Impending Disaster Research Articles

REGENERATION OF WATERFRONT SETTLEMENTS IN METROPOLITAN LAGOS

Waterfronts are places where rich and influential people in the society own houses or live in them. They are desirable in many developed nations where people go to relax due to their natural beauty. In developed nations, waterfronts are continuously being regenerated to meet the needs of the 21st century and having sustainability in mind. This study aimed at challenges and prospects of regeneration of the waterfront settlements in Lagos with a view to proffering solutions to the problems identified. The research was conducted in waterfront communities on a sampled population of 192 persons. Majority of the interviewed persons are students and have lived in the waterfront community for about 10 years. The result shows that there is awareness of the disaster occurrence and the disaster is caused mainly by prolonged rainfall and blocked drainages. It was revealed that there has been an urban regeneration for the six months and the impacts of the urban regeneration led to improved waterways/canals/drainages, improved condition of Roads and access to infrastructure. The study showed that wear and tear of roads is the major environmental or physical risks and impacts associated with disaster; change in travel behaviour and increased travel time are the major social risk and impact; increased cases of malaria is the major health risk and impact associated with disaster; while damage to property is the major economic risk and impact of disaster in the sampled locale. The study also revealed that signals or information are not available to the residents before an impending disaster. The study concluded that urban regeneration has improved waterways, canals, drainages, condition of roads and access to infrastructure in the waterfront settlements in Lagos. However, the challenges faced by the waterfront communities is as result of lack of signals or information before an impending disaster led to wear and tear of roads is the major environmental or physical risks and impacts associated with disaster; change in travel behaviour and increased travel time are the major social risk and impact; increased cases of malaria are the major health risk and impact associated with disaster; while damage to property is the major economic risk and it impact disaster. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the government should ensure that there is proper planning and coordination in order to control and minimize disaster risk and it impacts in Lagos metropolis; there should be effective integration of all agencies with mandates to manage disasters in the state; and the government should provide up-to-date data on disaster prone areas and vulnerabilities, and use that for risk assessment for urban planning and decision-making

Krāsu gamma Aleksandra Grīna romānā „Dvēseļu putenis”

The colour palette utilised in the epic work “Dvēseļu putenis” (Blizzard of Souls) by Aleksandrs Grīns, which tells the story of Latvian riflemen’s battles of World War I in both a partly documentary and fictional manner, aids in visualising the horror of war and the fragility of peace, simultaneously evoking emotional experiences. This study aims to explore the colouristic imagery of war and peace in this novel, examining colour adjectives and other colour designations in a derivatively semantic and functional aspect. Through content analysis of the text and a derivational semantic analysis of the selected language material, it became apparent that the novel utilises the names and nuances of primary colours and prefixal and suffixal derivatives, compounds, compound derivatives, and analytical lexemes. The spectrum of colour adjectives formed is somewhat limited and uniform, often repeating the same means of expression. Indirect nomination methods are actively used, particularly vividly manifesting in the description of the war environment, battles, and experiences. Colour names are primarily used in semantic fields as follows: • human – for depicting their emotional and visual portrait in the context of war and peace, • nature during peace, the anticipation of war, and during the war itself, • battlefield, battle. Colour names are hardly used in descriptions of battles; instead, associative stimuli dominate, such as fire, flames, darkness, burning, blazing, etc. The spectral image of a person, environment, and its objects is formed using the following: • adjectives of primary or secondary colours, such as white, off-white, grey, red, green, bluish-black, • associative semantic correlations created by the characteristics of secondary adjectives of the motivator, for example, blood-red, sky-blue, rosy, leaden, steel-blue, • colour adjective-motivated nouns, verbs, or adverbs – greenery, redness, to turn pale, reddening, bluish gleaming, • the spectral stimuli that create an associative link with the colour of the named object, for example, the edge of the sky glowing in the fire of sunset; the golden shimmer of evening sun rays, etc. By combining visual paintings, where both the directly named and indirectly revealed spectral tones resonate strongly, with auditory scenes, the reader is deliberately immersed in an environment of fear, horror, bloody events, and hatred. By intensifying the means of expression, fears are heightened, vibrations of impending disasters are stirred, and the image of anger and hatred is magnified. Peacetime scenes are dedicated little space, dominated by the green colour of life and light tones.

Forecasting trends in food security with real time data

Early warning systems are an essential tool for effective humanitarian action. Advance warnings on impending disasters facilitate timely and targeted response which help save lives and livelihoods. In this work we present a quantitative methodology to forecast levels of food consumption for 60 consecutive days, at the sub-national level, in four countries: Mali, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen. The methodology is built on publicly available data from the World Food Programme’s global hunger monitoring system which collects, processes, and displays daily updates on key food security metrics, conflict, weather events, and other drivers of food insecurity. In this study we assessed the performance of various models including Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) Network, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Reservoir Computing (RC), by comparing their Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) metrics. Our findings highlight Reservoir Computing as a particularly well-suited model in the field of food security given both its notable resistance to over-fitting on limited data samples and its efficient training capabilities. The methodology we introduce establishes the groundwork for a global, data-driven early warning system designed to anticipate and detect food insecurity.

Design and Development of a Prototype Water Level Control System for Early Flood Detection Based on The Internet of Things: a Case Study of Kambaniru Dam

Flooding can occur due to overflowing water during the rainy season, therefore early detection of the water level in dams as water runoff processing structures is needed. When heavy rain occurs it can result in flood disasters that are detrimental to communities, dam infrastructure and agricultural land. This research aims to monitor water levels online as initial information about impending flood disasters. Monitoring using Internet of Things (IoT) based technology is intended to obtain water level information in real time. In this device the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor is used as a water level reader, a waterflow sensor as a water discharge reader and a servo motor as a sluice gate controller. The results of this research are a prototype of a water level detection device that can provide water level information and can control sluice gates. automatically and can be controlled manually or remotely via the latest notifications in the Blynk application using the MQTT protocol. This research was carried out by taking information based on the results of direct observations and interviews with officers at Kambaniru Dam, Lambanapu Village, Kambera District. In this way, the prototype of this detection tool will be easy to use as initial information about the possibility of flooding.

Epidemiological features of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in newborns in the Kemerovo region – Kuzbass

Introduction. Theoretical and practical issues of the short-term and long-term prediction of the onset of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and its outcomes in newborns is a promising area of neonatology, since it allows a doctor to be warned about an impending catastrophe, and opens a «window of opportunity» for timely correction of treatment tactics and prevention of complications.The objective was to study the epidemiological features and medical consequences of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in full-term and premature newborns born in critical condition.Materials and methods. The stage of retrospective epidemiological analysis was conducted in 2023. The prevalence and outcomes of MODS over a ten-year period (2012–2022) in full-term and premature newborns in the Kemerovo region-Kuzbass were studied.Results. During the period 2012–2022, the mortality rate of children born in critical condition decreased by 2 times, the proportion of patients with MODS and persistent multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (PMODS) decreased, but this phenomenon did not lead to a decrease in the mortality rate of children with developed MODS. In the present study, MODS and PMODS most often developed in extremely immature newborns.Conclusion. Nosologies of newborns with MODS and PMODS were represented by intrauterine generalized infection, congenital pneumonia and, to a lesser extent, cerebral ischemia and congenital malformations.

« J’ai connu un fou qui croyait que la fin du monde était arrivée » : l’apocalypse dans Paparazzi ou La chronique d’un lever de soleil avorté de Matéi Visniec

Matéi Visniec’s play Paparazzi ou La Chronique d’un lever de soleil avorté presents a vision of the end of the world, brought about by the implosion of the Sun. The action of the dramatic play focuses on the protagonists’ reactions to the impending catastrophe, rather than on the apocalyptic event itself. Visniec uses the metaphor of the apocalypse as a tool to criticize society and its loss of values. He depicts how a consumer society can demoralize individuals, leading to their isolation and inability to engage in interpersonal communication.

Institutional project for global climate regulation

The climate agenda is beginning to have a significant impact on the economic policies of different countries. We argue that the established global climate regulation can be seen not only as a co-ordinated project of forming new institutions, but also as a competition of separate projects, one of which takes the place of the global one. The aim of our paper is to characterise the institutional project of climate regulation as the result of collective choices to adopt and implement measures to internalise the global externalities of climate change. We conducted an institutional analysis of the selection of the main directions and instruments of climate regulation, and highlighted the criteria for this selection. The article shows that in the process of coordination of interests the choice is determined by the correlation of political and economic positions of different interest groups (international organisations, countries, corporations and banks, their associations), and the interests of increasing competitiveness and strengthening control and power in the modern economy come to the fore. As a result, the low-carbon economy project is taking the place of the global climate regulation project. Its core is the energy transition, which involves replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. The low carbon economy project is supported by the narratives of impending disaster, the «Net-Zero» and «Race to Zero campaign». Its main beneficiaries are developed countries as developers and suppliers of relevant technological and management solutions. The financial sector gets its share of benefits. M. Olson's formula «the majority tyrannizes and exploits the minority» is realized. We show that «distribution coalitions», when given additional resources, are willing to continue investing them in collective action to promote a low-carbon economy. We conclude that getting global climate regulation out of the «race to zero» trap involves the development of sovereign climate policies by different countries and groups of countries. These policies do not focus on following specific low-carbon development recommendations, but rather on their own socio-economic development with a view to reducing their impact on the climate system.

Stormy sales: the influence of weather expectations on FMCG consumption

PurposeThis study aims to understand the impact of extreme weather events on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) consumption and to examine the role of anticipated product scarcity and FMCG types on such behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis paper conducted five studies, combining archival data analysis with behavioral experiments. The archival data included sales data from a supermarket chain and weather data from the National Weather Service. The experiments were designed to test the effect of extreme weather cues on consumption, the psychological mechanism behind this effect and moderators.FindingsThis research found that consumers’ anticipation of extreme weather events significantly increases their consumption of FMCGs. This research further discovered that these behaviors are driven by anticipated product scarcity and moderated by consumers’ altruisms and FMCG types.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the research include the reliance on reported sales data and self-reported measures, which could introduce biases. The authors also primarily focused on extreme weather events, leaving other types of disasters unexplored. Furthermore, cultural differences in disaster response might influence results, yet the studies do not fully address these nuances. Despite these limitations, the findings provide critical insights for FMCG retailers and policymakers, suggesting strategies for managing demand surges during disasters. Moreover, understanding consumer behavior under impending disasters could inform intervention strategies, potentially mitigating panic buying and helping ensure equitable resource distribution. Last, these findings encourage further exploration of environmental influences on consumer behavior.Practical implicationsThe findings have practical implications for products, brand managers and retailers in managing stock levels and product distribution during disasters. Furthermore, understanding the psychological mechanisms of these behaviors could inform policymakers’ designs of public interventions for equitable resource allocation during extreme weather events.Social implicationsThe research provides significant social implications by highlighting how extreme weather events impact FMCG consumption. This understanding can guide public policymakers in creating efficient disaster management plans. Specifically, anticipating surges in FMCG purchases can inform policies for maintaining price stability and preventing resource shortages, mitigating societal stress during crises. Moreover, these findings encourage public education around responsible purchasing during disasters, potentially reducing panic buying. By collaborating with FMCG manufacturers and retailers, governments can ensure a steady supply of essentials during extreme weather events. Thus, the research can play a crucial role in enhancing societal resilience in the face of impending disasters.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to integrate the impact of extreme weather events on consumption behavior with the psychological theory of anticipated product scarcity. The unique focus on FMCGs offers a novel perspective on consumer behavior literature.

Paternal mortality: The neglected but an impending global pandemic!!!

Men have always been in the eyes of the storm over the years and across all history, losing their lives with reckless abandon just to save their community, family, wives and children that their death no longer generates any emotions or concerns. Little wonder then, that during crises and war times the attention is only directed towards “innocent women and children” as if the men are guilty of the destructions that befall the society.The realization of the impending annihilation of the male gender necessitated this editorial so as to save the male species from total extinction. The concept of “paternal mortality” is a novel idea that may not have been written in social and medical texts, hence, this editorial that tends to raise the awareness of this impending catastrophe.

Masturbation, End of the World & Self-Control, a New Beginning

This paper changes the status-quo beliefs about masturbation by modern-day science by showing us the downside of our short-term thinking by highlighting the present state of affairs in this world over the widespread use of masturbation. It also shows that if we continue what we are doing now then the day won’t be far when the entire planet is destroyed by the unending fire of human lust that will burn everything in its path and the great human civilization will end soon. The paper also shows us how to reverse this impending catastrophe and re-usher in the happiness state of life on this blue planet.

Environmental Crisis and Images of Desire in Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl and Pump Six and Other Stories

In the wake of mounting warnings from ecologists and other scientists, contemporary fiction writers have been alerting their readers to the environmental crisis as manifested in droughts, floods, wildfires, polar ice cap melting, rising sea levels, air, water, and soil pollution, species extinction, and a host of other ills. Within the realm of contemporary science fiction, Paolo Bacigalupi, a highly acclaimed American author, describes a world in the throes of catastrophic ecological change. Through his meticulously crafted narratives, Bacigalupi delivers a prophetic message, delineating environmental crises within the context of a posthuman world.Employing pertinent concepts derived from object-oriented ecological theory, this paper employs Jane Bennett’s notion of “vibrant matter”, Timothy Morton’s concept of “hyperobjects”, Stacy Alaimo’s theory of “trans-corporeality”, and Rob Nixon’s idea of “slow violence” to see how Bacigalupi engages in current discourses on the environmental crisis and images of desire in The Windup Girl and Pump Six and Other Stories. Bacigalupi presents grotesqueries against a background of multiple, post-apocalyptic disasters. While societal elites indulge in hedonistic experimentation, mega-corporations engage in genetic manipulation on humans, plants, and animals in pursuit of progress, aesthetic trends, profit, or survival. Humanity’s ongoing destruction of the planet in service to a consumer culture, along with the disastrous results of attempting scientific “fixes” without understanding the interconnecting causes or the scale of the phenomenon they are trying to “fix”, beg the question of whether science and technology will be able to prevent or ameliorate future ecological crises, or inadvertently precipitate even graver predicaments. Bacigalupi’s critique, illustrated through grim narratives replete with macabre examples, serves as a poignant exhortation, urging humans to meditate on and then prevent or mitigate the impending disasters of our own making.

Theory of Markov chain and its application in several representative examples

Markov chains can be widely used in a range of applied disciplines such as finance, physics, meteorology, chemistry, statistics, etc., which is not limited to theoretical mathematics. Markov chains were created by the Russian mathematician Markov and can be used to calculate the probability of various state transitions to each other, compared to many calculations in traditional probability calculations, Markov chains can be used to calculate the probability of each state transition easily, quickly, and accurately. Thus, Markov chains can be used to predict the probability of future events and in statistics to simulate complex distributions. In real life, Markov chains can be used to predict some impending disasters, such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and even the spread of diseases. If these are successfully predicted, the loss of life and property caused by these disasters could be greatly reduced. Moreover, the calculation method of the transfer matrix of the Markov chain is very suitable for the computing characteristics of artificial intelligence, so the convenience of using the Markov chain will be greatly increased.

From Class Struggle to Conservative Revolution: Andrzej Wajda Censors Tadeusz Junak’s The Palace

“It is an unacceptable film,” Andrzej Wajda said during the approval screening of Tadeusz Junak’s Pałac (The Palace, 1980). Wajda wanted to block the release of the film at all costs. This article asserts that Junak’s vision of history based on class struggle (Marxism) ran counter to the concurrent conservative revolution of which Wajda unexpectedly became the chief cinematic architect. His censorial attack on Junak’s film is evidence of how, in the Solidarity period, at a time when national unity was being built under the banner of Catholic values, artists linked to the democratic opposition suppressed all emancipatory impulses and potential. In The Palace, Junak creates a genealogy of peasant liberation. He does not stop at showing the misery of the serf but also projects various forms of peasant rebellion: mimicry and violence. First, the main character performs someone else’s social class, plays the role of a lord, but cannot erase his own—peasant—identity. Second, the violence that the peasants use against the lords is related to the power of opposition, which is the leaven of politicality. This local case illustrates a wider, global trend—the impending catastrophe of the entire left-wing culture. The counter-revolutionary forces unleashed in the late 1970s anticipated the end of the great socialist utopias that dominated the 20th century.

Experiences of pursuing an intensivist career in regional and rural Australia: An interview study.

The regional and rural intensivist workforce is vital to delivering high standards of healthcare to all Australians. Currently, there is an impending workforce disaster, with higher senior medical officer vacancy rates among regional and rural intensive care units, with these units being staffed by junior doctors who are in earlier stages of their training, which in turn increases supervisory burden. There is a lack of comprehensive literature on the barriers and enablers of training, recruiting and retaining regional and rural intensivists. To address this gap, a qualitative study was conducted, involving 13 in-depth, structured interviews with full-time and part-time intensivists from eight Australian regional and rural hospitals. Content analysis of the interview data resulted in the identification of four major categories: unique practice context, need for a broad generalist skill set, perks and challenges of working in a regional/rural area and workforce implications. The study findings revealed that regional and rural intensive care practice offers positive aspects, including work satisfaction, supportive local teams and an appealing lifestyle. However, these benefits are counterbalanced by challenges such as a heavier burden of on-call work, a higher proportion of junior staff which increase supervisory burden and limited access to subspecialist services. The implications of these findings are noteworthy and can be utilised to inform government policies, hospitals, the College of Intensive Care Medicine and the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in developing strategies to enhance the provision of intensive care services and improve workforce planning in regional and rural areas.

Pengaruh Media Sosial Dalam Meningkatkan Kesadaran Masyarakat Pesisir Terhadap Bencana Alam

This study discusses the influence of social media in raising awareness among coastal communities regarding natural disasters. The rapid development of information and digital technology, which benefits all individuals, has now extended its benefits to various societal elements such as urban, mountainous, and coastal communities. The openness of information implemented by the government exemplifies the role of social media in enhancing the awareness of coastal communities towards natural disasters. Through qualitative analysis and interviews or discussions with members of coastal communities to obtain qualitative information about their experiences regarding disaster information received through social media, this research explores how social media can influence the understanding and responses of communities to disasters in coastal areas. The results of this study are expected to provide knowledge and insight into the role of social media in disaster risk mitigation and increasing awareness among coastal communities of impending natural disasters.

Influence of acoustic emission sequence length on intelligent identification accuracy of 3-D loaded rock’s fracture stage

Accurate prediction of impending disasters in underground projects is crucial and requires the identification of rock fracture stages. Currently, rock fractures are commonly analyzed using microseismic parameter statistics or individual waveform features for engineering disaster early warning systems. However, rock fracturing is a continuous process, and waveform sequences contain a wealth of information on fractures, which is often overlooked by existing research that generally neglects the information within continuous waveforms. In this study, we leverage acoustic emission (AE) data and employ a transfer learning approach with a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify rock fracture stages under three-dimensional (3-D) stress paths induced by true triaxial compression tests. Failure experiments were performed on seven sandstone specimens under various 3-D stress paths. To fully utilize the characteristics of the crack rupture sequence, we introduce the concept of AE waveform sequence length. This concept integrates the discrete features of AE time–frequency images, thereby improving the CNN model’s performance. Utilizing waveforms of six different lengths (1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 15) to train the neural networks, our findings reveal that a sequence length of 10 enables the CNN to effectively identify rock fracture stages under 3-D stresses with an accuracy rate of up to 90.4%. This demonstrates that appropriately increasing the sequence length to process the discrete features of AE waveforms structurally is a viable strategy to enhance CNN identification accuracy. Our results underscore that rock fracturing is a sequential process with significant inter-sequence correlations, which critically influence the CNN model’s ability to accurately identify rock fracture stages. These insights offer valuable theoretical contributions to the automatic monitoring of rock fracture stages in deep engineering projects.

Post-Pandemic Challenges of Textile Industry Workers in India: Analysis of Social Security Laws of Select Asian Countries

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic ensued a challenging period for global health; however, the loss of livelihoods throughout the lockdown also led to a significant economic issue that warranted a reassessment of the existing socio-economic structures. Manufacturing lines were severely impeded, particularly in the Indian textile industry, the second-largest employer and labour-intensive industry. The initial lockdown did not provide manufacturers enough time to prepare for the impending catastrophe, compelling many to shut down their operations. The above circumstances highlighted the lack of resilient social security laws in India. Despite initiatives like the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme and other initiatives like grain distribution to families below the poverty line, lack of economic security came to the forefront. There is a need to have a competent social security legal framework in India to ensure economic stability for all that would fall in line with the noble ideas of the framers of the Constitution as enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy, the guiding light for all state action in India. India has not ratified the International Labour Organizations Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention of 1952. The focal area of the current research would be to look into the sufficiency of the legal framework (International and National) to protect the economic interests of the workers. The authors examine the following: 1. Examine the Code on Social Security, 2020 passed by the Indian legislature interpreting it in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on textile manufacturing in India along with other steps initiated by the government for the textile industry. 2. Carry out a comparative analysis of the social security laws of other Asian countries (Bangladesh, Vietnam, and China) to carve out best practices that can be adopted in India. 3. Analyse and contrast the statistical data of the four predominant textile manufacturing and exporting economies on selected parameters.

ANALISIS MITIGASI BENCANA BANJIR DI KOTA TANGERANG SELATAN

Safe and disaster-resistant residential areas are an urgent need to reduce disaster risk. The role of the government, especially the South Tangerang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), is very important in increasing community preparedness in a comprehensive and targeted manner. In this research, we used a qualitative method by utilizing the study literature scheme as a secondary and primary data source obtained from Scopus, Google Scholar, books, performance reports and annual final reports. Our research results show that South Tangerang City has adopted various measures to reduce disaster risk, especially through disaster risk reduction information. The government has implemented mitigation efforts, such as disaster simulations and disseminating mitigation messages through mass media and social media. Apart from that, the government is also making other persuasive efforts to change people's mindsets in realizing a culture of safety, including through habituation and increasing preparedness in disaster prevention. In this context, residential areas that dominate the spatial layout and have different facilities are the main focus. Risk zoning can be done to divide residential areas into zones with different levels of disaster risk, thereby enabling appropriate spatial planning. Early warning infrastructure also needs to be installed to provide residents with information about impending disasters and allow sufficient time to take necessary actions. Clear and well-identified evacuation routes should be provided, while green open spaces can act as "protection zones" and gathering places during evacuation. Apart from that, disaster-resistant buildings need to be considered in planning this residential area. An effective drainage system is also important to reduce the risk of flooding. Public education and awareness about disaster risks as well as regular preparedness training need to be carried out. The government needs to monitor and evaluate the mitigation measures implemented to ensure their effectiveness. Overall, this research underlines the important role of the government and BPBD South Tangerang City in reducing disaster risk in residential areas. By combining comprehensive mitigation measures and involving active community participation, it is hoped that a safety culture can be created that can increase preparedness in facing disasters

The antibiotic crisis: On the search for novel antibiotics and resistance mechanisms.

In the relentless battle for human health, the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has emerged as an impending catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude, potentially driving humanity towards the brink of an unparalleled healthcare crisis. The unyielding advance of antibiotic resistance looms as the foremost threat of the 21st century in clinical, agricultural and environmental arenas. Antibiotic resistance is projected to be the genesis of the next global pandemic, with grim estimations of tens of millions of lives lost annually by 2050. Amidst this impending calamity, our capacity to unearth novel antibiotics has languished, with the past four decades marred by a disheartening 'antibiotic discovery void'. With nearly 80% of our current antibiotics originating from natural or semi-synthetic sources, our responsibility is to cast our investigative nets into uncharted ecological niches teeming with microbial strife, the so-called 'microbial oases of interactions'. Within these oases of interactions, where microorganisms intensively compete for space and nutrients, a dynamic and ever-evolving microbial 'arms race' is constantly in place. Such a continuous cycle of adaptation and counter-adaptation is a fundamental aspect of microbial ecology and evolution, as well as the secrets to unique, undiscovered antibiotics, our last bastion against the relentless tide of resistance. In this context, it is imperative to invest in research to explore the competitive realms, like the plant rhizosphere, biological soil crusts, deep sea hydrothermal vents, marine snow and the most modern plastisphere, in which competitive interactions are at the base of the microorganisms' struggle for survival and dominance in their ecosystems: identify novel antibiotic by targeting microbial oases of interactions could represent a 'missing piece of the puzzle' in our fight against antibiotic resistance.

Suicide bombing and impending mental health disaster in Pakistan

Pakistan grapples with a significant mental health burden, with 10-16% of its population experiencing psychiatric disorders. Depression and anxiety affect 34% of the population, with regional variations. The scarcity of mental health facilities and professionals exacerbates the situation, leading many to seek help from traditional healers. Socioeconomic challenges, terrorism, and internal conflicts contribute to the mental health crisis. Recent suicide bombings, such as the one in Peshawar, highlight the emotional aftermath and challenges faced by survivors. The complex interplay of factors, including sociocultural influences, contributes to the emergence of a martyrdom subculture. Understanding terrorism requires examining the broader sociocultural and political context. The prevalence of mental illness and rising terrorism suggests a potential connection, although causality is complex. Coping with terrorism-induced trauma poses challenges for survivors, necessitating comprehensive mental health support. Recommendations include nationwide studies, school mental health programs, and initiatives to counter misinformation and radicalization through media. Establishing telepsychiatry services and collaboration between mental health experts and religious scholars is crucial for enhancing social cohesion and mental wellbeing in Pakistan.