Safety Issues Research Articles

Review of research works done on Rajata Bhasma [Incinerated Silver] at Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar

Rajata a well-known metal known for its Medhya, Rasayana and Balya Karma. Rajata is cost effective compared to Swarna and possess similar properties to that of Swarna. Rajata Bhasma (RB) is a calcined silver compound widely used by practitioners of Ayurveda for various ailments like depletion of body elements, neurological disorders, muscular dystrophy, infertility, diabetes, various infectious conditions. Aim of the present study was to compile such available research works done on Rajata in the Department of Rasa Shastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana (RS and BK), ITRA, Jamnagar and provide brief information about pharmaceutical, analytical, and pharmacological studies. Total five studies on Rajata Bhasma, which revalidated the impact of classical guidelines, safety issues, and therapeutic utilities, were screened from Department of RS and BK, Institute for Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar. All studies revealed that Rajata Bhasma is safe clinically, experimentally at Therapeutic Equivalent Dose (TED) levels as no toxic hazards were reported during the treatment period. The clinical efficacy of Rajata Bhasma has been evaluated in Female infertility, Depression (Avasada) and memory enhancing activity. conditions. Satisfactory responses with a decrease in the intensity of signs and symptoms were reported in all the studies. Though certain limitations were observed in these researches, the results can be considered as a lead for further well stratified studies covering larger population. No adverse effects were reported in any of these studies.

“Dead Lithium” Formation and Mitigation Strategies in Anode‐Free Li‐Metal Batteries

AbstractThin lithium‐metal foil is a promising anode material for next‐generation batteries due to its high theoretical specific capacity and low negative potential. However, safety issues linked to dendrite growth, low‐capacity retention, and short cycle life pose significant challenges. Also, it has excess energy that must be minimized in order to reduce the battery costs. To limit excess lithium, practical lithium metal batteries need a negative‐to‐positive electrode ratio as close to 1 : 1 as possible, which can be achieved through limiting excess lithium or using an “anode‐free” metal battery design. However, both designs experience fast capacity fade due to the irreversible loss of active lithium in the cell, caused by the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), dendrite formation and “dead lithium,” – refers to lithium that has lost its electronic connection to the anode electrode or current collector. The presence of dead lithium in batteries negatively affects their capacity and lifespan, while also raising internal resistance and generating heat. Additionally, dead lithium encourages the growth of lithium dendrites, which poses significant safety hazards. Within this fundamental review, we thoroughly address the phenomenon of dead lithium formation, assessing its origins, implications on battery performance, and possible strategies for mitigation. The transition towards environmentally friendly and high‐performance metal batteries could be accelerated by effectively tackling the challenge posed by dead lithium.

How Covid-19 Has Changed Safety in the Car Transportation Sector: A Corpus-Assisted Analysis of Non-Financial Reports

The importance of people’s safety during Covid-19 has resulted in greater attention to this aspect in CSR and ESG disclosures, especially in the field of transport. The relevance of this topic is also reflected in the recent publication of linguistic studies that investigate how companies in some sub-sectors communicate their commitment to passengers’ safety (Rossato & Nocella, 2022; Bondi & Nocella, 2023). This paper explores how safety is discursively constructed and communicated in the car rental and ride sharing sectors, both before and during the pandemic. Working along the lines of corpus-assisted discourse studies (Partington et al., 2013), the research analyses a corpus of English CSR and ESG reports published by international American companies in the above-mentioned fields of transport. Findings suggest a great concern for safety issues and a more inclusive approach to both customers’ and employees’ safety during the pandemic. Additionally, car rental companies show more attention to vehicle safety, while ride sharing operators put more emphasis on road safety. Evidence also suggests that the companies largely employ commissive statements and vague linguistic choices that signal a general lack of transparency on the practices and initiatives enacted to ensure customers’ and workers’ safety.

Environmental Contaminants in Fish Products: Food Safety Issues and Remediation Strategies

The intentional or accidental presence of environmental contaminants, such as persistent organic pollutants, metals, and microplastics, can harm the aquatic ecosystem and their living organisms, as well as consumers of seafood. This study provides an overview of marine pollution caused by various chemicals and their toxicity to both the environment and humans. In addition to regulatory limits established for some contaminants, monitoring and management policies should mandate activities such as bioremediation and the use of carbon-based composite photocatalysts to reduce or eliminate these compounds.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Safety Surveillance of Adverse Event Cases Involving Cannabinoid Hemp Products, 2019–2023

Objective. To characterize adverse event (AE) cases received by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly involving cannabinoid hemp products (CHPs). Methods. We searched the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System for cases reported directly to the FDA from 2019–2023 involving CHPs, which are defined as products containing 1 or more of the following: cannabidiol, delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol, and emerging cannabinoids (i.e., other intoxicating cannabinoids often synthesized from hemp-derived cannabidiol). We abstracted and summarized information on reporting trends, consumer demographics, reporter information, product information, and AEs. Results. We identified 610 AE cases reportedly involving CHPs containing 1 or more of the following: delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (n=355), cannabidiol (n=253), and emerging cannabinoids (n=36). Multiple trends and safety issues were identified, including an annual increase in the number of cases involving intoxicating cannabinoids since 2021, potential quality issues, and the occurrence of fatalities and pediatric exposures. Conclusions. Our findings emphasize the importance of monitoring AE cases received by the FDA involving CHPs as part of a comprehensive surveillance strategy to identify trends and safety issues with these products. ( Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S8):S664–S672. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307712 )

Sustainable passive radiation cooling transparent film for mobile phone protective screens

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is a promising approach to address energy, environmental, and safety issues caused by global warming, with high emissivity in a transparent atmospheric window and high reflectivity in the solar spectrum. However, most demonstrations of PDRC rely mainly on complex and expensive spectral selective nanophotonic structures, requiring specialized photonic structures that are both expensive and difficult to obtain. The superiorities of low-cost, abundant resources, renewability, and high value-added biomass resources prompt Gleditsia sinensis polysaccharides (GSP) to be used in thermal emission materials to explore further the characteristics of regulating object temperature within a specific range without any external energy consumption. The three-layer thermal emission film (PDMS3PG3/t4) obtained by the scalable scraping method has high transparency, hydrophobicity (114.2°), and super flexibility. The spectral variations of non-selective PDMS3PG3/t4 (1.0 wt% GSP, 800 μm thickness) in the 3–5 μm and 8–13 μm waveband ranges were discussed in detail, and high emissivities of 69.1 % and 92.2 % were obtained, respectively. PDMS3PG3/t4 was appointed a mobile phone screen film and experimented with a 4.9 °C average temperature difference below ambient temperature, materializing prime PDRC and desiring to broaden the passive cooling technology and reduce the global energy burden.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus 1.0320 Postbiotics Ameliorate Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colonic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress by Regulating the Intestinal Barrier and Gut Microbiota.

Probiotics are increasingly being used as an adjunctive therapy for ulcerative colitis. However, some safety issues have been found in the clinical use of probiotics. Postbiotics have attracted much attention due to their storage stability, safety, and potential functions, but the dose required to exert a significant protective effect is unknown. Therefore, this study evaluated the potential mechanisms of different doses (200, 400, 600 mg/kg) of Lactobacillus rhamnosus 1.0320 postbiotics (1.0320P) in alleviating dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. The study revealed that 1.0320P could mitigate DSS-induced colitis with signs of reductions in the disease activity index, amelioration of colon tissue damage, decreased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, reduced oxidative stress levels, and lower bone marrow peroxidase activity. Furthermore, high dose of 1.0320P could upregulated the expression of key proteins in the Nrf2/ARE pathway (NQO1, Nrf2, and HO-1) and downregulated the expression of key proteins in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway (TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB p65). In addition, high dose of 1.0320P could upregulate the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins including ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-1, contributing to the restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier function. Additionally, 1.0320P was found to effectively correct imbalances in the intestinal microbiota and enhance the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), thereby regulating homeostasis in the intestinal internal environment. Overall, our findings suggest that postbiotics could ameliorate colonic inflammation while being somewhat dose-dependent. This study provides new insights into postbiotics as a next-generation biotherapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcerative colitis and even other diseases.

Exploring Brazilian Natural Products as Potential Bioactive Compounds against Trypanosoma cruzi by Targeting Squalene Synthase

Introduction: Chagas disease is a neglected disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi that affects 7 million people worldwide. The current treatment is limited due to safety and efficacy issues. Therefore, the search for new antiparasitic drugs is fundamental. The enzyme squalene synthase (SQS) is an attractive therapeutic target since it participates in the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway. Objective: In the present study, we explored the Brazilian biodiversity to search for potential inhibitors of T. cruzi SQS (TcSQS) using ligand and structure-based virtual screening strategies. Materials and Methods: A virtual screening was performed within the NUBBE database, with more than 2,200 natural products (NP) or semisynthetic derivatives from the Brazilian biodiversity. Molecular docking and ADMET predictions were then performed. Results: A set of 12 NP showed interactions with TcSQS like those observed by known inhibitors and shared literature evidence that supports the predicted activity. Conclusion: Three compounds (flavonoids) showed good ADMET properties as potential inhibitors of TcSQS.

Effect of novel phage cocktail on Salmonella recovered from broiler sources and its anti-biofilm effect on food contact surface model

The contamination of Salmonella in poultry products remains an important food safety and economic issue as the products have been recalled or rejected. Traditional antibiotic-based therapy in the animal production chain can cause antibiotic resistance (ABR) in bacteria, leading to severe illness and failure to treat diseases. Some strains of Salmonella produce genotoxin and extracellular polymeric substances called “biofilm” that support the survival of this bacterium. From this study, phages were applied to control cytolethal distending toxin B (CdtB)-producing, antibiotic-resistant, and biofilm-producing Salmonella isolated from the broiler sources. Out of 116 isolates, only 11 isolates (9.5%) representing six serovars were characterized. Of these, seven isolates were characterized as multidrug-resistant (MDR), three were resistant to one antibiotic, and only one isolate was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. For biofilm formation ability, 18.2% of the isolates were identified as strong biofilm producers, while 63.6% and 18.2% were moderate and weak, respectively. Up to 12 Salmonella phages from our collection were chosen to test their ability on given Salmonella. All the phages showed a strong lytic ability up to 90.9%. Three phages with the highest lysis potential (100% lytic ability) were further selected for a phage cocktail preparation, including WPX5, WPX8, and WPX9. Overall, the phage cocktail completely reduced representative Salmonella counts by three log units in vitro at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 104 and 105 at 6 h of treatment. The phage cocktail was tested to reduce Salmonella on different food contact surfaces. At MOI at 103, the highest reduction of Salmonella attachment was observed in stainless steel surfaces, indicated by a 67% reduction, followed by polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and ceramic by 64% and 58%, respectively. These results suggest that a developed phage cocktail could be a potential biocontrol to control toxin-producing, biofilm-producing, and MDR Salmonella in the poultry industry.

Intelligent assistive obstacle avoidance device based on SLAM and wearable technology

Abstract. This paper presents a conceptual design for an intelligent assistive device that combines visual simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) with wearable technology. The device has been developed through the integration of two innovative fields: visual SLAM and wearable technology. The objective is to develop a device that is both user-friendly and safe. The design addresses the issue of safety for visually impaired individuals when they are outside the home. The objective is to provide a dependable, real-time, and resilient solution that can be utilised in intricate indoor and outdoor settings. The system is designed to provide reliable, real-time, and highly effective solutions in variable environments. The main components of the proposed system include visual SLAM, intelligent wearable devices (as carriers), and a comfortable and straightforward user feedback system (through haptic, auditory, or visual signals to provide feedback to the wearer), while simultaneously considering the safety and comfort of the device. This is due to the consideration of the prolonged and frequent periods of use by visually impaired individuals. This paper considers the latest advances in SLAM algorithms, improvements in wearable sensors and the latest developments in robotics for assisting visually impaired people. It also discusses the potential of these technologies in the future development of assistive devices. The aim is to provide a feasible, comfortable and safe solution that will enhance the safety and autonomy of visually impaired people when they are outside.

A phase I study assessing the safety and tolerability of SPL84, an inhaled antisense oligonucleotide for treatment of cystic fibrosis patients with the 3849 +10kb C->T

BackgroundAntisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) are small synthetic nucleic acid molecules able to bind specific sequences within target Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) molecules. SPL84 is an ASO drug developed for treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients carrying the 3849 + 10 kb C->T Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) splicing mutation. The 3849 + 10 kb C->T variant leads to inclusion of cryptic exon harboring stop codon leading to the production of truncated non-functional CFTR proteins. in vitro, SPL84 treatment results in splicing modulation, which leads to an increase of correctly spliced CFTR RNA and higher levels of functional CFTR proteins. MethodsSPL84 was tested in a blinded, placebo-controlled phase 1 study in thirty two (32) healthy volunteers (HVs), each received a single dose of either SPL84 or placebo by inhalation. A total of 8 participants were randomized to each of the 4 escalating cohorts in a 3:1 ratio (active: placebo). Safety and tolerability were evaluated by monitoring adverse events (AEs), vital signs, physical exam findings, spirometry, electrocardiograms (ECG), and analyses of safety laboratories. Blood samples were obtained periodically over 24 h for measurement of systemic exposure. ResultsThere were no significant changes from baseline in vital signs, clinical laboratory values, ECG, physical examination, or pulmonary function. There were no Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) in the study, and there were no significant adverse events. The systemic exposure to SPL84 was low and tended to be dose dependent. The exposure, expressed in terms of area under the curve to infinity (AUCinf), at the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) in 9-week toxicological mice study was 7.51 µg/ml*hrs, which is ∼20 times higher than the exposure at the 160 mg dose (444 ng/ml*hrs). ConclusionsSPL84 was safe and well-tolerated when administered as a single inhaled dose to HVs at doses up to 160 mg, with minimal systemic exposure. There were no safety issues observed, no SAEs, no significant related AEs, and, importantly, no significant effect on pulmonary function. The successful completion of the study enabled the initiation of multi-dosing of CF patients in a phase 2 clinical study.

Understanding the Challenges Associated with Approval of Anticancer Products to Facilitate the Regulatory Approvals: A Cross-sectional Study

Purpose: Oncological medications face a myriad of challenges, including technological, pre-clinical, clinical, and manufacturing, that lead to regulatory approval delays or failures. The present study aims to identify some challenges encountered by researchers or regulators during the development of novel cancer therapies. Methods: The present cross-sectional observational study used a mixed-method design methodology. The participants were selected via a non-random sampling method via self-selection and snowballing approach. A survey questionnaire was developed and circulated among the selected participants as a hard copy or email or a Google form. Open-ended and closed-ended questions were incorporated to identify the regulatory challenges faced during oncology drug development. The responses were collected from September 2021 to June 2022. These responses were then coded and themes were identified for the challenges. Results: A total of 87 responses were obtained for the questionnaire among the individuals contacted. Seven themes were identified from the collated responses that depicted the challenges for the regulatory approval of anticancer drug products. The majority of responders (38.2%) suggested reduced approval time whereas endpoint selection and study design were considered as a challenge by 12.0% of responders each. Furthermore, 6.0% of responders admit that timely interaction with the regulators is also a challenge that delays approval. Many challenges also exist during the product development phase; hence, 12.0% of responders reported safety issues, and 22.0% of responders reported technical issues during manufacturing as the cause of regulatory failure. Moreover, 12.0% of responders suggested the need for improvements in regulatory guidelines for oncology drug development. Conclusion: The survey indicates a lack of Indian guidelines for anticancer products, whereas limited guidance is available from other countries such as Europe or the United States. Thus, the survey points to the necessity for improvement in the regulatory guidelines and drug approval process to address the challenges unique to cancer drug development.

A pharmacovigilance analysis of post-marketing safety of tezepelumab

BackgroundTezepelumab has shown promising efficacy for adult patients with severe asthma since its approval. However, the post-marketing safety evaluation of tezepelumab is currently lacking. ObjectiveThe present study aims to investigate the post-marketing safety of tezepelumab based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. MethodsAdverse events (AEs) reports from January 2022 to December 2023 were extracted from the FAERS database. Disproportionality analysis by reporting odds ratio (ROR) and empirical Bayesian geometric mean (EBGM) was performed to detect potential AEs related to tezepelumab. Clinical characteristics and time to onset of AEs were also assessed. ResultsA total of 1,699 tezepelumab-related AE reports were identified during the study period. Thirty tezepelumab-related AE signals were detected by simultaneously applying the two algorithms. At the system organ class (SOC) level, the most common SOC related to tezepelumab was respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders. At the preferred term (PT) level, common AEs including arthralgia and back pain were detected which were also documented in the label of tezepelumab and clinical trials. New unexpected AEs such as chest pain and myalgia were also identified. The median time to onset of tezepelumab-related AEs was 7.5 days, and the majority of AEs occurred within the first 1 month after tezepelumab initiation. ConclusionThe present study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the post-marketing safety of tezepelumab in the real-world setting. Our findings will provide valuable evidence for future clinical studies and management of safety issues of tezepelumab.

Expansion force signal based rapid detection of early thermal runaway for pouch batteries

With the extensive application of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage stations, thermal safety issues have increasingly become the focus of public attention. To alleviate the safety concerns, a qualified battery management system (BMS) must be able to detect and warn of thermal abuse before it develops into a thermal runaway (TR). For the first time, the expansion force characteristics of the pouch battery module during the early heating stage of TR under typical working conditions are analyzed, which proves that the expansion force signal can reflect the internal abnormal heating earlier than the terminal voltage and the surface temperature, and has better noise resistance. Furthermore, the electromechanical coupling model (EmCM) is improved for more accurate open-loop expansion force estimation. On this basis, an expansion force based early TR rapid detection framework is proposed with less 3 min expend in tests, in which the Kalman filter ensures the stability and convergence/divergence of the observer estimation error, and the reliability of fault judgment is ensured by the adaptive threshold designed by the model structure.

Dual-Functional SnO2-CNT-PANI||PP||SnO2 Separator for Enhanced Lithium-Sulfur Battery Stability and Capacity

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) provide high capacity and energy density for advanced energy storage but encounter performance and safety issues due to lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) dissolution and dendrite formation. This study introduces a dual-functional SnO2-CNT-PANI||PP||SnO2 separator (DF-SNCPS) aimed at improving the stability and safety of LSBs. The separator includes a SnO2-CNT-PANI layer on the sulfur cathode side for enhanced electrical conductivity and polysulfide adsorption and a SnO2 nanoparticle (nano-SnO2) layer on the lithium anode side to regulate lithium-ion concentration and inhibit dendrite growth. Density functional theory (DFT) and the phase field method have verified the relevant material's catalytic performance and dendrite suppression ability. These methods have provided a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms, providing auxiliary explanations for their role in catalyzing polysulfide conversion and suppressing lithium dendrite growth. This innovative design mitigates the shuttle effect and enhances cyclic stability and sulfur utilization, achieving a notable cyclic performance with a capacity retention of 0.05% per cycle over 800 cycles at 1C. The synergistic effects of the modified separator present a viable pathway for LSB commercialization.

Experimental study on negative skin friction characteristics of double-sleeve pile

Pile foundation structures are widely used in the construction of high-piled wharves in coastal soft soil areas due to their excellent adaptability to such environments. However, the extensive, deep backfilling involved in constructing these wharves can easily induce negative skin friction (NSF) on the piles, resulting in safety issues such as excessive settlement during the service life of the structures. This paper presents an indoor model experiment to examine the distribution of the THE NSF under varying pile-top loads and surcharge effects on single pile and double-sleeve pile foundations. The potential of double-sleeve pile foundations to mitigate the NSF was also explored. The results show that the axial force within the double-sleeve pile’s protected section remains essentially stable, though it is affected by the surface surcharge in the unprotected section. Time effect is exhibited both for the axial force and the NSF, gradually increasing over time. Compared to single piles, double-casing pile foundations can effectively isolate the down drag load caused by surrounding soil settlement, thereby reducing or eliminating the NSF on the pile sides.

Adverse cardiological and neurological reactions associated with air traffic and the possibility of their pharmacological correction

Air transport may provoke or aggravate a medical event in a passenger with concomitant medical problems. We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases for the period up to 08/29/2024 for sources that examined the impact of air travel on human health. There are 2 main categories of stressors associated with air travel and affecting the body, generally divided into:(1) psychological and physical stressors and (2) physiological Possible changes in health associated with air travel can be divided into functional, mostly reversible, and organic: (1) exacerbation/decompensation of existing somatic pathology;(2) development of pathological conditions de novo, for which possible stressors can serve as a trigger, directly or sequentially as a result of the previous development and progression of functional disorders. The literature focuses on safety issues during air travel for patients with existing cardiovascular pathology. Adverse functional cardiological and neurological reactions and their pharmacological correction have been less studied. Fear of flying and phobia of flying are very common among the general population and can lead to significant stress. For situational correction of reactions to everyday stressful events, it is possible to use drugs with anxiolytic action of a non-benzodiazepine This group includes the drug Valocordin®, the action of which is aimed at various manifestations of stress, anxiety states, autonomic dysfunction, increased excitability and irritability, mild sleep disorders. In case of pre-flight anxiety and fear, taking Valocordin® (depending on the situation or in a short course) can be the drug of choice for both the air traveler and his relatives seeing him off/meeting him.

Wireless Data Transmission through Concrete Structures

Chloride ion presence in the concrete pore solution is an important factor in the initiation of rebar corrosion. Therefore, elevated chloride concentration in the pore solution needs to be detected as early as possible. For this early detection to be achieved, it is ideal to deploy sensors inside the concrete structure itself. This allows real time sampling of the pore solution which is closest to the rebar. To achieve this one needs to have a system based on wireless communication which allow the sensors to communicate within the structure. This would avoid wired communications methods, which impart fragility and implementation difficulties. This literature review paper endeavours to look at the various types of radiation which can be harnessed to penetrate through the opaque concrete structure. Potential data transmission methods utilising Radio Frequency Radiation, Ultrasonic Radiation, X-Ray Radiation and Neutron Beam Radiation physics were reviewed and evaluated against a set of parameters. The paper scores each radiation type against System Size, Power Supply Requirements, Transmission Range, Complexity of Circuits and Safety issues. Through these scores, each transmission technology was graded on its potential to act as the basis on which to build a micrometre sized intra-concrete data transmission system. The paper shows that ultrasonic radiation is the most promising radiation technology for use in this application.

Enhancing Road Safety with Smart Infrastructure: Development and Implementation of Advanced Zebra Crossings and Speed Breaking

Abstract: This study addresses a critical issue in road safety by proposing innovative solutions to mitigate accidents caused by speeding and reckless driving, particularly in high-risk areas such as highways, hospitals, and schools. With road traffic accidents accounting for approximately 1.3 million fatalities annually, along with 20 to 50 million injuries or disabilities, the inefficacy of traditional traffic control systems is a growing concern. Factors such as poor visibility, adverse weather, and driver distractions further compromise the effectiveness of conventional signs and signals. This research introduces a "smart zebra crossing" system that integrates ultrasonic sensors and embedded LED lights to provide real-time alerts to both drivers and pedestrians, thereby enhancing visibility and safety, especially under low-light conditions. Additionally, a "smart speed breaking" system is proposed, which dynamically adjusts its height based on vehicle speed, detected through ultrasonic sensors, prompting drivers to decelerate when necessary. Both systems are linked to a central traffic management network, facilitating real-time adjustments in speed limits and providing alerts to connected vehicles. The integration of these technologies represents a significant advancement in road safety, offering an adaptive, intelligent solution for improving traffic management and reducing the risk of accidents, particularly in vulnerable zones.

The Hidden Toll: Exploring the Impact of Challenging Patron Behaviors on Australian Public Library Staff

ABSTRACT As a public-facing profession, public library workers are often exposed to challenging behaviors that raise concern for their safety. To understand these concerns, this study explores these staff safety issues in Australian public libraries through semi-structured interviews with 59 staff members from six library services. Findings reveal that library workers frequently encounter challenging and sometimes violent behaviors from patrons. These incidents impact staff wellbeing, causing stress, anxiety, and potential long-term psychological effects. Many workers receive insufficient workplace support following traumatic incidents, leading to internalization of the trauma the experiences cause. The study highlights the need for improved institutional support and better safety measures. It also recognizes the tension created by libraries’ open-door policies, which may expose workers to potential harm.