From Google Scholar & other sources: Selected Journal Articles, Newsletters, Dissertations, Theses

Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine
Article in Press
Evidence Aid: a resource for those preparing for and responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and major healthcare emergencies
Claire Allen*
DOI: 10.1111/jebm.12127
Abstract
This article describes the dissemination and knowledge transfer activities of Evidence Aid, which was established after the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 to provide a single source of evidence that would help people make well-informed decisions when preparing for and responding to disasters. Evidence Aid has a dedicated website (www.EvidenceAid.org) to provide access to more than 160 systematic reviews and several other documents relevant to people working on disaster risk reduction, planning, response, recovery, rehabilitation and resilience. It combines this with a social media presence and Special Collections that bundle together related Cochrane Reviews (www.TheCochraneLibrary.com). The aim is to make it easier for users who need this evidence and don’t have time to browse through multiple documents and distill them before making their decisions. Evidence Aid will continue to identify and share resources and knowledge with those who most need it at the time that they need it most. It is working with several partners to identify relevant Cochrane and non-Cochrane systematic reviews and is engaging with users who, by sharing their information and their knowledge needs, will allow Evidence Aid to target its efforts to these priority areas.
International Community Law Review
Volume 16, Issue 4, pages 399 – 404
Introduction: The Use of Private Military and Security Companies by the United Nations
Elżbieta Karska1 and Karol Karski2
Publication Year : 2014
DOI: 10.1163/18719732-12341286
Abstract
The work of private military and security contractors is extremely controversial from the point of view of international law and of practice. Sometimes there are doubts as to whether some of their activities should be considered legal activities or illegal mercenarism. Like any other entities using force, they can violate human rights as well as international humanitarian law. They provide their services to, amongst others, states and intergovernmental organisations, including the un. This requires a precise definition of the rules under which such contractors operate, both with regard to the law of treaties and the domestic law of the entities using their services. A question also arises as to whether there is any legal limit to their services being used by intergovernmental organisations, i.e. entities deriving their competences from the will of their member states. The work of the un is an interesting example here. The organisation uses such contractors, but on the other hand, it undertakes various activities to eliminate any potential threats in this respect.
Wireless Communications, IEEE
Volume:21 Issue:5
Cognitive radio for disaster response networks: survey, potential, and challenges
Ghafoor, S. ; University College Cork, Ireland ; Sutton, P.D. ; Sreenan, C.J. ; Brown, K.N.
Abstract
In the wake of a natural or man-made disaster, restoration of telecommunications is essential. First responders must coordinate their responses, immediate casualties require assistance, and all affected citizens may need to access information and contact friends and relatives. Existing access and core infrastructure may be damaged or destroyed, so to support the required services, new infrastructure must be rapidly deployed and integrated with undamaged resources still in place. This new equipment should be flexible enough to interoperate with legacy systems and heterogeneous technologies. The ability to selforganize is essential in order to minimize any delays associated with manual configuration. Finally, it must be robust and reliable enough to support mission-critical applications. Wireless systems can be more easily reconfigured than wired solutions to adapt to the various changes in the operating environment that can occur in a disaster scenario. A cognitive radio is one that can observe its operating environment, make decisions and reconfigure in response to these observations, and learn from experience. This article examines the use of cognitive radio technologies for disaster response networks and shows that they are ideally suited to fulfill the unique requirements of these networks. Key enabling technologies for realizing real-world cognitive radio networks for disaster response are discussed and core challenges are examined.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Available online 1 November 2014 In Press, Accepted Manuscript — Note to users
The impact of disaster work on community volunteers: The role of peri-traumatic distress, level of personal affectiveness, sleep quality and resource loss, on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and subjective health
Sigridur B. Thormar, Berthold P.R. Gersons, Maria Nelden Djakababa, Thorlakur Karlsson, Miranda Olff
Highlights
:: We carry out longitudinal research, 6,-12,-18 months post-disaster in community volunteers
:: We measure levels of post-traumatic distress and subjective health complaints
:: Level of complaints is still high at 18 months
:: Paying attention to quality of sleep in volunteers may reduce mental health complaints
:: Supplimenting lost resources of the volunteers may reduce mental health complaints
Abstract
Disaster work has shown to cause PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints in professional emergency personnel. However, very little is known about how disaster work affects community volunteers.
This first time longitudinal study examined factors contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD) and subjective health complaints in volunteers working in an earthquake setting. At six and eighteen months post disaster, a sample of 506 Indonesian Red Cross volunteers were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory. Factors analysed in relation to the outcomes included: peri-traumatic distress, level of personal affectedness by the disaster, sleep quality and loss of resources as a consequence of the disaster.
At 18 months post-disaster the findings showed high levels of PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints. Quality of sleep was related to both outcomes but resource loss only to PTSD symptoms. Neither peri-traumatic distress nor level of affectedness by the disaster (external versus directly affected volunteers), were predictive of symptoms. This study indicates that characteristics of disaster work e.g. low quality of sleep, may be an important contributor to PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints in volunteers.