Risk management in megaprojects.

Despite its high relevance to the success of megaprojects, risk management remains one of the least developed research issues. Risk management is a process composed of several phases. This paper is focused on the first of these phases: risk identification. Our purpose is to establish the state of the art in risk management in megaprojects, systematize the risks studied in the literature, as well as to identify potential areas of further research. To this end, a systematic review is carried out. Academic journals and conference papers published from 2000 onwards in main databases (WoK, Scopus and ABI) have been examined. A qualitative analysis has been performed by using ATLAS.ti together with a checklist. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous systematic revision of papers on risk management in megaprojects has ever been carried out, although certain authors have emphasized its importance. The contribution of this research includes: a bibliometric analysis of the papers that focus on risk management in megaprojects; a systematization and classification of the risks; tw†o matrices comprised of the proposed risk categorization, first in relation to the sector studied, and second related with the different stakeholders; and an identification of gaps in the research in risk management in megaprojects. The systematization of the risks helps managers towards their identification within the megaproject, and to follow the subsequent steps in the risk management process. Moreover, the matrix developed on the transfer of risks can enable managers to analyse who would be the best partner to support each risk. Furthermore, from an academic point of view, potential areas for future lines of research are presented

Risk identification in megaprojects as a crucial phase of risk management: a literature review

The purpose of this study is to perform a literature review of risk management in megaprojects and systematize the risks studied in the literature. A systematic search of the main databases has been performed. The contributions include: (1) a bibliometric analysis of articles; (2) the systematization and classification into nine categories of the risks found in a content analysis of the articles; and (3) the identification of possible areas of interest for research and practice. Risks are comprehensively categorized to assist practitioners during the identification phase, while potential areas for future lines of research are presented for academics.Unión Europea, ACTION COST TU1003 - MEGAPROJECT: El diseño eficaz y la entrega de megaproyecto

Beyond the H2/CO2 upper bound: one-step crystallization and separation of nano-sized ZIF-11 by centrifugation and its application in mixed matrix membranes

The synthesis of nano-sized ZIF-11 with an average size of 36 ± 6 nm is reported. This material has been named nano-zeolitic imidazolate framework-11 (nZIF-11). It has the same chemical composition and thermal stability and analogous H2 and CO2 adsorption properties to the conventional microcrystalline ZIF-11 (i.e. 1.9 ± 0.9 μm). nZIF-11 has been obtained following the centrifugation route, typically used for solid separation, as a fast new technique (pioneering for MOFs) for obtaining nanomaterials where the temperature, time and rotation speed can easily be controlled. Compared to the traditional synthesis consisting of stirring + separation, the reaction time was lowered from several hours to a few minutes when using this centrifugation synthesis technique. Employing the same reaction time (2, 5 or 10 min), micro-sized ZIF-11 was obtained using the traditional synthesis while nano-scale ZIF-11 was achieved only by using centrifugation synthesis. The small particle size obtained for nZIF-11 allowed the use of the wet MOF sample as a colloidal suspension stable in chloroform. This helped to prepare mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) by direct addition of the membrane polymer (polyimide Matrimid®) to the colloidal suspension, avoiding particle agglomeration resulting from drying. The MMMs were tested for H2/CO2 separation, improving the pure polymer membrane performance, with permeation values of 95.9 Barrer of H2 and a H2/CO2 separation selectivity of 4.4 at 35 °C. When measured at 200 °C, these values increased to 535 Barrer and 9.1.Financial support from the Spanish MINECO (MAT2013-40566-R, CTQ2012-31762, and RyC-2009-03913), the Aragón Government and the ESF is gratefully acknowledged. In addition, research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no. 608490, project M4CO2. Finally, the use of the Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación-SAI (Universidad de Zaragoza) is acknowledged

Innovación en el lenguaje político con palabras de género implícito: a vueltas con las críticas Innovation in political language with words implying gender: a look at some criticism

En el lenguaje político de nuestro tiempo pueden percibirse numerosas innovaciones con palabras de género implícito. En líneas generales estas prácticas están teniendo una repercusión mediática muy relevante, y están siendo objeto de numerosas críticas. Este estudio centra la atención en dichas críticas, pero va más allá de su mera constatación, ofreciendo varias reflexiones de diferente tipo que invitan a cuestionar o a reconsiderar dichas manifestaciones, al menos en determinados aspectos.<br>Many innovations using implicitly gendered words may be found in current political language. Generally speaking, these receive very considerable media coverage and have come in for widespread criticism. This study is focused on such criticism but instead of merely offering an account of it, it presents a variety of reflections which lead to the questioning or reconsideration of such criticism, at least in some respects

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42·4% vs 44·2%; absolute difference -1·69 [-9·58 to 6·11] p=0·67; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5-8] vs 6 [5-8] cm H2O; p=0·0011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30·5% vs 19·9%; p=0·0004; adjusted effect 16·41% [95% CI 9·52-23·52]; p&lt;0·0001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0·80 [95% CI 0·75-0·86]; p&lt;0·0001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status