Ethical dilemmas related to predictions and warnings of impending natural disaster

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-252
Author(s):  
Kai-Lit Phua, PhD ◽  
J. W. Hue, BS
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disaster ◽  
Global Justice ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Individual Autonomy ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Legal Proceedings

Scientists and policy makers issuing predictions and warnings of impending natural disaster are faced with two major challenges, that is, failure to warn and issuing a false alarm. The consequences of failure to warn can be serious for society overall, for example, significant economic losses, heavy infrastructure and environmental damage, large number of human casualties, and social disruption. Failure to warn can also have serious for specific individuals, for example, legal proceedings against disaster research scientists, as in the L’Aquila earthquake affair. The consequences of false alarms may be less serious. Nevertheless, false alarms may violate the principle of nonmaleficence (do no harm), affect individual autonomy (eg, mandatory evacuations), and may result in the “cry wolf” effect. Other ethical issues associated with natural disasters include the promotion of global justice through international predisaster technical assistance and postdisaster aid. Social justice within a particular country is promoted through greater postdisaster aid allocation to the less privileged.

A Study of Multi-Method Based Subsea Pipeline Leak Detection System

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyao Li ◽  
Tianyu Zhang ◽  
Weidong Ruan ◽  
Yong Bai ◽  
Chuntian Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Pattern Recognition ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Leak Detection ◽  
Recognition System ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Ratio Test ◽  
Balance Principle ◽  
Statistical Analysis Method

Pipelines are of most importance to subsea systems. The leakage of pipelines which may be caused by aging or corrosion will lead to serious environmental damage and significant economic losses. In this paper, a submarine pipeline leak detection system is developed to protect environment and also improve the safety of subsea system via quick detection and relatively correct location. The leak detection system includes data acquisition devices, wireless communication devices, the calculation part is also involved, like data processing module, leak detection module, pattern recognition module and positioning module. The corrected flow balance principle and a statistical analysis method, namely Wald’s Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT), are used to decide whether it is leak-free or leak-present. Besides, a pattern recognition system is developed to minimize false alarms. The method of Hydraulic Grade Line was employed to locate the leakage. Our study provides a quick response to leak detection as well as leak location. A quick and convenient method to leak detection and location is provided by this paper.

Using Biomedical Ethics Model to Explore Use of Postmortem Specimens in Tissue Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 234-237
Author(s):  
Stacy A. Drake ◽  
Erica T. Yu
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Biomedical Ethics ◽  
Human Tissues ◽  
Next Of Kin ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Tissue Procurement ◽  
Tissue Research ◽  
Death Investigation ◽  
Medicolegal Death Investigation

Researchers often have a need to conduct human tissue research using postmortem specimens. Medicolegal death investigation organizations are untapped areas for obtaining postmortem human tissues. Because death investigation organizations are not required by law to conduct or support research, an ethical dilemma exists in whether or not researchers should use cadaver tissues for research purposes. This paper analyzes the ethical issues of using human tissues through discussion of principles of biomedical ethics, respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice. Policy makers, organ and tissue procurement organizations, medicolegal death investigation organizations, and scientists should be aware of these principles when considering researchers requests. The authors conclude that with Institutional Review Board approval and next of kin consent, there are prevailing reasons for using postmortem tissue for research.

scholarly journals Health technology assessment in sub-Saharan Africa: a descriptive analysis and narrative synthesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Hollingworth ◽  
Ama Pokuaa Fenny ◽  
Su-Yeon Yu ◽  
Francis Ruiz ◽  
Kalipso Chalkidou
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Technology Assessment ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Main Theme ◽  
Narrative Synthesis ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are moving towards universal health coverage. The process of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) can support decisions relating to benefit package design and service coverage. HTA involves institutional cooperation with agreed methods and procedural standards. We systematically reviewed the literature on policies and capacity building to support HTA institutionalisation in SSA. Methods We systematically reviewed the literature by searching major databases (PubMed, Embase, etc.) until June 2019 using terms considering three aspects: HTA; health policy, decision making; and SSA. We quantitatively extracted and descriptively analysed content and conducted a narrative synthesis eliciting themes from the selected literature, which varied in study type and apporach. Results Half of the 49 papers identified were primary research studies and mostly qualitative. Five countries were represented in six of ten studies; South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. Half of first authors were from SSA. Most informants were policy makers. Five themes emerged: (1) use of HTA; (2) decision-making in HTA; (3) values and criteria for setting priority areas in HTA; (4) involving stakeholders in HTA; and (5) specific examples of progress in HTA in SSA. The first one was the main theme where there was little use of evidence and research in making policy. The awareness of HTA and economic evaluation was low, with inadequate expertise and a lack of local data and tools. Conclusions Despite growing interest in HTA in SSA countries, awareness remains low and HTA-related activities are uncoordinated and often disconnected from policy. Further training and skills development are needed, firmly linked to a strategy focusing on strengthening within-country partnerships, particularly among researchers and policy makers. The international community has an important role here by supporting policy- relevant technical assistance, highlighting that sustainable financing demands evidence-based processes for effective resource allocation, and catalysing knowledge-sharing opportunities among countries facing similar challenges.

scholarly journals Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Wildland Fires: Sensing, Perception, Cooperation and Assistance

Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Moulay A. Akhloufi ◽  
Andy Couturier ◽  
Nicolás A. Castro
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Wildland Fires ◽  
Natural Risk ◽  
Aerial Vehicles

Wildfires represent a significant natural risk causing economic losses, human death and environmental damage. In recent years, the world has seen an increase in fire intensity and frequency. Research has been conducted towards the development of dedicated solutions for wildland fire assistance and fighting. Systems were proposed for the remote detection and tracking of fires. These systems have shown improvements in the area of efficient data collection and fire characterization within small-scale environments. However, wildland fires cover large areas making some of the proposed ground-based systems unsuitable for optimal coverage. To tackle this limitation, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were proposed. UAVs have proven to be useful due to their maneuverability, allowing for the implementation of remote sensing, allocation strategies and task planning. They can provide a low-cost alternative for the prevention, detection and real-time support of firefighting. In this paper, previous works related to the use of UAV in wildland fires are reviewed. Onboard sensor instruments, fire perception algorithms and coordination strategies are considered. In addition, some of the recent frameworks proposing the use of both aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) for a more efficient wildland firefighting strategy at a larger scale are presented.

scholarly journals Ethical dilemmas are really important to potential adopters of autonomous vehicles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tripat Gill
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Social Dilemma ◽  
Innovation Adoption ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Early Adopters ◽  
The Social ◽  
Legal And Ethical Issues ◽  
Theoretical Standpoint

AbstractThe ethical dilemma (ED) of whether autonomous vehicles (AVs) should protect the passengers or pedestrians when harm is unavoidable has been widely researched and debated. Several behavioral scientists have sought public opinion on this issue, based on the premise that EDs are critical to resolve for AV adoption. However, many scholars and industry participants have downplayed the importance of these edge cases. Policy makers also advocate a focus on higher level ethical principles rather than on a specific solution to EDs. But conspicuously absent from this debate is the view of the consumers or potential adopters, who will be instrumental to the success of AVs. The current research investigated this issue both from a theoretical standpoint and through empirical research. The literature on innovation adoption and risk perception suggests that EDs will be heavily weighted by potential adopters of AVs. Two studies conducted with a broad sample of consumers verified this assertion. The results from these studies showed that people associated EDs with the highest risk and considered EDs as the most important issue to address as compared to the other technical, legal and ethical issues facing AVs. As such, EDs need to be addressed to ensure robustness in the design of AVs and to assure consumers of the safety of this promising technology. Some preliminary evidence is provided about interventions to resolve the social dilemma in EDs and about the ethical preferences of prospective early adopters of AVs.

scholarly journals Perceptions of ‘Precision’ and ‘Personalised’ Medicine in Singapore and Associated Ethical Issues

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Serene Ong ◽  
Jeffrey Ling ◽  
Angela Ballantyne ◽  
Tamra Lysaght ◽  
Vicki Xafis
Keyword(s):  
Precision Medicine ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Personalised Medicine ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Genomic Analyses ◽  
Common Understanding

AbstractGovernments are investing in precision medicine (PM) with the aim of improving healthcare through the use of genomic analyses and data analytics to develop tailored treatment approaches for individual patients. The success of PM is contingent upon clear public communications that engender trust and secure the social licence to collect and share large population-wide data sets because specific consent for each data re-use is impractical. Variation in the terminology used by different programmes used to describe PM may hinder clear communication and threaten trust. Language is used to create common understanding and expectations regarding precision medicine between researchers, clinicians and the volunteers. There is a need to better understand public interpretations of PM-related terminology. This paper reports on a qualitative study involving 24 focus group participants in the multi-lingual context of Singapore. The study explored how Singaporeans interpret and understand the terms ‘precision medicine’ and ‘personalised medicine’, and which term they felt more aptly communicates the concept and goals of PM. Results suggest that participants were unable to readily link the terms with this area of medicine and initially displayed preferences for the more familiar term of ‘personalised’. The use of visual aids to convey key concepts resonated with participants, some of whom then indicated preferences for the term ‘precision’ as being a more accurate description of PM research. These aids helped to facilitate dialogue around the ethical and social value, as well as the risks, of PM. Implications for programme developers and policy makers are discussed.

scholarly journals Economic Impacts on Human Health Resulting from the Use of Mercury in the Illegal Gold Mining in the Brazilian Amazon: A Methodological Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11869
Author(s):  
Leonardo Barcellos de Bakker ◽  
Pedro Gasparinetti ◽  
Júlia Mello de Queiroz ◽  
Ana Claudia Santiago de Vasconcellos
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Gold Mining ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Statistical Life ◽  
Life Years ◽  
Methodological Assessment

Artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in the Amazon results in the dumping of tons of mercury into the environment annually. Despite consensus on the impacts of mercury on human health, there are still unknowns regarding: (i) the extent to which mercury from ASGM can be dispersed in the environment until it becomes toxic to humans; and (ii) the economic value of losses caused by contamination becomes evident. The main objective of this study is to propose a methodology to evaluate the impacts of ASGM on human health in different contexts in the Brazilian Amazon. We connect several points in the literature based on hypotheses regarding mercury dispersion in water, its transformation into methylmercury, and absorption by fish and humans. This methodology can be used as a tool to estimate the extent of environmental damage caused by artisanal gold mining, the severity of damage to the health of individuals contaminated by mercury and, consequently, can contribute to the application of fines to environmental violators. The consequences of contamination are evaluated by dose-response functions relating to mercury concentrations in hair and the development of the following health outcomes: (i) mild mental retardation, (ii) acute myocardial infarction, and (iii) hypertension. From disability-adjusted life years and statistical life value, we found that the economic losses range from 100,000 to 400,000 USD per kilogram of gold extracted. A case study of the Yanomami indigenous land shows that the impacts of mercury from illegal gold mining in 2020 totaled 69 million USD, which could be used by local authorities to compensate the Yanomami people.

We Cannot Eat Data

2008 ◽  
pp. 2432-2447
Author(s):  
Barbara Paterson
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
The World ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Holistic Research ◽  
Earth Charter ◽  
Different Parts

Computer ethicists foresee that as information and communication technology (ICT) increasingly pervades more and more aspects of life, ethical issues increasingly will be computer-related. This view is underpinned by the assumption that progress is linear and inevitable. In accordance with this assumption, ICT is promoted as an essential component of development. This notion ignores the cultural origin of computing. Computer technology is a product of the Western worldview, and consequently, the computer revolution is experienced differently by people in different parts of the world. The computer revolution not only threatens to marginalize non-Western cultural traditions, but the Western way of life also has caused large-scale environmental damage. This chapter argues that computer ethics has to critically analyze the links between computing and its effects on cultural diversity and the natural environment and proposes that the Earth Charter can function as a framework for such holistic research.

The Quantitative Analysis Methods and Application of Environmental Impact on Railway Location

2014 ◽  
Vol 522-524 ◽  
pp. 778-782
Author(s):  
Rui Juan Zhang ◽  
Feng Han
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Location Decision ◽  
Environmental Evaluation ◽  
Railway Line ◽  
Monetary Value ◽  
Line Construction ◽  
Protection Cost

Based on the protection cost method, shadow engineering method, and some other discounting methods, the economic losses caused by the environmental damage was equivalent to specific monetary value. And put these methods into the environmental evaluation problems of Xibao railway line construction. After application, it plays an important role in the multi-objective railway location decision-making.

What is the Economics of Wind Hazard Mitigation?

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pataya Scott ◽  
Daan Liang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Hazard Mitigation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Loss Of Life ◽  
Peace Of Mind ◽  
Wind Hazard ◽  
Extreme Winds

AbstractTornadoes, hurricanes, and other extreme winds cause deaths, injuries, and millions, if not billions, of dollars in damages every year in the United States. Mitigation is necessary to reduce the loss of life, anxiety and suffering, and economic losses. But how much are people willing to invest in their peace of mind? Policy makers typically use the range of $1 million to $10 million per life saved to determine whether a policy that would save lives should be implemented. Individuals have shown that they are willing to pay more for homes with upgrades for mitigation and safety even though they would have no insurance incentive and it is likely that the added cost only affords them peace of mind.

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