Scarce Resources Research Articles

Women on board and business performance

Purpose This study aims to examine the association between women on board and business performance. It also aims to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and female directors on stock prices, including the function of female directors in moderating the CSR–market performance link that ultimately provides valuable insights into the impact of gender diversity on corporate boards. Design/methodology/approach Data from US publicly listed firms between 2000 and 2018 were collected and analysed using OLS regression, median regression, M-estimator regression and MM-estimator regression at 70% and 95% efficiency. In this study, firm market value was measured through Tobin’s Q, board diversity with ISS database and CSR strength and concern with the KLD database. Findings The results indicated that CSR positively impacts market performance by 3.1%, female board representation positively influences market performance by 4.8% and female board members strengthen the CSR–market performance relationship by 1.0% while playing a moderating role. Overall, these studies demonstrated the significance of female boards of directors for enhancing market performance. Research limitations/implications This study used the data of US-listed firms from 2000 to 2018. The results have contributed to the ongoing discussion about the importance of gender diversity in boards and its influence on firm success. Further research works are suggested to expand the analysis by including other countries or considering additional factors that may influence the association between CSR, board representation of women and market share. Practical implications This study is essential for investors, legislators and CSR institutions in developed countries. The favourable impact of female board presence on market performance and the enhancement of the CSR–market performance relationship highlight the necessity of encouraging gender diversity on boards of directors and CSR activities. Social implications This study emphasises the significance of gender balance on corporate boards in solving important social challenges including climate change, resource scarcity and gender equality. Companies can actively assist in addressing global issues and improving the well-being of stakeholders by promoting gender-diverse boards and encouraging CSR efforts. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study demonstrating that gender diversity on corporate boards moderates the significant association between CSR performance and profitability in the USA. It has contributed to the expanding body of information regarding the moderating influence of female directors on firm value and stronger evidence for female directors in the governance of businesses.

Feasibility of Using Lightweight Load-Bearing Panel Systems in Duplex Apartments of Tall Buildings

As an inevitable result of the growing population in recent times, the requirements of housing facilities, land scarcity, and overexploitation of natural resources have created many problems. One solution for the lack of land is to have multi-storey apartment buildings. Hence, over the last few decades, the number of tall buildings has seen an exponential increase. The apartment spread over two floors, is considered upmarket due to the larger floor area. However, one factor that has been a huge obstruction to promoting duplex apartments is the higher cost. In this study, a novel concept is introduced where a proper load-bearing floor is needed only once on two floors. The duplex is double-height, using lightweight concrete panels supporting lightweight concrete floors. Recycled expanded polystyrene (REPS) based light-weight panels are used as the load-bearing walls, and the NERD slab system is introduced for the intermediate floor. The structural performance was assessed using the comparison of two finite element models for duplex and conventional concepts. It was observed that the duplex concept is structurally feasible in comparison with the conventional concept. The study emphasises that an approximately 30% dead load reduction in typical floor levels has occurred due to the lightweight beam slab system in between floors.

Associated factors of mortality and morbidity in emergency and elective abdominal surgery: a two-year prospective cohort study at lacor hospital, Uganda

BackgroundThe mortality rate associated with open abdominal surgery is a significant concern for patients and healthcare providers. This is particularly worrisome in Africa due to scarce workforce resources and poor early warning systems for detecting physiological deterioration in patients who develop complications.MethodsThis prospective cohort study aimed to follow patients who underwent emergency or elective abdominal surgery at Lacor Hospital in Uganda. The participants were patients who underwent abdominal surgery at the hospital between April 27th, 2019 and July 07th, 2021. Trained research staff collected data using standardized forms, which included demographic information (age, gender, telephone contact, and location), surgical indications, surgical procedures, preoperative health status, postoperative morbidity and mortality, and length of hospital stay.ResultsThe present study involved 124 patients, mostly male, with an average age of 35 years, who presented with abdominal pain and varying underlying comorbidities. Elective cases constituted 60.2% of the total. The common reasons for emergency and elective surgery were gastroduodenal perforation and cholelithiasis respectively. The complication rate was 17.7%, with surgical site infections being the most frequent. The mortality rate was 7.3%, and several factors such as preoperative hypotension, deranged renal function, postoperative use of vasopressors, and postoperative assisted ventilation were associated with it. Elective and emergency-operated patients showed no significant difference in survival (P-value = 0.41) or length of hospital stay (P-value = 0.17). However, there was a significant difference in morbidity (p < 0.001).ConclusionCholelithiasis and gastroduodenal perforation were key surgical indications, with factors like postoperative ventilation and adrenaline infusion linked to mortality. Emergency surgeries had higher complication rates, particularly surgical site infections, despite similar hospital stay and mortality rates compared to elective surgeries.

Navigating an unpredictable environment: the moderating role of perceived environmental unpredictability in the effectiveness of ecological resource scarcity information on pro-environmental behavior

BackgroundThe global issue of ecological resource scarcity, worsened by climate change, necessitates effective methods to promote resource conservation. One commonly used approach is presenting ecological resource scarcity information. However, the effectiveness of this method remains uncertain, particularly in an unpredictable world. This research aims to examine the role of perceived environmental unpredictability in moderating the impact of ecological resource scarcity information on pro-environmental behavior (PEB).MethodsWe conducted three studies to test our hypothesis on moderation. Study 1 (N = 256) measured perceived general environmental unpredictability, perceived resource scarcity and daily PEB frequencies in a cross-sectional survey. Study 2 (N = 107) took it a step further by manipulating resource scarcity. Importantly, to increase ecological validity, Study 3 (N = 135) manipulated the information on both ecological resource scarcity and nature-related environmental unpredictability, and measured real water and paper consumption using a newly developed washing-hands paradigm.ResultsIn Study 1, we discovered that perceived resource scarcity positively predicted PEB, but only when individuals perceive the environment as less unpredictable (interaction effect: 95% CI = [-0.09, -0.01], ΔR2 = 0.018). Furthermore, by manipulating scarcity information, Study 2 revealed that only for individuals with lower levels of environmental unpredictability presenting ecological resource scarcity information could decrease forest resource consumption intention (interaction effect: 95%CI = [-0.025, -0.031], ΔR2 = .04). Moreover, Study 3 found that the negative effect of water resource scarcity information on actual water and (interaction effect: 95%CI = [3.037, 22.097], ηp2 = .050) paper saving behaviors (interaction effect: 95%CI = [0.021, 0.275], ηp2 = .040), as well as hypothetical forest resource consumption (interaction effect: 95%CI = [-0.053, 0.849], ηp2 = .023) emerged only for people who receiving weaker environmental unpredictability information.ConclusionAcross three studies, we provide evidence to support the moderation hypothesis that environmental unpredictability weakens the positive effect of ecological resource scarcity information on PEB, offering important theoretical and practical implications on the optimal use of resource scarcity to enhance PEB.

Gender dynamics of the impact of cash transfer on female educational expenditure of informal settlements in Bangladesh

Gender-biased educational investment remains a critical issue for vulnerable households. Despite increased female enrolment in the past decade, motivation to invest on female education remains low. Resource scarcity and low woman empowerment are two major reasons of low educational expenditure on female children of a vulnerable household. As the most vulnerable households in a society, informal settlers (slum households) are supposed to spend less on female children. However, whether there is any gender bias in informally settled households’ spending on education remains a question. Further, Cash Transfer (CT) programs provide resources to vulnerable households for investing on human capital elements like education. This study aims to examine three research questions: whether a informally settled household’s spending on education is gender biased, whether the households in which women receive CT spend more for female education than those in which women do not receive CT, and finally whether the impact of female receipt of CT differs from that of male receipt of CT in terms of female education expenditure. As the assignment of female access to CT is not randomized, the simple comparison between the treated and untreated suffers from selection bias. We employ propensity score matching (PSM) as an identification strategy to address selection bias. Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) has been applied as a robustness check. The study's policy implications highlight the significance for policymakers in the domains of women's education, empowerment, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Robust prediction of workability properties for 3D printing with steel slag aggregate using bayesian regularization and evolution algorithm

This study addresses the growing interest in utilizing steel slag as a sustainable alternative to river sand in additive manufacturing of concrete, driven by the increasing scarcity of natural resources. The rheological properties of fresh material significantly impact the quality of 3D-printed filament, necessitating suitable workability for printability. The research focuses on evaluating the influence of steel slag aggregate and key admixtures, such as silica fume and superplasticizer, on the workability properties of fresh concrete. Through an extensive series of 90 slump tests, optimal combinations ensuring the desired workability for 3D printing applications were identified. To enhance the manufacturing of fresh concrete and develop user-friendly tools, a novel soft computing approach is introduced—Adaptive Elitist Differential Evolution coupled with Bayesian Regularization Artificial Neural Network (aeDE-BRANN). This advanced model considers five critical input parameters: silica fume to Portland cement ratio, steel slag to cement ratio, water to cement ratio, cement content, and superplasticizer dosage. The model outputs crucial workability metrics, including slump flow and slump. In a comprehensive comparative study, the aeDE-BRANN framework demonstrates superior performance in terms of both simplicity and efficiency when compared to other forecasting models. Feature analysis techniques, including Shapley values from game theory and partial dependence plots, provide valuable insights into the intricate relationships between input variables and workability properties. The findings underscore the water to cement ratio as the most influential factor on workability, followed by silica fume to Portland cement ratio and steel slag to cement ratio. This study contributes a reliable tool for predicting workability properties, aiding in the selection of suitable steel slag aggregate and admixtures. Ultimately, it facilitates the sustainable and innovative evolution of 3D concrete printing practices.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood donation among paramedical students of a medical college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Blood donation is an essential global need far outweighs the available supply, rendering it a scarce and valuable resource. Within India, blood transfusion services hold significant importance and constitute a crucial aspect of the national health-care framework. Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donation (VNRBD) is deemed the safest among the various ways of donating blood. The student population of educational institutions across the country, particularly those who are young and physically fit, represents one of the most promising sources of blood donations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and donation practices of medical college students and motivate them to embrace voluntary blood donation as a regular habit. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Department of Allied Health Science at Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, conducted a questionnaire survey from March 2023 to October 2023. Two thousand and two hundred forty students were invited to participate, with 2331 ultimately willing to partake. The gathered data underwent analysis using the SPSS Statistics software, version 20, with a significance level fixed at a P = 5%. RESULTS: The study included 2331 participants, comprising 840 males (36%) and 1491 females (64%). The age range of the participants was between 17 and 25 years, with a mean age of 18.9 ± 1.3 years. Out of 2331 participants, the majority (66.7%) showed sufficient knowledge with 9 or more correct answers, while the rest (33.2%) showed below-average knowledge. CONCLUSION: The Tamil Nadu Health Professions Colleges possess the potential to make a noteworthy impact on the promotion of blood donation. According to a recent survey, students express a keen interest in donating blood if a camp is organized on the campus. By organizing awareness campaigns and conducting informative sessions, the colleges can inspire and motivate more students to donate blood, thereby playing a vital role in saving lives.

Incommensurability and healthcare priority setting

AbstractThis paper argues that accepting incommensurability can be a useful step for developing attractive hybrid theories to how to distribute scarce health-related resources. If one provides opportunity for distributive options to be incommensurable with respect to substantive criteria, one can hold on to substantive criteria while also providing room for decision processes to play a significant role. The paper also argues that the strategy of accepting incommensurability is preferable to the strategy of having substantive criteria establish sets of options that are equally, explains why incommensurability gives us reason to go hybrid, and argues that reasons grounded in decision processes have properties that make them appropriate as “tiebreakers” in choice situations characterized by incommensurability.

DO CFOs HAVE HEARTS? A REVEALING PHENOMENOLOGICAL INTERVIEW

This article sought to understand how Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) deal with feelings and emotions. Criticized for their strictly positivist view while reconciling scarce resources and diverse needs, financial directors are recognized for their coldness in dealing with sensitive issues such as massive layoffs, benefits, and investments cuts, referring to the numbers through a results-oriented perspective. Through an interview with a financial director using the phenomenological approach, it was possible to reveal little-known aspects of these professionals, related to the management of their feelings and emotions. The answers, based on her real experience, confirm the perceptions of the author, also a financial manager, that statements of positive emotions are better accepted than negative ones, not only in the finance area, but in the corporate environment in general. The importance of a supportive net and gender issues also appeared, such as the connection between feelings and weakness, attributed to women. Finally, the ability to deal with complex situations and external factors through emotional intelligence and a calm and balanced approach constitutes valuable quality to be achieved, inspiring respect and credibility.

The synergistic impact of Universal Health Coverage and Global Health Security on health service delivery during the Coronavirus Disease-19 pandemic: A difference-in-difference study of childhood immunization coverage from 192 countries.

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Global Health Security (GHS) are two high-priority global health agendas that seek to foster health system resilience against health emergencies. Many countries have had to prioritize one agenda over the other due to scarce resources and political pressures. To aid policymakers' decision-making, this study investigated the individual and synergistic effects of countries' UHC and GHS capacities in safeguarding essential health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference methodology to quantify the relationship between 192 countries' progress towards UHC and GHS and those countries' abilities to provide 12 essential childhood immunization services between 2015 and 2021. We used the 2019 UHC Service Coverage Index (SCI) to divide countries into a "high UHC group" (UHC SCI≥75) and the rest (UHC SCI 75), and similarly used the 2019 GHS Index (GHSI) to divide countries into a "high GHS group" (GHSI≥65) and the rest (GHSI<65). All analyses were adjusted for potential confounders. Countries with high UHC scores prevented a 1.14% (95% CI: 0.39%, 1.90%) reduction in immunization coverage across 2020 and 2021 whereas countries with high GHSI scores prevented a 1.10% (95% CI: 0.57%, 1.63%) reduction in immunization coverage over the same time period. The stratified DiD models showed that across both years, high UHC capacity needed to be augmented with high GHS capacity to prevent a decline in immunization coverage while high GHS alone was able to safeguard immunization coverage. This study found that greater progress towards both UHC and GHS capacities safeguarded essential health service delivery during the pandemic but only progress towards GHS capacity was both a necessary and likely sufficient element for yielding this protective effect. Our results call for strategic investments into both health agendas and future research into possible synergistic effects of the two health agendas.

La iluminación como una infraestructura de cuidado

This integrative literature review addresses the relevance of illumination. Through the lens of infrastructures of care, it proposes three analysis categories: (a) "illumination, culture, and life in society" gather studies on cultural and social aspects involving lighting; (b) "access to lighting, technology, and sustainability" demonstrates how access to light and technologies needs discussion considering structural disparities, resource scarcity, and sustainability; (c) "illumination in healthcare" explores its influence on the environment and perception of users in care settings. These themes intersect and demand a transdisciplinary approach. Analyses suggest that lighting projects and systems can contribute to feelings of welcoming, well-being, and belonging, while ensuring good visibility for services and procedures, alongside controlling glare and reflectance. Expanding exploratory research in social and community settings through case studies and prototype implementation is recommended. There is room for additional research considering illumination as an infrastructure of care, focusing on access and the positive experience of users and citizens.

Water Pricing and Quotas: A Quantitative Analysis from a Private and Social Perspective

AbstractThe current situation of structural water scarcity due to the rise in demand, the reduction in supply as a consequence of climate change, increasingly frequent drought periods, and overall quantitative pressure on water resources creates a need for economic instruments to reduce the amount of water used, especially in the agricultural sector. Thus, water pricing and allocation quotas (proportional reduction of allocations) may be suitable tools to reduce demand or allocate scarce water resources. For a comparative analysis of the performance of these two measures, a Positive Mathematical Programming model has been developed, using the Guadalquivir River Basin as a case study. Additionally, the analysis takes into account the revenue generated from water pricing and the marginal cost of public funds. The results indicate that, from the farmer’s perspective, quotas result in smaller losses than water pricing. However, when considering water pricing along with the revenue generated from this measure, this mechanism would be more beneficial for society as a whole, since the taxes collected could be used for other purposes, albeit with efficiency losses measured by the marginal cost of public funds and the excess burden of taxation.

Efficiency and sustainability: Evaluating and optimizing energy use and environmental impact in cucumber production

This study assesses the energy-economic-environmental aspects of cucumber production in the face of environmental issues and resource scarcity, which threaten global food security and demand sustainable agriculture solutions. Data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed for inputs from planting to harvesting. The results indicated that diesel fuel (37.41%) and nitrate fertilizer (37.22%) constitute the primary inputs. The energy ratio, energy efficiency and net energy gain were 0.43, 0.54 kgMJ−1 and -30,153.31 MJha−1, respectively. Input optimization by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) reduced the carbon footprint from 178.433 to 168.900 kg CO2 per ton, the abiotic depletion from 1228.291 to 964.305 MJ and the acidification from 0.838 to 0.749 kg SO2 eq. Also, the results of DEA showed that 52.5% and 35% of the units were fully efficient under Variable Return to Scale (VRS) and Constant Return to Scale (CRS) models, respectively, while the others were inefficient to varying degrees. The average of technical, pure technical and scale efficiencies were 92.88%, 97.64%, and 95.07%, respectively. The results of economic evaluation showed that production cost is 6058.84 $ha−1 with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.71. Based on the primary results, it is suggested to use precision agriculture techniques and the exploration of alternative energy sources, such as biofuel for machinery. Additionally, using slow-release fertilizers or organic substitutes can decrease nitrogen fertilizer dependency while maintaining crop yields and improve the sustainability in this production.

The Relationship Between Energy Consumption, Population and Economic Growth in Developing Countries

The need for energy is increasing due to population growth and industrialization. The scarcity of energy resources on earth has pushed countries to research alternative energy sources and take new measures regarding energy. In the study, the relationship between variables was investigated using population, economic growth and energy consumption data of 7 countries in the developing countries category (China, India, South Africa, Indonesia, Turkey, Mexico, Thailand). The direction and magnitude of the impact of economic growth and population growth on energy consumption were examined using 1990-2022 data for 7 countries. The relationship between the variables was examined with Swamy's Random Coefficients Model and Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) models, and the positive effect of economic growth on energy consumption was observed. The parameter of the economic growth variable varies between 0.49% and 0.81% for countries. However, it was concluded that the population variable had no effect on energy consumption in the 2 countries included in the analysis. The population variable is significant in explaining energy consumption at the 5% significance level for South Africa, Mexico and Thailand, and at the 10% significance level for Turkey and China, its statistically insignificant for India and Indonesia.

A Review on Underwater Collection and Transportation Equipment of Polymetallic Nodules in Deep-Sea Mining

In response to the anticipated scarcity of terrestrial land resources in the coming years, the acquisition of marine mineral resources is imperative. This paper mainly summarizes the development of underwater collection and transportation equipment of polymetallic nodules in deep-sea mining. Firstly, the collection equipment is reviewed. The deep-sea mining vehicle (DSMV), as the key equipment of the collection equipment, mainly includes the collecting device and the walking device. The micro and macro properties of sediments have a great influence on the collection efficiency of mining vehicles. For the collecting device, the optimization of the jet head structure and the solid–liquid two-phase flow transport of the hose are discussed. The structure of the walking device restricts mining efficiency. The optimization of the geometric structure is studied, and the geometric passability and lightweight design of the walking device are discussed. Secondly, the core of transportation equipment is the lifting device composed of a riser and lifting pump. In order to explore the key factors affecting mineral transport, the lifting device is summarized, and the design optimization of the lifting pump and the factors affecting the stability of the riser are discussed. Then, the relationship between each device is discussed, and the overall coupling of the device is summarized. Finally, the existing problems and future research focus are summarized.

Viability and life cycle assessment of Fuller's Earth as a low-cost adsorbent for zinc removal from aqueous solutions: Operating parameters, removal mechanisms and environmental impacts

Zinc is a heavy metal that has several health risks and must be removed from wastewater effluents before discharge to water bodies or reuse. Fuller's earth is a sedimentary clay and characterized by its low cost and availability. In this research, Fuller's earth (FE) was investigated as an adsorbent for the Zinc (Zn) removal from aqueous solutions to understand its performance, the mechanism of removal, and the potential environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using ReCiPe 2016 midpoint method. Zn adsorption studies on FE were conducted at various pH (2.5–9), temperatures (10°C, 25°C, and 40°C), initial concentrations of Zn (25, - 150 mg/L) and adsorbent doses of (0.25–4 g/ 50 ml). The Zn removal efficiency reached 99% at pH = 9 at an initial Zn concentration = 100 mg/L and the adsorbent dose = 0.25 g/ 50 ml. The experimental data fit into the Temkin isotherm, while kinetics were best expressed by pseudo-second order. The controlling step of the adsorption process was the film diffusion according to Boyd model. Thermodynamic experiments showed that adsorption is endothermic with an accompanying rise in randomness in the system. The adsorption capacity was 3.56 mg/g. Images by SEM confirmed the occurrence of adsorption. The desorption was successful at different concentrations of HCl. LCA results showed that the maximum negative and positive environmental impacts were associated with mineral resource scarcity (7.5*10–5 kg Cu eq) and human non-carcinogenic toxicity (−0.821 kg 1,4-DCB), respectively.

Effect of wood flour and compatibilizer content on the properties of wood-plastic composites

Wood-plastic composites (WPC) with are prepared by melting and mixing wood flour (WF) and thermoplastics which has green and biodegradable advantages and is of great significance in the development of the era of global resource scarcity. In this work, recycled polypropylene and WF were used as raw materials and commercially available maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAH-g-PP) was used as a compatibilizer. The extrusion injection molding method was used and investigated by varying the amount of WF and compatibilizer added. The composites were analyzed for micro-morphology, melt mass flow rate, mechanical properties, and thermal stability by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), melt flow rate tester (MFR), electronic universal testing machine, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). According to the results, WF shows a positive effect in terms of storage and loss modulus of the composites, but it shows a negative effect in terms of thermal stability and mechanical properties. As an effective compatibilizer, MAH-g-PP plays an important role in improving the mechanical properties of the composites, especially at an additional level of 4 wt%, which maximized the overall performance of the composites.

Evaluation of a Multisectoral Health Security Alliance Program Through Perceptions of Member States: African Partnership Outbreak Response Alliance (APORA).

U.S. DoD global health engagements offer opportunities for strategic engagement and building capability in collaboration with foreign military and civilian counterparts. Global health engagement activities can take the form of health security alliances and allow the USA and its allies and partners to prepare for, mitigate, and respond to emerging biothreats and other harmful health events that may negatively impact national security. One such example is the African Partnership Outbreak Response Alliance (APORA), which was designed to expand African Partner Nation militaries' infectious disease outbreak response capabilities. This publication evaluates the development, implementation, and outcomes of APORA to better understand the program's effectiveness in developing Partner Nation medical capabilities and the efficacy of health security alliances more broadly. Key informant interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires were used to collect responses from a sample of participants who attended an in-person APORA event in May 2022. The research team conducted thematic analysis of all responses to identify common themes and sub-themes in participants' perspectives and to elucidate findings and recommendations for future endeavors. The analysis determined that participants attended the APORA event primarily to disseminate and apply knowledge, skills, and abilities gained at the event to their own health system structures. Overall, participants indicated that APORA contributed to their countries' military medical and civilian cooperation, as well as their countries' military medical capabilities. Longer-term partners (i.e., 4+ years of APORA membership) agreed more strongly with these sentiments; newer partners (i.e., 1-3 years of APORA membership) were more likely to be neutral or agree to some extent. Participants also valued the opportunity to solidify global, regional, local, and peer partnerships and considered the ability to create partnerships of great importance to their countries' national health security. Language barriers were often listed as a hindrance to event participation and the overall integration of a regional health system response. Participants also cited resource scarcity, network erosion (particularly because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic), and a lack of disseminating and communicating value-add in how APORA could/is providing to their member countries' health systems as key barriers. As a whole, these findings support APORA's objectives to develop and leverage partnerships to support medical capacity building, promote collaboration between military and civilian sectors, and increase access to opportunities and financial resources. Further evaluation is required to capture additional civilian perspectives while continuing to expand upon military perspectives in order to produce more generalizable findings. That said, this study enables key stakeholders to understand how to strengthen and expand future alliances to improve both health and security outcomes.

Utilizing metabolomics and network analysis to explore the effects of artificial production methods on the chemical composition and activity of agarwood

Introduction: Agarwood is a traditional aromatic southern medicine. It has a long history of being used in traditional Chinese aromatherapy to treat insomnia, anxiety and depression. Due to the scarcity of wild resources, people have planted trees successfully and begun to explore various agarwood-inducing techniques. This study comparative analysis of volatile metabolites in agarwood produced by various inducing techniques and its potential sleep-promoting, anti-anxiety and anti-depressant network pharmacological activities. Methods: A total of 23 batches of two types of agarwood were collected, one of which was produced by artificial techniques, including 6 batches of TongTi (TT) agarwood produced by “Agar-Wit” and 6 batches of HuoLao (HL) agarwood produced by “burning, chisel and drilling”, while the other was collected from the wild, including 6 batches of BanTou (BT) agarwood with trunks broken due to natural or man-made factors and 5 batches of ChongLou (CL) agarwood with trunks damaged by moth worms. The study employed metabolomics combined with network analysis to compare the differences in volatile metabolites of agarwood produced by four commonly used inducing techniques, and explored their potential roles and possible action targets in promoting sleep, reducing anxiety, and alleviating depression. Results: A total of 147 volatile metabolites were detected in agarwood samples, mainly including small aromatic hydrocarbons, sesquiterpenes and 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and their pyrolysis products. The results showed composition of metabolites was minimally influenced by the agarwood induction method. However, their concentrations exhibited significant variations, with 17 metabolites showing major differences. The two most distinct metabolites were 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and 6,7-dimethoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone. Among the volatile metabolites, 142 showed promising potential in treating insomnia, anxiety, and depression, implicating various biological and signaling pathways, predominantly ALB and TNF targets. The top three active metabolites identified were 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone, 1,5-diphenylpent-1-en-3-one, and 6-methoxy-2-[2-(4'-methoxyphenyl) ethyl] chromone, with their relative content in the four types of agarwood being TT&amp;gt;HL&amp;gt;CL&amp;gt;BT. Conclusion: The differences in the content of 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromones suggest that they may be responsible for the varying therapeutic activities observed in different types of agarwood aromatherapy. This study offers theoretical support for the selection of agarwood in aromatherapy practices.

The role of healthcare providers and caregivers in monitoring critically ill children: a qualitative study in a tertiary hospital, southern Malawi

BackgroundCritically ill children require close monitoring to facilitate timely interventions throughout their hospitalisation. In low- and middle-income countries with a high disease burden, scarce paediatric critical care resources complicates effective monitoring. This study describes the monitoring practices for critically ill children in a paediatric high-dependency unit (HDU) in Malawi and examines factors affecting this vital process.MethodsA formative qualitative study based on 21 in-depth interviews of healthcare providers (n = 12) and caregivers of critically ill children (n = 9) in the HDU along with structured observations of the monitoring process. Interviews were transcribed and translated for thematic content analysis.ResultsThe monitoring of critically ill children admitted to the HDU was intermittent, using devices and through clinical observations. Healthcare providers prioritised the most critically ill children for more frequent monitoring. The ward layout, power outages, lack of human resources and limited familiarity with available monitoring devices, affected monitoring. Caregivers, who were present throughout admission, were involved informally in monitoring and flagging possible deterioration of their child to the healthcare staff.ConclusionBarriers to the monitoring of critically ill children in the HDU were related to ward layout and infrastructure, availability of accurate monitoring devices and limited human resources. Potential interventions include training healthcare providers to prioritise the most critically ill children, allocate and effectively employ available devices, and supporting caregivers to play a more formal role in escalation.