Fortifying Healthcare and Essential Infrastructure with AI-Driven Cybersecurity Technologies

Determinants of intention to get vaccinated against novel (pandemic) influenza A H1N1 among health-care workers in a nationwide survey

Neighbourhoods are centres of micro-level anthropogenic activities. The built environment of a neighbourhood can have varying impacts on the lives of children and adults due to the differences in their activity and accessibility patterns. There is a notable variance in the availability and accessibility of diverse infrastructures tailored to children at the local community level. A comprehensive empirical investigation was carried out to gain insights into the perspectives of 813 predominantly middle-income urban residents in Kolkata, India, regarding the infrastructure requirements of children in their respective neighbourhoods. This research investigated the key determinants that influence individuals’ selection of residential locations, as well as the residents’ perceptions regarding traffic-related issues and the levels of neighbourhood cohesion. Furthermore, an evaluation of the quality of existing children-centric infrastructures and the preferred amenities was conducted. The findings indicate that proximity to the school was regarded to be the least significant factor in determining where individuals chose to reside. Local parks and playgrounds were the most popular locations for children to engage in physical, social, and recreational activities, according to the study. The provision of parks, playgrounds, and open spaces was deemed the most essential physical infrastructure, followed by resting benches and surveillance facilities such as CCTV. In addition, the provision of adequate healthcare infrastructure and libraries was viewed as a vital component of social infrastructure. This study is a valuable resource for policymakers, urban planners, and practitioners in promoting child-friendly urban environments and attaining sustainable urban development in the context of the Global South.

Aim: This study critically examines the systematic targeting of healthcare services in the Gaza Strip, positioning these attacks as a deliberate form of medicide. This concept, defined as the intentional destruction of healthcare systems in conflict zones, highlights violations of international humanitarian law and underscores the broader implications for global health security and human rights. Methods: Employing an observational-descriptive retrospective design, the study utilized data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international reports. Advanced correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify the relationships between attack frequency, infrastructure damage, mortality, and disruptions in emergency medical services. Temporal trends and attack patterns were further analyzed to assess the cumulative impact on healthcare systems. Results: The findings reveal that over a one-year period, healthcare facilities, ambulances, and personnel in the Gaza Strip were subjected to systematic assaults, resulting in extensive infrastructure damage and significant loss of life. A sharp escalation in attacks was observed in the first six months, coinciding with increased mortality rates and service disruption. Strong statistical correlations confirm the profound impact of these attacks on the functionality and sustainability of healthcare systems, exacerbating the region’s humanitarian crisis. Conclusion: This study identifies medicide as a systematic strategy to dismantle essential healthcare infrastructure, with devastating consequences for vulnerable populations. It calls for urgent international action to reinforce legal frameworks, enhance protective mechanisms, and prioritize the resilience of healthcare systems in conflict settings. By advancing the discourse on the intersection of healthcare, conflict, and international law, this study provides a critical foundation for future policy and advocacy efforts.

Healthcare real estate investment trusts (REITs) play a critical role in financing essential healthcare infrastructure, but the performance implications of their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) engagements remain under‐researched. Drawing on the resource‐based theory, this study examines the ESG‐firm performance relationship in the global healthcare REIT industry. We apply a two‐step approach combining data envelopment analysis and regression models. Specifically, ESG performance is measured via firm‐level ESG scores, while firm performance is assessed through corporate efficiency scores and well‐known financial metrics, using data from the London Stock Exchange Group database (2016–2023). The results show that overall ESG performance is positively associated with corporate efficiency. However, individual ESG dimensions exhibit varying effects on the performance indicators. These findings contribute to the ESG literature in niche real estate sectors and provide policy insights for sustainable investment strategies in healthcare real estate.

Data on cardiovascular disease, including arrhythmias, in Africa is limited. However, the burden of cardiovascular disease appears to be on the rise. Recent global data suggests an increase in atrial fibrillation rates despite declining rates of rheumatic heart disease. Atrial fibrillation is also associated with increased mortality in Africa. Current management with medical therapy is sub-optimal and ablation procedures, inaccessible. Atrial fibrillation is also an independent risk factor for death in patients with rheumatic heart disease. Sudden cardiac deaths from ventricular arrhythmias are under-recognized and inadequately treated with very high rates out of hospital cardiac arrest due to poor education of the general public on cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills and lack of essential healthcare infrastructure. Use of cardiac devices such as implantable defibrillators and pacemakers is low with significant regional variations and is almost non-existent in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a great unmet need for arrhythmia diagnosis and management in Africa. Governments and healthcare stakeholders need to include cardiovascular disease as a healthcare priority given the rising burden of disease and associated mortality.

Critical infrastructures (CIs) ranging from energy, finance, telecom, healthcare, water, and transport infrastructures form the basis of societal stability and economic consistency for various countries. These CIs themselves are progressing at an unprecedented pace into these new paradigm shifts of cloud computing and virtualization technologies, and Internet of Things (IoT) integration and 5G networks; simultaneously experiencing an ever-expanding set of more complex threats to their cybersecurity. The paper would examine these new trends and outlooks related to critical infrastructure security with knowledge gained from research studies offered by Maglaras et al. (2022) related to this topic and with novel perspectives introduced hereinafter. These trends and outlooks would cover IT/OT integration, vulnerabilities found within traditional infrastructural systems with age factors, unshared visibility with distributed systems infrastructure, and threats posed to these infrastructures with ever-growing supply chains, among others. Cloud computing, Edge intelligence, artificial intelligence, blockchain, or 5G/6G technologies represent new areas of promising security and exciting areas of potential risks. By providing an overview of case studies reported in recent years related to the energy sector, financial industry, telecommunication industry, and healthcare sector, this paper draws attention to real-life consequences of CI compromise and risks associated with interdependent infrastructure systems. Recommendations provided at the end of this study could focus on developing technical specifications at national or International Governments to adapt and overcome these risks related to critical infrastructure security. It’s an interdisciplinary and international challenge to ensure essential infrastructure security.