Sustainable Capacity Research Articles

A comparative study on the measurement of sustainable development of marine fisheries in China

Since 1989, China has been the largest aquatic producer in the world. The marine ecological environment is the “price” for the rapid development of fisheries economy, therefore, the sustainable development of fisheries industry is of great concern at home and abroad. This paper carried out a scientific evaluation of typical coastal provinces and cities by constructing an evaluation indicator system and clarifies the regional differences in the sustainable development capacity of China's marine fisheries industry for the first time. The results showed that since the second decade of the 21st century, the sustainability of marine fishery industry has been rising with fluctuation, among which, Shandong Province and Fujian Province have obvious advantages in sustainable development, while Tianjin, Hebei Province, and Shanghai still have large room for improvement. Resource environment and scientific and technological management factors have a significant impact on the sustainable development of China's marine fisheries, while economic and social factors have relatively little influence. Suggestions are put forward to improve the sustainable development level of marine fisheries in China's coastal areas, such as biological resources protection, fishery technology promotion and fishery industrial structure optimization.

One Health Systems Assessments for Sustainable Capacity Strengthening to Control Priority Zoonotic Diseases Within and Between Countries.

One Health is increasingly recognized as an important approach for health systems, particularly with respect to strengthening prevention, detection and response to zoonotic and other emerging disease threats. While many global health security frameworks reference the importance of One Health, there are fewer existing methodologies, tools, and resources for supporting countries and other regional or sub-national authorities in systematically assessing their One Health capabilities. We describe here two methodologies, One Health Systems Assessment for Priority Zoonoses (OHSAPZ) and One Health Transboundary Assessment for Priority Zoonoses (OHTAPZ), which have been developed to assist with creating consensus lists of priority zoonotic diseases for cross-sectoral consideration; identification of current strengths and gaps in One Health communication and coordination between sectors (and, in the case of OHTAPZ, between countries); and the development and dissemination of prioritized recommendations for future capacity strengthening. Implemented to date in seven diverse countries in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean regions, these tools provide a modular, flexible and easily adaptable approach to One Health systems assessment that can support national capacity strengthening, regional epidemic preparedness, and compliance with international frameworks.

A44Simulated placement preparation: physiotherapy student acceptability of a multi-level simulated placement preparation week

Practice based learning (PBL) remains a universal mandatory experience for physiotherapy students. Challenges of placement capacity were heightened by the impact of COVID 19 as well as growing demand in response to the NHS long term plan/interim people plan for growth in AHP workforce. These challenges provided opportunity to rapidly progress sustainable PBL capacity utilizing simulation as replacement and enhancement of PBL. Having established simulation as placement replacement within the Faculty of Health & Wellbeing at University of Winchester [1], the simulated placement preparation (SPP) project aimed to explore the acceptability of simulation as preparatory enhancement of PBL, delivering a week of multilevel peer assisted simulated PBL; two primary objectives of reducing demand on capacity and optimizing students’ success in PBL through preparatory simulated activities. Simulation and learning focused on the development of digital capabilities in recognition of the Topol review that reflected the requirements of NHS workforce to be digitally capable [2]. Additionally, the KNOWSBEST study [3] recommended digital capability and simulation within PBL, thus simulated activities were designed to promote core digital capabilities including training and simulation in remote consultations and presenting simulated scenarios accessed via electronic patient records. Collaborative learning in practice (CLiP) model of supervision was used to promote peer assisted learning with learning outcomes focused on communication and MDT domains of the common placement assessment form (CPAF), familiarization with digital technologies and orientation and management of scenarios in high acuity environments and enhancement of digital capabilities. The SPP week utilized mixed modality and fidelity simulated activities including ‘real play’ remote consultations, simulated patients, manikins/ventilators and virtual simulations. Students completed faculty developed questionnaires pre and post SPP relating to self-assessed communication and telehealth capability and specific clinical competence in musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy. A convenience sample of students participated in focus group interviews following subsequent completion of PBL to explore their perceived impact of SPP on subsequent PBL. Thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group interviews and pre-post anaylsis conducted using repeated measures ANOVA. Results demonstrated increased capabilities in teleconsultation and appreciation of digital technologies potential. Students reported enhancement of in person and remote communication as well as clinical capabilities in high acuity environments. Students reported the SPP week as an acceptable means of replacing one week of PBL, enhancing the preparedness for clinical environments and sustainably increasing placement capacity by providing 4440 hours of simulated PBL. Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.

Assessing the impact of changing environment on coal mining water use in China

The unequal distribution of coal and water resources, coupled with efforts to enhance coal production efficiency, has exacerbated the issue of water scarcity in China’s coal mining industry. There is an urgent need to analyze the impact mechanism of external environmental changes on coal mining water use. With partial least square regression and vector autoregressive model under the framework of STIRPAT (stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence, and technology) model, this paper systematically investigates the impact of population, economic level, energy consumption structure, and water intensity on coal mining water use, as well as the long-term dynamic response of coal mining water use to various variables. Results show a significant positive correlation between the economic level and coal mining water use, and the economic level has the greatest impact on changes in coal mining water use. Water intensity is negatively correlated with water used for coal mining. Decreasing water intensity in coal mining has a rebound effect. Water intensity shows a negative effect in the short term, but gradually disappears in the long run. Energy consumption structure positively correlated with coal mining, but its correlation and influence degree are weak. Promote green and low-carbon energy transformation, water-saving technologies application, and unconventional water utilization, and further improve the sustainable development guarantee capacity of the coal industry.

How to move from conflict to opportunity in the not-in-my-backyard dilemma: A case study of the Asuwei waste incineration plant in Beijing

Environmental Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) conflicts pose significant challenges to environmental sustainability and governance capacity, particularly in transition economies like China. However, existing literature has largely overlooked the potential for transforming environmental NIMBY conflicts into opportunities, leaving a gap in our comprehension of the underlying mechanisms facilitating such transformations. Building upon the traditional conflict transformation theory, we develop a theoretical framework of Environmental NIMBY Conflict Transformation (ENCT) specifically tailored to environmental NIMBY conflicts. To validate and enrich ENCT empirically, we employ the theory-testing process tracing approach, utilizing the case study of the Asuwei waste incineration plant as a representative case of the successful transformation of an environmental NIMBY conflict. Our findings reveal that intricate environmental NIMBY conflicts are not inherently destructive, but rather, when approached with suitable strategies, they possess the potential to be transformed into opportunities. Furthermore, environmental NIMBY conflicts can undergo transformation through the underlying mechanisms of five main categories: actor transformation, structure transformation, mode transformation, issue transformation, and situation transformation. In addition, we further link the relationship between conflict and opportunity from ten subcategories. These insights are expected to encourage environmental regulators to adopt conflict-shifted perspectives when dealing with potential environmental justice movements, thereby improving the effectiveness of environmental governance.

Accelerating Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox cycling in heterogeneous electro-Fenton process via S/Cu-mediated electron donor-shuttle regime

In this study, we developed a Cu0.5Fe2.5S4 nanocatalyst through facile sulfidation of the Cu-MIL-88B(Fe) precursor to expedite surface Fe(III) reduction and enhance H2O2 activation in the heterogeneous electro-Fenton (HEF). The as-prepared catalyst possesses relatively large specific surface area and uniformly dispersed metal active sites. The Cu0.5Fe2.5S4-catalyzed HEF system allowed complete removal of naproxen with minimal metal leaching, surpassing that of Cu-MIL-88B(Fe) or Fe3S4. Quantitative XPS analysis, electrochemical characterization and density functional theory calculations reveal an electron donor-shuttle regime in which S2- and Cu species serve as the electron donor and shuttle, respectively. The Cu species significantly accelerate the internal electron transfer between S and Fe and mitigate the dissolution of the adjacent iron sites, securing the sustainable reducing capacity. Moreover, Cu0.5Fe2.5S4-based HEF exhibits great practicability for treatment of various organics in urban wastewater. This study opens new avenue for addressing the challenge of sluggish Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycling in HEF.

The effect of urban-rural health insurance integration on consumption of middle-aged and older adult households in rural areas: evidence from China.

Rural consumption is crucial in promoting economic and social development in China's economic slowdown. Integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance has alleviated the financial burden of medical expenses for rural households and boosted rural household consumption. This study examines the effect of integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance on the consumption patterns of middle-aged and older adult households in rural China. Our research provides a reference basis for improving rural healthcare security and enhancing the sustainable consumption capacity in rural areas. We employed a Propensity Score Matching Difference-in-Differences model (PSM-DID) to estimate the association between health insurance integration and household consumption using panel data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2013 to 2018. Furthermore, we employed a mediation model to analyze the influencing mechanisms. Our findings suggested a positive association between health insurance integration and survival consumption as well as total consumption among rural middle-aged and older adult households. The conclusion remained valid after endogeneity treatment, robustness and placebo tests. Furthermore, we found that the impact of health insurance integration is more pronounced for middle-aged, female, and high-income rural residents' households. Integrating urban-rural residents' health insurance raised consumption by reducing medical expenses and increasing health and life expectancy. Policymakers should deepen the rural medical and health system reform, improve the convenience of medical services for middle-aged and older adult families in rural areas, and improve the medical and life assistance mechanism for vulnerable groups in rural areas. Additionally, the local government should continuously broaden rural household income channels to promote upgrading consumption structure while improving overall consumption levels.

Benefits through Innovative Cropping Patterns in the Hilly Regions of Southwest China: An Integrated Assessment of Emergy and Economic Returns

Optimizing Cropping patterns is important for the improvement of regional agricultural economic efficiency and sustainable development. However, there are few studies on the sustainability of cropping patterns in hilly areas. Here, we studied four new three-maturing cropping patterns in a typical ecological site in the hilly areas of southwest China. An analytical method combining economic efficiency evaluation and energy value analysis was used to evaluate and compare the economic efficiency and sustainability of the new cropping model and the traditional cropping model. We explored the construction of a new three-crop cropping model suitable for the southwest hilly area to improve the economic benefits of agricultural production and improve the sustainability of agricultural production. To solve the above problems, we constructed eight cropping patterns and classified them as follows: The Traditional Double Cropping System: T1, oilseed rape-summer soybean; T2, oilseed rape-summer maize; T3, wheat-summer maize. Traditional Triple Cropping System: T4, wheat/spring maize/summer soybean. Novel Triple Cropping System: T5, forage oilseed rape-spring maize/summer soybean; T6, forage oilseed rape-spring maize/peanut; T7, potato-spring maize/peanut; T8, potato-spring maize/summer soybean. The results of the study showed that compared with the Traditional Double Cropping System and the Traditional Triple Cropping System, the Novel Triple Cropping System increased the economic yield by an average of 100.39% and 49.18%, the economic production capacity by 71.32% and 36.48%, the biological yield by 12.53% and 4.90%, and the biological production capacity by 13.59% and 5.80%. The economic benefits of the Novel Triple Cropping System were significantly improved, with economic profits increased by CNY 9068 ·hm−2 and CNY 7533 ·hm−2 compared with the Traditional Double Cropping System and the Traditional Triple Cropping System. The energy value analysis further revealed the characteristics of the Novel Triple Cropping System as a high input and high output model. The Novel Triple Cropping System increased energy value inputs by 6.56% and 4.25%, and energy value outputs by 13.69% and 4.27% compared with the Traditional Double Cropping System and the Traditional Triple Cropping System, respectively. This high level of inputs stems mainly from a significant increase in labor inputs. Meanwhile, the energy-value indicator analysis of the Novel Triple Cropping System shows its lower dependence on natural resources, greater production intensification, and increased system stability. As a result, the Novel Triple Cropping System showed higher sustainable production capacity. In summary, the results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for optimizing cropping patterns and promoting high-yield and the sustainable development of agriculture.

THE ROLE OF LEGAL PRACTITIONERS IN MITIGATING CORPORATE RISKS IN NIGERIA: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF EXISTING LITERATURE ON THE STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES ADOPTED BY LEGAL PRACTITIONERS IN NIGERIA TO MITIGATE CORPORATE RISKS

This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the pivotal role of legal practitioners in mitigating corporate risks within the intricate corporate landscape of Nigeria. The method involved a meticulous examination of existing literature, focusing on the legal frameworks, regulatory compliance, collaborative innovation, sustainability principles, education, and capacity-building initiatives, financial stability, infrastructure development, and proactive risk management strategies. The results revealed that legal practitioners are instrumental in shaping robust and dynamic legal frameworks and fostering a culture of adherence to legal and ethical norms. They play a significant role in fostering collaborative innovation, integrating sustainability into corporate governance practices, advancing education and capacity-building initiatives, and implementing effective risk management strategies. The conclusion underscores the indispensable and multifaceted role of legal practitioners in navigating the complexities of corporate governance and risk mitigation in Nigeria. Recommendations include strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing collaborative innovation, promoting sustainable corporate governance, advancing education and capacity building, fostering financial stability and infrastructure development, and implementing proactive risk management strategies. These recommendations are crucial for fostering a resilient, sustainable, and ethically sound corporate landscape in Nigeria
 Keywords: Legal Practitioners, Corporate Risks, Corporate Governance, Risk Mitigation, Nigeria.

Essential human and material resources for emergency care in the district hospitals of Burundi

IntroductionBurundi, like many African nations, faces challenges in providing accessible emergency care. The aim of this study was to assess the type of staff training, accessibility to imaging, and availability of essential equipment in the district hospitals of Burundi in order to inform strategic planning for healthcare delivery. MethodsIn June 2022 an online survey was sent to each district hospital of the country. Complete responses were analysed and, where appropriate, significance determined by chi-square analysis, with p<0.05 considered significant. ResultsForty of 45 district hospitals completed the survey, of which 35 were rural (matching national demographics). The majority of district hospitals (21/40) had ready access to ≥4/5 critical drugs while few (5/40) were equipped with ≥4/5 key material. One quarter had 24/7 physician coverage and X-ray available. Only 3 had continuous access to ultrasound studies despite most district hospitals having ultrasound machines. Trained emergency room staff were almost totally absent from the field, with only 6 nurses, 4 generalists, and 1 specialist reported across 9 sites. Even a single EM-trained staff member was significantly correlated with being better equipped for emergencies (p<0.01). ConclusionBurundi needs a strategic investment in emergency preparedness and care. Policy initiatives and technology purchases have demonstrated reasonable penetration down to the district hospital level, however, trained personnel are essential to develop sustainable emergency capacity.

Patterns of Sustainability Capacity Among Organizations That Deliver the National Diabetes Prevention Program: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Since the launch of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in 2010, more than 3,000 organizations have registered with the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention to deliver the program; today, however, only approximately 2,000 organizations are registered, indicating challenges with sustainability. We used the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT) to explore patterns of sustainability capacity among National DPP delivery organizations. We used data from a cross-sectional online survey conducted in August and September 2021 of staff members (N = 440) at National DPP delivery organizations. We conducted a latent profile analysis to identify latent subpopulations on the basis of respondent PSAT domain scores. Regression analyses were used to estimate associations between derived latent classes, PSAT scores, and respondent characteristics. The 4-class model included 4 groups of capacity for program sustainability, ranging from low to high: low (class 1) with 8.0% of the sample, medium-low (class 2) with 22.0%, medium-high (class 3) with 41.6%, and high (class 4) with 28.4%. Program evaluation (mean score = 5.1 [SD = 1.4]) and adaptation (mean score = 5.3 [SD = 1.3]) were the domains with the highest scores, while funding stability (mean score = 4.0 [SD = 1.6]) and Partnerships (mean score = 4.0 [SD = 1.7]) had the lowest scores. In our sample of National DPP delivery organizations, most reported relatively high capacity for program sustainability, and key indicators associated with sustainability capacity were virtual delivery, location of delivery, funding sources, and organization type. Similar to sustainability capacity findings from other PSAT studies, our study found that funding stability and partnerships are areas to strengthen. This insight is useful in sustainability planning at organizational and national levels across multiple programs.

Efficient activation of peroxymonosulfate by Fe single-atom: The key role of Fe-pyrrolic nitrogen coordination in generating singlet oxygen and high-valent Fe species

Nitrogen-doped carbon matrix single-atom catalysts (SACs) for the efficient removal of organic pollutants have attracted widespread attention. However, the ligand structure and the origin of the high activity between nitrogen species and single-atoms remain elusive. Herein, nitrogen-doped carbon matrix iron single-atom catalysts (Fe/NC-SACs) that exhibit high catalytic reactivity (98.2% SMX degradation in 5 min), broad pH resistance (pH 3.0–11.1), high stability, and sustainable water treatment capacity are reported. High-valent iron (Fe IV=O) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were the reactive oxygen species observed. The electrochemical results demonstrated the generation of catalyst-PMS complexes. The DFT calculations revealed that Fe-pyrrolic N4 was the best ligand for PMS, exhibiting the highest adsorption energy, bond length variation and electron transfer capacity. The central Fe single atom and the carbon electrons adjacent to the pyrrolic N were the reactive sites of the PMS. The main source of 1O2 was the oxidation of PMS. This work provides guidance for the discovery of high-performance catalysts and provides a single-atom catalyst that can be used for practical environmental purification.

MENUJU LINGKUNGAN BERKELANJUTAN: PENINGKATAN PEMAHAMAN MASYARAKAT TENTANG PENTINGNYA AMDAL DALAM PEMBANGUNAN JALAN DI NEGERI HILA, MALUKU TENGAH

Road infrastructure development is an important step in increasing connectivity and economic growth in an area. However, often road construction can have a negative impact on the environment if it is not managed properly. Preparing an Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) is one approach that can minimize these negative impacts and maintain a balance between development and the environment. This community service aims to increase people's understanding in Hila Country, Central Maluku, about the importance of AMDAL in road construction. Through various participatory and educational activities, the service team aims to provide information about the AMDAL process, its benefits in road construction, and the importance of community involvement in environmental impact assessments. The methods used in this service involve interactive workshops, group discussions, and distribution of educational material about AMDAL. Apart from that, the service team also collaborates with related agencies to provide training to local government staff on the AMDAL process in order to improve understanding and effective implementation of AMDAL. It is hoped that the results of this service will create awareness among the community about the importance of AMDAL in road construction and their active role in making decisions regarding environmental impacts. Apart from that, it is also hoped that it can encourage broader and more comprehensive implementation of AMDAL in development projects in this area in order to achieve a sustainable environment and high carrying capacity.

Tackling issues of lithium metal anodes with a novel polymeric lithicone coating

Lithium metal (Li) has been hindered from as anodes in commercial batteries for over 50 years, due to two main issues: continuous formation of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and lithium dendritic growth. In this work, we report a new strategy to tackle these issues, i.e., using molecular layer deposition (MLD) to grow an ionically conducting but electrically insulating polymeric lithicone coating, an Li-containing triethanolamine (LiTEA). Our electrochemical tests revealed that this LiTEA coating could serve as an exceptional protection layer over Li anodes. Consequently, the LiTEA-coated Li electrodes could achieve a superior cyclability of > 10000 Li stripping/plating cycles at a current density of 5 mA cm−2 and a long cyclability of > 5500 cycles at 2 mA cm−2 in Li||Li symmetric cells without failures, under a fixed areal capacity of 1 mAh cm−2. Characterizations using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron microscopy verified that Li+ ions could be easily extracted through and deposited under the LiTEA coating during the stripping/plating processes. Consequently, this LiTEA coating significantly inhibited the formation of SEI and Li dendrites. This underlies the long cycling lifetime of the LiTEA-coated Li||Li cells. Coupling with the nickel-rich LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) cathodes, more encouragingly, the LiTEA-coated Li anodes could remarkably extend the cyclability and sustainable capacity of the resultant Li||NMC full cells. We also demonstrated that the performance of Li||NMC cells could be further improved through combining an LiTEA-coated Li anode with an Li2S-modified NMC811 via atomic layer deposition (ALD). Thus, this study is inspiring for developing high-energy Li||NMC lithium metal batteries.

How does the environmental protection tax law affect firm ESG? Evidence from the Chinese stock markets

The serious environmental pollution problem has been proven to harm people's health and economic development in China. Chinese authorities implemented the Environmental Protection Tax Law (EPTL) in 2018—the first environmental tax law in this country—to solve the problem. Since firms are main objects of this policy, its effect on firms' sustainable development capacity is a worthwhile but not yet discussed question. Therefore, this study adopts the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) to quantify firms' sustainable development capacity and employs the difference-in-differences method to investigate the above research question using a sample of A shares listed in Chinese stock markets from 2014 to 2021. Benchmark regression and robustness tests demonstrated that the EPTL could promote heavily polluting firms' ESG, thus, confirming the Porter hypothesis' existence in China from a micro perspective. We conducted a series of additional tests to provide insight into the effects of the EPTL under different circumstances, and achieved the following important findings: a) although a time-lag effect exists, the policy effect increases over time; b) the boosting effect of this policy is stronger on higher ESG firms than on lower ESG firms; c) innovation compensation effect and government financial subsidies can exponentially increase the EPTL's effect on firm ESG; and d) this policy has an inhibiting effect on politically connected firm's ESG. Based on these findings, we provide theoretical and practical suggestions for academia and policymakers. The Chinese authorities should insist on enforcing the EPTL in the long run, encourage firms on research and development investments, and provide them more financial subsidies, so as to enhance the policy's effect. Moreover, the government should implement some supporting policies to improve the sustainable development capacity of politically connected firms.

Kompetensi Sosial Kepala Madrasah Dalam Memberdayakan Komite Untuk Peningkatan Sarana Prasarana di MAN 1 Tulungagung

The research is aimed at describing and analyzing the social competence of madrasa heads in empowering school committees to improve madrasa facilities and infrastructure. This research uses a qualitative research approach with a case study type of research. The data in this research was collected using interview, observation and documentation techniques, while the data analysis technique used was data triangulation techniques. The results of the research show that the social competence that must be possessed by madrasah heads concerns several things, including: a) collaborating with other parties for the benefit of the Madrasah; b) participate in social activities; c) have social sensitivity towards other individuals or groups. By empowering committees to improve madrasa facilities and infrastructure, madrasas can utilize additional resources, gain community support, manage projects more efficiently, and build sustainable capacity.

Strengthening antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems: a scoping review

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global public health crisis. Surveillance is a fundamental component in the monitoring and evaluation of AMR mitigation endeavours. The primary aim of the scoping review is to identify successes, barriers, and gaps in implementing AMR surveillance systems and utilising data from them.MethodsPubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases were searched systematically to identify literature pertaining to implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of AMR surveillance systems. A thematic analysis was conducted where themes within the literature were inductively grouped based on the described content.ResultsThe systematic search yielded 639 journal articles for screening. Following deduplication and screening, 46 articles were determined to be appropriate for inclusion. Generally, most studies focused on human AMR surveillance (n = 38, 82.6%). Regionally, there was equal focus on low- and middle-income countries (n = 7, 15.2%) and trans-national contexts (n = 7, 14.5%). All included articles (n = 46, 100.0%) discussed barriers to either implementing or utilising AMR surveillance systems. From the scoping review, 6 themes emerged: capacity for surveillance, data infrastructure, policy, representativeness, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability. Data infrastructure was most frequently discussed as problematic in evaluation of surveillance systems (n = 36, 75.0%). The most frequent success to surveillance system implementation was stakeholder engagement (n = 30, 65.2%).ConclusionsExperiences of AMR surveillance systems are diverse across contexts. There is a distinct separation of experiences between systems with emerging surveillance systems and those with established systems. Surveillance systems require extensive refinement to become representative and meet surveillance objectives.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Lahore’s Resilience Against Heat Wave by Using Remote Sensing and GIS

This research work aims at finding urban resilience capacity of Lahore (study area) against the heat wave. Natural as well as anthropogenic disasters are threatening the urban systems and the urbanites. In the present scenario of fastest urbanization, the concepts of urban resilience and sustainability are sprouting and flourishing for making the cities more resilient and sustainable against disasters. Lahore, being the 2nd largest city of Pakistan with huge population, faces the disasters of various natures including urban flooding, smog and heat wave. The major function of a city is to provide all what is needed for its people and that is only possible when a city will be resilient enough to cope with the disasters and have capability to meet the social, economic and environmental needs of its people. This research focuses on identification of the major disasters being faced by Lahore and evaluation of its sustainability and resilience capacity against these disasters. Landsat images of the years 2002,2012 and 2022 were acquired from the USGS website. These images were processed and analyzed by using ArcGis to find out the relationship among various indices causing heat wave. In this regard, NDVI, NDBI, LULC, LST and UHI were obtained. The extracted information was later rearranged, over-layered and weighted to trace the zonal resilience of Lahore. The deduced findings reveal tremendous impact of decreasing vegetation cover and expansion in built-up area in creation of heat island and hindering the resilient capacity of Lahore. The eastern parts of the city are the most resilient followed by southern areas while central and western parts are least resilient against heat wave. Change detection analysis shows drastic change, the highest resilient areas of 2002 and 2012 are the least resilient in 2022. This research will further lead to new horizons of research pertinent to urban resilience and will be of great significance for developers and policy makers in making the cities resilient against disasters.

Sustainability capacity and health worker normalisation of a successful non-communicable disease (NCD) health systems intervention within primary care settings in Uganda: a quantitative approach to a qualitative question

BackgroundInterventions for non-communicable diseases are increasingly implemented and evaluated in sub-Saharan Africa, but little is known about their medium- to long-term sustainability beyond the end of research funding. A cluster randomised trial conducted between 2013 and 2016 in Uganda and Tanzania showed that an intervention package to improve hypertension (HT) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM) care was highly effective in increasing service readiness and quality of care. The present study assesses the sustainability of the intervention 4 years after the trial in Uganda.MethodsThe study was conducted in 2020 in 22 primary care health facilities (HFs) (3 referrals and 19 lower-level units) that had received the intervention package until trial end (2016), to assess their current capacity and practice to sustain ongoing intervention activities for HT and DM care. Through a cross-sectional survey, 4 pre-defined domains (i.e., cognitive participation, coherence, collective action, and reflexive monitoring) were examined with regard to health worker (HW) normalization and 8 pre-defined domains for intervention sustainability (i.e., organisational capacity, local environment, funding stability, partnerships, communication, evaluation, adaptation, and strategic planning), using the normalisation tool and the program sustainability tool (PSAT). Summary scores were assessed by domains and facility level.ResultsOverall normalization strength was adequate at 4.0 (IQR: 3.8, 4.2) of a possible 5 with no evidence of association with HF level (p = 0.40); cognitive participation (buy-in) and reflexive monitoring (appraisal) were strongest at > 4 across all HF levels. All HF levels were weak (< 4) on collective action (teamwork) and coherence (sense-making). Only collective action differed by level (p < 0.002). Overall intervention sustainability was suboptimal at 3.1 [IQR: 1.9, 4.1] of a possible 7 with weak scores on funding stability (2.0), supportive partnerships (2.2), and strategic planning (2.6). Domain differences by HF level were significant for environmental support (p = 0.02) and capacity in organisation (p = 0.01). Adequate strength at a cut-off mean of ≥5 did not differ by HF level for any domain.ConclusionsFour years after their introduction, practice-dependent intervention elements e.g., local organisational context, HW knowledge or dedication were sustained, but external elements e.g., new funding support or attracting new partners to sustain intervention efforts were not. Whenever new interventions are introduced into an existing health service, their long-term sustainability including the required financial support should be ensured. The quality of services should be upheld by providing routine in-service training with dedicated support supervision.

Identifying critical gaps in research to advance global surgery by 2030: a systematic mapping review

Progress on surgical system strengthening has been slow due to a disconnect between evidence generation and the information required for effective policymaking. This systematic mapping review sought to assess critical research gaps in the field of global surgery guided by the World Health Organisation Health Systems building block framework, analysis of authorship and funding patterns, and an exploration of emerging research partnership networks. Literature was systematically mapped to identify, screen, and synthesize results of publications in the global surgery field between 2015 and March 2022. We searched four databases and included literature published in seven languages. A social network analysis determined the network attributes of research institutions and their transient relationships in shaping the global surgery research agenda. We identified 2,298 relevant studies out of 92,720 unique articles searched. Research output increased from 453 in 2015-16 to 552 in 2021-22, largely due to literature on Covid-19 impacts on surgery. Sub-Saharan Africa (792/2298) and South Asia (331/2298) were the most studied regions, although high-income countries represented a disproportionate number of first (42%) and last (43%) authors. Service delivery received the most attention, including the surgical burden and quality and safety of services, followed by capacity-building efforts in low- and middle-income countries. Critical research in economics and financing, essential infrastructure and supplies, and surgical leadership necessary to guide policy decisions at the country level were lacking. Global surgical systems remain largely under-researched. Knowledge diffusion requires an emphasis on developing sustainable research partnerships and capacity across low- and middle-income countries. A renewed focus must be given to equipping countries with tools for effective decision-making to enhance investments in high-quality surgical services.