Impact Of Changes Research Articles

Risk Assessment Protocol for Existing Bridge Infrastructure Considering Climate Change

The escalating impact of climate change on global weather patterns threatens the functionality and resilience of infrastructure systems. This paper presents a rigorous risk assessment protocol tailored to existing bridge infrastructure, integrating climate change projections, structural integrity, and socioeconomic factors. The protocol’s application involves five sequential steps: selecting a bridge, disassembling the structure into components, calculating utilization factors for design and projected temperatures, evaluating severity factors encompassing structural and socioeconomic aspects, and ultimately determining an overall risk rating. To demonstrate the protocol’s effectiveness, a case study was conducted on the Westminster Drive Underpass in London, Ontario. This study shows how the protocol systematically evaluates the vulnerability of each bridge component to projected temperatures under the Representative Concentration Pathway 6.0 model. The protocol provides a holistic risk assessment by incorporating both the structural response and socioeconomic implications of failure. The results rank the bridge’s risk level and highlight the urgency of intervention. The protocol emerges as a robust tool for decision-makers, practitioners, and engineers, offering a comprehensive approach to strengthen bridge infrastructure against the challenges of climate change.

Coping with modesty during radiotherapy for breast cancer: a multicentric study.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed tumour, representing nearly 30% of all new cases in women. Radiotherapy (RT) plays a crucial role in the management of breast cancer. The objective of this study is to assess modesty in patients undergoing RT for breast cancer and take their suggestions and ideas into consideration to enhance the quality of treatment in this regard. The study enrolled 555 breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant RT in three Italian centres. Patients completed a self-test questionnaire assessing their comfort level concerning modesty during therapy and their relationship with strangers and healthcare professionals. The impact of religious views and potential changes in sexuality were also examined. Results showed that modesty was a common concern across the overall cohort of patients, with discomfort in being undressed during RT correlating with discomfort experienced in other daily life situations. Most patients felt more at ease with same sex healthcare workers. Age was also a major factor with younger patients generally feeling more comfortable with healthcare workers of the same age group. Interestingly, the surgical technique used (mastectomy vs. quadrantectomy) did not significantly influence modesty perceptions. Patients provided valuable suggestions to improve privacy and modesty during RT. This study demonstrates that modesty is an important issue for women undergoing RT, which can be influenced by personal characteristics and hospital-related factors. A reflection about the need to address modesty concerns and to incorporate dedicated interventions for protecting patients' physical and emotional well-being is warranted. Initiatives to improve communication, involvement, and body image support should also be integrated into the care path of patients to better their overall therapeutic experience. This study paves the way for broader research and interventions in daily cancer care.

Pulsed vacuum drying of fruits, vegetables, and herbs: Principles, applications and future trends.

Pulsed vacuum drying (PVD) is a novel vacuum drying method that has demonstrated significant potential in improving energy efficiency and product quality in the drying of foods and agricultural products. The current work provides a comprehensive analysis of the latest advancements in PVD technology, including its historical development, fundamental principles, and mechanistic aspects. The impact of periodic pulsed pressure changes between vacuum and atmospheric pressure on heat and moisture transfer, as well as structural changes in foods at micro- and macro-scales, is thoroughly discussed. The article also highlights the influential drying parameters, the integration of novel auxiliary heaters, and the applications of PVD across various fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Furthermore, the review examines the current status and needs for mathematical modeling of PVD processes, identifying key challenges, research opportunities, and future trends for industrial application. The findings suggest that PVD not only enhances drying efficiency and reduces energy consumption but also preserves the nutritional value, color, and texture of dried products better than traditional methods. Future research should focus on optimizing process parameters and integrating advanced control systems to further improve the scalability and applicability of PVD technology in the food industry.

Quantifying the Impact of Future Climate Change on Flood Susceptibility: An Integration of CMIP6 Models, Machine Learning, and Remote Sensing

Quantifying the Impact of Future Climate Change on Flood Susceptibility: An Integration of CMIP6 Models, Machine Learning, and Remote Sensing

53227 Impact of New AAD Climate Change and Dermatology Module on Learners

53227 Impact of New AAD Climate Change and Dermatology Module on Learners

Impacts of land use change on carbon and nitrogen stocks in an Andosol in Michoacan, Mexico

Impacts of land use change on carbon and nitrogen stocks in an Andosol in Michoacan, Mexico

Impact of recent criteria changes for the deferral criteria specific to men who have sex with men in France.

In 2016, France allowed men who have sex with men (MSM) to donate blood if they had not had sex with men in the previous 12 months. In April 2020, this restriction was relaxed to 4 months due to the lack of negative impact observed on blood safety. This study assesses the impact of reducing this deferral period on epidemiological surveillance indicators. This study compares infection surveillance indicators between two 30-month periods before (P1) and after (P2) this second deferral change. Overall, 79 donations tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (49 in P1 and 30 in P2), 322 for hepatitis C virus (HCV) (185 and 137), 622 for hepatitis B virus (HBV) (355 and 267) and 1684 for syphilis (799 and 885). Positive donation rates decreased between P1 and P2, except for syphilis: HIV (0.07/10,000 donations vs. 0.04; p > 0.5), HCV (0.25 vs. 0.20; p < 0.05), HBV (0.49 vs. 0.39; p < 0.01) and syphilis (1.10 vs. 1.29; p < 0.001). For all three viruses, residual risks of transmission by transfusion did not increase: HIV (1/7,800,000 donations vs. 1/10,500,000), HCV (1/25,200,000 vs. 1/47,300,000) and HBV (1/6,400,000 vs. 1/6,000,000). Reducing the deferral period for MSM in April 2020 did not negatively impact residual risks, which remained very low, or the rate of positive donations, except for syphilis, which requires careful monitoring. To ensure equal access to blood donation, MSM have been allowed to donate blood under the same conditions as other donors since March 2022 (i.e., no more than one sexual partner in the last 4 months).

Spatial–temporal evolution analysis of multi-scenario land use and carbon storage based on PLUS-InVEST model: A case study in Dalian, China

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems varies with land use changes, and exploring the impact of land use changes on carbon storage in regional terrestrial ecosystems is important for maintaining regional carbon balance. Data on Dalian City’s land use types from 2000 to 2020 are used in this research, to evaluate the spatio-temporal evolution of carbon storage in Dalian. Furthermore, with the scenarios of urban development, natural development, cultivated land protection, and ecological protection in 2030, this study combines the PLUS and InVEST models to emulate the dynamic adjustment at land-use types and the spatio-temporal evolution regarding carbon storage in Dalian City. The investigation shows that: 1) The carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystem in Dalian has been altered as a consequence of changes in land use, and now it shows a general decline during 2000–2020, with reductions amounting to 5.39 × 106 t. 2) From 2000 through 2020, Dalian’s land resources that are utilized for farming, forestry, and grassland decreased to different degrees. The total construction land area increased by 796.47 km2, or 6.38 %, whereas there has been no substantial improvement in water or unused land. 3) The carbon storage reduction in 2030 in comparison to 2020 for the natural development, cultivated land protection, and urban development scenarios, among which the urban development scenario was the largest, was 1.36 × 106t.It suggests that the rapid rate of urbanization and expansion of constructionlandis an important cause of the decline in carbon storage. 4) The cultivated land protection scenario (CPS) yields the smallest reduction of 6.50 × 105t. The structure of Dalian’s land use type is optimum under the ecological protection scenario (EPS), as seen by the 3.90 × 105t increase in carbon storage under this scenario. It speeds up the rate of recovery of carbon storage and improves the function of carbon sinks in urban terrestrial ecosystems. Hoping to provide the reference to decision makers for ecosystem carbon storage optimization from the view of land use, which is vital for making future land use policies and realizing the “dual carbon” strategic goal.

Local news as political institution and the repercussions of ‘news deserts’: A qualitative study of seven UK local areas

A transformation in the political economy of local news provision has led to claims that an increasing number of local areas have become ‘news deserts’ – areas that are poorly served or not served at all by professional and dedicated news services (Abernathy, 2022). Such developments have raised widespread concerns about the future health of local democracy. One aspect of local news’ declining capacity that has received little attention to date is the impact on its role as political institution. This paper first examines the impact of changes on those most closely affected by the reduction or closure of UK local news media outlets – the consumers and sources of local news. Through empirical research in 2021-22, the authors explore Cook’s theory of the news media as political institution (2005), by examining local citizens’ experience of – and attitudes towards – their local news outlets, and the extent to which they believe these continue to perform an institutional role. Second, the paper seeks to explore the extent to which other information services – most notably social media and online communities - substitute for the institutional roles of local news outlets. The paper argues that the diminishing role of local news media as political institution has significant political and democratic implications which are not being addressed by policymakers, who are more concerned with the economic interests of corporate media owners than the broader democratic and societal interests of local communities.

Placing patient safety at the heart of value-based healthcare.

Value-based healthcare (VBHC) has been defined as the measured improvement in a person's health outcomes and clinical experience against the financial costs.(1) The concept attempts to focus on the issue of reconciling the rising cost of healthcare with improving the outcomes for people who receive care by asking how we can obtain "value" defined as better outcomes at lower cost. More recently the impact of climate change has been added to the equation, defining the "sustainable value" of a service as being measured by the best health outcomes against its economic costs, including environmental and social cost.(2).

Spatiotemporal variation and teleconnections of extreme precipitation in the Upper Indus Basin: insights for natural hazard assessment

ABSTRACT The study investigates trends and teleconnections of extreme precipitation events in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) within the Indian region, part of the crucial geo-ecological Hindu Kush Himalayan Mountain system. Utilizing high-resolution (10 km × 10 km) HAR data from 2002 to 2013, we analyzed 11 indices established by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) to observe variations in extreme precipitation at the monthly, seasonal, and annual time scale. The result shows an increase in dry and wet extreme precipitation frequency and intensity, increasing monsoon precipitation and a shift of winter precipitation, increasing continuous dry days. Using the APHRODITE daily (0.25° × 0.25°) data from 1952 to 2014, continuous wavelet transform and wavelet coherence analysis indicate significant periodicities and correlations with large-scale climate anomalies such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Wavelet coherence analysis reveals that monthly extreme precipitation events significantly correlate with ENSO at a 3–5 years periodicity, while annual extremes show significant coherence with NAO at 8–10 years and over 16 years periodicities. The study highlights the impact of global climate change on regional precipitation and the need for adaptive water management policies to mitigate flood risks during the rainy season and address water scarcity in the dry season.

Unravelling the impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on streamflow: The benefit of newly developed evapotranspiration data

To separate the contributions of climate changes and human activities to alterations in flow for the Ahar Chay watershed in Iran, change points of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and evapotranspiration (ET) were distinguished before and after significant alterations. The Budyko and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) were used to find the reduction in runoff. Newly developed Penman-Monteith-Leuning (PML) ET data was used to consider plant types. Results revealed increase in NDVI, coinciding with the change point in 1998, as well as ET in 1999. The significance of the Sattarkhan Dam within watershed became evident when distinguishing the impacts in upstream and downstream areas of the dam. Results also indicated that climate changes contributed significantly to upstream flow reduction (83.5%), whereas downstream reductions were primarily linked to human-related impacts (59.7-82.5%). Assuming no dam interception, 2007 became the change point, signifying 37.5% reduction in average flow before and after this point due to the increased vegetation cover.

Impact of Recent Meteorological Changes on Surface Ozone Increases in Seoul Metropolitan Area

Impact of Recent Meteorological Changes on Surface Ozone Increases in Seoul Metropolitan Area

ASO Author Reflections: Impact of 1-Year Changes in Skeletal Muscle Quality on Prognosis in Postoperative Patients with Early Gastric Cancer.

ASO Author Reflections: Impact of 1-Year Changes in Skeletal Muscle Quality on Prognosis in Postoperative Patients with Early Gastric Cancer.

Impact of Chemical Composition Changes during Ultrasound Atomization and Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Low Alloy Steel

This study investigates the effect of changing the chemical composition during ultrasonic atomization (UA) and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of low‐alloy steel. UA is used to produce a spherical powder with d50 equal to 49 μm. During UA, the chemical composition of the material changes, which is associated with selective evaporation of Mn from 1.42% to 0.35% and B from 0.0012% to &lt;0.0001%. Thermodynamic calculations confirm that during atomization, mostly Mn and Fe evaporate. To achieve a high density of 3D printed parts, in situ remelting in LPBF is applied. A microstructure consisting of fine grains of tempered martensite and bainite in crystallized meltpools is observed. The selected high‐quality LPBF samples are austenitized in the temperature range of 900–1200 °C for 20 min and quenched in oil. The samples are characterized by light and scanning electron microscopy, as well as Vickers hardness. Changes in chemical composition result in a decrease in the hardenability of the material, and quenching only at 1200 °C produces a martensitic microstructure. LPBF samples show a hardness higher than that of the postheat‐treated sample, but still significantly lower than that of the as‐delivery condition, which is related to the change in chemical composition.

Impact of climate change on income inequality. Implications for rich and poor countries

The article aims to provide evidence of the link between income inequality and climate change in both developed and low-income economies. This study uses a descriptive analysis method along with panel data analysis to assess the impact of climate changes on income inequality in 42 advanced economies and 68 developing countries between 1995 and 2020. The results of empirical research confirm that climate change is an important factor responsible for growing income inequality. The impact of a country’s vulnerability is positively associated with increasing income inequality in low-income economies. In turn, climate resilience has a statistically significant effect on income distribution in both groups, although the ability to mitigate climate change and adapt is considerably weaker in developing countries. This research raises our awareness of the links between the economy and climate change, including their implications for income inequality, and signals possible changes in the redistributive system to mitigate climate change and combat income inequality. The added value of this article is the results of research on the negative consequences of climate change on income inequality in over 100 countries. Particular attention was paid to the ethical issue of unequal responsibility for causing climate change between rich and poor countries.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY

The article is devoted to the study of the main trends in the development of digital technologies in the financial sector of the economy, namely, the topic is relevant in the context of rapid globalization, digitalization and transition to digital ecosystems. The modern financial sector of the economy at different stages of its life cycle cannot function without the use of digital technologies. In addition, online activity, browsing social networks, and web pages, and using various applications are essential for civil society. The purpose of this paper is to study the changing impact of advanced technologies on digital security, as well as to substantiate the trends in the development of digital technologies in the financial sector of the economy.The article characterizes the risks arising from the digitalization of the economy - the results of the analysis show that the effective use of these factors can stimulate the competitiveness of financial institutions. The level of threat in data management is investigated, which should be taken into account when forecasting potential threats of digitalization in the financial sector of the economy, which allows the management of institutions to optimize: financial, human and technological resources for risk management and take measures to offset possible losses from cyber threats and restore the stable development of economic systems.The article identifies trends in the development of digital technologies in the financial sector of the economy that require detailed study and provide for the transition to a modern digital financial platform. This transition will not only strengthen the country's domestic market, increasing the level of independence from the import of foreign technologies but will also contribute to improving the global importance of the economy. Therefore, the use of digital technologies in the financial sector of the economy is of key importance, and effective financing in the new economic reality largely ensures the success of the country's socio-economic development.

MULTIVARIATE PROBIT MODELING OF CLIMATE-SMART ADAPTATION CHOICES AMONG FARMERS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: GHANAIAN STUDY OF COCOA FARMERS

Climate change and variability pose significant challenges to cocoa production in many sub-Saharan African countries, and Ghana is no exception. Therefore, knowledge of how farmers react to climate change and its variability effects is crucial in developing policies and programs to guide the design and implementation of effective climate-smart adaptation strategies at the farm level in Africa. This study aims to examine climate-smart adaptation choices cocoa farmers make as coping strategies for climate change and variability in Ghana using a multivariate probit modeling approach. Following a multistage sampling procedure, primary data was collected from 720 cocoa farmers across the major cocoa-growing regions in Ghana. The study found major adaptation choices for cocoa farmers to include improved and resistant varieties, optimal fertilizer application, optimal pesticide application, adjusting planting/harvesting dates, shade tree management, crop diversification, non-crop diversification, and off-farm economic diversification. We further observed that farmers’ adaptation choices were significantly influenced by climate change and adaptation-related variables such as rainfall variability index, temperature variability index, climate change impact perception index, and CSA awareness as well as agroclimatic zone effects. Concerning the influence of farmer and farm-specific variables, the study identifies that sex, age, education, farm size, quality of extension services delivery, access to credit, and membership in farmer groups were significant predictors of farmers’ CSA decision choices. This study offers beneficial insights for policymakers and stakeholders on how to promote climate-smart adaptation methods among cocoa farmers in Ghana.

Ecotourism in the Age of Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives and Industry Adaptation

The present study tends to identify the dynamics of ecotourism in global climate change, focusing on stakeholders' perceptions and industry adaptation strategies. Climate change is currently challenging the tourism sector, especially at the level of ecotourism; hence, it becomes imperative to note how different stakeholders perceive these impacts and how the industry responds to them. This research looks into the potential implications of climate change in three areas: operation and profitability of tourist spots, changes in tourist demand, and socio-economic implications. In this regard, the researchers utilized the survey results on stakeholders: tourists, business operators, and local communities. For example, according to the results, all respondents perceived climate change's impact to be moderate. Specifically, moderate effects at operational and financial levels on tourist spots, shifting tourist demand, and broader socio-economic conditions are recognized. The results underline the need for targeted adaptation strategies to enhance business resilience to the changing climatic conditions, adapting to changing tourist preferences, and answering socio-economic challenges. The paper highlights the need for proactive steps toward the sustainability of ecotourism in the face of continuing change. Hence, it delivers actionable insight into what stakeholders would do to enable such navigation of the complexities of climate change.

The Impact of Interest Rate Changes on Consumer Spending

This research was justified by the need to establish the impact of shifts in interest rates on consumption expenditures, which is a key factor in economic growth. Thus, the research’s objectives are to explore the influence of monetary policy actions performed by central banks in the context of their impact on consumers. It makes it possible for any given policymaker to work out measures which are favourable for both economic growth and stability. Further, these insights are useful in deciding the future business strategy since they give the companies an idea of what to expect in the market. In general, the study aims at expanding the existing knowledge concerning the macroeconomic consequences of interest rate volatility.