Implementation Of Safeguards Research Articles

A Look at Challenges to the Effective Implementation of Safeguard to Fair Trial and Justice under the Cameroonian Criminal Justice System

Fair trial as a principle which ensures the administration of justice is guaranteed in the constitutions of every democratic society. The right to fair trial is an essential right in all countries respecting the rule of law. Fair trial and justice constitute the back bone of all applicable procedures and substantial laws almost in every legal culture. This means that fair trial should be perceived as a “human right” issue and therefore an international concern which should comply and be measured by international norms. This paper aims at analyzing the challenges faced in the effective implementation of the safeguard to fair trial and Justice in Cameroon. The Cameroon criminal justice system has all necessary provisions aimed at safeguarding fair trial and ensuring a horizontal playing field where justice is been maintained. However, the question remains how effective does these laws safeguard the right to fair trial and Justice. The mechanisms put in place to ensure the safeguard to fair trial and justice is insufficient, ineffective and unsuitable in guaranteeing the safeguard to fair trial and justice. In the absence of fair trial and justice, the rule of law, human rights and consequently the idea of justice becomes illusionary.

Do Generative Artificial Intelligence Company Strategies of ‘Moving Fast and Breaking Things’ in Civil Society Cancel Their Social Licence to Operate? A Nurse’s Evaluation of Chatbot Impacts

A rapid expansion of the computer technology industry, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, has ignited a global concern that warrants our immediate action. As nurses, our professional values frameworks compel us to protect public health and address national and global health issues. When industry activities adversely affect the social wellbeing of civil society and social institutions, it is important to evaluate them against their industry’s ‘social license to operate, which is a measure of public trust, credibility, and the legitimacy of their industrial and corporate citizenship status. The central question is, do computer technology companies continue to have a social license to operate in civil society? Nurses are encouraged to evaluate the computer technology industry’s recent ‘generative artificial intelligence’ chatbot activities against its tacit undertaking to be good corporate citizens in return for social acceptance of their operations and behaviour. An evidence-based overview of chatbot impacts on societies, environmental sustainability and human rights provide a basis for evaluation. Basic computer technology terminology and relevant concepts are explained. This article is a direct call to action for clinical nurses and those involved in research, education, management, and policy. We have a duty to critically assess the claims made by chatbot technology vendors in both practice and social contexts. If these vendors integrate chatbot technologies with existing machine learning used in nursing and healthcare technologies it could result in detrimental effects beyond user control. By influencing decisions on technology adoption, we can ensure the implementation of safeguards, protect patient safety and social well-being, and uphold the integrity of nursing values. A closing discussion of impacts of computer industry trust deficits on healthcare and research reflects the author’s concerns and conclusions about the central question. Readers may draw other conclusions and perhaps use the issues and evidence presented here to stimulate further investigations.

The protection of vulnerable algorithmic groups through collective data protection in the onlife world: A Brazilian perspective

The aim of this doctrinal legal study is to analyze the interplay between the vulnerability of groups in algorithmic systems and the protection of collective interests in data protection law in Brazil's legal system. Two research questions are raised: (i) Is the protection of personal data regulation applicable to data processing activities related to algorithmic groups? and (ii) can algorithmic groups be regarded as groups with vulnerability under the LGPD legal regime? This article is divided into three parts apart from the introduction, and combines three strands of research, namely group rights theory, vulnerability studies, and law and technology perspective. This combination is key to outline, in Sections 2 and 3, a theoretical framework that elucidates the concepts of collective data protection and group vulnerability mapping both onto the notion of algorithmic groups. Section 2 argues for the collective dimension of the right to the protection of personal data as the foundation of a collective data protection. Section 3, in turn, explores the conceptualization of group vulnerability and how this discourse resonates with algorithmic groups in the onlife world. I draw on vulnerability studies, and on Mireille Hildebrandt's law and technology perspective to delineate what do I mean by group vulnerability and how do I articulate theoretically this notion with algorithmic groups and the affordances of algorithmic systems. Section 4 examines the relation between collective data protection and vulnerability of algorithmic groups under the data protection legal framework in Brazil. To answer the research questions, the analysis is concentrated on three aspects of Brazilian data protection law: (i) the “collectivization of data protection”; (ii) the integration of group vulnerability in the data protection legal framework; (iii) data protection impact assessments in the context of LGPD's risk-based approach. The collective dimension of the right to personal data protection is increasingly recognized in Brazilian law through class-action litigation, particularly in the context of addressing vulnerabilities caused by new data-driven technologies. This collective dimension should guide courts and the Brazilian DPA in interpreting and applying the LGPD, especially Art. 12, § 2, regarding group data processing by algorithmic profiling systems. Data protection law in Brazil acknowledges that groups of data subjects may face vulnerability, requiring special protection and safeguards to mitigate risks and violations. Group vulnerability signals contexts deserving special attention and serves as a source of obligations and rights. Within LGPD's risk-based approach, mandatory DPIAs in ML-based algorithmic profiling systems help identify vulnerable groups and implement appropriate safeguards to mitigate risks of harm or rights violations. Non-compliance with safeguard implementation obligations should be considered a breach of Brazilian data protection laws.

Building public trust and confidence in secondary use of health data for healthcare improvement and research: a qualitative study pre-protocol.

Background Secondary use of health data provides opportunities to drive improvements in healthcare provision, personalised medicine, comparative effectiveness research, health services innovation, and policy and practice. However, secondary data use requires compliance with relevant legislation, implementation of technical safeguards, ethical data management, and respect for data sharers. Existing evidence suggests widespread support for secondary use of health data among the public, which co-exists with concerns about privacy, confidentiality and misuse of data. Balancing the protection of individuals' rights against the use of their health data for societal benefits is of vital importance, and trust underpins this process. The study protocol explores how to build public trust and confidence in the secondary use of health data through all key stakeholder groups in Ireland, towards developing a culture that promotes a safe and trustworthy use of data. Methods This study will adopt a qualitative cross-sectional approach conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research COREQ guidelines. Participants in the study will include academics and researchers; healthcare professionals, data protection, ethics and privacy experts and data controllers; pharmaceutical industry and patients and public. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques will be utilised to recruit the participants, and data will be collected utilizing focus groups that may be supplemented with semi-structured interviews. Data will be coded by themes using reflexive thematic analysis (TA) and collective intelligence (CI) will be convened post-analysis to explore the preliminary findings with the participants. Ethics and Dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Ethics Committee (REC202208013). Final data analysis and dissemination is expected by Q1 2024. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications, presentations at relevant conferences, and other academic, public and policy channels. Lay summaries will be designed for Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) contributors and general public.

A literature review of pyroprocessing safeguards

Pyroprocessing is a promising technology for reprocessing used nuclear fuel (UNF) from light water reactors (LWR) and sodium fast reactors (SFR). With the advancement of fast reactors with projects from companies such as TerraPower, the prospects of pyroprocessing are more promising than ever before, as fast reactors can consume all actinides, not just uranium and plutonium. Before pyroprocessing can be implemented commercially, pre-existing safeguards used for aqueous reprocessing must be adapted for pyroprocessing. Safeguards, as determined by both the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), are discussed in this review as guidelines for approaches used in both domestic and international reprocessing plants. The implementation of safeguards in aqueous reprocessing was then reviewed based on the experience from existing aqueous facilities. The experimental pyroprocessing facilities were identified as pyroprocessing plants in the design stage with one operating exception of the Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF). The safeguard methods implemented or designed for each and the accompanying challenges of utilizing existing safeguards in pyroprocessing are considered and a summary of applicable approaches is included.

Impact of a free trade agreement on unemployment and productivity growth in Nigeria

This research investigates the impact of a free trade agreement on unemployment and productivity growth in Nigeria over the period 1981–2019. Data was collected from the World Bank Development Indicators (WDI) online database as of 2020. The study employed various analytical methods, including unit root tests, autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound tests, error correction models (ECM), and cumulative sum (CUSUM) and cumulative sum of squares (CUSUMSQ) tests to assess data stability. The ARDL bound test statistics (F-statistics) of 4.26914 and 7.680624 exceeded the critical values for both I(0) and I(1) bounds, indicating a meaningful relationship between the variables. In the long run, physical capital, human capital development, and economic growth were found to have a negative impact on unemployment, with statistical significance. Additionally, sectoral productivity growth negatively influenced aggregate productivity growth. The error correction model (ECM) indicated a weak speed of adjustment, suggesting that the disequilibrium takes around 13% of the time to return to equilibrium annually. Based on these findings, the study recommends the implementation of safeguards to protect vulnerable industries, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture. Additionally, the government should focus on fostering human capital development by ensuring the availability of suitable support measures.

Larache’s Coastal in Morocco: Evaluating Dredging’s Impact on Fisheries and Shorelineevolution

Rapid urban growth, with its construction and infrastructure needs, leads to an increased demand for sand, putting pressure on marine resources. Marine dredging is a response to this demand, but it is not without consequences. The delicate balance that Morocco must achieve lies in its ability to manage urban expansion and increasing urbanization while minimizing negative impacts on the marine ecosystem and meeting the socio-economic needs of its population. The quest for a balanced solution to this issue is crucial to ensure sustainable economic development, the preservation of valuable marine ecosystems, and the fulfillment of the housing and infrastructure needs of the Moroccan population. This intricate approach is essential for securing a sustainable future in Morocco by harmonizing economic, environmental, and social imperatives. The primary objective of this article is to thoroughly examine the consequences of dredging activities on the Larache coastal area from both a physical and biological perspective. This comprehensive evaluation will shed light on how the marine ecosystem and the coastal environment are affected by these activities. Furthermore, the article will not merely stop at highlighting the problems but will also put forward a range of practical measures and solutions designed to alleviate and mitigate the negative impacts that dredging may have on the Larache coastline. These measures may encompass strategies such as responsible dredging practices, habitat restoration efforts, and the implementation of environmental safeguards. By offering a well-rounded assessment of the situation and proposing actionable steps for minimizing the repercussions of dredging, this article aims to contribute to the responsible management of coastal resources, ensuring that the Larache region can strike a balance between development and environmental preservation.

Pecularities of the internal tax control organization in Ukraine

Introduction. The organization of internal tax control in Ukraine is crucial because of the complexity and dynamism of the country's tax system. Frequent changes in tax legislation create the need to introduce effective control mechanisms to ensure compliance with tax requirements. Therefore, one of the essential components of this process is the ability to leverage cutting-edge information technology, both by the tax authorities and their potential customers. The purpose of the paper is to examine the intricacies of organizing internal tax control in Ukraine. Results. The paper is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of organizing internal tax control in Ukraine with the aim of enhancing taxation efficiency and ensuring compliance with tax legislation. It is mentioned the distinctions between external and internal tax control. There are systematized mechanisms and procedures that can be employed in the organization of internal tax control. The paper identifies the main problematic aspects of internal tax control in Ukraine and proposing directions for their resolution. It also examines the features of internal tax control within the context of the digitalization of the economy. Conclusions. Internal tax control holds a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of tax accruals and payments, managing tax risks, and enhancing the efficiency of taxable business transactions. This control also extends to the development and implementation of safeguards aimed at preventing tax violations. Internal tax control ensures the verification and analysis of financial, tax and management data, as well as the development and compliance with regulations governing taxation. These measures result in bolstering confidence in the tax system and fostering increased financial stability for enterprises.

Building public trust and confidence in secondary use of health data in Ireland

Abstract Background Secondary use of health data can drive research and healthcare improvements with implications for policy and practice. However, relevant legislation, implementation of technical safeguards, and ethical data management are essential. Existing evidence suggests general public support for secondary data use, but with specific concerns about privacy, confidentiality, misuse of data and trust. The aim of this study is to explore key stakeholders’ perspectives on secondary health data use in Ireland, and mechanisms to build a culture of trust. Methods The study adopts a qualitative cross-sectional approach. Participants include academics and researchers, healthcare professionals, data controllers and ethics experts, industry, and patients and public, recruited through purposive sampling. Data is collected through focus groups discussions, and reflexive thematic analysis is employed. Results The preliminary results suggest that benefits of secondary data use include access to large datasets, streamlined research, reduced bias, and cost-effectiveness, which may lead to improved patient outcomes. Barriers include an underdeveloped national data infrastructure, difficulties with access and linkage, complex ethical regulation, and narrow predetermined indices of health. Concerns related to data sharing are context-dependent, and influenced by patients’ socio-demographic characteristics. Trust appears to be both a bottom-up and top-down process, facilitated through clear communication, organizational openness, transparency, accountability, fairness, respect, and patient and public involvement (PPI). Conclusions The study identifies strong support for secondary health data use among the stakeholders, notwithstanding an identified need for structural improvements, strong safeguards, education and training, and meaningful PPI. This research helps inform public health practice and policies towards building a culture of trust pertaining to secondary data use. Key messages • This study produces novel insights to help advance research and policy on the barriers and facilitators to building trust and confidence in the access and use of health data for secondary purposes. • This study contributes to qualitative research methods related to eliciting people's views and perspectives in a safe, collaborative and efficient manner.

Building public trust and confidence in secondary use of health data for healthcare improvement and research: a qualitative study pre-protocol

Background Secondary use of health data provides opportunities to drive improvements in healthcare provision, personalised medicine, comparative effectiveness research, health services innovation, and policy and practice. However, secondary data use requires compliance with relevant legislation, implementation of technical safeguards, ethical data management, and respect for data sharers. Existing evidence suggests widespread support for secondary use of health data among the public, which co-exists with concerns about privacy, confidentiality and misuse of data. Balancing the protection of individuals’ rights against the use of their health data for societal benefits is of vital importance, and trust underpins this process. The study protocol explores how to build public trust and confidence in the secondary use of health data through all key stakeholder groups in Ireland, towards developing a culture that promotes a safe and trustworthy use of data. Methods This study will adopt a qualitative cross-sectional approach conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research COREQ guidelines. Participants in the study will include academics and researchers; healthcare professionals, data protection, ethics and privacy experts and data controllers; pharmaceutical industry and patients and public. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques will be utilised to recruit the participants, and data will be collected utilizing focus groups that may be supplemented with semi-structured interviews. Data will be coded by themes using reflexive thematic analysis (TA) and collective intelligence (CI) will be convened post-analysis to explore the preliminary findings with the participants. Ethics and Dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Research Ethics Committee (REC202208013). Final data analysis and dissemination is expected by Q1 2024. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications, presentations at relevant conferences, and other academic, public and policy channels. Lay summaries will be designed for Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) contributors and general public.

Panel: safeguarding nuclear waste management

Abstract. When the world's first encapsulation plant and geological repository (EPGR) for spent nuclear fuel disposal will start operations in Finland in a few years, this will also be the first facility of this kind for which international safeguard measures (e.g. Niemeyer et al., 2021) will be implemented. This two-part panel takes this as an opportunity to focus on the approaches, concepts, methods and technologies for safeguarding nuclear waste management. The first part discusses the current state and challenges in safeguarding spent fuel storage facilities, encapsulation plants and geological repositories and elaborates on the recent progress of safeguard developments and implementation, as well as existing gaps. Panellists will address the following questions. (i) Which safeguards approaches are currently developed for or implemented at spent fuel storage facilities, encapsulation plants and geological repositories? (ii) How do we make best use of safeguards concepts, such as safety–security–safeguards (3S) and safeguards by design (SBD), in nuclear waste management? (iii) Lastly, what are the most important research and development (R&D) activities regarding safeguards methods and technologies in nuclear waste management (related to the technical readiness levels (TRL) 4–8)? The second part then looks at future challenges of safeguarding nuclear waste management in the medium and long term and develops some priorities in order to meet these challenges, based on the following questions. (i) Which challenges are on the horizon regarding safeguards implementation at spent fuel storage facilities, encapsulation plants and geological repositories in the medium and long term? (ii) What are medium- and long-term challenges of safeguards implementation from the operator's point of view? (iii) What are the most promising methods and technologies for safeguarding nuclear waste management in the medium- and long-term future (related to the technical readiness levels (TRL) 1–4)? Both parts will include panellists from safeguards inspectorates, national safeguards authorities, the nuclear industry and research entities. The panel will be held with the Final Disposal Working Group of the European Safeguards Research and Development Association (ESARDA) (https://esarda.jrc.ec.europa.eu/working-groups/final-disposal-fd_en, last access: 24 August 2023).

Opportunities and challenges of self-binding directives: an interview study with mental health service users and professionals in the Netherlands

BackgroundSelf-binding directives (SBDs) are psychiatric advance directives that include the possibility for service users to consent in advance to compulsory care in future mental health crises. Legal provisions for SBDs exist in the Netherlands since 2008 and were updated in 2020. While ethicists and legal scholars have identified several benefits and risks of SBDs, few data on stakeholder perspectives on SBDs are available.AimsThe aim of the study was to identify opportunities and challenges of SBDs perceived by stakeholders who have personal or professional experience with legally enforceable SBDs.MethodsData collection was carried out in the Netherlands from February 2020 to October 2021 by means of semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and snowball methods. Interviews were conducted with mental health service users (n = 7), professionals (n = 13), and an expert on SBD policy (n = 1), resulting in a total number of 21 interviews. The data were analyzed thematically.ResultsPerceived benefits of SBDs included increased autonomy, improvement of the therapeutic relationship, possibility of early intervention and prevention of harm, prevention of compulsory care, reduction of the duration of compulsory care and recovery, mitigation of negative experiences around compulsory care, and guidance for professionals in providing compulsory care. Perceived risks included infeasibility of SBD instructions, difficulty in decision-making around SBD activation, limited accessibility of SBDs, disappointment of service users due to non-compliance with SBDs, and limited evaluation and updating of SBD content. Barriers to SBD completion included lack of knowledge of SBDs among professionals, lack of motivation or insight among service users, and lack of professional support for SBD completion. Facilitators of SBD completion and activation included support for SBD completion, involvement of relatives and peer experts, specification of SBD content, and evaluation of compulsory care and SBD content. The new legal framework was regarded as having both positive and negative effects on SBD implementation.ConclusionsStakeholders who have personal or professional experience with legally enforceable SBDs perceive SBDs as having important benefits and tend not to articulate the fundamental ethical concerns about SBDs which can be found in the ethics and legal literature. Instead, they perceive ethical and practical challenges that can be addressed through the implementation of suitable safeguards.

Reducing Cost Overrun in Public Housing Projects: A Simplified Reference Class Forecast for Small Island Developing States

Inaccuracies in cost estimation on construction projects is a contested topic in praxis. Among the leading explanations for cost overrun (CO), factors accounting for large variances in actual cost are shown to have psychological or political roots. The context of public sector social housing projects (PSSHPs) in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is positioned with similar CO challenges. This study is the fifth phase of a series of research projects on the vulnerability of PSSHPs to COs, and the need to de-risk cost estimates. The aim of this study is to present a simple and practical application of Reference Class Forecasting (RCF), a promising solution utilizing an “outside view” approach, as an effective control to reduce the variance of forecasted cost inaccuracies. Using a sample set of 82 housing projects, a reference class of 23 projects was selected based on properties such as design-build procurement type and local contractor involvement. A probability distribution was then established for this reference class, and required cost uplifts to be applied were based on the level of risk a housing agency is willing to accept for PSSHPs. Finally, the accuracy of the reference class was tested using a recently completed project. The results showed that the RCF method, based on a 50th percentile risk acceptance of CO, provides a closer estimate to the actual costs of the project as compared to the contracted costs. This empirical study is the first to undertake and implement RCF in the 52 SIDS and presents the first instance of practical RCF in public housing projects worldwide, thus providing a platform for improvement in future PSSHPs’ budget forecasting. The research can be applied to lessen societal and economic welfare losses as well as significant financial risks for governments. The implementation of practical safeguards, such as RCF, together with contemporary standard project controls, provides immediate advantages for enhancing accuracy in present forecasting approaches against financial risks. It allows for improved value derived from social infrastructure projects, improved supply of public housing, and consequently progress for these nations towards achieving their sustainable development goals.

MP75-05 PREDICTORS OF TIMELY AND DELAYED UROLOGIC EVALUATION FOLLOWING REFERRAL FOR ELEVATED PSA IN A DIVERSE, URBAN, HIGH-RISK POPULATION

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP75-05 PREDICTORS OF TIMELY AND DELAYED UROLOGIC EVALUATION FOLLOWING REFERRAL FOR ELEVATED PSA IN A DIVERSE, URBAN, HIGH-RISK POPULATION Rutul D. Patel, Michael Zhu, Priya Dave, Quoc-Dien Trinh, and Kara L. Watts Rutul D. PatelRutul D. Patel More articles by this author , Michael ZhuMichael Zhu More articles by this author , Priya DavePriya Dave More articles by this author , Quoc-Dien TrinhQuoc-Dien Trinh More articles by this author , and Kara L. WattsKara L. Watts More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003349.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: At present, there are limited data investigating predictors of delay and failure to initiate urologic assessment in men referred for evaluation of an elevated PSA. Since only 50% of age-appropriate American men receive PSA screening, it is vital to identify factors that may prevent continued work up. This study aimed to evaluate predictors of timely urologic evaluation among men referred for initial elevated PSA in a diverse, high-risk, urban community. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all men ages 50+ referred to urology within our healthcare network between January 2018 and December 2021 for initial elevated PSA. Time to initial urologic evaluation was categorized as timely (within 4 months of referral), late (after 4 months), or absent (no urology evaluation). Demographic and clinical variables were abstracted. A multivariable multinomial logistic regression model controlling for age, referral year, household income, distance-to-care, and PSA at referral was conducted to identify predictors of timely vs. late vs. absent urologic evaluation. RESULTS: 1335 men met inclusion criteria; 589 (44.1%), 210 (15.7%), and 536 (40.1%), had timely, late, and absent urologic evaluation, respectively. The majority were non-Hispanic Black (46.7%), English-speaking (84.0%), and married (54.6%). Median time to initial urologic evaluation differed significantly between timely and late groups (16 vs. 210 days, p<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression (Table 1) revealed the following to be significant predictors of timely urologic evaluation: non-Hispanic Black (OR=1.59, p=0.03), Hispanic (OR=2.07, p=0.001), Spanish-speaking (OR=1.44, p=0.03), or former-smokers (OR=1.31, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In our diverse community, men who are non-Hispanic White or English-speaking have a decreased odds of timely urologic evaluation after a referral for elevated PSA in our diverse patient population. Our study underscores cohorts that may benefit from implementation of institutional safeguards to facilitate and ensure appropriate follow-up upon referral for elevated PSA. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1080 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Rutul D. Patel More articles by this author Michael Zhu More articles by this author Priya Dave More articles by this author Quoc-Dien Trinh More articles by this author Kara L. Watts More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Secure lightweight cryptosystem for IoT and pervasive computing

Large volumes of sensitive data are being transferred among devices as the Internet of Things (IoT) grows in popularity. As a result, security measures must be implemented to ensure that unauthorized parties do not obtain access to the data. It is well acknowledged that IoT devices have restricted resources, such as limited battery life, memory, and hence reaction time. Classical encryption approaches and methods become inefficient for IoT devices due to memory limits. Large volumes of sensitive data are being transferred between devices as the Internet of Things (IoT) grows in popularity. This involves the implementation of security safeguards to ensure that unauthorized parties do not obtain access to the data. IoT devices are notorious for having limited resources, such as battery life, memory, and hence response time. Classical encryption approaches and methods become inefficient for IoT devices due to memory limits. As a result, a Lightweight cryptosystem that fits the needs of Lightweight devices and ubiquitous computing systems has emerged. The goal of this study is to present a Lightweight cryptosystem (LWC) that may be used as a plugin to secure data transfers in IoT devices and pervasive computing. To that goal, the researchers employ several simple measuring techniques. The suggested system was then implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) board using the Verilog programming language to demonstrate its appropriateness for actual security applications. FPGA is also utilized in hardware applications to assess the system’s resource usage and performance. Finally, a comparison of the proposed system with previous lightweight cryptography systems is performed to reinforce the major goal of this work, which is to present a new lightweight cryptosystem.

IMPLEMENTATION OF IAEA SAFEGUARDS IN A STATE WITH AN IMPORTED FAST REACTOR AND A CLOSED NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE

The implementation of the IAEA safeguards in the non-nuclear weapon state party to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) that has imported the fast-neutron reactor with nuclear fuel cycle facilities is considered. The features of fast reactors that should be taken into account when preparing them for export together with CNFC technologies considering the implementation of IAEA safeguards in the importing state, are noted. These include high mass fraction of plutonium in fresh fuel loads and handling of a large amounts of fissile materials in the technological cycles of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. It is concluded that it is possible to implement the effective IAEA safeguards in the state importing such reactor and nuclear fuel cycle facilities considering their physical and design features and innovative technologies, including those used in the IAEA safeguards implementation.

The evolution of research participant as partner: the seminal contributions of Bob Veatch.

Well before patient-centered or patient-controlled research became trendy, and earlier than calls to preferentially refer to research subjects as participants, Bob Veatch wrote "The Patient as Partner"Veatch presciently argued that research patients should not be thought of as passive subjects nor material from which to obtain data, but rather as partners in discovery. In this manuscript, I will explore Veatch's conception of patient as partner in research and how that idea has evolved and been implemented over time and consider some of the remaining challenges. Complexities of patient partnership include: clarifying the types of research in which patient partnership is most appropriate, recognizing the various possible levels of patient engagement in each case, avoiding tokenism and striving for respectful partnership, and keeping in mind the appropriate implementation of protections and safeguards. Bob Veatch would be pleased with the progress that has been made in creating research partnerships with patients, while also undoubtedly pushing us to continue to do better.

Safeguarding against Harm in a Climate-Smart Forest Economy: Definitions, Challenges, and Solutions

Sustainably managed forests and forest products have a well-documented potential to deliver significant climate change mitigation benefits via sequestration, storage, and substitution (the 3Ss) when they are sourced sustainably and substituted for traditional resource-intensive materials. Moving beyond product-specific considerations, a climate-smart forest economy (CSFE) aims to bolster the 3Ss and catalyze broader systemic change to address the climate crisis. In their most successful cases, forest value chain interventions that lead to CSFEs will link secondary and tertiary sectors for greater waste reduction, substitution, innovation, and overall cascading climate benefits. However, interventions that contribute to CSFEs, from small to large scale, will inevitably impact environments and communities, both directly and indirectly. While positive impacts can be thought of as co-benefits and should be encouraged, negative impacts are considered negative externalities, and these should be avoided or minimized wherever possible by safeguarding against harm. The failure to minimize negative externalities will have implications for equity, project longevity, and climate benefits. This paper provides preliminary results of mixed methods research with an aim of identifying and building consensus on the definitions, challenges, and solutions relevant to the assessment, planning, and implementation of CSFE safeguards. While broad and novel CSFE safeguards application faces diverse challenges, this paper explores practical solutions to advance and set a foundation for future dialogue, analysis, and application.

International safeguards for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel – why, what and how

Abstract. The objectives of international safeguards are the timely detection of diversion of significant quantities of nuclear material from peaceful nuclear activities to the manufacture of nuclear weapons (or for other purposes), and deterrence of such diversion by the risk of early detection for states with comprehensive safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following these objectives, several studies have focused on the developments of concepts and methods for safeguarding final disposal facilities as well as on identifying the most feasible technologies that could potentially be deployed for verifying final disposal programmes (IAEA, 1998, 2010, 2018). These activities were coordinated through Member State Safeguards Support Programmes, including the joint tasks on the development of “Safeguards for Geological Repositories” (SAGOR, 1994–2004) and on the “Application of Safeguards to Geological Repositories” (ASTOR, 2005–2017). SAGOR performed a diversion path analysis for spent fuel disposal facilities, determined safeguards technical objectives and identified potential safeguards measures to meet those objectives. ASTOR supported the IAEA in assessing how safeguards measures could be effectively implemented and provided recommendations with respect to developing such measures. Specific verification technologies were developed under other Member State Support Programme tasks. A summary report on the progress and status of safeguards for spent fuel encapsulation plants and geological repositories was completed by ASTOR in 2017. ASTOR also identified areas and actions that need to be accomplished to support safeguards implementation in final disposal facilities, such as (1) establish performance requirements for the design of safeguards technologies relevant to geological disposal of spent fuel, (2) determine specific information needs of states and operators regarding safeguards implementation for geological disposal of spent fuel and develop appropriate guidance, (3) determine specific information needs of IAEA inspectors and analysts and develop a guidance document that provides recommendations for implementing safeguards for a geological repository system under the state-level concept and (4) develop and test appropriate safeguards equipment (IAEA, 2017; Moran et al., 2018). While several measures and technologies related to verifying the geological disposal of spent fuel have been used by the IAEA at other facilities or are in development or testing, other technologies still need to be developed and tested. In addition, ASTOR identified the need for approaches to how information about disposed spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste should be managed, handled, organized, archived, read, interpreted and secured for the long term (for centuries after repository closure and beyond), including an international standard for states and facility operators on information management, data-retention methods and timescales for preserving safeguards data for geological repositories. The presentation will introduce the objectives of international nuclear material safeguards for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel, highlight the current status of developments and discussions in terms of approaches and technologies for safeguarding geological repositories, and give an outlook on implementing safeguards for final disposal in Germany.

Exploring mental models of the right to informational self-determination of office workers in Germany

AbstractApplied privacy research has so far focused mainly on consumer relations in private life. Privacy in the context of employment relationships is less well studied, although it is subject to the same legal privacy framework in Europe. The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has strengthened employees’ right to privacy by obliging that employers provide transparency and intervention mechanisms. For such mechanisms to be effective, employees must have a sound understanding of their functions and value. We explored possible boundaries by conducting a semi-structured interview study with 27 office workers in Germany and elicited mental models of the right to informational self-determination, which is the European proxy for the right to privacy. We provide insights into (1) perceptions of different categories of data, (2) familiarity with the legal framework regarding expectations for privacy controls, and (3) awareness of data processing, data flow, safeguards, and threat models. We found that legal terms often used in privacy policies used to describe categories of data are misleading. We further identified three groups of mental models that differ in their privacy control requirements and willingness to accept restrictions on their privacy rights. We also found ignorance about actual data flow, processing, and safeguard implementation. Participants’ mindsets were shaped by their faith in organizational and technical measures to protect privacy. Employers and developers may benefit from our contributions by understanding the types of privacy controls desired by office workers and the challenges to be considered when conceptualizing and designing usable privacy protections in the workplace.