Search

This study comprehensively assesses ransomware/malware risks using the Advisen cyber loss dataset. It classifies malware types by frequency and financial impact, revealing that low-frequency attacks can cause significant economic damage. Some malware types incur extensive losses despite their rarity. The analysis highlights cybersecurity technologies like AI-based tools and Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) for combating attacks. Large organizations and small businesses can adopt these defensive approaches across various industries. The study underscores the need for robust cybersecurity measures to prevent or mitigate future attacks, offering valuable insights into malware and ransomware patterns and trends, stressing adherence to frameworks, policies, and regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug manufacturing firms that operate in a globalized ecosystem are subject to a myriad of complex and simultaneous uncertainties. Such uncertainties may have a detrimental impact on firms' operational performance if not appropriately addressed. A firm's ability to react to different degrees of risk can be enhanced by reconfiguring its logistics components. However, selecting the appropriate combination of logistics components that preserve service levels in an unpredictable environment is challenging for global pharmaceutical manufacturing firms. The effects of various levels of supply and demand uncertainties interacting concurrently in a multi-echelon capital-intensive supply chain environment restricted by different regulatory frameworks further exacerbate these factors' cumulative effects. In this paper, we develop a simulation framework capable of capturing these complexities and exploring various combinations of logistics levers to examine the impact of different policy variables on these firms' operational performance subject to varying volatility levels. The simulation framework developed in this paper considers standard logistic practices employed by one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Guided by Subject Matter Expert theoretical information, we have structured experiment designs using the Taguchi Orthogonal methodology and analyzed the statistical significance of different policy variables using ANOVA tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately evaluating strategic commitments to remanufacturing requires a comprehensive understanding and consideration of the simultaneous effect of uncertainty on supply and demand. This paper presents a model that supports improved remanufacturing decision-making under stochastic demand and supply components and various cost factor considerations. The model is formulated as a newsvendor model extension that considers the simultaneous effects of probabilistic supply and demand. This characterisation assesses the effects of critical operational constraints on several strategic performance measures including cost, revenue and profit. The paper employs a Monte Carlo approach to assess the performance and extent of engagement in strategic remanufacturing supply chain operations, and illustrates results via a case study application. Results indicate that the technique can assist decision-makers in strategically determining the potential of future engagements in remanufacturing activities, and extends research findings by theoretically examining strategic decision-making for remanufacturing activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The warehouse order-picking operation is one of the most labour-intense activities that has an important impact on responsiveness and efficiency of the supply chain. An understanding of the impact of the simultaneous effects of customer demand patterns and order clustering, considering physical restrictions in product storage, is critical for improving operational performance. Storage restrictions may include storing non-uniform density stock keeping units (SKUs) whose dimensions and weight constrain the order-picking operation given that a priority must be followed. In this paper, a heuristic optimisation based on a quadratic integer programming is employed to generate a layout solution that considers customer demand patterns and order clustering. A simulation model is used to investigate the effects of creating and implementing these layout solutions in conjunction with density zones to account for restrictions in non-uniform density SKUs. Results from combining layout optimisation heuristics and density zoning indicate statistical significant differences between assignments that ignore the aforementioned factors and those that recognise it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines nonprofits' capacity for responding to simultaneous hurricane-pandemic threat, addressing: (1) strategies nonprofits use to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) how natural hazards may affect nonprofit roles in emergency service delivery during a pandemic. Data come from a survey of New Orleans-based nonprofits demonstrating effects of pandemic on local nonprofit service delivery, and workshops with U.S. coastal community stakeholders exploring expectations for nonprofit roles in emergency operations nationwide. Nonprofits have applied resilient strategies including virtual operations, staff reductions, and funding diversification, but vulnerabilities remain. Findings guide a research agenda for building nonprofit and community resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic disease is defined as a long lasting health condition, which can develop and/or worsen over an extended time, but which can also be controlled. The monetary and budgetary toll due to its persistent nature has become unsustainable and requires pressing actions to limit their incidence and burden. This paper demonstrates the utility of the System Dynamics approach to simulate the behavior of key factors involved in the implementation of chronic disease management. We model the patient flow diversion from emergency departments (ED) to patient-centered medical homes (PCMH), with emphasis on the visit rates, as well as the effect of insurance coverage, in an effort to assure continuity of quality care for Asthma patients at lower costs. The model is used as an evaluative method to identify conditions of a maintained health status through adequate policy planning, in terms of resources and capacity. This approach gives decision makers the ability to track the level of implementation of the intervention and generate knowledge about dynamics between population demands and the intervention effectiveness. The functionality of the model is demonstrated through the consideration of hypothetical scenarios executed using sensitivity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored whether gender nonconformity in gay and bisexual men is related to mental distress and if so, whether this relationship is mediated by negative experiences that are likely associated with gender nonconformity, including abuse and harassment. To study this question, data were analyzed from face-to face interviews with 912 self-identified gay and bisexual Latino men in three major U.S. cities collected by Diaz and colleagues (2001). Gay and bisexual Latino men who considered themselves to be effeminate had higher levels of mental distress and more frequently reported various negative experiences, compared with gay and bisexual Latino men who did not identify as effeminate. Higher levels of mental distress in effeminate men seemed to primarily result from more experiences of homophobia. Findings suggest the need for more attention to gender in research as well as counseling of sexual minority men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between initimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV sexual risk behavior using a probability sample of 912 Latino gay and bisexual men from three U.S. cities. Prevalence estimates of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse are higher in our sample than usually found in the general population of gay and bisexual or heterosexual men, with 52% reporting some type of abuse, IPV also was associated with being HIV positive. Controlling for HIV status, age, and immigrant status, all three dimensions of IPV-psychological [RR = 2,42; 95% CI = 1,02, 5,78], physical, [RR = 2,86; 95% CI = 1,21, 6,74], and sexual abuse [RR = 4,63; 95% CI = 1.63, 13.18]-were, overall, associated with significantly greater likelihood of unprotected receptive anal intercourse with a non-monogamous partner. Sexual abuse [RR = 3,22; 95% CI = 1,00, 10,37], emerged as significant even while controlling for the other two dimensions of IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyse the focus group discussions of approximately 300 Latino gaymen, when asked to explain the high rates of unprotected anal intercourse in their communities. Men's responses and discussions were mapped into three different categories, representing different ideologies of sexual risk: (1) ideologies about situations, circumstances and male characteristics that converge in a loss of sexual control; (2) ideologies about a basic incompatibility between safer sex and interpersonal trust, intimacy and love; and (3) fatalistic ideologies about the inevitability of HIV infection, where the fatalism evokes responses ranging from resignation to rebellion. The ideologies presented here should not be interpreted simplistically as 'causes' for unprotected sex; rather, they are windows offering views of socially-shared meaning that can help us understand the subjective experience of those who struggle with safer sex in the Latino gay community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined if a home intervention program designed for Hispanic low-income families would increase maternal teaching behaviors typical of the learning environments that children will meet in school. The sample consisted of 40 mother-child dyads enrolled in a home intervention program and a control group of 32 mother-child dyads. A home intervention program specifically designed for Hispanic low-income families was implemented. After controlling for pretest scores and maternal education, significant differences in maternal teaching behaviors were found between the groups when observed in a teaching task with their preschool children. Program group mothers made significantly more use of questions and descriptions and less use of negative motivation in their instruction compared to the control group. Significant correlations indicated that the pattern of highly correlated teaching behaviors was different for the two groups over time. Results of this study are discussed in terms of bridging the discontinuity between home and school for Hispanic families. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]