine seven main risks, including market, project management, human resources, technical, organizational, financial, strategic risks. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 19.0. Additionally, the method used to test the risks in this study was structural equation modeling, which was ran using LISREL 9.30. Results: The results showed that among the seven main risks of to the implementation of IT in hospitals, the highest and lowest means were related to the human resource risks and the market risks, respectively. Also, according to the SEM, human resource risks and market risks had the highest and lowest effects, respectively. Conclusion: Announcing the use of IT in the hospitals, holding conferences about new IT developments with employees, suitable training, encouraging them to use IT tools, providing a motivating atmosphere to use IT tools for employees, are a few effective ways of overcoming the human resource risks.

Derelict asbestos mine sites in South Africa pose a considerable risk to human, environmental and socio-economic health. Comprehensive mineralogical and geochemical datasets for the existing hazardous geological materials still exposed in Southern African derelict asbestos mines remain largely non-existent, as very little published and up-to-date literature is available. In this study three representative types of asbestos mineral fibres from derelict asbestos mines in Southern Africa, namely chrysotile from Havelock mine, amosite from Penge mine and crocidolite from Prieska mine are characterized mineralogically and geochemically to critically evaluate real-life hazards in rural and asbestos-fibre contaminated regions. The samples were examined using polarising light microscopy, X-ray fluorescence (major and trace elemental analysis), X-ray diffraction (including Rietveld refinement), specific surface area analyses and bio-durability tests. Data are discussed in view of their potential toxicities on both human health and the environment in the context of developing countries. Finally, information on the mineralogical and geochemical status of asbestos mine waste and its importance as baseline data for rehabilitation considerations is also evaluated.

The World economy after global crisis of 2008–2009 entered a restructuring era. It defines relevance of researches of its directions and patterns. The principles of determinism and systemic analysis are methodological basis of article. In research were used the methods of processing Big Date, as of continuous changes and the symmetric analysis of macroeconomic indicators according to databases of the IMF, WB, BIS, the Central banks and treasuries. As a result of the research it is proved that depth and globalism of recessionary processes are caused by a combination of crisis of world financial system and civilization problems. Intrinsic signs of risks in the modern economy caused by the duality of the nature of global crises have been identified. There are analyzes: the deficit of resources of the international financial institutions, a negative role of a fixed rate of Yuan, a big share of derivatives and off-balance obligations of banks, use of SPV in structures of deals, growth of debt obligations, trade wars, slowdown in the growth of the Chinese economy, aggravation of contradictions between global and national finances. The thesis is reasonable that deglobalization and dedollarization deepened this conflict, started the rollback mechanism from achievements of globalization, led to tariff wars. By means of a systematization it is proved the key directions of the restructuring of global economy: legal basis, leadership and reserve currency. On the basis of SWOT-analysis of the USA and China it was concluded that the question of leadership of one country should be excluded, but slow transition to use SDR (with a basket from 15–20 currencies) as a reserve.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of information technology in management of risks in the capital market-listed company is in Tehran Stock Exchange. The purpose of the present study is an applied descriptive approach. The target population for the survey, companies that from 2009 to the first half of 2015 have been a member of the Tehran Stock Exchange, through Cochranʼs sample size of 140 companies, respectively. We used cluster sampling method. In order to collect data from two questionnaires: risk management questionnaire Foakeh (2013) has 38 items and a standard questionnaire Chanvyas (2006) has 40 items, the whole five-item Likert scale questionnaire is above has been used. Data gathered through the questionnaire, sign the application was 21spss. For inferential analysis of the variables and to analyze the data from different statistical tests and regression was used Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The results showed that information technology on risk management and its dimensions (primary market risk, market risk and the risk of secondary non-financial) impact.

Over the years, the Egyptian temples at Luxor city have been intensely investigated, but most of these studies just focused on the classical sides of the archaeological and historical descriptions. Many of the environmental problems are inevitable results of the unplanned urban crawling around the monuments temples. This paper aims at assessing the environmental changes around some temples of Luxor City using Remote sensing and GIS techniques. In particular, a historical database made up of Corona and Landsat TM data have been investigated along with the new acquisitions of Quickbird2 and Sentinel2. Results from our investigation highlighted rapid changes in urban and agricultural areas, which adversely affected the Egyptian monumental temples causing serious degradation phenomena. Using the information obtained from our RS&GIS based analysis, mitigation strategies have been also identified for supporting the preservation of the archaeological area.

This article summarizes Chinese framework for regulating artificial intelligence and integrates evolutionary game theory with cost-benefit analysis to establish a model and simulation. This framework is employed to analyze the behavioral trends among three distinct entities: governmental bodies, third-party independent institutions, and AI companies within the context of regulatory relationship. The findings indicate that: (1) The cost-benefit dynamics within the regulatory legal nexus significantly influence the behaviors of these entities; (2) Under the condition of normalized government regulation approaching full enforcement, the behavioral choices of third-party independent institutions and AI companies exhibit cyclical fluctuations.The paper draws two principal conclusions: (1) The regulatory framework need to be tailored to the specific risks presented by AI and the relative costs and benefits of legal enforcement in different jurisdictions. (2) From a cost-benefit standpoint, government intervention in AI regulation ought to be circumscribed, with government regulation focusing on critical legal risks. Other aspects of regulatory control should be delegated to cooperative legal framework that allows the participation of the independent third-party institution,which brings a nuanced and specialized approach to the governance of AI.

Recently, the world has experienced severe food insecurity problems with most countries having inadequate access to affordable, nutritious and safe foods. Consequently, many food innovations and technologies have been approved to secure sustainable access to food for millions of people. This study investigated the implementation of two technologies to address food insecurity, namely genetically modified foods (GMOs) and the use of antibiotics in crops and animal production. In particular, the study explored how their implementation can be governed responsibly through approved legislation. Therefore, the knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as the governance of antibiotic resistance risks and GMO foods were assessed. In-depth key interviews were conducted for the qualitative survey with triangulation with quantitative data sources. The findings showed that 46% of the population have little knowledge about GMOs with about 79% indicating that food with GM ingredients were being consumed in the country. The main concerns reported on GM foods by most respondents were impact on environment, human health and adverse effects on traditional farming practices with 36% indicating that it intensifies contamination and 32% indicating that it contributes to loss of biodiversity. Notably, 64%) reported that GMOs are a solution to food security and that they are safe. On the use of antimicrobials mainly meant to prevent diseases and access better markets, respondents perceived their use to be associated with antimicrobial resistance a “large level of risk” (score 2 in a scale of 1-3) (M = 1.85, SD = 1.06). Overall, the study found that efforts towards promoting awareness on antibiotic resistance risks and response in human health is relatively limited as reported by 56% of the respondents. Findings show that most of the respondents have only seen minimal or small-scale awareness campaigns. On governance of the two technologies, 71% and 50% of the respondents reported that scientists and elected officials respectively have the greatest role in governance of GMOs with small scale farmers playing a negligible role. Further, it was noted that all the respondents were knowledgeable in AMR and GMO technologies and these findings are crucial to the advancement of food innovations that are geared towards achieving food security in Kenya. This study highlights the risks associated with the poor governance and implementation of technologies and the need for a framework for technological risk governance that is sensitive to local values and socio-economic circumstances that will benefit the achievement.

The exposure of people to opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) such as Legionella, Mycobacterium and Pseudomonas in aerosolised water has been linked to opportunistic infections. Water mist systems (WMS) that are used to cool public places by flash evaporation of tiny water aerosols are gaining prominence in hot climatic regions of Australia. Their potential to be colonised by OPPPs has not been adequately studied. The public health impact of OPPPs is significant, as Legionella caused 63% of waterborne disease case hospitalisations in the United States associated with drinking water systems during 2013–2014, and the incidence of Mycobacterium avium over the same period was 647 cases per 100,000. As WMS are part of premise plumbing, they have structural characteristics that can promote biofilm formation, as well as the presence of free-living amoebae (FLA), low residual disinfection levels, elevated water temperatures and oligotrophic conditions, all of which can promote OPPP inhabitancy. This review highlights the potential public health risks of using WMS as a cooling intervention in public places and advocates for their regulation in places of public assembly and entertainment.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has witnessed a digital revolution that has transformed the way information are broadcast and consumed. This rapid evolution was accompanied by an “infodemic” (Beaulieu, 2019), a transformation of workplaces (Lulli LG, 2021)and difficulties in managing information flows (Bendahan & Nader, 2020). In this scientific article, we examine the communication strategies adopted by hospital structures as they are perceived by staff, highlighting their psychological and professional experiences throughout the crisis period. The results of the study carried out among hospital staff (n=200) demonstrate that the perception of communication strategies is generally positive for 78.56% of participants (M=1.85). The assessments of the staff interviewed as for the effect of this communication on the psychological experience and on the management of professional tasks have a positive trend respectively (M=2.15) and (M=1.86)

According to the World Meteorological Organization, since 2000, there has been an increase in global flood-related disasters by 134 percent as compared to the two previous decades. Efficient flood risk management strategies necessitate a holistic approach to evaluating flood vulnerabilities and risks. Catastrophic losses can occur when the peak flow values in the rivers in a basin coincide. Therefore, estimating the joint flood risks in a region is vital, especially when frequent occurrences of extreme events are experienced. This study focuses on estimating the joint flood risks due to river flow extremes in the Grand River watershed in Canada. Determining the interdependence of floods at multiple locations using state-of-the-art tools, the associated damage probabilities, and their costs will be beneficial to various stakeholders, such as the insurance industry, the disaster management sector, and most importantly, the public.

Self-perceived health is an important indicator of occupational health. This research explores the relationship between poor self-perceived health and exposure to psychosocial risk factors, taking into account potential socio-demographic, occupational and employment determinants. Using data from the First Survey of Occupational Safety and Health Conditions covering 1049 salaried workers in Guayaquil, Ecuador descriptive and stratified binary logistic regression analyses (Odds Ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals) were carried out. No significant relationship was found between exposure to psychosocial risk factors and the probability of presenting poor self-perceived health by socio-demographic, occupational and employment characteristics. Occupational exposure factors to psychosocial risks are predictors of self-perceived ill health and are related to the variables analyzed; the most frequently expressed factors among the respondents were Cognitive Demands (DGOG) and Job Insecurity (IL). The results have implications in terms of designing effective workplace interventions pursuant of ensuring the health and wellbeing of employee.

As a part of the European Green Deal, the Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive will apply to over 50,000 companies in Europe, meant to advance the quality of sustainability reporting in the EU, and reduce global emissions and emission distribution inequality. Part of the requirements centre around organisational emission quantification, which will bring much attention to the methodological aspects and resulting decision support capability, which calls for synthesis and argues for clarity. Currently, quantifying the emissions embedded in global transactions mostly focus on direct value-chain attributes, and do not consider unintended consequences beyond the scope of assessment. To achieve genuine reductions, estimated emissions must be considered from a systems perspective to accurately reflect their true impact. While emission inventories serve several purposes, incorrect application limits their potential. The CSRD aligns itself with the GHG Protocol, which does not explicitly facilitate this distinction, although new Land Sector and Removals Guidance draft does, in part. With first CSRD reports expected in 2025, and the GHG protocol entering a revisions period, it presents an opportunity to marry systems thinking with carbon literacy, thereby equipping the expected surge of activity with the sufficient tools for an accelerated transition.

Radiation Fireballs are singular phenomena which involve severe thermal radiation and consequently, they need to be duly assessed and prevented. Although the radiative heat transfer produced by a sphere is relatively well known, the shadowing measures implemented to control the fireball’s devastating effects have frequently posed a difficult analytical instance, mainly due to its specific configuration. In this article, since the usual solving equations for the said cases are impractical, the authors propose a novel graphic-algorithm method that sorts the problem efficiently for different kinds of obstructions and relative positions of the fireball and the defenses. Adequate application of this method may improve the safety of a significant number of facilities exposed to such risks.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans (PCDD/Fs) are environmental pollutants with a great persistence, capacity of bioaccumulation, and well known important toxic effects in humans and animals. Incinerators of hazardous, municipal and medical waste, chlorine bleaching of paper pulp, cement plants, and the traffic of motor vehicles are the most frequent emission sources of these compounds. The diet, followed at a great distance by inhalation, is generally the main way of human exposure to PCDD/Fs. Human biomonitoring is of a great importance to prevent potential adverse effects derived from exposure to chemicals such as PCDD/Fs. In relation to this, blood is among the most used biological monitors. In the current review, we have summarized the recent information (2000-2009) published in the scientific literature (databases: Scopus and PubMed) on the concentrations of PCDD/Fs in blood samples of non-occupationally exposed populations, as well as in some groups of occupationally exposed individuals. We have revised a number of studies conducted in various African American, Asian and European countries, and Australia. Unfortunately, the information is quite limited. No data are available for most countries over the world. Based on the results here reviewed –where available- the current health risks for the general populations do not seem to be of concern. Moreover, taking into account the important reductions observed in the levels of PCDD/Fs in foodstuffs, new decreases in the concentrations of PCDD/Fs in blood -and other biological tissues- are very probable in the immediate years.

The contribution of readymade garment (RMG) industry is immense behind the rapid development of some countries with emerging economies. This industry is empowering these countries to provide employment opportunities for millions of people. However, the health as well as safety issues of the workers in this industry are often ignored, particularly in these developing countries. In recent times, because of the several undesirable and obnoxious conditions that exist in their working environments, they are vulnerable to various health related problems which are increasing at a staggering rate. The main purpose of this paper is to assess and prioritize the major health related problems faced by these garment workers in these countries where the economy is flourishing. In addition, the main hazards responsible for these health perils are also quantified. Data were collected from three different garment factories situated in different locations of Bangladesh. Thirty workers from each factory rated the frequency and severity of 14 health related issues. The health risks were then assessed and prioritized through risk priority number (RPN). Afterwards, three experts provided their opinion on the main hazards prevalent in the workplace of almost every garment factory in this country. These hazards were grouped into four main classes which are: 1) Physical 2) Ergonomic 3) Chemical and 4) Psychological hazards. The main classes were later divided into sub classes also. Best-worst method (BWM) was then applied to analyze these hazards by assessing their relative weights depending on the experts’ judgement. The results showed that the health issues faced by the workers in three different garment factories varied to some extent. The results obtained from the experts’ opinion indicated that physical hazards in the workplace are the most detrimental ones whereas the chemical hazards were the least harmful.

Abstract: Windtech device is a novel tool for measuring the sensation of the ‘cold’. Cold poses numerous challenges for industrial operations, human survival, and living convenience. The impact of the cold is not possible to be quantified just based on temperatures; however other factors such as wind speed, humidity, irradiance have to be taken into consideration. Efforts have been made to develop combined indices such as wind chill temperature (WCT), AccuWeather RealFeel®, and others. The presented article discusses these along with the industrial standards that emphasize on the quantification of the ‘cold’. The following article introduces the Windtech device and its operating principle involving ‘heated temperature’, where the ‘heated temperature’ is affected by environmental parameters including ambient temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and irradiance. The discussed Windtech device is calibrated for operation according to the ISO 11079:2007 standard.

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations, focusing on PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 in five Primary Health Centers (PHCs): Arakale, Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Iju, Oba-Ile, and Owode within Akure Local Government Areas in Nigeria. The primary novelty of this research lies in its detailed exploration of the toxicity potential of these PM fractions, providing valuable insights into the local air quality and associated health risks. The study assesses the health implications by calculating the toxicity potential (TP), Relative Risk (RR), Excess Risk (ER), and Attributable Fractions (AF) for cardiopulmonary and lung cancer mortality. The results reveal varying RR values for all-cause mortality, with Arakale showing a slight elevation (RR: 1.061), indicating potential health risks. ER values for cardiopulmonary mortality range from 14.728±7.25 to 19.04±0.38, emphasizing the substantial excess risk associated with long-term PM2.5 exposure. The study also uncovers AF for cardiopulmonary mortality ranging between 11.03±0.31 to 19.22±0.04, underscoring the significant contribution of PM to cardiovascular and respiratory health risks. Similarly, AF for lung cancer mortality ranges from 10.03±0.012 to 17.13±0.10, highlighting the substantial association between PM2.5 exposure and lung cancer risk. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted air quality management strategies and public health interventions in the studied locations to mitigate the heightened health risks associated with particulate matter pollution. The calculated RR, ER, and AF values offer crucial insights into the complex relationship between PM exposure and adverse health outcomes, providing a foundation for informed decision-making and future research endeavors.

This article presents the development and validation of a new instrument measuring social, cultural, and behavioral factors influencing exposure to occupational zoonoses in agricultural settings. The Social Ecological Model (SEM) and the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing were used as guiding frameworks to ensure the instrument's validity. The instrument's content was compiled by combining the results of a scoping literature review and an expert qualitative study. The instrument items were drafted, organized, and underwent a meticulous process of revision and adjustment. It was translated into Spanish and tested in one-to-one cognitive interviews with five volunteer agricultural workers. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted for construct discrimination, and bivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the association with exposure indicators. Evidence of validity was obtained from four out of five sources of validity evidence according to the AERA/APA’s Standards of Educational and Psychological Testing. The Social Ecology of Occupational Zoonoses (SEOZ) was successfully used to determine social and behavioral factors associated with a higher risk of exposure to occupational zoonoses. Further use of the SEOZ can provide valuable insights into developing effective interventions to improve the health and well-being of agricultural workers.

There are laws and rights aimed at people with disabilities, especially those with Mild Intellectual Disability (LDD), who actively participate in society but face barriers in learning and participating in various activities. In Colombia, where 1.3 million people with disabilities are registered, 16.8% correspond to the category of DIL, some of whom are part of the economically active population. Despite this, significant employment gaps persist.In order to address this gap, this research focuses on the analysis of the specific problems related to the labor inclusion of people with IDL in logistics environments, particularly in cold rooms. The aim is to prevent occupational hazards through the application of Industry 4.0 technologies.Through the collaboration of the Analytics and Design Research Seedbed, with entrepreneurs and experts in the field, significant challenges in labor inclusion in low-temperature environments were identified. The agile Scrum methodology was used to develop a prototype of an application that addresses these issues. This prototype meets the functional and non-functional requirements necessary to ensure the protection and prevention of risks for workers with DIL who perform functions in refrigerated rooms.This prototype manages to provide an inclusive alternative for people with disability Intellectual Light, challenging business cultural paradigms, by integrating mobile devices with Industry 4.0 technologies, encouraging greater interaction between machines and human beings, thus prioritizing the health and safety of employees in their daily activities.

Current problem facing researchers globally is microplastics as well as toxic chemical pollution of the ecosystem. Microplastics carry toxic chemicals in the ecosystem.serving as a vector for transport. In this study, a review of the literature has been conducted with the following objectives: (1) to summarise the concentrations of toxic chemicals such heavy metals and hydrophobic organic contaminants sorped on microplastics; (2) to evaluate their spatial distribution regarding adsorbed contaminant (3) to discuss plausible mechanism by which microplastics adsorp or desorp toxic chemicals in the environment; (4) to discuss implications of their occurrence in air, water and soil media; and (5) to discuss the impact of ingested microplastics to human health. Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental contaminant. Concentrations of sorped toxic chemical varied with location which represents a local problem; industrialized areas (especially areas experiencing crude oil related activities or have history of crude oil pollution) have higher concentrations than less industrialized areas. Ingestion of microplastics has been demonstrated in a range of marine and soil organisms as well as edible plants, thus possible contaminating the base of the food-web. Potential health effect to human is by particle localization, chemical toxicity and microbal toxins. We conclude by highlighting the gap in knowledge and suggesting key future areas of research for scientists and policymakers.

Recent policies’ changes in sustainability reporting, such as the ones related to the new European Directive on non-financial disclosure, the standards issued by the American Sustainability Accounting Standard Board (SASB), the G4 guidelines issued by the Global Sustainability Standard Board (GSSB-GRI) and the framework of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) are stressing about the importance of extending the disclosure of ethical, social and environmental risks within social and environmental reporting. Institutional pressure has notably increased among organizations, in setting-up risk management tools to understand sustainability risks within managerial and reporting practices. Given such institutional pressure, the corporate reaction in providing additional sustainability risk disclosure call for attention and scrutiny. Therefore, this study aims at addressing such issues from an exploratory perspective. We based our analysis on a sample of organizations that issued sustainability disclosure in accordance with the GRI G4 guidelines, and we tested the relationship between risk disclosure and other relevant variables. Consistently with the literature, we found that “experienced” sustainable reporters provide a significant volume of disclosure, and that disclosure quality on risk is positively influenced by their international presence and reporting experience. However, when accounting for specific risk-related areas of disclosure, only few of them seems to adopt a management accounting perspective linking strategy, risk metrics and disclosure.

Bayesian analysis for masked data under competing risk frameworks is studied for the purpose of assessing the impact of covariates on the hazard functions when the failure time is exactly observed for some subjects but only known to lie in an interval of time for the remaining subjects. Such data, known as partly interval-censored data, usually result from periodic inspection. Dirichlet and Gamma processes are assumed as priors for masking probabilities and baseline hazards. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique is employed for the implementation of the Bayesian approach. The effectiveness of the proposed model is tested through numerical studies, including simulated and real data sets.

We are witnessing a progressive divestment of some institutions with strong traditions and skills in physical modelling and their consequent impoverishment, to the detriment of numerical modelling. For many reasons, the economic imperatives and the exponential growth of computational means and numerical methods should certainly not be excluded. In this work, we aimed to highlight the new requirements of the recent sophisticated developments in physical modelling, precisely due to the new needs imposed on them by mathematical and numerical modelling and the growing risks in civil construction works. In this context, reflections are reported, justified by scientific and real-world examples, on the need for maintenance and reinforcement of investments in physical modelling, both to support the scientific community and to design buildings of significant economic, social and environmental impact.

A recent study found that a 3ppb increase in O₃ ambient concentration was associated with an increased progression of 0.18 percentage points in percent emphysema and that such increase was equal to smoking 20 cigarettes per day for 29 years. A simple estimation of population attributable fraction shows that COPD diagnoses due to smoking are actually 30 times more than those attributed to a 3 ppb increment in O₃ concentration. Labelling ozone pollution as the new smoking may distort perception of the risks and hinder proper response to real life threatening risk such as smoking.

Focusing on the implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), this article highlights the fact that the cataloging procedures, the way records are stored, and the metadata models used during recording, visualization, and storage of ICH expression elements, vary from country to country. Especially in these days of great uncertainty, war conflicts, and the systemic risks that may arise, it is vital to clarify what techniques will be used in the storage of ICH to ensure its unhindered preservation and dissemination over time across the globe. Using the systems thinking approach indicated for cases of great complexity, the process followed in Greece for depositing a new element in its local repository is described to demonstrate the need for a well-defined process by UNESCO, which must be followed worldwide and which has not been defined so far. What are the potential challenges not only in determining the type of data but also in choosing the best metadata model to use in each case when capturing this data? What technologies must be used for storing digital cultural heritage in such a way that will preserve it over time, defying physical and technological hazards? The article finally suggests how Blockchain Technologies (BT) can be effectively used to store the global ICH and ensure its continuity in future generations by creating a decentralized worldwide network between the heritage stakeholders.

While the global COVID-19 pandemic has been widely acknowledged to affect the mental health of health care workers (HCWs), attention to measures that protect those on the front lines of health outbreak response has been limited. In this cross-sectional study, we examine workplace contextual factors associated with how psychological distress was experienced in a South African setting where a severe first wave was being experienced with an objective of identifying factors that can protect against HCWs experiencing negative impacts. Consistent with mounting literature on mental health effects, we found a high degree of psychological distress (57.4% above General Health Questionnaire cut-off value) and a strong association between perceived risks associated with the presence of COVID-19 in the healthcare workplace and psychological distress (adjusted OR = 2.35, p <.01). Our research indicates that both training (adjusted OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21 – 0.81) and the reported presence of supportive workplace relationships (adjusted OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.27 – 0.97) were associated with positive outcomes. This evidence that workplace resilience can be reinforced to better prepare for the onset of similar outbreaks in the future suggests that pursuit of further research into specific interventions to improve resilience is well merited.

Life on Earth evolved to accommodate the biochemical and biophysical boundary conditions of the planet millions of years ago. The former includes nutrients, water, and ability to synthesize other needed chemicals. The latter include the 1 g gravity of the planet, radiation, and the geomagnetic field (GMF)of the planet. How complex life forms have accommodated the GMF is not known in detail considering that Homo sapiens evolved a neuro system and a cardiovascular system that develops electromagnetic fields as part of their functioning. In addition, many proteins and physiologic processes utilize Fe ions, an ion that exhibits magnetic properties. Thus, complex organisms such as current humans generate magnetic fields, contain significant quantities of the Fe ion, and also respond to exogenous-supplied static and electromagnetic fields. Whether humans can store information in self-generated magnetic fields remains to be determined. Given the current body of literature, it remains somewhat unclear how Homo sapiens use exogenous magnetic fields to regulate function, and what can happen if the boundary condition of the GMF of Earth is no longer exerting an effect. Proposed deep space flights to destinations such as Mars will provide some insights as space flight could not have been anticipated by evolution. The results of such space flight “experiments” will provide new insights in the role of magnetic fields on human functioning. The outcomes may also have implications for those on Earth as magnetic field influences may play a role in developmental conditions such as autism and senescence-associated conditions such as dementia when integration of the biological and biophysical aspects of humans of humans are required for effective functioning. This review will discuss the involvement of magnetic fields on various normal and disturbed processes in humans while on Earth and then further discuss potential outcomes when the GMF is no longer available to impact host systems. Thus, the GMF of the Earth has been present throughout evolution but details of its role in human functions still remain to be elucidated.

Heavy metal pollution poses a significant threat to global populations, particularly impacting human health. Developing countries, characterized by chemical engineering and mining industrial activities, often contribute to diverse heavy metal contaminants. Consumption of water contaminated with heavy metals, prevalent in such regions, can lead to severe health risks, including gastric cancer. Addressing the urgent issue of heavy metal pollution, this paper employs a bibliographic approach to explore the latest literature on heavy metal pollution. The study discusses recent research findings and potential methods for the treatment and mitigation of heavy metal pollution, emphasizing the pressing need for effective solutions to safeguard public health.

.Cloud manufacturing is an evolving networked framework that enables multiple manufacturers to collaborate in providing a range of services, including design, development, production, and post-sales support. The framework operates on an integrated platform encompassing a range of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices, cloud computing, Internet communication, big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchains. The connectivity of industrial equipment and robots to Internet opens the cloud manufacturing to the massive attack surface of cybersecurity and cyber crime threats caused by external and internal attackers. The impacts can be severe because physical infrastructure of industries is at stake. One potential method to deter such attacks involves utilizing blockchain and artificial intelligence to track the provenance of IIoT devices. This research explores a practical approach to achieve this goal by gathering provenance data associated with operational constraints defined in smart contracts and identifying deviations from these constraints through predictive auditing using artificial intelligence. A software architecture comprising IIoT communications to machine learning for comparing the latest data with the predictive auditing outcomes and logging appropriate risks was designed, developed, and tested. The state changes in the smart ledger of smart contracts were linked with the risks such that the blockchain peers can timely detect high deviations and take actions. The research defined the constraints related to physical boundaries and weight lifting limits allocated to three forklifts and showcased the mechanisms of detecting risks of breaking these constraints with the help of artificial intelligence. It also demonstrated state change rejections by blockchains at medium and high-risk levels. This research followed software development in Java 8 using JDK 8, CORDA blockchain framework, and Weka package for random forest machine learning. As a result of this, the model, along with its design and implementation, has the potential to enhance efficiency and productivity, foster greater trust and transparency in the manufacturing process, booster risk management, strengthen cybersecurity, and advance sustainability efforts.

Building Country Resilience is a long-term process particularly in the hyper connected world we are living today; and depends on good governance and appropriate equilibrium of respect for people, planet and profits as well as avoiding depleting natural resources that end up affecting the biosphere. Hence represent a most needed Learning ability that may be seeing to be related to the process of Sustainable Development. So, this paper seeks to find best practices and a Ranking of Countries that may help as guides to foster Country Resilience. For this purpose, it was developed a World Resilience Index - WRI based on a Statistical Analysis with updated data from 108 Countries divided into 3 Groups: American Countries – AMER (20 Countries), Advanced Economies - AVECO (22 Countries) mostly from Europe and OTHER (66 Countries); and using a set of Synthetic Variables like the Social Progress Index – SPI, the Environmental Performance Index – EPI, and the Sustainable Development Goals Index – SDGI, besides some related to Governance and the World Risk Index – WRI.

Abstract: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the most prevalent disease worldwide, which has been linked to work stress because of poor job design as explained by the Job Demand-Control (JDC) and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models. In this paper we explore for the first time relative impact of a specific aspect of organisational climate, Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC), on any CVD including angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, and stroke. We used two waves of interview data from Australia, with an average lag of 5 years (excluding baseline CVD, final n = 1223). Logistic regression was conducted to estimate the prospective associations between PSC at baseline on incident CVD at follow-up. It was found that participants in low PSC environments were 59% more likely to develop new CVD than those in high PSC environments. Logistic regression showed that PSC at baseline predicts lower CVD risk at follow-up (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00), and this risk remained unchanged even after joint adjustment for measures of ERI and JDC. These results suggest that PSC is an independent risk factor for CVD in Australia. Beyond job design this study implicates organisational climate and prevailing management values regarding worker psychological health as the genesis of CVD.

Nanoparticles (NP), Nanoaerosols (NA), ultrafine particles (UFP), and PM0.1 (particles with a diameter ≤ 0.1 µm or 100 nm) are interchangeably used in the field of atmospheric studies. PM0.1 are emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The main emission sources of PM0.1 are combustion processes, including biomass and fossil fuel. Moreover, secondary formation via atmospheric photochemical reactions can also occur depending on meteorological conditions and the suspended pollutant species. Identifying the physical and chemical characteristics and spatial and temporal variations is vital in terms of understanding the effect of NPs on the environment, the global climate, and human health risks. This review article summarizes recent research on PM0.1 in Thailand. The review involves peer-reviewed papers from Scopus and the Web of Science databases, and includes the most recently published articles in the past ten years (2013-2022). UFPs mainly come from the combustion processes such as motor vehicles. The high mass concentration of PM0.1 that occurs during the dry season in which open fires depend on the specific region of Thailand. Particulate pollution from local and cross-border countries also needs to be considered in terms of the concentrations of ambient nanoparticles. The overall conclusions reached will likely have a beneficial long-term impact on achieving a blue sky over Thailand through the development of coherent policies and managing new air pollution challenges and sharing knowledge with a broader audience.

Website defacement is an illegal electronic act of changing a website. In this paper, robust machine learning classifiers’ capabilities were exploited to select the best input feature set for evaluating a website’s defacement risk. Zone-H, a private organization, offered us a defacement mining dataset. A sample of 93644 datapoints was concisely pre-processed and used for modelling purposes. Considering multidimensional features as input, reason and hackmode variables were chosen as outputs. Massive machine learning models were examined; however, decision tree (DT), k-nearest neighbour (k-NN), and random forest (RF) were the most powerful algorithms used to predict the target model. The input variables 'domain', 'system', 'web_server','redefacement', 'type', 'def_grade', and 'reason/hackmode' were tested and used to shape the final model. Using the cross-validation (CV) technique, the model’s key performance factors were calculated and reported. After calculating the average scores for the hyperbolic metrics (i.e., max-depth, min-sample-leaf, weight, max-features, and CV), both targets were evaluated, and the learning algorithms were ranked as RF, DT, and k-NN. The reason and hackmode variables were thoroughly analysed. The average score accuracies for the reason and hackmode targets were 0.85 and 0.585, respectively. The results showed a significant development in terms of modelling and optimizing website defacement risk. The study also successfully addresses the main cybersecurity concerns, in particular website defacement.

This study addresses the influence of working conditions on Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQOL) among Spanish healthcare professionals. The research seeks to elucidate the mediating roles of job engagement and burnout, and the moderating effects of resilience and self-efficacy, in this relationship. Methods: The study included 374 healthcare workers from Spain, encompassing physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants. It employed a methodological approach using validated instruments to assess psychosocial risks, work-life quality, job engagement, burnout, and resilience. Data were gathered through self-reported questionnaires. Results: Key findings indicate a negative association between working conditions and WRQOL. Job engagement and burnout significantly mediated this relationship, accounting for 19% to 33% of the variance in WRQOL. Notably, lack of support emerged as a strong negative factor for work-related quality of life. Additionally, resilience moderated the relationship between lack of support and burnout. Conclusions: The study concludes that improving working conditions could increase WRQOL. Interventions aimed at enhancing engagement and addressing burnout may be effective. The moderating role of resilience suggests that strategies to enhance resilience could also be beneficial. These findings hold significant implications for policy formulation and human resources planning in healthcare, emphasizing the need for enhanced workplace support and the development of resilience among health workers.

The city administration of China planned numerous metro projects and more metros can hardly avoid undercrossing a bridge. While metro shield construction when undercrossing a bridge (MSCUB) is frequently located in complicated natural and social context, which made the construction process more susceptible to safety accidents. Therefore, it is crucial to look into safety risk of MSCUB. The paper identified the safety risk factors during SSCUR by using literature review and experts’ evaluation, proposed a novel safety risk assessment model by integrating CFA and FER, and then selected a project case to test the validity of the suggested model. Research results show that (a) a safety risk factors list of MSCUB was identified, including 4 first-level safety risks and 37 second-level safety risk factors; (b) the proposed safety risk assessment model can be used to measure the risk values of the overall worksite safety risk, the first-level safety risks and the safety risk factors of MSCUB; (c) environment-type safety risk and personnel-type safety risk have higher risk values when shield construction undercrossing a bridge; (d) when compared to worker-type safety risk, manager-type safety risk is the higher risk value. The research can enrich the theoretic knowledge of MSCUB safety risk assessment and provide references to safety managers for conducting scientific and effective safety management on the construction site when subway undercrossing a river.

In the context of global changes, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) increasingly draw attention as a possible way to reduce disaster risk associated with extreme hydro-meteorological events while providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits at the same time. The PHUSICOS platform is dedicated to gather and analyse relevant NBSs used to reduce disaster risk associated with extreme hydro-meteorological events in mountainous and hilly lands. To design the platform, an in-depth review of 11 existing platforms has been performed. The platform currently references 152 literature NBS cases and is continuously enriched with demonstrator sites through the contribution of NBS community. The platform also proposes a qualitative assessment of the NBSs collected according to 15 criteria related with five ambits: disaster risk reduction, technical and economical feasibility, environment, society and local economy. This paper presents the structure of the platform and a first analysis of its content.

This study explores the complexities of risk communication practices in orthodontics, specifically examining the perspectives of orthodontists in Greece and Slovakia. Informed by the foundational importance of effective communication in health sciences, particularly in facilitating valid consent and shared decision-making, this research addresses gaps identified in the literature concerning the consistent communication of potential treatment risks based on demographic and cultural characteristics. The study identifies 15 potential critical risks with orthodontic treatment. These risks include root necrosis; temporary undesired changes to the occlusion; sleep difficulties; not achieving an ideal result; development of black triangles between teeth; taking additional X-rays; speech difficulties; using a protective splint during sports; duration of treatment; number of visits; transmission of infectious diseases; and swallowing orthodontic appliances. The questionnaire, distributed electronically to orthodontists in Greece (n=570) and Slovakia (n=210) from Sept. 2022 to Dec. 2022, aimed to assess risk communication practices, with consideration to country, gender, and degree-related variations. 168 valid questionnaires (91 from Slovakia and 77 from Greece) were obtained indicating significant disparities in the risks emphasized and preferred forms of consent. The Greek orthodontists focused more on the risks involved such as on relapse, root resorption, temporal occlusal changes, and failure of desired movement, while the Slovak practitioners tend to be interested more about sleeping difficulties, temporal occlusal changes and not achieving an ideal result. They also tend to obtain written or digital consent from patients or their parents/guardians more frequently than the Greek team. Male orthodontists discussed specific risks more frequently, including relapse and extractions, whereas females preferred written or digital consent. PhD-trained orthodontists prioritized certain risks, indicating the need for tailored approaches. This study underscores the dynamic nature of risk assessment in orthodontic practice, emphasizing its ethical and strategic dimensions. The findings advocate for tailored risk communication strategies, that recognize individual, contextual, and cultural factors and the need of an orthodontic informed consent protocol for tailored communication approach for patients to elevate the standard of care in European orthodontics. The reliance on digital tools reflects contemporary trends in enhancing patient understanding, thereby supporting ongoing innovation in orthodontic practices.

The awareness of the existence in plants of bioactive compounds namely phytochemicals (PHYs), having health properties is progressively expanding. Therefore, their massive introduction in the normal diet, in food supplements, and their use as natural therapeutics to treat several diseases are increasingly emphasized by several sectors. Particularly, most PHYs possessing antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-cholesterol, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties have been isolated from plants. Additionally, their secondary modification with new functionalities, to further improve their intrinsic beneficial effects, is extensively investigated. Unfortunately, although the idea of exploiting PHYs as therapeutics is amazing, its realization is far from simple, and the possibility of exploiting them as effective orally administrable drugs is almost utopic. Most PHYs are insoluble in water and, when introduced orally, they scarcely reach the site of action in therapeutic concentrations. Degradation by enzymatic and microbial digestion, occurring in the mouth, stomach, and intestine, as well as fast metabolism and rapid excretion via the kidney, biliary, or lung, strongly limit their in vivo activity. To overcome these drawbacks, several nanotechnological approaches have been used and many PHYs-loaded delivery systems with dimensions of nanometers have been developed. This paper, also by reporting various recent case studies, reviews the foremost nano-suspension and nano-emulsion-based techniques developed for formulating the most relevant PHYs in more bioavailable nanoparticles (NPs), suitable or promising for clinical application. Also, the acute and chronic toxic effects due to the exposure to NPs reported so far, the possible nanotoxicity which could derive by their massive employment, as well as the ongoing actions to improve the knowledge in the field were discussed. The state of the art concerning the actual clinical application of both PHYs and the nanotechnologically engineered PHYs was also reviewed.