bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutionalization of EMT SOP as part of the ASEAN Regional Cooperation Mechanism on Disaster Management
Authors: Wuthisuthimethawee Prasit , Yanasan Alisa , Silapunt Phumin , Ikeda Shuichi , Kita Taro
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

The Standard Operating Procedure for Coordination of Emergency Medical Teams in ASEAN (EMT SOP) was developed to facilitate the swift deployment of I-EMTs by ASEAN Member States (AMS) to disaster-affected countries in the ASEAN region and to effectively provide appropriate medical services to the affected population. It is one of the various products and activities by the ARCH Project, which was implemented in collaboration between ASEAN and Japan from 2016 through 2021. The EMT SOP was developed in line with the WHO EMT Initiative, and various WHO forms have been incorporated as ASEAN official forms for the management and coordination of I-EMT.

Objectives:

On the other hand, disaster management in ASEAN is conducted by National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO) of each AMS under the coordination of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP), the sole official document for ASEAN regional collaboration in disasters, and AMS I-EMTs are required to follow the SASOP for their deployment to the affected AMS.

Method/Description:

Discussions were held between the NDMOs and MOHs, and a table-top exercise to test the EMT SOP was conducted involving NDMOs and MOHs with the facilitation of the AHA Centre.

Results/Outcomes:

The EMT SOP has been incorporated as an additional chapter of the SASOP.

Conclusion:

The institutionalization of the EMT SOP is an important milestone in strengthening the ASEAN regional cooperation mechanism on disaster management.
Establishing an Emergency Medical Team in LMIC Setup; Experience from Ethiopia’s Challenges and Opportunity
Authors: Dessie Nahom Tadelle , Alemu Genet Kifle , Worku Tinsae Abera , Martinez Lazaro Gilberto , Ayalew Leilina Abate , Metselo Maraki Mehari
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

Natural and man-made catastrophes have caused significant destruction and loss of lives throughout human history. Disasters accompany various events with multiple causes and consequences, often leading to a cascade of health-related events. Ethiopia, amongst the developing countries in the horn of Africa, is vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters. Over the last few years, Ethiopia learned the hardest way to transform its disaster management from a mere apparatus of response and recovery to preparedness and mitigation.

Objectives:

Review the challenges and opportunities for establishing the Ethiopian EMT and its disaster response experience.

Method/Description:

This was a mixed-methods, cross-sectional Intra-Action Review of activities of country EMT. It included a review of documents and key informant interviews. All data were analyzed thematically.

Results/Outcomes:

In May 2022, the Ethiopian Federal MOH, in collaboration with WHO, adapted the WHO EMT initiative to tackle the identified challenges. Ethiopia’s EMT implementation plan was created, which included ten steps and 50 detailed activities. This initiative aims to have a classified Type I fixed EMT in the coming six months. Based on the objective evaluation of the last four months’ performance toward plan implementation, activities show that 65% of the overall plan has been completed.

Conclusion:

Implementing the EMT initiative in Ethiopia has positively impacted the clinical quality of care, enhanced coordination, and improved health outcomes for the population served at times of great need. However, the implementation requires collaboration in support, guidance, and experience sharing from stakeholders and partners, including twinning with other organizations.

Tables and Figures (optional)

Table 1.

Ethiopian EMT Ten Steps Implementation
Deploying the Red Cross Red Crescent Health Information System (RCHIS): A Pilot with the Portuguese Red Cross in a Red Cross Emergency Clinic (RCEC) Equivalent to a Type 1 Fixed Clinic
Authors: Clarke Lauren , Holl Felix , Raffort Thomas , Serres Elvire , Órfão Gonçalo , Simões Joana
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

RCHIS is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Health Information System (HIS) that has been purpose built for use by Red Cross Red Crescent (RCRC) Emergency Response Units (ERUs), which are the equivalent of Type 1 (fixed and mobile) and Type 2 facilities in the Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) classification.

Objectives:

To share the main lessons learned from the pilot to inform development and implementation of similar systems in other EMTs.

Method/Description:

A three-day, in-person super user training was held with 13 participants: nine first aid volunteers, two nurses, and two medical doctors; seven delegates had experience using an EMR. These super users served as trainers for staff at the pilot.

The pilot occurred with the Portuguese Red Cross (PRC) for the Peregrinação de Fátima, where 200,000 people were in attendance. The PRC was part of a wider coordination cell with the civil defense authority, who required live reporting from the three clinics PRC had set up.

Results/Outcomes:

77 user accounts and 243 patient files were created during the four-day pilot.

The delegates shared feedback directly and through a survey. 88% stated that RCHIS was very easy to use with the majority of delegates requiring less than 30 minutes of training. 95% of delegates stated that they had sufficient training to use RCHIS to its full extent.

The civil defense authority was able to utilize the real-time reporting to assist in their operational response.

Conclusion:

The first RCHIS pilot was very successful from both a technical and organizational perspective.
Use of Mobile Health Units for Primary Health Care in Disasters
Authors: Awad Sarah , Sheerazi Sarika , von Schreeb Johan
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

As disasters disrupt health systems and create additional health needs, Mobile Health Units (MHU) are deployed to help cover primary health care (PHC) needs. However, MHUs have been critiqued for being logistically burdensome and poorly adapted to dominating health needs. Guidelines exist, including WHO Classification for Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Type 1 mobile, but the usefulness of MHUs in disasters has been poorly studied.

Objectives:

To explore the use of MHUs for PHC in disasters and identify key characteristics as described in the literature.

Method/Description:

A scoping review was conducted following framework by Arksey and O’Malley using thematic content analysis. Twenty-six bibliographic databases and websites were screened for white and grey literature on the use of MHUs in disasters published from 2000-2021.

Results/Outcomes:

The search resulted in 24 reviews and operational reports, highlighting nine themes. While MHUs were reported to improve health service delivery, 16 documents highlighted challenges related to logistics, organization, and coordination. Seven publications described cooperation with local authorities and stakeholders to help improve relevancy of care by adapting service provision to health needs. Several studies highlighted the need for a functioning referral system and inclusion of local and culturally sensitive staff.

Conclusion:

Findings of this study highlight the added value and areas of improvement of MHUs for PHC in disasters. Recommendations of best practices were proposed based on the literature and may guide future deployments. However, there is a paucity of publications, and further data on EMT Type 1 mobile are needed to evaluate MHUs in disasters and improve guidelines.
Use of Mobile Health Units in Natural Disasters – A Scoping Review
Authors: Sheerazi Sarika , Awad Sarah , von Schreeb Johan
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

As natural disasters continue to cause human suffering and contribute to health inequalities, Mobile Health Units (MHU) provide medical aid to people deprived of health care. However, the service modality has received criticism related to logistical difficulties, irregular service provision, and adaptability. Although MHUs may be of value, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding their usefulness on addressing health needs in natural disasters.

Objectives:

To elucidate the use of MHUs in natural disasters in adherence to WHO Classification for Emergency Medical Teams.

Method/Description:

A scoping review was conducted following the framework by Arksey and O’Malley. Twenty-six bibliographic databases and websites were screened for white and grey literature published from 2000-2021 reporting on the use of MHUs in natural disasters.

Results/Outcomes:

Thirteen publications were included in the final analysis, highlighting seven themes: key characteristics, services, staff, benchmark indicator, operational availability, self-sufficiency, and pre-deployment preparedness. All documents described the mobile approach to increase access to health services in the absence of regular health care. MHUs were mostly reported to provide out-patient care with medical needs primarily related to non-communicable diseases. Basic trauma care was less reported on. The main challenges concerned transportation, coordination, and communication.

Conclusion:

Data on the use of MHUs in natural disasters are scarce with inconsistent reporting of key aspects. The literature adhered to previous research and WHO guidelines to some extent. Further research is deemed necessary to evaluate the interventions and outcomes of MHUs following natural disasters.
Development and Evaluation of E-Learning Tool for Humanitarian Public Health Training
Authors: Bahattab Awsan , Zain Omar , Linty Monica , Hubloue Ives , Della Corte Francesco , Ragazzoni Luca
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

The humanitarian health field has grown rapidly in the last decades. However, education and training programs are still limited in number, especially where it is needed most. Additionally, the cost of the training is too expensive for local humanitarian health respondents. If developed appropriately, E-Learning can potentially address these gaps.

Objectives:

Develop an effective E-Learning tool for humanitarian public health training.

Method/Description:

The tool was developed using an institutional-based, action research method. Rapid prototyping - a modified analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model - was used to identify the content and instructional design. This iterative process involved consultations and feedback from public health and disaster medicine instructors and students at different levels and training programs. Different methods were used to collect and analyze data, such as literature and courses reviews, observation, interviews, and questionnaires.

Results/Outcomes:

Four scenario-based E-Simulations - targeting entry-level humanitarian health professionals - were developed and piloted based on identified needs. Formative evaluation clarified training objectives and structure. Trainees were satisfied by the simulated scenario, interactivity, questions, and timely feedback. Poor internet was identified as a potential barrier to delivering the training in the humanitarian context.

Conclusion:

Clear objectives and quality content are the prerequisites for training effectiveness. Yet, instructional design is a critical element that can enhance training effectiveness. The tool’s offline mode is being adapted to improve access in poor internet connection settings. A summative evaluation will be conducted to measure the training’s effectiveness. Furthermore, successful factors in instructional design will be used to inform the development of advanced training in the field.
Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team’s (FEMAT) Response to Tropical Cyclone Yasa, Fiji
Authors: Vatukela Jese R.
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

Tropical Cyclone Yasa made landfall on Fiji’s main islands as a Category 5 cyclone on December 17, 2020 causing an immense impact on the health system with damages to health infrastructure amounting to 1.2 million USD.1 FEMAT was activated to assess and assist with disaster response in the greatly impacted Northern and Eastern Divisions of Fiji.

Objectives:

To describe FEMAT’s response to Tropical Cyclone Yasa.

Method/Description:

FEMAT’s response to TC Yasa included community assessments, provision of medical supplies and temporary tents for health facilities, and coordinating the distribution of WASH kits. FEMAT’s Health Emergency Response Team (HERT) was mobilized and provided surveillance support and medical care in Evacuation Centers (EC) treating the injured and sick. Health inspectors were deployed with FEMAT to provide food safety surveillance and management of dead animals near and in water sources.

Results/Outcomes:

Four mobile FEMAT teams were deployed during the TC Yasa response for 17 days over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Teams were composed of physicians, nurses, and health inspectors, and were provided with vehicles stocked with medications, medical supplies, food, and tents. 354 different communities were visited by FEMAT HERT teams, including five islands, 170 villages, 167 settlements, four estates, and eight evacuation centers. 1,172 out-patient medical encounters were recorded. Over 110 sites were treated for potential vectors by spraying and disinfection.

Conclusion:

FEMAT operationalized a small, mobile medical teams approach to respond to Category 5 tropical cyclone that impacted Fiji in December of 2020.
Tailoring and Implementing an Emergency Medical Team (EMT) Training Package for Pacific Island Countries and Areas (PICs)
Authors: Casey Sean T. , Cook Anthony T. , Chandler Drew R. , Larsen Jan-Erik , Cowie Simon R. , Noste Erin E.
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

Pacific Island Countries and Areas (PICs) represent some of the most remote and logistically challenging locations – with thousands of islands covering vast ocean territory. Since 2017, Pacific Ministries of Health have been developing EMTs, and all have worked to train team members to be deployment-ready.1

Objectives:

To describe an EMT training package specifically tailored to PIC contexts, including curated content, practical exercises, and “talanoa” discussions to improve EMT readiness, with a focus on logistics in remote and austere PIC contexts.

Method/Description:

WHO leveraged EMT training materials developed globally and regionally to continuously tailor an in-person EMT training package, emphasizing readiness for the deployment of light, mobile clinical teams for disaster-prone small island/large ocean countries. Emphasis was placed on practical learning exercises focusing on skills and competencies needed to manage complex Pacific deployments, and to care for populations on remote, difficult-to-reach islands with limited resources and referral options.

Results/Outcomes:

The Pacific EMT training program includes a mix of didactic and practical sessions coupled with a full-scale simulation exercise; it was designed with and for Pacific EMTs. The effectiveness of the training package has been evidenced through many successful national EMT deployments in several PICs, as well as through consistently positive participant feedback.

Conclusion:

Tailoring training materials to specific country contexts is essential. In the Pacific, core EMT training content with an emphasis on practical activities and simulations and “talanoa” discussions reflecting on previous deployments in remote islands has been viewed by participants as critical to preparing them for real-world deployments.
Utilizing a Medical Ship in the COVID-19 Response in Fiji
Authors: Vatukela Jese R. , Waqasese Iferemi
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

Fiji consists of 110 populated islands over an area of 2,600,000 square kilometers and is prone to disasters such as tropical cyclones.1 To increase national capacity to respond to disasters and outbreak, the Fijian government, under the commissioning of Ministry of Transport and with technical guidance from the Ministry of Health, designed a medical ship called the MV Veivueti. During Fiji’s COVID-19 surge, MV Veivueti was utilized to provide operative health services during the surge in COVID-19 patients at other health facilities.2

Objectives:

To describe FEMAT’s COVID-19 response utilizing the medical ship, MV Veivueti, in Fiji’s Pacific island setting.

Method/Description:

MV Veivueti has been used on multiple disaster responses, however the COVID-19 surge in mid-2021 was the first time the vessel was used during an outbreak to allow for the continuation of surgeries when other health facilities were overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. The medical ship is staffed with a comprehensive team from Fiji’s EMT - FEMAT - including surgeons, pediatricians, obstetricians, a dentist, nurses, and other medical staff.

Results/Outcomes:

From May 5 through July 6, 2021, a 12-member medical team staffed the medical ship 24-hours a day, providing primarily operative management of cases that were referred from health facilities. COVID-19 screening and IPC measures were in place and a clear patient flow was designed for patient transferred to health care facilities.

Conclusion:

The use of the MV Veivueti helped ensure continuity of critical health services during the peak of the Delta VOC outbreak in the Fiji Islands.
International Training on Disaster Medicine - A Peer Education Approach to Disaster Medicine
Authors: Abdulameer Mahmood F. , Abdelnasser Kheloud
Published: November 2022

Background/Introduction:

There is an increasing global recognition that medical education systems world-wide have a major gap in training students for medical response to disasters. The IFMSA developed the International Training on Disaster Medicine (ITDM) project to address this gap.

Objectives:

To provide medical students with essential competencies in Disaster Medicine through a peer-to-peer approach.

Method/Description:

Selected number of students go through a Training of Trainers course organized annually over four months, jointly with the Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid, and Global Health in Novara, Italy. Graduates then lead ITDM workshops world-wide. The workshop is based on peer-to-peer education and incorporates interactive exercises, simulating real-life scenarios. In the workshop, medical students are introduced to core concepts and skills in Disaster Medicine, public health in disaster settings, and disaster management frameworks.

Results/Outcomes:

The ToT course was organized first in 2015 in Italy. It has been held seven times, graduating 120 trainers from 55 countries. While the ITDM workshop was first organized in Malta in 2016, it has been conducted a total of 22 times in 19 different countries, building the capacity of more than 250 medical students world-wide. Furthermore, more than 500 medical students have been influenced by sporadic educational activities organized by ToT graduates.

Conclusion:

The ITDM project aims to fill the gap in Disaster Medicine education in medical curricula. It has offered a much-needed space for the education and training of medical students, equipping them with basic competencies in responding to disasters to prepare them to act when needed.
“The Regeneration of Society”: Thomas Ernest Hulme and the Early British Reception of Georges Sorel
Authors: Giordani Tommaso , Mead Henry
Published: November 2022

The article examines T. E. Hulme's reading of Georges Sorel as a politically transversal thinker of moral renewal. It argues that, by distancing Sorel from syndicalism and by reading him as a thinker of moral absolutes, this interpretation constituted an act of resignification. This is shown by contrasting Hulme's reading with the dominant patterns of the British reception of Sorel. What emerges is the striking, and self-aware, originality of Hulme's positions. This originality, we argue, was made possible by the European scope of Hulme's intellectual horizon, which gave him the resources to read Sorel differently. Finally, we ask why Hulme read Sorel in this way. We suggest that Hulme was working through a contradiction between his relativistic philosophical education and an increasing need for political commitment. Sorel's ethics of commitment grounded in myth were a way to move from Bergsonian openness to a metaphysics capable of conceptualizing moral and political absolutes.
Peace, war, law: teaching international law in contexts
Authors: Donaldson Megan
Published: November 2022

This essay takes up the question of what it is to teach international law ‘in context’, drawing on experiences of teaching undergraduate survey courses in the US and UK, and designing a new LLM module on Histories of International Law. The essay begins with an exploration of teaching as a particular context of its own – one with constraints which might also function as foils for creativity. It then sketches some aspects of what teaching international law ‘in context(s)’ might involve, including the ways in which contexts of different kinds put in question one's theory of law, and vice versa. It turns, finally, to an examination of the promise and limits of interdisciplinarity – particularly recourse to history as a discipline – in illuminating contexts.
How to do things with legal theory
Authors: Kirkby Coel
Published: November 2022

Legal theory must not merely describe our world; it must also assist us acting in it. In this paper, I argue that teaching legal theory should show law students how to do things with legal theory. My pedagogical approach is contextual and historical. Students learn how to use theory by seeing how past jurists acted in their particular worlds by changing dominant concepts of law. Most introductory legal theory courses are organised by what I will call the usual story of jurisprudence. In this story, great thinkers in rival schools of legal thought attempt to answer perennial questions about the nature of (the concept of) law. In this story, the thick context of our world recedes beyond the horizon of theory. I argue that critical genealogy can let us critique this usual story and its unspoken assumptions of morality, politics and history. Amia Srinivasan's account of ‘worldmaking’ is especially compelling in its emphasis on critical genealogies’ capacity to transform our representational practices (and thus open up new possibilities for action). Critical genealogy also has certain pedagogical ‘uses and advantages’ for teaching legal theory in law schools. Here, context is method. The teacher must defend their political choices of context – choices that are naturalised and so beyond critique in the usual story of jurisprudence. By making these choices explicit, students are invited to both challenge the teacher's choices of context and critique their own common law education. This pedagogical approach also encourages students to experiment in ‘worldmaking’ themselves, and so cultivate a creative capacity to use legal theory to change the world through transforming their representations of it.
Historical futures and future futures in environmental law pedagogy: exploring ‘futures literacy’
Authors: Stokes Elen , Pontin Ben
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we begin reflecting on how ‘futures literacy’ – recently championed by UNESCO as a vital skill that allows people to better understand the role of the future in what they see and do – might be developed in environmental law pedagogy. Law and legal analysis tend to be absent from futures scholarship and we discuss various ways of engaging with environmental law as an important but underexplored site and means of future-making. We consider our shared teaching of an undergraduate module in which students examine historical legislation for what it says about past ideas of the environment's future and the action within the law necessary to safeguard it; and contemporary texts, including science fiction and poetry, imagining a future for the environment on and through which law operates. Futures literacy, we argue, is at its richest when ‘historical futures’ and ‘future futures’ are read together, or alongside one another.
Internetnutzungsstörungen unter deutschen Jugendlichen vor und während der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Neumann Ina , Lindenberg Katajun
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Internetnutzungszeiten von Jugendlichen sind während der COVID-19-Pandemie stark angestiegen. Dies wird auch mit einer Zunahme an Internetnutzungsstörungen in Verbindung gebracht. Fragestellung: Anhand eines ipsativen Vergleichs wurde untersucht, ob mit der gestiegenen Online-Zeit während der COVID-19-Pandemie auch die schädliche und abhängige Internetnutzung bei Jugendlichen zugenommen hat. Methode: 743 Jugendliche aus acht weiterführenden Schulen in der Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar wurden in zwei Wellen (2015/2016 und 2021) mit der Compulsive Internet Use Scale untersucht. Ergebnisse: Sowohl die Symptomschwere als auch die Prävalenz der abhängigen Internetnutzung nahmen signifikant über die Zeit zu. Die Symptombelastung korrelierte außerdem negativ mit der Lebensqualität. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Es wird diskutiert, wie dem erhöhten Versorgungsbedarf mit verhältnis- und verhaltenspräventiven Maßnahmen und therapeutischen Angeboten begegnet werden kann.
The Effect of a 1-Week Abstinence From Instagram on Mental Health in Youth and Young Adults
Authors: Schwarz Daniela , Steinau Kira , Kraus Laura , In-Albon Tina
Published: November 2022

Abstract. Theoretical Background: Results concerning the association between the use of social networking sites and mental health are so far inconsistent. Objective: To investigate the effects of a 1-week abstinence from Instagram on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and the role of social comparison orientation in youth. Methods: Participants were N = 298 youth (76.2 % f; mean age 22.28, SD = 2.25). Three groups were assigned: non-Instagram users ( n = 113), Instagram users randomly assigned to a control group (CG, n = 106) with no change in their Instagram use, and an experimental group (EG, n = 79) that agreed to a 1-week abstinence. Participants completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, social comparison orientation, and general mental state. Results: The EG and CG revealed a reduction in depressive symptoms, an increase in self-esteem, and an improvement in general mental state. Discussion and Conclusion: The short-term positive effects of Instagram abstinence on mental health.
Vorbereitung eines Onlinetrainings für Eltern von Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen mit Internetnutzungsstörungen
Authors: Hanke Sara , Brecht Lara , Petersen Kay , Barth Gottfried M. , Renner Tobias , Batra Anil , Brandhorst Isabel
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Eltern von Jugendlichen oder jungen Erwachsenen mit Internetnutzungsstörungen (INS), im Speziellen Computerspielstörungen (CSS) und Soziale Netzwerknutzungsstörungen (SNS), können auf die Symptomatik ihrer Kinder Einfluss nehmen. E-Mental-Health Angebote fehlen für diese Zielgruppe jedoch. Fragestellung: Welche Bedarfe haben Eltern, die die Internetnutzung ihres Kindes als problematisch betrachten, an ein Onlinetraining? Methode: 217 Elternteile wurden online befragt. Der Fragebogen enthielt die Compulsive Internet Use Scale in einer Elternperspektive, Fragen zu den Bedarfen an ein Onlinetraining (z. B. Umfang, Dauer, Kontaktmöglichkeit) und zur eigenen Belastung durch die Problematik des Kindes. Ergebnisse: 57 % der Eltern äußerten Interesse an einem Onlinetraining. 82 % gaben an, dass persönlicher digitaler Kontakt in einem solchen Training für sie wichtig sei. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Da viele der befragten Eltern Interesse an einem Onlinetraining zeigten, wurde ein solches entwickelt, dessen Umrisse in diesem Beitrag vorgestellt werden.
Are We Entering The Golden Age Of Climate Modeling?
Authors: Betancourt Mark
Published: November 2022

Thanks to the advent of exascale computing, local climate forecasts may soon be a reality. And they’re not just for scientists anymore.
Oceanic Heat Content as a Predictor of the Indian Ocean Dipole
Authors: Liu Minghong , McPhaden Michael J. , Ren Hong‐Li , Balmaseda Magdalena A. , Wang Run
Published: November 2022

Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) prediction is a challenging problem, largely relying on the relationship between IOD and El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This study demonstrates that heat content internal to the Indian Ocean can be an effective predictor providing extra IOD predictability, through constructing statistical prediction models with and without heat content as a predictor. Two recently proposed heat content predictors, equatorial heat content (EQHC) and heat content in the eastern pole of the Dipole (SEHC) are compared in this study. Results show that EQHC is more effective partly because it is relatively independent of ENSO and partly because it does not rely on IOD persistence, as does SEHC. The efficacy of EQHC as an IOD predictor is seasonally dependent, being most effective at 5–8‐month lead times beginning in the preceding late boreal winter and spring.
Smoke‐Driven Changes in Photosynthetically Active Radiation During the U.S. Agricultural Growing Season
Authors: Corwin Kimberley A. , Corr Chelsea A. , Burkhardt Jesse , Fischer Emily V.
Published: November 2022

Wildfire smoke is frequently present over the U.S. during the agricultural growing season and will likely increase with climate change. Studies of smoke impacts have largely focused on air quality and human health; however, understanding smoke's impact on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is essential for predicting how smoke affects plant growth. We compare surface shortwave irradiance and diffuse fraction (DF) on smoke‐impacted and smoke‐free days from 2006 to 2020 using data from multifilter rotating shadowband radiometers at 10 U.S. Department of Agriculture UV‐B Monitoring and Research Program stations and smoke plume locations from operational satellite products. On average, 20% of growing season days are smoke‐impacted, but smoke prevalence increases over time (r = 0.60, p < 0.05). Smoke presence peaks in the mid to late growing season (i.e., July, August), particularly over the northern Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Midwest. We find an increase in the distribution of PAR DF on smoke‐impacted days, with larger increases at lower cloud fractions. On clear‐sky days, daily average PAR DF increases by 10 percentage points when smoke is present. Spectral analysis of clear‐sky days shows smoke increases DF (average: +45%) and decreases total irradiance (average: −6%) across all six wavelengths measured from 368 to 870 nm. Optical depth measurements from ground and satellite observations both indicate that spectral DF increases and total spectral irradiance decreases with increasing smoke plume optical depth. Our analysis provides a foundation for understanding smoke's impact on PAR, which carries implications for agricultural crop productivity under a changing climate.
Layering by Double‐Diffusive Convection in the Subsurface Oceans of Europa and Enceladus
Authors: Wong Teresa , Hansen Ulrich , Wiesehöfer Thomas , McKinnon William B.
Published: November 2022

Subsurface oceans rich in salts may be prevalent in the icy worlds of the outer solar system. Surface observations have led to various hypotheses for the transport of materials from the seafloor to the surface by hydrothermal plumes, and raise questions about heat transfer mechanisms. Chemical heterogeneity affects the vigor of convection, the forms of plumes, the generation and destruction of stratified or finger structures in the ocean, and thus the transport of heat and materials from the interior to the surface. Here, we investigate the layering phenomenon in a double‐diffusive convection system, which can occur when both the temperature and concentration influence the density of the fluid. The persistence of layers may depend on the buoyancy ratio, the Rayleigh number, boundary conditions, and initial conditions, which alter the chemical distribution and thus the balance between thermal and chemical buoyancies. Our simulations suggest that the layering could exist for a longer duration if the buoyancy ratio is raised with boundary conditions that maintain a large concentration difference. When the layers are present, heat and material transport are significantly inhibited through the subsurface ocean from the silicate interior to the base of the icy shell.
Surface Energy Fluxes and Temperatures at Jezero Crater, Mars
Authors: Savijärvi H. I. , Martinez G. M. , Harri A.‐M.
Published: November 2022

Diurnal ground surface and air temperatures (Tg, Ta) and the five major surface energy budget fluxes are displayed as derived from M2020 mission observations and from column model simulations in two extreme cases (low and high diurnal Tg‐variation) along the Perseverance rover track in the Jezero crater. In both cases the fluxes and Tg are well modeled when using diurnally variable apparent ground thermal inertia I derived via a Fourier series method from the hourly observations. Hence the measurements, the diagnostic method and the model results are consistent with high‐ and low‐I nonhomogeneous terrain in the field‐of‐view (FOV) of the thermal infrared and solar sensors. In contrast less extreme values of I consistent with THEMIS retrievals are necessary for good simulations of observed Ta. We deduce that the measured Tg for the small ∼3 m2 FOV may not always be representative for the larger region around the rover, which controls the near‐surface atmospheric temperature profile.
A Novel Miniaturized Band‐Stop Frequency Selective Surface With Ultra‐Wideband Characteristics
Authors: Ramadoss Shini , Kanagasabai Malathi , Mohammed Gulam Nabi Alsath
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the design of an Ultra‐wide band‐stop Frequency Selective Surface (FSS), the building block of which makes use of a modified Jerusalem cross loop structure. The proposed FSS unit cell has a coupled configuration with a modified Jerusalem cross loop on the top and a square loop on the rear side to operate over an ultra‐wide bandwidth. The proposed FSS design offers band‐stop characteristics over the entire UWB operating bandwidth extending from 2.95 to 12 GHz with a reference transmission loss of 10 dB. The proposed FSS unit cell has a miniaturized profile of 0.05λ˳ × 0.05λ˳ where the λ˳ corresponds to the free space wavelength at the lowest operating frequency. The rotational symmetry of the proposed FSS makes it polarization‐independent under both TE and TM modes of operation. Also, the proposed FSS exhibits a good angular stability response up to 60°. The prototype FSS is fabricated and the simulated results are validated using experimental measurements. Thus, the proposed FSS is a promising candidate for a multitude of applications such as spatial filtering (Bayatpur & Sarabandi, 2010, https://doi.org/10.1109/LMWC.2009.2038517), antenna gain enhancement (Chatterjee & Parui, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1109/TAP.2016.2552543), and electromagnetic shields (Chiu et al., 2008, https://doi.org/10.1109/TEMC.2008.2004560) operating over the UWB spectrum.
Learning Groundwater Contaminant Diffusion‐Sorption Processes With a Finite Volume Neural Network
Authors: Praditia Timothy , Karlbauer Matthias , Otte Sebastian , Oladyshkin Sergey , Butz Martin V. , Nowak Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

Improved understanding of complex hydrosystem processes is key to advance water resources research. Nevertheless, the conventional way of modeling these processes suffers from a high conceptual uncertainty, due to almost ubiquitous simplifying assumptions used in model parameterizations/closures. Machine learning (ML) models are considered as a potential alternative, but their generalization abilities remain limited. For example, they normally fail to predict accurately across different boundary conditions. Moreover, as a black box, they do not add to our process understanding or to discover improved parameterizations/closures. To tackle this issue, we propose the hybrid modeling framework FINN (finite volume neural network). It merges existing numerical methods for partial differential equations (PDEs) with the learning abilities of artificial neural networks (ANNs). FINN is applied on discrete control volumes and learns components of the investigated system equations, such as numerical stencils, model parameters, and arbitrary closure/constitutive relations. Consequently, FINN yields highly interpretable results. We demonstrate FINN's potential on a diffusion‐sorption problem in clay. Results on numerically generated data show that FINN outperforms other ML models when tested under modified boundary conditions, and that it can successfully differentiate between the usual, known sorption isotherms. Moreover, we also equip FINN with uncertainty quantification methods to lay open the total uncertainty of scientific learning, and then apply it to a laboratory experiment. The results show that FINN performs better than calibrated PDE‐based models as it is able to flexibly learn and model sorption isotherms without being restricted to choose among available parametric models.
Propagation of viral genomes by replicating ammonia-oxidising archaea during soil nitrification
Authors: Lee Sungeun , Sieradzki Ella T , Nicol Graeme W , Hazard Christina
Published: November 2022

Ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) are a ubiquitous component of microbial communities and dominate the first stage of nitrification in some soils. While we are beginning to understand soil virus dynamics, we have no knowledge of the composition or activity of those infecting nitrifiers or their potential to influence processes. This study aimed to characterise viruses having infected autotrophic AOA in two nitrifying soils of contrasting pH by following transfer of assimilated CO2-derived 13C from host to virus via DNA stable-isotope probing and metagenomic analysis. Incorporation of 13C into low GC mol% AOA and virus genomes increased DNA buoyant density in CsCl gradients but resulted in co-migration with dominant non-enriched high GC mol% genomes, reducing sequencing depth and contig assembly. We therefore developed a hybrid approach where AOA and virus genomes were assembled from low buoyant density DNA with subsequent mapping of 13C isotopically enriched high buoyant density DNA reads to identify activity of AOA. Metagenome-assembled genomes were different between the two soils and represented a broad diversity of active populations. Sixty-four AOA-infecting viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) were identified with no clear relatedness to previously characterised prokaryote viruses. These vOTUs were also distinct between soils, with 42% enriched in 13C derived from hosts. The majority were predicted as capable of lysogeny and auxiliary metabolic genes included an AOA-specific multicopper oxidase suggesting infection may augment copper uptake essential for central metabolic functioning. These findings indicate virus infection of AOA may be a frequent process during nitrification with potential to influence host physiology and activity.
Structural basis of synthetic agonist activation of the nuclear receptor REV-ERB
Authors: Murray Meghan H. , Valfort Aurore Cecile , Koelblen Thomas , Ronin Céline , Ciesielski Fabrice , Chatterjee Arindam , Veerakanellore Giri Babu , Elgendy Bahaa , Walker John K. , Hegazy Lamees , Burris Thomas P.
Published: November 2022

The nuclear receptor REV-ERB plays an important role in a range of physiological processes. REV-ERB behaves as a ligand-dependent transcriptional repressor and heme has been identified as a physiological agonist. Our current understanding of how ligands bind to and regulate transcriptional repression by REV-ERB is based on the structure of heme bound to REV-ERB. However, porphyrin (heme) analogues have been avoided as a source of synthetic agonists due to the wide range of heme binding proteins and potential pleotropic effects. How non-porphyrin synthetic agonists bind to and regulate REV-ERB has not yet been defined. Here, we characterize a high affinity synthetic REV-ERB agonist, STL1267, and describe its mechanism of binding to REV-ERB as well as the method by which it recruits transcriptional corepressor both of which are unique and distinct from that of heme-bound REV-ERB.
Modulation leakage-free continuous-variable quantum key distribution
Authors: Hajomer Adnan A. E. , Jain Nitin , Mani Hossein , Chin Hou-Man , Andersen Ulrik L. , Gehring Tobias
Published: November 2022

Distributing cryptographic keys over public channels in a way that can provide information-theoretic security is the holy grail for secure communication. This can be achieved by exploiting quantum mechanical principles in so-called quantum key distribution (QKD). Continuous-variable (CV) QKD based on coherent states, in particular, is an attractive scheme for secure communication since it requires only standard telecommunication technology that can operate at room temperature. However, a recently discovered side-channel created in the process of state preparation leads to a leakage of information about the transmitted quantum state, opening a security loophole for eavesdroppers to compromise the security of the CVQKD system. Here, we present a CVQKD system without this modulation leakage vulnerability. Our implementation is based on a baseband modulation approach and uses an in-phase and quadrature (IQ) modulator for state preparation and radio frequency heterodyne detection together with carefully designed digital signal processing for state measurement. We consider practical aspects in the implementation and demonstrate the generation of a composable secret key secure against collective attacks. This work is a step towards protecting CVQKD systems against practical imperfections of physical devices and operational limitations without performance degradation.
Thresholds for the presence of glacial megafauna in central Europe during the last 60,000 years
Authors: Sirocko Frank , Albert Johannes , Britzius Sarah , Dreher Frank , Martínez-García Alfredo , Dosseto Anthony , Burger Joachim , Terberger Thomas , Haug Gerald
Published: November 2022

Lake sediment records from Holzmaar and the infilled maar of Auel (Eifel, Germany) are used to reconstruct landscape changes and megafauna abundances. Our data document a forested landscape from 60,000 to 48,000 yr b2k and a stepwise vegetation change towards a glacial desert after 26,000 yr b2k. The Eifel landscape was continuously inhabited from 48,000 to 9000 yr b2k by large mammals, documented by the presence of spores of coprophilous fungi from Sordaria and Sporormiella fungi that grow on fecal remains of the megafauna. Megafauna reached higher numbers during cold stadial climates but was present also during the warmer interstadials. Highest abundance was at 56,500/48,500/38,500/33,000/27,000/21,000/16,200/14,000 yr b2k, i.e. under different climate regimes. Some of these dates were associated with clear human presence, which indicates that megafauna was not overkilled by humans. In contrast, human presence could quite likely have been stimulated by the abundant food supply. Megafauna presence decreased significantly when tree abundance increased during interstadials. The Megafauna disappeared finally at 11,400 yr b2k with the development of the early Holocene forest cover, which appears to be the most important threshold for megafauna presence.
Chinese technical terminology extraction based on DC-value and information entropy
Authors: Liwei Zhang
Published: November 2022

China's technology is developing rapidly, and the number of patent applications has surged. Therefore, there is an urgent need for technical managers and researchers that how to apply computer technology to conduct in-depth mining and analysis of lots of Chinese patent documents to efficiently use patent information, perform technological innovation and avoid R&D risks. Automatic term extraction is the basis of patent mining and analysis, but many existing approaches focus on extracting domain terms in English, which are difficult to extend to Chinese due to the distinctions between Chinese and English languages. At the same time, some common Chinese technical terminology extraction methods focus on the high-frequency characteristics, while technical domain correlation characteristic and the unithood feature of terminology are given less attention. Aiming at these problems, this paper proposes a Chinese technical terminology method based on DC-value and information entropy to achieve automatic extraction of technical terminology in Chinese patents. The empirical results show that the presented algorithm can effectively extract the technical terminology in Chinese patent literatures and has a better performance than the C-value method, the log-likelihood ratio method and the mutual information method, which has theoretical significance and practical application value.
An estriol-eluting pessary to treat pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Long Jingjunjiao , Zidan Ghada , Seyfoddin Ali , Tong Stephen , Brownfoot Fiona C. , Chowdary Prathima
Published: November 2022

Pelvic organ prolapse affects up to 50% of parous women. Commonly used treatment options have unwelcome attributes; pessaries can cause erosion and estrogen creams need to be applied frequently, which is inconvenient and difficult to administer. This study involved the development of an estriol-releasing pessary utilising 3D printing molds. We incorporated varying amounts of estriol (1%, 10% and 15%) into the silicone pessary. We optimised the mechanical aspects of the pessary so it had a similar strength to commercially available pessaries. We investigated estriol release from the pessary over 3 months. We explored possible interactions between the drug and polymers via FTIR. The MED-4870 silicone ring with similar mechanical strength to pessaries currently used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. The medical pessaries present a sustained release in simulated vaginal fluid over 3 months. The pessary with 10% estriol delivered the optimal dose at 0.8 mg each week. Mechanical strength of this pessary showed no difference after emersion in simulated vaginal fluid for 3-month, supporting the long-term application. An estriol-loaded pessary was successfully developed to treat pelvic organ prolapse with sustained release of estriol over 3 months. This pessary provides promising potential to treat pelvic organ prolapse and vaginal atrophy.
Scalable true random number generator using adiabatic superconductor logic
Authors: Luo Wenhui , Chen Olivia , Yoshikawa Nobuyuki , Takeuchi Naoki
Published: November 2022

Alternative computing such as stochastic computing and bio-inspired computing holds promise for overcoming the limitations of von Neumann computers. However, one difficulty in the implementation of such alternative computing is the need for a large number of random bits at the same time. To address this issue, we propose a scalable true-random-number generating scheme that we refer to as XORing shift registers (XSR). XSR generates multiple uncorrelated true random bitstreams using only two true random number generators as entropy sources and can thus be implemented by a variety of logic devices. Toward superconducting alternative computing, we implement XSR using an energy-efficient superconductor logic family, adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) logic. Furthermore, to demonstrate its performance, we design and observe an AQFP-based XSR circuit that generates four random bitstreams in parallel. The results of the experiment confirm that the bitstreams generated by the XSR circuit exhibit no autocorrelation and that there is no correlation between the bitstreams.