Mapping the influence: Institutional blockholder coordination and climate change risk disclosure.

This study investigates the relationship between institutional blockholder coordination, proxied by geographic proximity, and climate change risk disclosure. Using a sample of 2,887 firm-year observations for S&P 500 companies from 2010 to 2022, we reveal that a firm's climate change risk disclosure decreases when its institutional blockholders are more coordinated. In addition, we find that the negative relationship between institutional blockholder coordination and climate change risk disclosure manifests more in firms with less diversified institutional blockholders, a smaller number of institutional blockholders, a prominent position to their blockholders, and more dedicated institutional blockholder ownership.

Assessment and Exposure Analysis of Trace Metals in Different Age Groups of the Male Population in Southern Punjab, Pakistan.

In developing countries, like Pakistan, the pursuit of urbanization and economic development disrupts the delicate ecosystem, resulting in additional biogeochemical emissions of heavy metals into the human habitat and posing significant health risks. The levels of these trace elements in humans remain unknown in areas at higher risk of pollution in Pakistan. In this investigation, selected trace metals including Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb) Cadmium (Cd), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), and Arsenic (As) were examined in human hair, urine, and nail samples of different age groups from three major cities (Muzaffargarh, Multan, and Vehari) in Punjab province, Pakistan.

Fortifying Smart Home Security: A Robust and Efficient User-Authentication Scheme to Counter Node Capture Attacks.

In smart home environments, the interaction between a remote user and devices commonly occurs through a gateway, necessitating the need for robust user authentication. Despite numerous state-of-the-art user-authentication schemes proposed over the years, these schemes still suffer from security vulnerabilities exploited by the attackers. One severe physical attack is the node capture attack, which allows adversaries to compromise the security of the entire scheme.

Enhancing Security and Privacy in Healthcare Systems Using a Lightweight RFID Protocol.

Exploiting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in healthcare systems has become a common practice, as it ensures better patient care and safety. However, these systems are prone to security vulnerabilities that can jeopardize patient privacy and the secure management of patient credentials. This paper aims to advance state-of-the-art approaches by developing more secure and private RFID-based healthcare systems.

An Insight into the Machine-Learning-Based Fileless Malware Detection.

In recent years, massive development in the malware industry changed the entire landscape for malware development. Therefore, cybercriminals became more sophisticated by advancing their development techniques from file-based to fileless malware. As file-based malware depends on files to spread itself, on the other hand, fileless malware does not require a traditional file system and uses benign processes to carry out its malicious intent.

Getting Smarter about Smart Cities: Improving Data Security and Privacy through Compliance.

Smart cities assure the masses a higher quality of life through digital interconnectivity, leading to increased efficiency and accessibility in cities. In addition, a huge amount of data is being exchanged through smart devices, networks, cloud infrastructure, big data analysis and Internet of Things (IoT) applications in the various private and public sectors, such as critical infrastructures, financial sectors, healthcare, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). However, these sectors require maintaining certain security mechanisms to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of personal and critical information.

Kinetic of the Antibody Response Following AddaVax-Adjuvanted Immunization with Recombinant Influenza Antigens.

Notwithstanding the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, influenza virus infection still represents a global health concern in terms of hospitalizations and possible pandemic threats. The objective of next-generation influenza vaccines is not only to increase the breadth of response but also to improve the elicitation of an effective and robust immune response, especially in high-risk populations. To achieve this second objective, the administration of adjuvanted influenza vaccines has been considered.

Mercury fractionation, bioavailability, and the major factors predicting its transfer and accumulation in soil-wheat systems.

Soil mercury (Hg) and its bioaccumulation in food crops have attracted widespread concerns globally due to its harmful effects on biota. However, soil mercury fractionation, bioavailability, and the major factors predicting its transfer and accumulation in soil-wheat-systems have not been thoroughly explored. Twenty-one (21) soil samples collected throughout China with a wide spectrum of physico-chemical characteristics were contaminated with HgCl and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.

Next generation live-attenuated influenza vaccine platforms.

Introduction: Influenza virus is a major cause of seasonal epidemics and intermittent pandemics. Despite the current molecular biology and vaccine development, influenza virus infection is a significant burden. Vaccines are considered an essential countermeasure for effective control and prevention of influenza virus infection.

Phytoavailability and transfer of mercury in soil-pepper system: Influencing factors, fate, and predictive approach for effective management of metal-impacted spiked soils.

Mercury (Hg) contamination and accumulation in food crops is a global threat posing potential health risk to humans. However, Hg phytoavailability in soil-pepper system and its influencing factors largely remain unknown. In this study, a greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to grow peppers using 21 Chinese agricultural soils with varied soil properties and aged Hg levels.

Sustainable economic activities, climate change, and carbon risk: an international evidence.

The employment of renewable resources and their association with the real economy's growth in mitigating the problem of carbon emission risk has been debated in the literature in a specific group of countries and regions. However, their relations and effects for a better sustainable energy transmission would need further research works in an international context. Motivated by that reason, this study contributes to the ongoing literature by revisiting the effects of renewable energy consumption, electricity output, and economic activities on carbon risk using a global sample of 219 countries over the period of 1990-2020.

Do firm-level sustainability targets drive environmental innovation? Insights from BRICS Economies.

This paper examines the relationship between sustainability targets and their impacts on corporate environmental innovation. Using data over the period 2009-2018 on 202 companies from BRICS countries, covering firm-level governance, social responsibility and sustainability this paper examines firm-level sustainability targets, and incentives encourage managers to engage in more environmentally friendly activities. Using panel data probit regression, and after controlling for country-level governance and institutional factors, the study finds that embedding environmental targets in corporate strategy does encourage corporate managers to design and develop eco-friendly products and services, and such firm-level commitments at the top motivates managers to promote, market, and label environmentally friendly products.

Multinational corporations and human right violations in emerging economies: Do commitment to social and environmental responsibility matter?

With the surge in economic growth in the global-north vis-a-vis social and economic inequalities in the global-south (north-south dichotomy), there is an increasing requirement for critical research and an examination of the policy implications with respect to human rights in emerging economies. This paper draws on the concept of convergence and institutional theories to enhance our understanding of how multinational corporations (MNCs) fulfil their profit maximisation agendas using capitalist principles; and the extent to which these ideologies produce human rights violations in emerging economies. Using multiple data sources from the Human Rights Watch, our study provides a comprehensive list of various human rights violations perpetrated by MNCs from 2002 to 2017.

Secure Smart Cameras by Aggregate-Signcryption with Decryption Fairness for Multi-Receiver IoT Applications.

Smart cameras are key sensors in Internet of Things (IoT) applications and often capture highly sensitive information. Therefore, security and privacy protection is a key concern. This paper introduces a lightweight security approach for smart camera IoT applications based on elliptic-curve (EC) signcryption that performs data signing and encryption in a single step.