Articles

Conventional cyclone risk assessments in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) systematically fail to predict food system collapse locations, leading to misallocated adaptation investments. This study quantifies a fundamental exposure-impact disconnect across Vanuatu's 71 area councils: cyclone exposure explains only 14% of food security impact variance (R² = 0.14, r = 0.38), with topographic, agro-ecological, and infrastructure mediators determining the remaining 86%. Using data from five Category 4–5 cyclones (2015–2023), we constructed a Hazard Exposure Index (HEI; proximity 40%, intensity 35%, frequency 25%) and an Impact Severity Index (ISI; four equally weighted dimensions: agriculture, infrastructure, food insecurity, recovery). Regression with interaction terms reveals three mediating mechanisms. First, topographic elevation reduces ISI by 40–60% at highland area councils (>400 m) relative to coastal equivalents at comparable HEI (r = −0.54, p < 0.001). Second, crop diversity buffers medium-exposure zones (HEI 0.3–0.6; β = −0.082, p = 0.018) but provides no significant protection under extreme cyclone loading (HEI > 0.7), consistent with resilience theory stability thresholds. Third, infrastructure capacity generates "hidden hotspots": Torba province (low exposure, ISI = 0.34) required a median 18 days to reach 50% of affected households versus 6 days in Shefa (high exposure, ISI = 0.61) — a threefold differential driven solely by maritime connectivity deficits. High-exposure provinces with strong infrastructure systematically outperform low-exposure provinces with distribution network weaknesses. A Food Security Resilience Index (FSRe; range: 46–61 on a 0–100 scale) reveals stark provincial heterogeneity — Sanma as buffered regional hub (FSRe = 61) versus Tafea and Shefa as critical/fragile (FSRe 46–47) — enabling a four-category spatial typology for targeted adaptation investments under SIDS fiscal constraints. Findings demonstrate that spatially explicit integration of topography, agro-ecology, and infrastructure is essential for efficient climate adaptation planning in archipelago SIDS, with direct implications for Sendai Framework Target E national DRR strategy development and Green Climate Fund adaptation investment prioritization.

Drug shortages represent a significant and growing challenge within the pharmaceutical supply chain, with profound implications for patient care, public health, and healthcare costs. This manuscript provides a comprehensive examination of the causes and impacts of drug shortages, highlighting the multifaceted nature of this issue. Key factors contributing to shortages include manufacturing complications, limited availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), market dynamics that discourage the production of less profitable medications, and regulatory challenges that slow down the approval process for new manufacturing capacities. The consequences of these shortages are far-reaching. Patients often face treatment delays, which can lead to adverse health outcomes, increased hospitalization rates, and even mortality. Healthcare providers experience heightened operational costs as they seek alternative therapies and manage complications resulting from inadequate treatment. Furthermore, the frequent occurrence of drug shortages erodes public trust in both the healthcare system and the pharmaceutical industry, leading to decreased patient adherence to prescribed therapies. To mitigate the impacts of drug shortages, this manuscript proposes several strategic solutions, including enhanced communication among stakeholders, diversification of supply sources, increased regulatory flexibility, and collaborative approaches between public and private sectors. Additionally, raising awareness among healthcare providers and patients regarding the causes and potential alternatives can empower stakeholders to navigate shortages effectively. Ultimately, addressing drug shortages necessitates a proactive and coordinated effort from all participants in the pharmaceutical supply chain. By implementing these strategies, stakeholders can enhance the resilience of the supply chain, ensuring that essential medications remain accessible and that patient care is not compromised. The findings of this manuscript underscore the urgent need for ongoing vigilance and collaborative action to tackle the challenges posed by drug shortages, safeguarding public health and improving healthcare outcomes globally.

There have been various concerns about the environmental impact of construction works. This generates a need to take a more proactive approach in evaluating the environmental impacts of construction operations and further explore ways to reduce the environmental impacts. Enormous opportunities exist within the building industry to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of the study is to develop a framework for the evaluation of improvement opportunities for environmental impact for onsite and offsite building construction works using life cycle assessment (LCA) and value-stream-mapping concepts. Various tools for LCA exist; however, there is a need for the development of an LCA framework and improvement opportunities that can be localized to various communities to evaluate improvement opportunities for building construction. This study conducts a review of methods to evaluate the LCA of buildings on local construction sites. A procedure for establishing improvement opportunities is also developed. Based on the author’s knowledge and experience, including site visits, using value stream mapping (VSM) techniques, a conceptual framework of the present state map and future state map of residential construction works was developed. The study presents a procedure for the evaluation of improvement opportunities for the environmental impacts of construction operations.

Life cycle assessment, LCA is one of the tools that is used to measure the environmental impacts of a process or an operation. Various studies have mentioned the benefits of mass timber in building construction. This study presents an evaluation of the LCA of certain mass timber in relation to concrete-based materials. Using Athena impact estimator for buildings, the study compared the results of an LCA study for a house that is designed with concrete beams, concrete columns, and concrete walls with brick in the envelope category (Material group 1) with those that are made with glulam beams, glulam columns, CLT walls with spruce wood bevel siding (Material group 2), and another building with LVL columns, LVL beams, CLT walls with spruce wood bevel siding (Material group 3). The results are in line with those that were reported by the majority of previous researchers. For the location that is being reviewed (Calgary, Alberta), the designs showed that construction with wood materials having mass timber components will have a better environmental performance than that for a building design with more concrete-based materials. The building design with more concrete-based material (group 1) showed 242% and 60% higher global warming and acidification potential respectively than the building with glulam beams and columns (material group 2). Except for ozone depletion potential, material group 2 (with glulam beams and columns) has a lower impact than material group 3 (with LVL/PSL beams and columns). The differences in impacts are more pronounced when the comparison is with design with more concrete-based products. This report further shows that LCA can be helpful during the preliminary design to evaluate the expected environmental impacts of the choice of different materials. This study recommends that material manufacturers and building contractors pay attention to LCA results to evaluate areas for continuous improvement.

Despite the pervasive nature of internet use among adolescents and young adults, there is not enough knowledge about whether and how involvement in social media influences substance use patterns and the risk of drug use-related problems. This study was conducted to examine the complex relationship between substance use-related social media engagement (viewing, liking, commenting, and posting the substance use-related social media content) and the drug use-related problem in adolescents from public perception. We surveyed to determine the perception of social media users regarding the association between substance use-related social media content and substance/drug abuse problems. An anonymous online questionnaire was conducted to collect the response from each participant. The response was generated after collecting the data from 126 users of mixed ages. The data was stringently analyzed, and the response was displayed in the form of bar charts. The primary findings indicated a significant relationship between drug/alcohol-related social media engagement and drug/alcohol-related problems. From public perception, a positive correlation was found between the engagement in the drug use-related content and drug use associated problems. However, further research is needed to determine the right direction of these associations that can provide substantiative solutions for numerous interventions aiming to prevent drug use-related adverse consequences.

The study aimed at examining farmers’ perceptions on the impacts of climate change on food crops and the farming practices that contribute to climate change (CC) in Bibiani – Ahwiaso – Bekwai municipality of Western North Region of Ghana. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for this study. The population of the study consisted of the number of households in six communities (Hwenampori, Wenchi, Tanoso, Awaso-Asempanaye, Kunkumso, and Sefwi Bekwai), officials from MoFA, GMA, and heads of households who are food crop farmers from the study area. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select respondents for the study. 231 respondents were selected and contacted for information to aid them in the study. The main instruments for data collection were the administration of questionnaires to farmers, organization of focus group discussions with key informants, the use of structured interview guides on MoFA directorates and direct observation of some farms. The primary and secondary data were sourced mainly from household heads from the study communities who are in the production of maize, cassava, and plantain. Pearson Chi-Square and Cross-tabulation of the IBM SPSS Version 20 were also used in performing descriptive statistical analysis. The study revealed that the output of maize, cassava, and plantain have all proved to be negatively impacted by changes in rainfall and temperature patterns with a more significant impact observed from maize responses to temperature. The study also indicated that the impact of climate change may affect the crops at any stage of the production process right from the land preparation to the maturity stage of crops but the more profound effect is observed at fruit development and maturation stages. The study indicated that changes in temperature affect crop yield, especially during the fruit/seed development stage. The study revealed that most farmers (about 92.2%) have observed climate change in the study area and indicated events like unpredictable rainfall patterns, excessively high temperatures and strong winds. It is recommended that capacity building and awareness creation should be enhanced by GMA and MoFA through the media to ensure that communication about climate change and food security is meaningful. This means that education on diversification of farming methods has not been enough if there is any at all in the area. Awareness creation, therefore, allows people to make informed and responsible decisions toward sustainable farming practices which will lead to food security and also environmental sustainability.

Emotional regulation of children and adolescents is a very important process for their development. Emotional self-regulation encouraged the children and adolescents to control aggressive emotional outbursts. This study purpose is to exam the effect of emotional self-regulation on the life quality of children and adolescents with traumatic experiences. A systematic review was conducted to examine research on effect of low emotional self-regulation on the life quality among children and adolescents with traumatic experiences. The initial search generated 1.245 research articles, 170 of which were reviewed for detailed evaluation; ultimately, 11 research articles published in the period 2012-2021 were included. Children and adolescents with traumatic experiences all over the world samples were the most represented in research articles. It used thematic synthesis to combine the research articles of low emotional self-regulation on the life quality among children and adolescents with traumatic experiences and identified key themes to explore in the impact studies. Across 11 articles, regardless of the traumatic type of event, it was found that children and adolescents’ low self-regulation affects their ability to express themselves in a functional and productive way. Negative accumulated emotions, which do not externalize sexually and physically abused children and adolescents with low emotional self-regulation gradually lead to some type of emotional disconnection. In conclusion, sexual, physical abuse and war-refugee situations in childhood are more associated with the onset of post - traumatic stress disorder, emotional disorders and difficulties in self - regulation of emotions.

The economic and social effects that the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated measures to address it are having in Latin America may lead to serious long-term consequences that would affect the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In this article, the collaboration of environmental economists from eight countries in the region discusses the possible effects of the pandemic on air pollution, deforestation, and other relevant environmental aspects related to the SDGs. In addition to presenting an account of some of the initial effects of the health crisis on the environment, the paper discusses potential effects in terms of environmental regulations and public policy interventions. Finally, the paper presents an agenda on new research topics that arise due to the pandemic or have gained greater importance due to it, including the impacts on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Briefly, this paper is a novel view of the sustainable development in Latin America and the Covid-19 impacts on this process.

Air pollution is currently considered a global problem in both developing and developed countries. Substances that invade our spaces are components of air pollution that cause a strong negative impact on health for those who are exposed, not only in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems but are being related to the etiology of pathologies throughout the body, with a decrease in life expectancy and even an increase in mortality and alterations of the genetic material. This literature review aims to collect employing a search the implications that the components of air pollution have on the health of those exposed, from a clinical and molecular point of view. For the search, the DeCS descriptors created by BIREME were used: air pollution, cardiovascular system, respiratory diseases. The following databases were consulted: PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The search criteria considered the year of publication and whether the original language was English or Spanish. It was concluded that the study of the different particles and the consequences that exposure to them entails is of vital importance for the development of control, prevention, and treatment mechanisms; since they can generate pathologies that range from something as tangible as lung diseases and occlusive heart disease to epigenetic changes that affect health.