"How can the lightly armed white-hulled and blue-hulled ships of China's coast guard and maritime militia defeat the heavily armed gray-hulled navies of the U.S. and its allies? Nowhere is this ...urgent question explored more exhaustively than in this incisive book. It should serve as a wake-up call for the American military." -J. William Middendorf, former Secretary of the Navy.
The data from the Central Register of Vehicles and Drivers (CEPiK) shows that currently 22,071,753 citizens have driving licenses in Poland. In 2021, nearly 23 thousand road accidents, occurring on ...public roads, in residential areas or in traffic zones, have been reported to the police. As a result, 2,245 people have been killed and 26,415 were injured, 8,276 of which heavily. At the Toxicological Analysis Section of the Institute of Forensic Research (PAT IES), for over a decade more than half of the cases are related to drivers. In 2021, the percentage was 53.3%, while earlier, before the COVID-19 pandemy, nearly 2/3 of all cases sent to the PAT IES concerned drivers (for example, in 2016 it was 65.8%). Taking into account only the drivers who were involved in a road accident, the number of cases has fluctuated around 40% over the last decade. Traffic safety depends on many factors including: drugs, alcohol consumption, some diseases that the person operating the vehicle may suffer from, medicines and even the age and sex of the driver, which have been the subject of research in Europe, including Poland over the years. It resulted in many guidelines of non-governmental institutions and reports from research projects like eg. IMMORTAL, ICADTS, DRUID, EMCDDA which are than reflected in European and Polish legislation. The reports of the aforementioned institutions and research projects show that the perpetrators of road accidents are more often young men (up to 24 years of age) than women of the same age. For drivers aged ≥25 years, women are more likely to cause accidents, especially those over the age of 75. Among the diseases that affect safety in land traffic there are, among others vision impairment, hearing impairment, mental illness and diabetes. The annually declining number of road accidents in Poland is somehow reflected in the PAT IES statistics. Despite this favourable trend, the factors influencing the risk of an accident remain unchanged. The occurrence of a real danger on the road is still mainly influenced by the so-called ‘human factor’, and in particular the broadly understood ‘state’ of the driver. However, other factors should also be taken into account, such as the technical condition of the vehicle which may also directly contribute to the occurrence of such an event. The guidelines and legal restrictions on road safety that have changed in recent years seem to have brought the desired effects, however, the subject still requires further research and implementation of new solutions, suitable for the dynamically changing situation.
Several studies in foreign literatures indicated an increase in health-related problems induced by alcohol use as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic accompanying limitations on mobility. However, ...there were a handful of previous research on alcohol usage in the Philippines, particularly in Higher Education Institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. With this current gap in mind, this study evaluated alcohol use among students at a Higher Education Institution in Metro Manila in order to offer evidence-based data for the formulation of alcohol-related health policy. Furthermore, this study is critical in developing an intervention program to assist students in diverting their focus away from alcohol intake. This study used an online survey form, with 564 students participated. The findings revealed that respondents have different preferences and patterns. Almost all of the respondents are aware of the dangers of excessive alcoholic beverage consumption; a large percentage determined that they do not have a drinking problem; a small percentage revealed that they have tried driving while under the influence of alcohol; and more than one-fourth of the respondents drank at least one glass of alcoholic beverages during enhanced community quarantine. The chi-squared test was also utilized to assess the difference between COVID-19 lockdowns and alcohol consumptions.
A growing literature discusses the effectiveness of business innovation modes on innovation performance. In particular, the innovation mode based on the application of science and technology drivers ...-STI- (e.g. R collaboration with universities) is analysed and compared to the mode based on learning-by-doing, by-using and by-interacting -DUI- (e.g. teamwork, collaboration with suppliers). These modes express the archetypical strategies firms use to innovate. The literature has long identified specificities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, in this study we segment this group of enterprises and inquire the peculiar innovation modes adopted by these firms as we expect SMEs to be less homogeneous than typically expected. Here, we distinguish between internal STI and DUI drivers, and external STI and DUI drivers as we expect firms of different sizes to compete through different combinations of drivers. Complementarily, we investigate the impact of these drivers on innovation output across these types of firms. The results show the effective adoption of internal STI drivers across micro/small firms, and the well-rounded approach taken by medium-sized firms. Large firms show a more limited effectiveness of external STI and DUI drivers, which seems to be linked to a selective approach to innovation.
Understanding technical knowledge acquisition modes in organic farming (i.e., how organic farmers learn about the means and methods underpinning the practice of organic agriculture) and how such ...learning modes and subsequent knowledge affect environmental sustainability constitutes a necessary condition to develop a more sustainable type of agriculture. Using survey data from 358 organically certified Spanish farms, this paper analyzes the role of educational and research institutions, advisory organizations, and sectoral organizations when it comes to promoting different types of knowledge acquisition pathways among organic farmers, as well as the degree of effectiveness of such learning alternatives and the acquired technical knowledge vis-à-vis environmental sustainability. The results obtained show that sectoral organizations are the most relevant actor and that a balance is needed between social interaction-based and codification-grounded learning pathways to facilitate the acquisition of technical knowledge by organic farmers and thus contribute to environmental sustainability.
•Sectoral organizations constitute the most relevant knowledge promoters.•A balance is needed between social interaction- and codification-based learning.•ICT-based learning proves to be highly effective.•Mastering ICT applications for farm management boosts environmental sustainability.•Formal education is negatively related to environmental sustainability.
Aims
To determine whether and to what extent acute cannabis intoxication increases motor vehicle crash risk.
Design
Study 1 replicates two published meta‐analyses, correcting for methodological ...shortcomings. Study 2 is an updated meta‐analysis using 28 estimates from 21 observational studies. These included studies from three earlier reviews, supplemented by results from a structured search in Web of Science and Google Scholar, and by the personal libraries of the research team. Risk estimates were combined using random‐effects models and meta‐regression techniques.
Setting
Study 1 replicates the analysis of Asbridge et al., based on nine studies from five countries, published 1982–2007; and Li et al., based on nine studies from six countries, published 2001–10. Study 2 involves studies from 13 countries published in the period 1982–2015.
Participants
In study 1, total counts extracted totalled 50 877 (27 967 cases, 22 910 controls) for Asbridge et al. and 93 229 (4236 cases and 88 993 controls) for Li et al. Study 2 used confounder‐adjusted estimates where available (combined sample size of 222 511) and crude counts from the remainder (17 228 total counts), giving a combined sample count of 239 739.
Measurements
Odds ratios (OR) were used from case–control studies and adjusted OR analogues from culpability studies. The impact of the substantial variation in confounder adjustment was explored in subsample analyses.
Findings
Study 1 substantially revises previous risk estimates downwards, with both the originally reported point estimates lying outside the revised confidence interval. Revised estimates were similar to those of study 2, which found cannabis‐impaired driving associated with a statistically significant risk increase of low‐to‐moderate magnitude random‐effects model OR 1.36 (1.15–1.61), meta‐regression OR 1.22 (1.1–1.36). Subsample analyses found higher OR estimates for case–control studies, low study quality, limited control of confounders, medium‐quality use data and not controlling for alcohol intoxication.
Conclusions
Acute cannabis intoxication is associated with a statistically significant increase in motor vehicle crash risk. The increase is of low to medium magnitude. Remaining selection effects in the studies used may limit causal interpretation of the pooled estimates.
•We propose a new measurement conception for the DUI and STI modes of innovation•Based on 81 interviews with firm representatives and regional innovation consultants, we distinguish 15 DUI learning ...processes•A set of 47 indicators for measuring the DUI mode of innovation is derived•The new DUI indicators complement existing STI measurement approaches•Empirical analysis based on the new indicators can guide policy makers to better support DUI-related innovation activity
The ‘doing-using-interacting’ (DUI) mode of innovation describes informal innovative activities and it can be juxtaposed with the ‘science-technology-innovation’ (STI) mode based on deliberate research and development. While both modes contribute substantially but differently to technological progress, our empirical understanding of DUI mode innovative activity suffers from the lack of a comprehensive measurement approach. While empirical measurement of the STI mode is well established, empirical indicators for DUI activities are scarce and no consensus has emerged concerning its constituting learning processes. We propose a new measurement conception for innovative activity and based on 81 in-depth interviews with German firms and regional innovation consultants. We derive fifteen categories of DUI mode learning processes and a comprehensive set of 47 indicators comprising both established and new DUI indicators for empirical measurement. This new measurement conception and the respective indicators provide a holistic perspective and their application can be used to increase our understanding of the importance of DUI mode innovative activity, as well as guiding policy-makers.
Hong Kong's story in the Second World War has been predominantly told as a story of the British forces and their defeat on Christmas Day 1941. But there is another story: the Chinese guerrilla forces ...who harassed the Japanese throughout the occupation pla
The paper investigates the knowledge drivers of firms' eco-innovations (EI) by retaining the diverse nature of their target. Different internal and external knowledge sources are examined and the ...evidence of EI-modes is searched for with respect to a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms covering the 2007–2009 and 2010–2012 periods. An “attenuated” Science, Technology, EI-mode prevails internally, with R&D more pivotal than either embodied or disembodied non-R&D knowledge, depending on the EI strategy. Externally, synthetic knowledge matters more than the analytical one, suggesting instead a Doing, Using, Interacting EI-mode. Hence, a dichotomic combination of the two modes emerges across the firm's boundaries. However, remarkable differences are in place, depending on whether EIs target efficiency or non-efficiency related environmental improvements. Our evidence also shows that internal and external knowledge turn out difficult to combine, both within and across modes.
This study focuses on the collaboration patterns that small firms hold with other agents within liberal market economies and identifies the collaborative drivers that in this context deliver a ...superior impact on innovation output measured by product and process innovations. To explore this research question, the study combines the literature on innovation systems with a growing literature on business innovation modes that studies whether businesses are driven by science and technology factors (STI), or experience-based factors such as learning-by-doing, by-using and by-interacting (DUI). In the UK liberal market economy, universities and research centres are expected to play a critical role for innovation well beyond the typical impact they produce in coordinated market economies. This hypothesis is largely verified through our empirical evidence. Methodologically, this research is developed through the application of propensity score matching in the context of the UK longitudinal small business survey (LSBS) for 2015.
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