Nanotechnology From Engineers to Toxicologists

There is growing public perception that nanotechnology products are flourishing without sufficient care for the risks they pose to life, global, and local environments. The transparency of safety issues and impact on environment should be the prime focus while engaging a particular field with nanotechnology. Testing of nano products needs to be enforced before they are released to the market. Whether nanotechnology is good or bad for the environment is totally based on the nature of its use and considerations made during its application. The use of nanotechnology in any field requires great care, and any sort of negligence is likely to bring negative effects for the environment and its habitats. Recent studies show that the lack of knowledge as regard risks is found even at the expert level. The present work highlights the risks associated with the use of nanoparticles and the necessary preventive measures for using the technology in a safe and sound way.

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Endoparasitism in colonial hosts: patterns and processes

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182007002259 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 134 (6) ◽

pp. 841-852 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

S. L. L. HILL ◽

B. OKAMURA

Keyword(s):

Vertical Transmission ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Temporal Sampling ◽

Colony Fission ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Novel Host ◽

Patterns And Processes ◽

Host Parasite ◽

Lack Of Knowledge

SUMMARYThis study begins to redress our lack of knowledge of the interactions between colonial hosts and their parasites by focusing on a novel host-parasite system. Investigations of freshwater bryozoan populations revealed that infection by myxozoan parasites is widespread. Covert infections were detected in all 5 populations studied and were often at high prevalence while overt infections were observed in only 1. Infections were persistent in populations subject to temporal sampling. Negative effects of infection were identified but virulence was low. Infection did not induce mortality in the environmental conditions studied. However, the production of statoblasts (dormant propagules) was greatly reduced in bryozoans with overt infections in comparison to uninfected bryozoans. Overtly-infected bryozoans also grew more slowly and had low fission rates relative to colonies lacking overt infection. Bryozoans with covert infections were smaller than uninfected bryozoans. High levels of vertical transmission were achieved through colony fission and the infection of statoblasts. Increased fission rates may be a strategy for hosts to escape from parasites but the parasite can also exploit the fragmentation of colonial hosts to gain vertical transmission and dispersal. Our study provides evidence that opportunities and constraints for host-parasite co-evolution can be highly dependent on organismal body plans and that low virulence may be associated with exploitation of colonial hosts by endoparasites.

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Profile Of Burn Victims Attended By An Emergency Unit

International Archives of Medicine ◽

10.3823/2280 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Author(s):

Lidiane Souza Lima ◽

Viviane Oliveira de Sousa Correia ◽

Tycianne Karoline Garção Nascimento ◽

Bárbara Jeane Pinto Chaves ◽

José Rodrigo Santos Silva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Health Profile ◽

Emergency Unit ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Burn Treatment ◽

Treatment Unit ◽

Burn Victims ◽

Current Scenario

Objectives: to identify the sociodemographic and health profile of burn victims, knowing the characteristics of the events and detecting the major analgesics prescribed in the emergency department. Methods: descriptive, exploratory and quantitative study with 16 burn victims treated at a Burn Treatment Unit from October 2015 to May 2016. Results: the average age of participants was 31.8 years (± 14.1). Mostly, the subjects were male (62.5%), single (43.8%), brown (68.8%), economically active (75.0%) and coming from Aracaju and its surroundings (62.5%). Injuries from burns were mostly of second degree (93.8%) and reached the lower limbs (68.8%). The average burned body surface was 15.8% (± 11.5). The circumstances surrounding burns occurred mainly at home (50.0%), on Sundays (25.0%) and in the shifts morning (37.5%) and night (37.5%). The main etiological agent was alcohol (31.3%). All patients received analgesia in the emergency department, but the minority had pain documented (18.8%). The physician was the only professional who reported pain in their records, but did incompletely (18.8%). Conclusion: due to the negative effects of burns, it is crucial to adopt educational and preventive measures to change the current scenario of epidemiology of such trauma. Keywords: Burns; Epidemiology; Analgesia; Emergency.

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Cyberbullying Among Malaysian Children Based on Research Evidence

Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Fourth Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2255-3.ch149 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1704-1722 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarina Yusuf ◽

Md. Salleh Hj. Hassan ◽

Adamkolo Mohammed Mohammed Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Health Information ◽

Social Relationships ◽

The Internet ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Children And Adolescent ◽

Safety Issues ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Online Safety ◽

Raising Awareness ◽

Great Utility

Previous studies have highlighted that the Internet offers various online opportunities to users, for example children, and that the Internet possesses great potential to boost their educational and provide health information. Scholars have emphasised the great utility of the Internet in successfully raising awareness regarding children online safety issues and enhancing social relationships. However, despite the positive effects of the Internet, it has negative effects as well. Nowadays, children and adolescent are increasingly using the Internet at younger ages, through diverse platforms and devices, and there have been rising concerns about children's safety online. The chapter investigated the level of cyberbullying among Malaysian children and discovered that the level of cyberbullying among Malaysian children is moderate. However, since the results of the study found majority of the children surveyed had experienced cyberbullying at least once, it therefore concludes that there is likelihood that cyberbullying could become a menace to the Malaysian child online.

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Security Solutions for Intelligent and Complex Systems

Natural Language Processing ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-0951-7.ch060 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1232-1271

Author(s):

Stuart Armstrong ◽

Roman V. Yampolskiy

Keyword(s):

Complex Systems ◽

Research And Development ◽

Social Engineering ◽

Great Power ◽

Future Research ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Safety Issues ◽

The World ◽

Particular Solution ◽

Definition Of

Superintelligent systems are likely to present serious safety issues, since such entities would have great power to control the future according to their possibly misaligned goals or motivation systems. Oracle AIs (OAI) are confined AIs that can only answer questions and do not act in the world, represent one particular solution to this problem. However even Oracles are not particularly safe: humans are still vulnerable to traps, social engineering, or simply becoming dependent on the OAI. But OAIs are still strictly safer than general AIs, and there are many extra layers of precautions we can add on top of these. This paper begins with the definition of the OAI Confinement Problem. After analysis of existing solutions and their shortcomings, a protocol is proposed aimed at making a more secure confinement environment which might delay negative effects from a potentially unfriendly superintelligence while allowing for future research and development of superintelligent systems.

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Waste management scheme and way forward for during and post COVID-19

Applied Science and Technology Annals ◽

10.3126/asta.v1i1.30282 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 113-118

Author(s):

Rabindra Prasad Dhakal

Keyword(s):

Waste Management ◽

Public Perception ◽

Kathmandu Valley ◽

Who Guidelines ◽

Major City ◽

Safety Issues ◽

The Public ◽

Management Scheme ◽

Per Capita ◽

And Behavior

The SARS-CoV-2 or/andCOVID-19 may have contaminated the wastes, which need especial precaution as suggested by WHO guidelines. WHO also suggested that no cases have been reported of infection from the waste workers working on infected wastes so far. However, in case of Nepal, 50% wastes used to be collected at the time 2011, which seems significantly improving as high as 81% in sampled areas. In COVID period, the concern was raised on safety issues of waste workers as suggested by RDT positive, hence, the public perception of waste management, the scope of recycling of wastes and up streaming of waste materials as economical commodities with proper intervention of technologies, awareness and behavior is incorporated in this study. It is estimated that the total Plastic wastes of major city centers could be significantly turned into useful products including fuel. For example, Kathmandu Valley can extract 24,298 KL oil from wastes plastics, which is based on calculation of waste per capita, waste composition and conversion ratio. Hence, the COVID-19 pandemic could be turn into opportunities in the sector of waste management provided we act wisely.

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A Systematic Approach for Quantitative Environmental Assessment of Seafloor Massive Sulfide Mining

29th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering: Volume 3 ◽

10.1115/omae2010-20248 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Tetsuo Yamazaki ◽

Masahito Ikemoto ◽

Naoki Nakatani ◽

Rei Arai

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impacts ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Systematic Approach ◽

Massive Sulfide ◽

Effective Control ◽

Local Environments ◽

Quantitative Understanding ◽

Global And Local ◽

Seafloor Massive Sulfide ◽

International Initiative

Seafloor massive sulfides have been a subject of interest for profitable commercial mining these ten years. However, less information is available for both the baseline ecosystems in the distribution areas and the environmental impacts on them caused by the mining. Owing to growing concern for the global and local environments, the quantitative understanding of the environmental impacts, the systematic environmental assessment, and the effective control and regulation methods of seafloor massive sulfide mining must be clarified. A systematic approach necessary for the clarification is discussed. An example design of artificial impact experiment and the monitoring are introduced. An international initiative is proposed.

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Acceptance of COVID-19 preventive measures as a tradeoff between health and social outcomes

10.31234/osf.io/ytz8p ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Aymery Constant ◽

Donaldson ◽

Karine Gallopel-Morvan ◽

Jocelyn Raude

Keyword(s):

Process Model ◽

Online Survey ◽

Open Space ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Perceived Efficacy ◽

Protective Measures ◽

Perceived Severity ◽

Acceptance Rates ◽

Effective Public Health

Background: A better understanding of the factors underlying their acceptance may contribute greatly to the design of more effective public health programs during the current and future pandemics. The objectives of the present study were to assess their acceptance after populations experienced their negative effects, and their relationships with COVID-19 perceptions.Methods: Data were collected from 2004 individuals through an online survey conducted 6 to 8 weeks after the first lockdown in France. Participants were asked whether they supported eight COVID-19 preventive measures. COVID-19-related perceptions were also assessed using an adapted version of Witte’s Extended Parallel Process Model, together with sociodemographic and environmental variables.Results: Acceptance rate reached 86.1 % for individual protective measures, such as make mask mandatory in public open space, and 70.0% for collective restrictions, such as isolating the most vulnerable people (80%) or forbidding public gatherings (79.3%). The least popular restrictions were closing all schools/universities and non-essential commerce such as bars and restaurants (57.2%). Acceptance of collective restrictions was positively associated with their perceived efficacy, fear, and perceived severity of COVID-19, and negatively with age older than 60 years. Acceptance of individual protective measures was associated with their perceived efficacy, fear, and perceived severity of COVID-19.Discussion: Acceptance rates of COVID-19 preventive measures were rather high, but varied according to their perceived social cost, and were more related to collective than personal protection. Preventive measures that minimize social costs while controlling the spread of the disease are more likely to be accepted during pandemics.

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National illegal wildlife trafficking of threatened species: a descriptive study in Manabí (Ecuador)

La Granja ◽

10.17163/lgr.n35.2022.03 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sofía Crespo ◽

Carlos Solórzano ◽

Josè Guerrero-Casado

Keyword(s):

Biodiversity Conservation ◽

Threatened Species ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Local Scale ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Clear Preference ◽

Wildlife Trafficking ◽

Global And Local ◽

International Threat

Illegal wildlife trafficking has negative effects on biodiversity conservation at both global and local scale. Therefore, the establishment of appropriate conservation measures requires local studies that quantify this problem. The objective of this work was to quantify and characterize the species of birds and mammals seized in the period 2016-2017, at the Valle Alto Wildlife Rescue Centre and Wildlife Refuge. The study showed that 212 specimens belonging to 41 different species were confiscated. More birds than mammals were confiscated, and a greater proportion of birds were included in a national and international threat category. A clear preference for primates, parrots and squirrels was found. Furthermore, the presence of species with a distribution range outside the study area revealed the existence of the transportation of species from other parts of the country. Although these data are only a sample of what is actually trafficked in the country, they provide an approach of the type of species that are illegally trafficked in this biodiversity hotspot.

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The Nairobi Pork Value Chain: Mapping and Assessment of Governance, Challenges, and Food Safety Issues

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2021.581376 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Maurice K. Murungi ◽

Dishon M. Muloi ◽

Patrick Muinde ◽

Samuel Maina Githigia ◽

James Akoko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Safety ◽

Value Chain ◽

Management Practices ◽

Food System ◽

Male Dominance ◽

Small Scale ◽

Scale Production ◽

Safety Issues ◽

Governance Challenges ◽

Lack Of Knowledge

The Nairobi pork food system is a growing livestock sub-sector which serves as a source of food and livelihood to its inhabitants. The study aimed to map Nairobi's pork value chains, assess their governance, operational challenges and their impacts on food safety risks and management practices. Qualitative data were collected in seven focus group discussions and 10 key informants' interviews on animal movements and product flows, stakeholders' interactions, perceptions on system governance and challenges, and on their potential impact on food safety management. Quantitative data were obtained to show the importance of flows, business operations and market share. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes that provide understanding on the governance, challenges and food safety practices in each profile. The predominant chains identified were [1] The “large integrated company” profile which accounted for 83.6% of pork marketed through abattoirs, and was based on a well-structured supply system, with owned farms (representing 50% of their supply), contract farms and semi-contract farms and [2] Local independent abattoirs, accounting for 16.4%, are privately owned small-scale production, supplied mainly (70%) by small farmers from the immediate neighboring areas. The main challenges associated with governance themes included; (i) Inadequate/lack of enforcement of existing regulation (ii) Negative effect of devolution system of governance (iii) Pig traders' dominance (iii) Lack of association at all system nodes, and (iv) Male dominance across the pig system. The main challenges reported included; (i) Lack of capital to upscale (ii) Poor infrastructure (iii) Pig shortage (iv) Excessive regulation (v) Lack of training (vi) Diseases (v) Lack of knowledge (vi) Unfair competition. Food safety themes were associated with (i) Inadequate slaughter facilities forcing traders/farmers to undertake home slaughter (ii) Lack of knowledge on disease management (iii) Lack of training on hygienic practices in the slaughterhouse and (iv) Lack/insufficient capital to purchase equipment's to ensure proper hygiene e.g., boilers. The study provides insights into the structure of the pork system supplying Nairobi, the governance issues important to the stakeholders, challenges and food safety issues. The framework obtained can be used by policy makers and researchers to investigate and develop pork industry and for food safety and disease control programmes.

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