Search

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) have a long history of successful use in controlling vertebrate pest and invasive species. Despite regulatory efforts to mitigate risk, non-target wildlife may be unintentionally exposed to ARs through various trophic pathways, and depending on dose, exposure can result in adverse effects and mortality. Second-generation ARs (SGARs) are mixtures of cis- and trans-diastereoisomers (each including two stereoisomers) that exhibit similar in vitro inhibitory potency for vitamin K epoxide reductase in rodent microsomal assay systems. Some diastereoisomers and hence some individual stereoisomers are preferentially metabolized in vivo, resulting in residue patterns in exposed target rodents that differ from the bait formulations. Use of less persistent but equally potent SGAR stereoisomers in baits results in lower tissue residues in target rodents, which in turn constitutes lower risk when consumed by non-target wildlife. The toxicity of two brodifacoum formulations with stereoisomers having markedly different elimination half-lives in rats (Formulation A containing the two least persistent stereoisomers, and Formulation B containing the most persistent stereoisomer) were tested in a 7-day dietary feeding trial with American kestrels. Based on previous kestrel studies using commercially available brodifacoum, Formulations A and B were each provided at three dietary concentrations (0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 µg/g diet, 4 kestrels/dose level) predicted to cause a range of toxicity. Compared to unexposed controls, all kestrels that ingested 0.5 µg/g diet of the longer-lived Formulation B exhibited extreme coagulopathy. In contrast, the 0.5 µg/g diet of the shorter-lived Formulation A yielded only a modest lengthening of clotting time in just 1 of the 4 exposed kestrels. These findings support the notion that SGAR baits enriched with less persistent stereoisomers may pose lower hazard and ultimately risk to non-target wildlife.

As mining activities are expected to develop at greater depths, seismic responses to the blasting of development drift segments are expected to increase and present a greater hazard. A database of 379 development blasts was created for a mining site, recording seismic responses related to these blasts and rock mass structural and geologic properties associated with the drift segment. A random forest, multivariate statistical predictive model was developed with 75% of the drift segments. The model's performance was validated by analyzing 100 drift segments that were not used to create the model. The improved understanding of the variation in the intensity of seismic responses to development blasting through the sum of the seismic moment of the events is a clear benefit of random forest model development for the case study. In addition, the development of the predictive random forest model provides a tool for decision-makers to select performance criteria thresholds that they deem acceptable. The threshold selected would depend on the risk appetite of the decision-makers. The proposed approach provides quantitative data on the distribution of seismic hazards associated with development blasting which managers can rely on. Combining the proposed approach with current seismic protocols used at different mine sites could improve our management of seismic risk associated with development blasting. Using the predictive model for the sector and period studied has shown a potential to increase the accuracy, sensitivity, and precision for anticipating a high-intensity seismic response to a development blast. Highlights: This paper demonstrates the potential benefits of considering geologic and structural properties of the rock mass for managing seismic hazards associated with development blasting. The paper shows how developing predictive random forest models could be used to understand, manage, and communicate the seismic hazard related to blasting of development drift. The random forest models developed with the training data were used to establish thresholds for different risk levels. These thresholds were then applied to the test data to evaluate the actual performance of the models in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, precision, and F1-score at different risk appetite levels. Using the predictive model for the studied period could have increased the accuracy, sensitivity, and precision for anticipating a high-intensity seismic response to a development blast (log (ΣM0)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the analysis of square contingency tables with ordinal classifications, the marginal homogeneity (MH) model is the one of important models. Some measures for analyzing the degree of departure from the MH model have been proposed. This study proposes a new measure using the continuation odds. Continuation odds may be considered as discrete time hazard. The proposed measure is expressed in the form of Cressie-Read's power-divergence (including the Kullback-Leibler divergence) or Patil and Taillie's diversity index (including Shannon entropy). This study derives a plug-in estimator of the proposed measure and an approximate confidence interval for the proposed measure. Through numerical examples, we evaluate the performances of them. Additionally. the usefulness of the proposed measure is demonstrated by applying it to real data that the row and column variables are the discrete survival time variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Over the past two decades, the frequency of natural hazard incidents has steadily risen, leading to substantial human casualties, infrastructure destruction, societal and economic disruption. The occurrence of disasters, both of natural and human origin, has exhibited an upward trend in frequency over the past few decades on a global scale, posing a significant threat to diverse populations. Over time, remote sensing technologies have proven to be effective in analysing and monitoring diverse natural disasters, including but not limited to droughts, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and cyclones. The significant extent of its coverage capacity and the ability to repeat observations make its application economically efficient. This paper aims to elucidate the fundamental contributions and role of remote sensing in disaster management applications. In a comprehensive analysis, this study explores recent practical applications in the context of disaster events. The utilisation of diverse methodologies and functions of remote sensing in disaster monitoring and control is further expanded to encompass the domain of disaster risk management, employing cutting‐edge sensors and satellites from emerging technological advancements. This paper also addresses challenges related to disaster monitoring, detection and management. Emergencies, particularly during typical catastrophe scenarios, often witness partial disruptions in communication networks. Consequently, the role of alternative networks becomes paramount in enabling effective disaster detection and management strategies. Emerging issues are highlighted, and potential directions for future research are outlined and also support sustainable development goal 13 (climate action). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine litter (ML) represents an escalating environmental issue, particularly in Latin America, where comprehensive studies are scarce despite critical solid waste management challenges and continuous human modification occurring on the coasts. To contribute to the knowledge of ML in the southeast Pacific, this study examined contamination across 10 beaches on Peru's extensive coast. Overall, ML contamination was categorized as moderate (with an ML concentration of 0.49 ± 0.64 items∙m−2), while significantly differing between summer (dirty with an ML concentration of 0.56 ± 0.66 items∙m−2) and winter (moderate with an ML concentration of 0.47 ± 0.60 items∙m−2). Three beaches were extremely dirty (concentrations of ML exceeded 1.0 items∙m−2). Predominant materials, items, and sources were plastic, cigarette butts (CBs), and mixed packaging. The Peruvian coast faced CB leachate impact (CBPI = 3.5 ± 3.5), reaching severe levels on two beaches, with considerable hazardous litter (HALI = 3.0 ± 2.9). Additionally, a higher degree of human modification was associated with higher ML levels along the coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of tiny sensors over a specific area was first proposed in the late 1990s as a concept known as smart dust. Several efforts focused primarily on computing and networking capabilities, but quickly ran into problems related to power supply, cost, data transmission, and environmental pollution. To overcome these limitations, we propose using paper-based (confetti-like) chemosensors that exploit the inherent selectivity of chemical reagents, such as colorimetric indicators. In this work, cheap and biodegradable passive sensors made from cellulose could successfully indicate the presence of hazardous chemicals, e.g., strong acids, by a significant color change. A conventional color digital camera attached to a drone could easily detect this from a safe distance. The collected data were processed to define the hazardous area. Our work presents a combination of the smart dust concept, chemosensing, paper-based sensor technology, and low-cost drones for flexible, sensitive, economical, and rapid detection of hazardous chemicals in high-risk scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical monuments of the National Preserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" play an important role in the context of preserving the UNESCO World Heritage. The scientific understanding of the buildings and structures safety management the priority of conducting repair and restoration works, the organization of their technical condition monitoring, and changes in the components of the geological environment in their locations is crucial. The purpose of this study is to identify potentially hazardous areas on the territory of the Lavra for the operation of structures by conducting a point-based integral assessment of the stability potential of the natural and technogenic system with the integration of geospatial methods and to rank the structures using the analytical hierarchy process. According to the modeling results by 17 stability factors and using ArcGIS, 37% (8.7 ha) of the Lavra territory is located in the zone of moderate hazard, 23% (5.4 ha) in the zone of potential hazard, where the manifestation and conditions of more than five dangerous engineering and geological processes intersect, and 40% (9.4 ha) in the zone of relative safety. In each zone, 10 representative structures were selected for ranking according to the stability of natural and technogenic operating conditions and their current technical condition, which is determined by nine criteria. The analysis using two methods identified the areas most at risk from seasonal fluctuations and possible military impacts and allowed us to scientifically substantiate the priority of repair and restoration work and the possibility of properly planning management measures for the selected structures, as well as to offer recommendations for improving the monitoring of the geological environment of the Lavra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides pose a significant threat worldwide, leading to numerous fatalities and severe economic losses. The city of Manizales, located in the Colombian Andes, is particularly vulnerable due to its steep topography and permeable volcanic ash-derived soils. This study aims to assess landslide hazards in Manizales by integrating shallow planar and deep-seated circular failure mechanisms using physics-based models (TRIGRS and Scoops3D). By combining hazard zonation maps with rainfall thresholds calibrated through historical data, we provide a refined approach for early warning systems (EWS) in the region. Our results underscore the significance of the landslide hazard maps, which combine shallow planar and deep-seated circular failure scenarios. By categorizing urban areas into high, medium, and low-risk zones, we offer a practical framework for urban planning. Moreover, we developed physics-based rainfall thresholds for early landslide warning, simplifying their application while aiming to enhance regional predictive accuracy. This comprehensive approach equips local authorities with essential tools to mitigate landslide risks, refine hazard zoning, and strengthen early warning systems, promoting safer urban development in the Andean region and beyond, as the physics-based methods used are well-established and implemented globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of risk remains a key aspect in the recently published 6th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC risk diagram shows risk as a function of three elements: hazard, exposure and vulnerability. While this relationship is undisputed, simply superimposing the individual risk factors as presented in the IPCC diagram does not do justice to the underlying definitions of the terms. This diagram can thus confuse more than it clarifies and, we argue, should be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local site characterization and regional tectonic environment are crucial when designing earthquake-resistant bridges. Insufficient understanding of these factors can lead to significant seismic damages and low resilience of bridge components. In this study, the seismic loss and resilience of bridges located in soft soil are examined based on proposed fragility functions at both the individual element and system levels. The effects of aging and construction quality are also taken into account to evaluate the seismic performance of bridges. The findings of this study revealed that bridges in soil class D are the most vulnerable in all seismic and structural integrity scenarios. Bridges with inadequate seismic design may not have the necessary flexibility to absorb and dissipate seismic energy. The findings of this study can also contribute to evaluating transportation network functionality and decision-making procedures within a designated framework for disaggregation in any earthquake scenario [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fire Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the context of global warming, the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwave events have markedly increased, bearing profound implications for both natural ecosystems and human societies. To effectively cope with this challenge, it is imperative to accurately identify and comprehensively assess the risks posed by heatwaves. This study undertakes a systematic approach and robust methodology to assess heatwave risks by leveraging a diverse array of data sources—encompassing remote sensing, statistical analyses. The methodology integrates the risk triangle theory alongside established risk assessment frameworks laid out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Employing a three‐dimensional evaluation framework encompassing hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, we unravel spatial–temporal patterns, high‐risk zones, and dominant dimensions of heatwave risks contributing to potential disasters. Results indicated that during 1999–2008, roughly 27% of the study areas were affected by high and above risk levels of heatwaves, and the areas with high and very high hazard, exposure, and vulnerability accounted for approximately 19.5%, 10%, and 32.5%, respectively. During 2009–2018, the proportion of areas with high and very high risk, hazard, and exposure increased to about 31%, 26%, and 14%, respectively, while the percentage of areas with high and very high vulnerability decreased to about 24.43%. Notably, Xinjiang and the western part of Northwestern China are characterized by hazard‐dominant conditions, while Southern China's risk profile has shifted from 1999–2008 to 2009–2018 from high hazard and vulnerability conditions to a more complex interaction involving hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Moreover, Northern China and the northern segment of Southwestern China exhibit simultaneous high‐risk rankings across hazard, exposure, and vulnerability dimensions, forming a comprehensive high‐risk zone. These findings characterize heatwave risk patterns and offer critical insights for risk management decisions, guiding effective disaster prevention and relief measures to ensure socio‐economic stability and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to cultural heritage. This work develops a climate change risk assessment (CCRA) methodology, assessing large portfolios of properties spread over a wide geographic area. Climate hazards, exposure and vulnerability metrics are identified, and results from two case studies presented to highlight the application of the national CCRA. How a national CCRA fits in a wider context is discussed along with improvements and further work. This method helps understand the impact of climate change across a large estate, supports investment prioritisation and climate informed decision making to increase heritage resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concentrates on establishing a connectivity graph between building entities to model hazard flow and the interaction between pedestrians and hazards. Although three different ways are explored, the Uniform raycast-based approach resulted in being the most robust. We establish a link between hazards, indoor spaces and pedestrians through voxels, where navigable voxels are first derived, and further classified as IfcSpace and IfcDoor. In the end, only voxels with unique properties are kept, being < 1% of the total number of a building. Once the connectivity graph and voxels are identified the interaction between pedestrians and hazards is presented as straightforward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to present probabilistic landslide hazard and indicator-based risk analysis for the Kalimpong region of Darjeeling Himalaya. In doing this, a multi-temporal inventory was prepared for a 51-year period (1971 to 2021). For hazard modelling, the study area was divided into 4,042 slope unit (SU) based terrain segments, and subsequently, landslide spatial (PS), temporal (PT), and magnitude (PM) probability estimates were obtained for each SU. The PS was estimated using the binary logistic regression (BLR) model, achieving a success-rate accuracy of 76.5%. The PT was estimated using Poisson modelling, with mean exceedance probabilities of 0.07, 0.12, and 0.15 for the next 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. For PM estimation, the inverse-gamma function was used, resulting probabilities of 0.81 and 0.17 for landslide sizes of 1,300 and 15,000 m2, respectively, with a rollover position at 1,378 m2. Upon obtaining reliable predictions from the selected modelling approaches, the SU-based spatial integration of PS, PT, and PM estimates resulted in six landslide hazard scenarios for the next 5, 10, and 15 years. Subsequently, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was used to define indicator-based resource damage potentiality (RDP), and then integrated with the 5 and 10 year hazard scenarios for risk assessment. The resulting risk maps indicate that the areas of Kalijhora, Rambi, Teesta Bazar, Labha, Nimbong, Suruk, Zero, and Tanyang are in moderate to high-risk zones. It is envisaged that the findings of this study may support data-informed decision-making within the investigated area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising new educational and training tool in the field of disaster and emergency management, especially for hazards that are not frequent or well known to the public and require spatial and situational understanding. The objective of this paper is to describe an educational VR simulation that was developed based on a landslide that really occurred in Southern Malawi during the March 2023 Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone induced several landslides that caused many casualties and significant damage. The VR simulation framework consisted of four critical steps using Unity3D for the creation of the simulation including data preparation, terrain and environmental modeling, landslide simulation development, and virtual reality interactions. The simulation scenarios were diversified to include three distinct landscapes that can help users learn how factors such as terrain can influence landslide impacts. The VR simulation offers users an intimate, firsthand experience of the landslide's unfolding and allows users the ability to explore various facets of the landslide phenomena. This VR simulation aims to provide an educational tool to facilitate an in-depth understanding of and interaction with a real-word landslide to learn about the impacts of landslides and how different factors can influence these impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the historical disaster records of 28 typhoons in Cangnan County since 2000, combining typhoon paths and hazard-bearing bodies data and based on the theoretical framework of climate change risk, the social and economic risks of typhoon disasters in Cangnan County with four intensity levels—severe tropical storm, typhoon, severe typhoon, and super typhoon—were quantitatively assessed. The results show that with the increase in typhoon disaster intensity, the spatial pattern of typhoon disaster hazard in Cangnan County changes from high in the west and low in the east to high in the south and low in the north. Super typhoons mainly affected Mazhan town and Dailing town in the south. The vulnerability shows an obvious upward trend. Super typhoons cause more than 40% of the population to be affected, more than 20% of direct economic losses and house collapse, and nearly 30% of crops to be affected in Cangnan County. The spatial pattern of risks that typhoon disasters have on populations, economies, crops, and houses change from low in south and high in north to high in north and south, and these risks increase gradually. The comprehensive risk of typhoon disasters is higher in the north and lower in the south, with the risk level being higher in the central and northern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fragile environment of the Himalayan region is prone to natural hazards, which are intensified by climate change, leading to food and livelihood insecurity for inhabitants. Therefore, building resilience in the most dominant livelihood sector, i.e., the agricultural sector, has become a priority in development and planning. To assess the perils induced by climate change on the agriculture sector in the ecologically fragile region of Kashmir Valley, a study has been conducted to evaluate the risk using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) framework. The risk index has been derived based on socioeconomic and ecological indicators for risk determinants, i.e., vulnerability, hazard, and exposure. Furthermore, the study also evaluated the future risk to the agriculture sector under changing climatic conditions using Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) for SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 at mid- and late-century timescales. It was observed that districts such as Bandipora (0.59), Kulgam (0.56), Ganderbal (0.56), and Kupwara (0.54) are most vulnerable due to drivers like low per capita income, yield variability, and areas with >30% slope. Shopian and Srinagar were found to be the least vulnerable due to adaptive capacity factors like livelihood diversification, crop diversification, percentage of tree crops, and percentage of agriculture labor. In terms of the Risk index, the districts found to be at high risk are Baramulla (0.19), Pulwama (0.16), Kupwara (0.15), and Budgam (0.13). In addition, the findings suggested that the region would experience a higher risk of natural hazards by the mid- (MC) and end-century (EC) due to the projected increase in temperature with decreasing precipitation, which would have an impact on crop yields and the livelihoods of farmers in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding represents the greatest natural threat to the UK, presenting severe risk to populations along coastlines and floodplains through extreme tidal surge and hydrometeorological events. Climate change is projected to significantly elevate flood risk through increased severity and frequency of occurrences, which will be exacerbated by external drivers of risk such as property development and population growth throughout floodplains. This investigation explores the entire flood hazard modelling chain, utilising the nonparametric bias correction of UKCP18 regional climate projections, the distributed HBV-TYN hydrological model and HEC-RAS hydraulic model to assess future manifestation of flood hazard within the Broadland Catchment, UK. When assessing the independent impact of extreme river discharge and storm surge events as well as the impact of a compound event of the two along a high emission scenario, exponential increases in hazard extent over time were observed. The flood extent increases from 197 km2 in 1990 to 200 km2 in 2030, and 208 km2 in 2070. In parallel, exponential population exposure increases were found from 13,917 (1990) to 14,088 (2030) to 18,785 (2070). This methodology could see integration into policy-based flood risk management by use of the developed hazard modelling tool for future planning and suitability of existing infrastructure at a catchment scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to assess the concentrations of heavy metals in blood samples collected from selected livestock (cows) slaughtered at abattoirs within Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The atomic absorption spectrophotometric technique was used for elemental analysis after the wet acid digestion and health risk assessments were also carried out. The heavy metal content (mg/l) in cow blood samples from Zango abattoir were in the range of 0.404 to 0.418, 0.174 to 0.240 and 0.256 to 0.299 for Cd, Cu and Pb respectively. However in the cow blood samples from Makera abattoir, the heavy metal concentration (mg/l) were in the range of 0.392 to 0.428, 0.032 to 0.128 and 0.252 to 0.351 for Cd, Cu and Pb. Non-carcinogenic analysis indicated that the Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) for all examined metals remained below 1, signifying a lower risk for non-carcinogenic health effects. However, the Cumulative Hazard Index (HI) indicated values surpassing 1 for Pb and Cd in the animal species, suggesting potential health risks due to cumulative exposure. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) values for all the heavy metals analysed were below the Reference Dose (RfD). The carcinogenic analysis, concentrations of Cd exhibited an incremental lifetime cancer risk exceeding the allowable limit (10-6), although within the moderate risk limit, while Pb remained within the permissible threshold (10-6). Consequently, this study suggests that the examined animals could represent significant sources of heavy metal exposure for humans over extended periods.

Abstract The burden of heart failure increases over time and is a leading cause of unplanned readmissions worldwide. In addition, its impact has doubled in countries with limited health resources, including Ethiopia. Identifying and preventing the possible contributing factors is crucial to reducing unplanned hospital readmissions and improving clinical outcomes. The study aimed to assess the incidence and predictors of 30-day unplanned readmission among heart failure patients at selected South Wollo general hospitals in 2022. A hospital-based retrospective cohort study design was employed from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2020. The data was collected from 572 randomly selected medical records using data extraction checklists. Data were entered in Epi-Data version 4.6 and analyzed with Stata version 17. The Kaplan–Meier and log-rank tests were used to estimate and compare the survival failure time. A Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to identify the predictors of readmission. The statistical significance level was declared at a p-value 65 years) (AHR: 3.172, 95% CI:.21, 4.55, P = 0.001), rural in residency (AHR: 2.47, 95%CI: 1.44, 4.24, P = 0.001), Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AHR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.35, P = 0.012), HIV/AIDS (AHR: 1.84, 95%CI: 1.24, 2.75, P = 0.003), Haemoglobin level 8–10.9 g/dL (AHR: 6.20, 95% CI: 3.74, 10.28, P = 0.001), and Mean platelet volume > 9.1 fl (AHR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.40, P = 0.004) were identified as independent predictors of unplanned hospital readmission. The incidence of unplanned hospital readmission was relatively high among heart failure patients. Elderly patients, rural residency, comorbidity, a higher mean platelet volume, and a low hemoglobin level were independent predictors of readmission. Working on these factors will help reduce the hazards of unplanned hospital readmission.

∴ Introduction ∴ Venture capital investment involves infusing capital, providing managerial services, and planning for capital exit in young, innovative, and growing companies. These distinctive characteristics separate venture capital contracts from other financial agreements. Recognized globally by leaders in both governmental and economic spheres, venture capital investment has proven crucial for economic development and technological advancement. Noteworthy examples include the semiconductor industry and companies such as Microsoft and Facebook (Meta), which have substantially benefited from venture capital investments. For instance, M12, formerly known as Microsoft Ventures, serves as Microsoft’s venture capital firm, investing in startups and technological projects focused on artificial intelligence, software development, and cybersecurity. Similarly, Facebook has established an internal unit dedicated to venture capital investment in new technologies. These ventures highlight the pivotal role of venture capital contracts in driving economic progress within contemporary managerial and economic systems. However, the agreements and regulations underlying venture capital contracts can create potential conflicts between the rights of the capital recipient and the investor, as evidenced by studies within the US legal system. To mitigate such conflicts, there is a need to redefine the nature of these contracts in accordance with Islamic jurisprudence. In Iran, despite laws and regulations advocating for the support and development of venture capital investments, the legitimacy, validity, and nature of venture capital contracts under the Iranian legal system and Islamic jurisprudence have not been thoroughly explored. This research aims to fill this gap by refuting claims of illegitimacy, establishing the legitimacy of venture capital contracts, and demonstrating their compatibility with Islamic participation agreements while clarifying their incompatibility with other nominate contracts. ∴ Research Question ∴ The central research question of this study is: How can the nature of venture capital contracts be reinterpreted within the framework of Islamic jurisprudence to address claims of their speculative and irrational nature, thereby establishing their legitimacy and validity in both Islamic and Iranian legal systems? ∴ Research Hypothesis ∴ The hypothesis driving this research posits that venture capital contracts, when scrutinized under Islamic jurisprudence, can be deemed legitimate and valid. This legitimacy hinges on demonstrating that these contracts align with the principles of Islamic finance and jurisprudence, particularly through the framework of participation agreements. The study hypothesizes that the speculative and irrational concerns associated with venture capital contracts can be addressed by redefining their nature within the Islamic legal context, thus proving their compatibility with the principles of trade and profit-sharing recognized in Islamic law. ∴ Methodology & Framework, if Applicable ∴ This research employs a library-documentary method for data collection and a descriptive-analytical approach for data analysis. The study involves deducing, interpreting, and reasoning findings from documents, with extensive references to the texts and opinions of Islamic jurists and legal scholars. The methodological framework includes: Reviewing existing literature on venture capital contracts in both Western and Islamic legal contexts. Analyzing the principles of Islamic jurisprudence to understand the legitimacy of venture capital contracts. Examining the compatibility of venture capital contracts with various nominate contracts in Islamic jurisprudence, such as sale, partnership, reward, and participation agreements. Utilizing the principles of the Qur'an, specifically the general verse "Allah has permitted trade" (Surah Al-Baqarah - 275), the rule of the Muslim market, and the principle of legitimacy to argue for the validity of venture capital contracts. ∴ Results & Discussion ∴ The study finds that venture capital contracts, despite their modern inception, can be aligned with the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, particularly through the lens of participation agreements. The key results and discussions include: Legitimacy in Islamic Jurisprudence: The venture capital contract is legitimized by the principle of the validity of contracts and the Qur'anic verse permitting trade. This legitimacy is further supported by the rule of the Muslim market and the overarching principle of legitimacy in Islamic law. Compatibility with Nominate Contracts: The venture capital contract shares significant similarities with the participation agreement in Islamic jurisprudence. Both contracts involve the mixing of assets, shared ownership, and management of these assets according to agreed terms. The division of profits and losses based on co-owned shares in both contracts further establishes this compatibility. Addressing Hazardous and Irrational Claims: The speculative nature of venture capital investments, while inherent to their high-risk, high-reward paradigm, can be rationalized within Islamic jurisprudence by emphasizing the profit-sharing and risk-bearing principles foundational to Islamic finance. Economic and Technological Impact: By legitimizing venture capital contracts within the Islamic legal framework, the study underscores their potential in fostering economic development and technological innovation, as evidenced by successful global examples. ∴ Conclusion ∴ This research concludes that venture capital contracts, while modern, can be reconciled with the principles of Islamic jurisprudence, particularly through the framework of participation agreements. By proving their legitimacy based on Islamic legal principles, the study establishes their validity within the Iranian legal system. The key findings are: Venture capital contracts are legitimate and valid under Islamic jurisprudence, supported by the Qur'anic principles of trade and the rule of the Muslim market [Souq al-Muslimeen]. These contracts align closely with the participation agreement in Islamic jurisprudence, sharing critical elements such as asset mixing, shared ownership, and profit-loss distribution. Addressing the speculative and irrational concerns associated with venture capital contracts can be achieved by emphasizing their alignment with the risk-sharing principles of Islamic finance. The research highlights the significant role of venture capital contracts in economic and technological advancement, advocating for their broader acceptance and integration within Islamic legal systems. By establishing the legitimacy and redefining the nature of venture capital contracts within Islamic jurisprudence, this study paves the way for their acceptance and utilization in fostering economic growth and innovation, particularly within Islamic countries like Iran.

Background: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of workplace hazards and organizational protection resources according to the size of the enterprise in the manufacturing industry of the Republic of Korea. Methods: We analyzed data of waged workers (weighted N = 5,879) from the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). Enterprise sizes were categorized as “micro enterprises” (less than five employees), “small enterprises” (5–49 employees) and “medium-large enterprises” (50 or more employees). Self-reported exposure to 18 physical, chemical, ergonomic, and psychological hazards were measured. The presence of organizational protection resources such as a labor union, a safety delegate working at the company, designated spaces to deal with safety, and the provision of health and safety information was evaluated. Results: Compared to workers in medium-large enterprises, those in micro enterprises showed a higher proportion of exposure to most of physical, chemical, ergonomic, and psychological hazards, except for exposure to solvents, prolonged sitting, and experiencing a state of emotional unrest. On the other hand, workers in micro enterprises had the lowest proportion of access to organizational protection resources. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that manufacturing workers at the micro enterprise in the Republic of Korea are exposed to the most hazardous work environment and yet have access to the fewest organizational protection resources.

Over the last 60 years, six landslides with volumes from 105 m3 to 5.3 × 107 m3 have occurred around Qwelqwelústen (Mount Meager Volcanic Complex; MMVC), southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The dormant volcanic massif has experienced significant uplift leading to exposed and incised Miocene and older basement rocks and volcanic rocks associated with the MMVC. The topographic relief and variation in rock types creates a complex environment where the interplay between lithology and landslide initiation can be captured. We developed models using logistic regression and random forest methods to assess the most critical parameters affecting inter-eruptive landslide susceptibility in the area. Both approaches indicate that Devastator Peak and Plinth Peak volcanic assemblages are of notably higher landslide susceptibility. Large landslides originated in higher areas, but long runout poses the main hazard. Results support the need for detailed geological mapping for landslide susceptibility assessments in elevated volcanic massifs worldwide.

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising new educational and training tool in the field of disaster and emergency management, especially for hazards that are not frequent or well known to the public and require spatial and situational understanding. The objective of this paper is to describe an educational VR simulation that was developed based on a landslide that really occurred in Southern Malawi during the March 2023 Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone induced several landslides that caused many casualties and significant damage. The VR simulation framework consisted of four critical steps using Unity3D for the creation of the simulation including data preparation, terrain and environmental modeling, landslide simulation development, and virtual reality interactions. The simulation scenarios were diversified to include three distinct landscapes that can help users learn how factors such as terrain can influence landslide impacts. The VR simulation offers users an intimate, firsthand experience of the landslide’s unfolding and allows users the ability to explore various facets of the landslide phenomena. This VR simulation aims to provide an educational tool to facilitate an in-depth understanding of and interaction with a real-word landslide to learn about the impacts of landslides and how different factors can influence these impacts.

Abstract Annually, Kogi State in Nigeria experiences significant flooding events, leading to serious fatalities, the destruction of livelihoods, and damage to vital infrastructure. This study presents a multi-faceted approach and methodology to generate a state-wide flood risk map by analyzing both flood vulnerability and flood hazard factors. Seven flood hazard factors (drainage length, distance to river, elevation, slope, rainfall, distance from confluence/dam area, and geomorphology) and vulnerability factors (population density, female population, land cover, road length, distance from hospitals, literacy rate, and employment rate) were ranked and weighted based on their contributions to flooding within the state using the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP). From these, the Flood Hazard Index (FHI), Flood Vulnerability Index (FVI), and Flood Risk Index (FRI) were derived. Results showed that Kabba, Idah, Olamabor, Kotonkar, and the southern part of Ajaokuta LGAs exhibit high flood vulnerability due to dense populations, remoteness from roads and critical infrastructure, and considerable distances from healthcare facilities. Likewise, LGAs exhibiting a very high FHI occur along the geographic zones bounded by the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, specifically along the Lokoja area, and the Kotonkar, Kogi, Bassa, and Ibaji LGAs. Five flood risk classes—very low, low, moderate, high, and very high FRI classes—occupy 26.82, 31.12, 22.07, 15.26, and 4.71% of the area, respectively. Out of 295 villages, 65 villages are spread across the high flood risk zone. The safest LGAs include Ankpa, Omala, Dekina, Ijumu, Kabba, and Mopa-Muro LGAs.

Human impact by floods and landslides (FLs) is a significant concern, necessitating a deeper understanding to implement effective reduction measures, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction's goal to reduce disaster mortality between 2020 and 2030. This study examines the evolution of human interaction with FLs over the past 70 years in Calabria, Italy. By systematically analyzing regional newspapers and historical archives from 1951–1960 and 2011–2020, a database was created documenting fatalities, injuries, and the involvement of people in FL incidents. For each victim, the database includes demographic details, accident time and place, circumstances of death or injury, and whether the victim's behavior was hazardous or protective. Results indicate a drastic reduction in both the total number of fatalities (196 versus 20) and high mortality events from 1951–1960 to 2011–2020 (6 versus 1). However, the number of people involved in incidents has increased (202 versus 1102), although this may be partly due to improved dissemination of information. Changes in population habits and the construction of more robust houses have significantly reduced high-fatality events, enhancing security. The study highlights the importance of data collection for developing locally tailored risk reduction strategies, increasing community resilience by addressing specific vulnerabilities and strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of rockfall frequency for the quantitative assessment of rockfall hazard is challenging when there are not records of previous events. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the rockfall frequency and the geometry of the overhanging rock blocks, at rocky slopes. The investigation takes place for seven rocky slopes along a coastal road in Northern Spain, and it is based on 15 years of rockfall data. A field survey of these slopes took place between May and June 2022, using a terrestrial laser scanner as well as ground and aerial photogrammetry from UAVs, in order to build three-dimensional digital models. Then, the geometrical attributes of the existing overhanging rocks were measured on the models. The surface area and the width of the latter were calculated. The correlation between the rockfall frequency and the sum of the overhanging areas at each slope was assessed. A good linear correlation was indicated between the normalized per slope area number of rockfalls and total overhang area (R2 = 0.9013) and between the respective normalized per unit of road length parameters (R2 = 0.9594). The magnitude-frequency relationship for the rockfall events that occurred at the seven slopes follows a power law distribution with exponent −0.65. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the research was to examine microbial characteristics, metabolites produced, and the potential radiological risks present in mining soils located in Keana, North Central Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from various locations within Keana, Nasarawa State. Bacterial isolation was carried out, and molecular techniques were employed to characterize the bacteria found in the collected soil samples. Additionally, the susceptibility of these isolates to antibiotics was determined, and the bacteria screened for their ability to produce metabolites. The isolated bacteria were classified into three groups: Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. The analysis of the spectra revealed that 1595 compounds were produced, including carboxylic acids, nitro compounds, aldehydes, anhydrides, esters, ketones, amides, phenols, alcohols, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and arenes. Some of the metabolites produced were oleic acid, 1,3-dioxolane, linoelaidic acid and oleic acid, 1-nonadecene, butylated hydroxytoluene, diisooctyl phthalate, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate among others, and 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid (85.32%) as the most produced metabolite. Among the antibiotics tested, levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin exhibited the strongest antibacterial properties against the isolates. Airborne gamma-ray spectrometry analysis identified elevated levels of potassium, thorium, and uranium in the soils, indicating potential environmental hazards. However, no significant correlation was found between the presence of bacteria and radioactive elements. These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive environmental monitoring in Keana to address potential health risks associated with microbial contamination and radioactive materials. Additionally, the study highlighted the role of microbial diversity in Keana soils in promoting the production of secondary metabolites with potential applications in pharmaceutical and industrial sectors.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: It is important to identify the hazards encountered by nurses before and after COVID-19, assess the potential risks and risk levels, take measures for the identified hazards and risks, and determine the effect of risk management on employee performance evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hazard and risk management of nurses before and after COVID-19 on performance evaluation. METHODS: The study consisted of two stages. The first stage had a descriptive design, while the second stage had a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The second stage of the study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were 377 nurses who agreed to participate in the study in the first stage and 201 nurses in the second stage. The study data was collected via Information Form, Hazard and Risk Identification Form, and Employee Performance Scale (EPS). In the second stage of the study, training was provided using instruction cards called "Means of Protection Against Hazards and Risks" for potential moderate- and high-level hazards and risks existing after the pre-test. The post-test stage was conducted two weeks after the training. Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis Test, and Spearman's correlation coefficients were used for statistical analyses of descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The mean EPS score was found to be pre training 3,85±0,60, after training was found to be 3.92±0.55. Moreover, there was a weak negative correlation between pre- and post-training risk levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: Hazard and risk management training had a positive effect on the performance of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme (i.e., centennial‐scale) floods are by definition rare and can therefore be difficult to study. As a result, case studies of response to extreme floods can provide unique insights. On 15 November 2021, the Nicola River in British Columbia, Canada, experienced a 200‐year flood that increased the average width of the Nicola River by more than 50% (35 m), leaving the only highway in the region impassable for nearly 12 months. This research assesses the spatial variability of erosion along a 71‐km‐long segment of the Nicola River during a period with a large flood (2015–2018) and a second period containing the extreme flood in 2021 (2018–2021). We use a random forest statistical analysis to explore the most important valley and channel characteristics affecting relative widening during both periods. Unit stream power, gradient and valley confinement were the primary determinants of erosion during the extreme flood, whereas vegetation cover, channel pattern and surficial material were less important. Erosion during the large flood event was not related to these variables, with channel pattern providing a better indication of widening potential. As the Nicola River is flanked by erodible glacial deposits, this work provides important insight into river response in the paraglacial environments that are common throughout much of Canada and the northern United States, as well as Europe and Asia, but less intensely studied. In these settings, the geomorphic response to large floods may not be representative of the potential erosion (and infrastructure impacts) that can occur during extreme events, which destabilize glacial terraces in confined reaches. Historical observations should therefore be used with caution in paraglacial settings as extreme events may not be captured in available data, creating a perception of stability in confined reaches that may have the potential to erode dramatically during extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEvery stage of the West Kalimantan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) building process prioritizes safety. The external, human-induced events (HIE) aspect is one part of the NPP site survey, as some risks in the site evaluation procedure could compromise the safety of the activity implementers. As a result, a risk assessment study relating to occupational safety and health (OSH) is necessary.This study aims to determine the quantity of risk from NPP site survey activities in terms of the HIE aspect. The risk assessment method involves a literature review and collecting data from field verification using a quantitative method that refers to the risk assessment based on BATAN Standard 006.1:2019 to support the implementation of the OSH management system. Following that, the analysis begins with a hazard risk identification risk analysis to determine the risk probability scale and consequence scale acquisition that may result from the hazards.The research findings from the conducted assessment of risk related to the nonroutine HIE site survey show ergonomic, mechanical, and biological hazards that were developed during the preparation, field review, and reporting processes. The risk rating is category A, with a risk scale of 2, indicating acceptable risk and effective control measures. These data and information support site evaluation license requirements for Indonesia as it plans for the construction of NPPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Agriculture is one of the occupations with the highest risk of injuries and fatalities but the farmers are ignorant about eye care and eye safety. Aim: The current study aims at understanding the occupational hazard and ocular morbidities associated with agriculture and the effect of safety eyewear. Settings and Design: Multicenteric, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in two states of India: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Subjects were agriculture workers recruited by convenience sampling. Methods and Material: The study was done in three phases: Phase 1: Visual task analysis (VTA), Phase 2: Comprehensive eye examination, and Phase 3: Spectacle compliance assessment. The Standard of Living Index scale was administered to assess the socioeconomic status of the participants. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: A study involving 276 workers (39.4% male, 65.2% female) found that VTA agricultural tasks were visually less demanding but hazardous, carrying the risk of ocular and nonocular injuries. Ocular injuries accounted for 9.4% (26 cases), while nonocular injuries accounted for 9.8% (27 cases). Spectacle compliance assessment revealed that 91.8% (157 out of 171 workers) reported improved visual comfort, reduced dust exposure, and enhanced safety with safety eyewear. Conclusions: This study illustrates numerous types of hazards associated with the occupation of farming. The study population had a 9.4% prevalence of ocular injuries. Refractive safety eyewear was reported to improve worker visual comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of hazard conditions due to mass movements is one of the non-structural measures for risk management, urban planning, and protection of natural resources. To obtain this type of mapping, a spatial construction was started by correlating the historical movements with the inherent variables of the terrain by means of the bivariate statistical method, which assigns densities or weights of evidence to estimate the degree of susceptibility. This model was combined with the triggering factors (rainfall and earthquake) to determine the spatiotemporal conditions (hazard). From this procedure, it was obtained that the susceptibility model presents 34% (32.33 km2) of the total area in the high and very high categories, especially in the regions of Mount Siradella and Mount Faro. The validation of the present model obtained a value of 0.945 with the ROC curve. For the hazard condition, 34.1% (32.06 km2) of the study area was found to be in the high and very high category, especially in the municipalities of El Grove, Sanxenxo, and A Illa de Arousa, which have the greatest extension. The present evaluation is an advance in the knowledge of the risk and the actions that can be derived, as in turn, this type of study is an easy tool to obtain due to its low cost and information processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants representing a concern for human health. MNPs have been detected in human placentas, indicating that during pregnancy maternal exposure may lead to placental transfer and foetal exposure, with potential for adverse effects on early-life development. However, a comprehensive risk assessment (RA) framework, specific to early-life is lacking. Here, we propose a novel roadmap to assist the development of an early-life health RA of MNPs. This roadmap is designed based on established chemical, mixture, particle, and MNP assessment strategies aligned with standard RA components (problem formulation, hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment, risk characterisation). We systematically work through these stages to identify what is needed to progress a RA for the early-life impacts of MNPs, including what information is missing, and what may be used in the interim. While challenges such as complex physicochemical properties of MNPs, limited toxicity data at relevant exposure levels, and uncertainties related to characterising complex exposures have been described elsewhere, our work discusses how these challenges specifically impact early-life stages such as the significance of MNP presence in biological samples and factors influencing bioaccumulation and placental transfer. Additionally, we introduce the development of new technology readiness levels for methods used in the detection of MNPs in complex matrices. Importantly, this review integrates a broad scope of relevant information into one comprehensive document, providing a unified resource. We highlight specific requirements and areas for targeted research, including the development of dose-response relationships specific to early-life stages and novel strategies for assessing bioaccumulation and placental transfer of MNPs. By addressing these gaps, our roadmap aims to advance the development of a robust framework, ultimately enhancing the understanding and mitigation of risks associated with early-life exposure to MNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Medica Colombiana is the property of Acta Medica Colombiana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to identify the factors affecting news management during major fires and uses a mixed-methods approach incorporating both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The qualitative sample consists of news editors from the national broadcasting organization, spokespersons, Tehran Fire Department officials, the government spokesperson, communication experts, and media editors. In the quantitative phase, all news published during the two-week Plasco hazard (January 30, 2017, to February 13, 2017), totaling over 100,000 articles, was analyzed. Data collection in the qualitative phase involved purposeful sampling and in-depth interviews, with data analyzed using thematic and quantitative content analysis methods. The findings indicate that official media during the Plasco hazard had strengths such as prominent coverage, attention to both local and national aspects of the incident, and clear and straightforward reporting. However, significant weaknesses were also identified, including a focus on event-driven news, lack of comprehensive news packages, excessive emphasis on news novelty while neglecting the "why" and "how" aspects, and insufficient attention to soft news. Additionally, the use of official sources and dissemination of classified information, coupled with positive bias, lack of neutrality, and inadequate coverage of officials and government bodies, were major weaknesses in the news coverage of the Plasco incident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the project that is presented in this document is to present the idea of a robotic arm that is capable of operating in environments that present imminent damage to living organisms. Mainly, this robotic arm is designed to be easily built, maintained, operated and the possibility to be replaced partially or totally at a reasonable cost and be a reliable tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio of channel width to channel depth (α) is widely used to quantify the valley geometry of natural alluvial river channels. However, rare studies discussed the feasibility of α to constrain the changes of tectonic and climatic forcing in landscape evolution. To reveal the implication of alluvial valley α values on the effect of rock uplift, we selected an ideal site of the Rumei catchment (RMC) in the mountains of southeast Tibet, where is crossed by the active Lancang River Fault (LCRF) with different spatial characteristics. We used remote sensing, topographic analysis, and grain-size data to analyze channel valley geometry (e.g. valley width, depth, gradient, and α), valley geometry relations and grain-size distribution. Based on the present study, we found that there are three definite groups of α values (α ≤ 4, 4 < α ≤ 6, and α > 6) among the 13 channels in the catchment. The low α group corresponds to alluvial channels at the downstream end of the catchment, where the channels are steep and are controlled by rock uplift driven by thrusting. The medium α group includes channels in the headwaters of the catchment of RMC. High α channels are found in the mid-catchment location of RMC. The time of sediment transport in the mid-catchment has been constrained using radiocarbon ages on organic sediments in alluvial terrace deposits, whose results indicate that the high α channels there were disturbed by a major sediment transport event (debris flows or flood deposits) sometime between 630 and 1991 years ago. We observe that the grain size of deposits is not well related with variation of α values in the study area. We interpreted that the spatial difference of α values is dominantly controlled by the thrusting of LCRF. Hence, we concluded that α is a good indicator of the effect of rock uplift on channel morphology, which could be used to constrain the changes of tectonics in tectonically active mountains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is emerging as a significant threat to farmers in semi-arid rural areas in India, where agricultural livelihoods are primarily dependent on rainfall. The effect of climate change on farmers' social and economic well-being depends not only on their awareness of shifting climatic patterns but also on their responses to such changes. This study aims to examine farmers' perceptions of climate change, analyse their responses to it, and identify factors contributing to farmers' choice of anticipatory or reactive adaptation strategies. It was conducted in Nuh district in Haryana, a semi-arid region. The study comprised a primary survey of 384 farmers, with the sample size determined using probabilistic sampling method. It reveals that farmers have observed long-term changes in climatic factors (temperature and rainfall) and have adopted strategies to deal with them. In Nuh, the current institutional policy and knowledge mechanisms primarily focus on addressing short-term climate risks. As a result, farmers' adaptive strategies tend to be reactive in nature, primarily focused on mitigating immediate losses in agricultural productivity. There is a critical need to address the differential vulnerabilities of farming communities and build their capacity to absorb risks through institutional and technological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of REDER: Revista de Estudios Latinoamericanos sobre Reducción del Riesgo de Desastres is the property of Corporacion Gestion de Riesgos y Desastres (GRID-Chile) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Debris flows are powered by sediment supplied from steep hillslopes where soils are often patchy and interrupted by bare‐bedrock cliffs. The role of patchy soils and cliffs in supplying sediment to channels remains unclear, particularly surrounding wildfire disturbances that heighten debris‐flow hazards by increasing sediment supply to channels. Here, we examine how variation in soil cover on hillslopes affects sediment sizes in channels surrounding the 2020 El Dorado wildfire, which burned debris‐flow prone slopes in the San Bernardino Mountains, California. We focus on six headwater catchments (<0.1 km2) where hillslope sources ranged from a continuous soil mantle to 95% bare‐bedrock cliffs. At each site, we measured sediment grain size distributions at the same channel locations before and immediately following the wildfire. We compared results to a mixing model that accounts for three distinct hillslope sediment sources distinguished by local slope thresholds. We find that channel sediment in fully soil‐mantled catchments reflects hillslope soils (D50 = 0.1–0.2 cm) both before and after the wildfire. In steeper catchments with cliffs, channel sediment is consistently coarse prior to fire (D50 = 6–32 cm) and reflects bedrock fracture spacing, despite cliffs representing anywhere from 5% to 95% of the sediment source area. Following the fire, channel sediment size reduces most (5‐ to 20‐fold) in catchments where hillslope sources are predominantly soil covered but with patches of cliffs. The abrupt fining of channel sediment is thought to facilitate postfire debris‐flow initiation, and our results imply that this effect is greatest where bare‐bedrock cliffs are present but not dominant. A patchwork of bare‐bedrock cliffs is common in steeplands where hillslopes respond to channel incision by landsliding. We show how local slope thresholds applied to such terrain aid in estimating sediment supply conditions before two destructive debris flows that eventually nucleated in these study catchments in 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semicompeting risks refer to the phenomenon that the terminal event (such as death) can censor the nonterminal event (such as disease progression) but not vice versa. The treatment effect on the terminal event can be delivered either directly following the treatment or indirectly through the nonterminal event. We consider 2 strategies to decompose the total effect into a direct effect and an indirect effect under the framework of mediation analysis in completely randomized experiments by adjusting the prevalence and hazard of nonterminal events, respectively. They require slightly different assumptions on cross-world quantities to achieve identifiability. We establish asymptotic properties for the estimated counterfactual cumulative incidences and decomposed treatment effects. We illustrate the subtle difference between these 2 decompositions through simulation studies and two real-data applications in the Supplementary Materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, wildfires have become common disasters that threaten people's lives and assets, particularly in wildland–urban interfaces (WUIs). Developing an effective evacuation strategy for a WUI presents challenges to emergency planners because of the spatial variations in biophysical hazards and social vulnerability. The aim of this study was to map priority WUIs in terms of evacuation. The factors considered were the seriousness of the risk of wildfire exposure, and the population centres whose greatest constraints on the evacuation process stemmed from the nature of the exposed population and the time required to travel to the nearest shelter/refuge. An integrated framework linking wildfire hazard, social vulnerability, and the time taken to travel by foot or by car to the nearest refuge/shelter was applied. The study area includes two municipalities (Lousã and Sertã) in the mountainous areas of central Portugal that are in high-wildfire-risk areas and have very vulnerable and scattered pockets of exposed population. The combination of wildfire risk and travelling time to the nearest shelters made it possible to identify 20% of the WUIs that were priority areas for evacuation in the case of Sertã. In the case of Lousã, 3.4% were identified, because they were highly exposed to wildfire risk and had a travelling time to the nearest shelter of more than 15 min on foot. These results can assist in designing effective pre-fire planning, based on fuel management strategies and/or managing an effective and safe evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones (TCs) can be devastating events for vulnerable countries like Vanuatu, impacting their population, livelihoods, and infrastructure, leaving the country in need of aid and recovery. Despite this, comprehensive risk information on the nuanced impacts of each region is not well understood. Every TC event is different, and understanding the potential for impact at each location empowers decision makers in the lead-up to an event or during off-season planning to make more informed decisions to direct disaster risk reduction efforts. TC hazard model data typically describe intensity and likelihood, which can be fed into risk assessment frameworks to describe probabilistic risk. This study instead uses freely available remote sensing data to create proxies for the TC hazards of storm surge and flooding and to describe only the intensity of the hazard if the event occurs at the location. This hazard susceptibility index is fed into a risk assessment framework with Vanuatu exposure and vulnerability data for domains of populations, housing, and roads. These methods allow for the risk to be estimated for each month, as well as during specific historical time periods of TC Pam, TC Harold, and the TCs Judy and Kevin, enabling future impact validation. The results show households to have the highest risk, followed by roads and population domains, while a TC-induced surge risk is overall higher than TC-induced flooding, particularly in the road domain. The results, however, show a likely underestimation of event hazards and an overestimation of Port Vila's resistance to impacts, which is a subject of future investigation and validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore emergency planning requirements for managing disasters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study adopted interpretivism; an inductive approach; a descriptive survey; and qualitative methods to address its aim. The techniques used included a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The study sample consisted of 13 experts from the KSA General Directorate of Civil Defence (GDCD). The data were analyzed by using content analysis. The study findings revealed that the emergency planning requirements are administrative requirements, including regulations and legislation; technical requirements, which include equipment; human resources, including staff and responders; identifying, analyzing, and evaluating risks; determining the tasks and responsibilities of the relevant agencies and stakeholders; qualified leadership; determining the chain of command at national and local levels; coordination and cooperation among stakeholders; knowledge gained from local or international experiences; updated database; the availability of sufficient financial resources; completed infrastructure; and improved training and practice. The study also found that although emergency planning requirements are more or less in place, there is a need for further improvement and development; specifically, there is a need for better understanding, knowledge, and awareness. Consequently, it strongly recommends that all emergency planning requirements developed from this study should be implemented simultaneously and as an integrated whole. By doing so, it could help decision makers and emergency planners at government emergency agencies to improve, develop, and reinforce emergency planning, specifically in reducing disaster risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]