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Presence, Trust, and Empathy: Preferred characteristics of psychedelic carers
No full textResearch into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is rapidly increasing with best practice guidelines being continuously updated. Yet the key principals of such guidelines are based on evidence accumulated during earlier research into these treatments and trans-disciplinary psychotherapeutic knowledge. One area of practice-based evidence that has not been considered is that accumulated by people who use psychedelics (PWUP) outside of clinical contexts. We conducted a thematic analysis of 403 posts on two online discussion forums with the aim of gathering information regarding the preferences of PWUP for characteristics they value in their carers in nonclinical contexts. We found three key distinct characteristics that PWUP preferred among their carers: presence, trust, and empathy. The characteristics were often consistent with the existing literature on PAP, though at times extended current understandings of key characteristics of PAP therapists, with the notion of carers being able to “hold space” during the psychedelic experience seen as an integral component of effective therapeutic outcomes that deserves more attention. Data obtained from PWUP in nonclinical contexts can be used to triangulate existing principles contained within PAP treatment guidelines and identify areas for further investigation
Capacity for change: Three core attributes of adaptive capacity that bolster restoration efficacy
No full textIn the face of rapid environmental change, restoration will need to emphasize innovative approaches that support the long-term resilience of social and ecological systems. To this end, we highlight the critical, but often overlooked, role of adaptive capacity, which enables restoration practice, governance, and target ecosystems to adapt to directional environmental change. We identify three core attributes of adaptive capacity: (1) diversity, (2) connectivity, and (3) flexibility. For each attribute, we describe key strategies, including enhancing mechanisms of ecological memory, facilitating the generation of beneficial novelty, and developing governance structures that are flexible and anticipatory. These core attributes can also lead to maladaptive outcomes; careful consideration of a social-ecological system's resilience and vulnerabilities to environmental change will likely be critical to avoid unwanted outcomes. Ultimately, implementing strategies that increase adaptive capacity can bolster restoration efficacy as it seeks to confront the global challenge of rapid environmental change
QCA in International Relations: A Review of Strengths, Pitfalls, and Empirical Applications
Get PDFQualitative comparative analysis (QCA) is a rapidly emerging method in the field of International Relations (IR). This raises questions about the strengths and pitfalls of QCA in IR research, established good practices, how IR performs against those standards, and which areas require further attention. After a general introduction to the method, we address these questions based on a review of all empirical QCA studies published in IR journals between 1987 and 2020. Results show that QCA has been employed on a wide range of issue areas and is most common in the study of peace and conflict, global environmental politics, foreign policy, and compliance with international regulations. The utilization of QCA offers IR scholars four distinct advantages: the identification of complex causal patterns, the distinction between necessary and sufficient conditions, a middle ground between quantitative and qualitative approaches, and the reinforcement of the strengths of other methods. We find that albeit a few exceptions, IR researchers conduct high-quality QCA research when compared against established standards. However, the field should urgently pay more attention to three issues: the potential of using QCA in combination with other methods, increasing the robustness of QCA results, and strengthening research transparency in QCA applications. Throughout the article, we formulate strategies for improved QCA research in IR
Nutrient release from Vermicompost under anaerobic conditions in two contrasting soils of Bangladesh and its effect on wetland rice crop
Get PDFAlthough its mechanism of action, particularly under wetland condition, is not clearly understood, vermicompost, a good source of humus and plant nutrients, has been used as organic manure in many parts of the world in order to increase crop production. Here, an anaerobic incubation study and a field study were conducted to observe the nutrient release pattern from vermicompost and its influence on performance and nutrient uptake in wetland rice. Two contrasting soils, viz. highly weathered terrace soil and very young floodplain soil, were subjected to anaerobic incubation, while the field trial was conducted in the terrace soil with control (no amendments), mineral fertilizer, vermicompost (10 t ha−1) + mineral fertilizer, cow dung (10 t ha−1) + mineral fertilizer, vermicompost (20 t ha−1) + mineral fertilizer and vermicompost (local farmer’s practice) + mineral fertilizer treatments. Results showed that there were significant increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) release in floodplain soil but not in terrace soil, suggesting that nutrient release from vermicompost is soil-dependent. The performance of Boro rice in terms of yield and yield attributes improved significantly in the case of the integrated application of vermicompost with mineral fertilizer. Specifically, combined application of mineral nutrients and vermicompost (10 t ha−1) significantly increased grain yield by 25% compared to the control treatment. We believe that this occurred due to an improvement in supply and subsequent uptake of nutrients, especially N and P. Altogether, our results suggest that vermicompost could increase crop performance under field conditions, and, although these effects may not be significant in short-term incubation studies, they may be even larger in floodplain soil
Students’ engagement in education as sustainability: Implementing an Ethical Dilemma-STEAM Teaching Model in chemistry learning
Get PDFThis paper reports the results of a study on the implementation of the Ethical Dilemma STEAM Teaching Model in secondary schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. This interdisciplinary curriculum approach employed ‘ethical dilemma story pedagogy’ in a STEAM education project designed to engage students in values-based chemistry learning. Drawing on the arts, specially written ethical dilemma stories posing real-world environmental problems engaged students in exploring their value systems. Students reflected on the pros and cons of ethical dilemmas related to the everyday use of artificial fertilizers, disposal of used cooking oil and detergent waste, and environmental pollution caused by plastic waste. The purpose of the study was to investigate the potential of the Ethical Dilemma STEAM Teaching Model to empower Indonesian secondary school students with both chemistry knowledge and transdisciplinary capabilities for resolving environmental problems. The researchers conducted an interpretive case study of four high-school chemistry classes to understand students’ learning experiences and outcomes. Data were obtained from students’ reflective journals, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. The results demonstrate that students engaged in deep chemistry learning while simultaneously developing critical reflective social thinking, collaborative decision-making skills, and increased awareness of the need to protect the environment in order to support sustainable development. The study revealed that chemistry education can play a strategic role through ethical values learning in empowering students to become agents of change for environmental sustainability. Further research is warranted into the efficacy of the Ethical Dilemma STEAM Teaching Model for empowering students in sustainability education across a broad range of science-related topics and sociocultural contexts
Risk analysis of viral diseases in infected pig farms during the lockdown period in China, January to May 2020
Get PDFBiosecurity plays a critical role in preventing and controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic in China triggered a nationwide lockdown policy which reduced most of the daily activities of people, but the pig industry was encouraged to ensure the pork supply. An investigation of biosecurity practices in intensive pig farms across several provinces in China was conducted in June 2020 via questionnaire to evaluate the factors that may pose viral diseases risk to the farms during the lockdown period from January to May 2020. A total of 50 farms in 12 provinces of China were engaged. Fourteen of them were classified as positive farms since at least one viral disease was presented during this period, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (seven farms), porcine epidemic diarrhea (three farms), and pseudorabies (one farm). The other three farms only reported their disease positive status but refused to release disease names. The overall farm level prevalence of viral disease was 28.0% (95%CI: 16.3–42.5%). A logistic regression model was built to identify risk/protective factors for farm positivity. In the multivariable logistic regression model, the risk factor of dead pig ‘removal by the others’ (OR = 8.0, 95%CI: 1.5, 43.5) was found to be significantly associated with viral disease positivity. On-farm incineration pits are highly recommended to be the administered for the harmless treatment of dead pigs. This is not only crucial for controlling the transmission of viral diseases but also plays a key role in reducing activity in the illegal dead meat business. According to previous studies, factors such as adapting an all-in-all-out system, on-farm incineration pits, and requiring workers to wash their hands regularly would reduce the risk of virus transmission, even though these factors did not show significance in our study. The results of our study could help to design better surveillance strategies in China and other countries
An optimal grid-connected strategy for improving the DC voltage utilization rate by increasing the number of PV modules connected in series in the string
No full textThe further reduction of the cost can improve the competitiveness of PV power generation in practice. This work proposes a low-cost hardware circuit integrated in the PV module junction box, which can increase the DC voltage utilization rate and capacity ratio of the system by limiting the voltage of the PV modules to increase the number of modules in series. According to the I-V characteristics, the theoretical optimal proportion of short-circuited cells in the PV module is analyzed. Based on the structure of the actual PV modules, a strategy of limiting the voltage of a single PV substring in the module is implemented. In order to avoid the power loss caused by the voltage-limited substrings that may not be released by mismatch, a control strategy combining the inverter MPPT to lower the voltage of the PV string is proposed for ensuring that all the modules in the string are released. The results of actual test verifications show that the proposed strategy can effectively reduce the voltage of PV modules and strings. The number of PV modules in each string of 1000 V and 1500 V systems can be increased by 5 and 8, respectively, and the capacity of each string can be increased by more than 20%, such that great practical application and potential for reducing the cost of PV system can be achieved
Development of theory and tools for improving quantitative nuisance odour impact assessment frameworks
Get PDFMany industrial and agricultural activities produce odour emissions that can negatively impact the amenity of near neighbour, and ensuring that unacceptable levels of impact do not occur at such receptors is a key responsibility of regulators of these activities. Odour impact assessments of proposed new odour generating facilities are typically undertaken with the aid of quantitative risk assessment frameworks at the planning and approval stages of development. The need for these frameworks to be well conceived and implemented continues to be strong, with population growth and associated urban expansion increasing the potential for land-use conict in many jurisdictions. However, while notable progress has been made in recent decades in the areas of odour science, standards and tools, the assessment of odour impacts remains characterised by large uncertainties and unresolved questions regarding assessment best practice. These problems have hindered harmonisation of odour assessment policy between jurisdictions and resulted in much diversity in approaches and criteria in assessment guidelines around the globe.
The aim of this thesis is to improve the theory and tools available to regulators for developing quantitative frameworks for predictive odour impact assessment. Research topics include addressing an outstanding issue present in odour modelling impact criteria, theory for designing screening-level livestock facility setback equations (LFSEs) and a concept for fast, easy-to-use and accurate software for screening-level steady-state plume modelling of near-ground level fugitive emissions sources. Software that demonstrates the viability of this concept is included.
This research thus addresses issues at the setback equation (for intensive livestock production facilities), screening modelling (for near-ground level fugitive emissions sources) and detailed site-specific modelling (all odour modelling) levels of assessment. The solutions proposed are designed to promote the best practice policy principles of simplicity of procedure and consistency, transparency and skill in assessment outcome of predictive odour impact assessment frameworks.
The research is supported by a review of odour regulations and impact criteria of selected countries around the world
COVID-19 mRNA vaccine safety during the first 6 months of roll-out in the USA
No full textA primary mission of the US vaccination campaign, which began in December, 2020, following emergency use authorisation (EUA) of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, was ensure vaccine benefit while monitoring vaccine safety.(1, 2)
This mission was facilitated by both the enormity of the roll-out and mRNA COVID-19 vaccine distribution and the administration by the US Government of all doses, giving an unprecedented opportunity to measure vaccine safety. As of Feb 28, 2022, over 530 million doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the USA.
In The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Hannah Rosenblum and colleagues (3) from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the first 6 months (Dec 14, 2020, to June 14, 2021) of safety monitoring of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, in individuals aged at least 16 years, during which time over 50% of the eligible US population received at least one vaccine dose and more than 298 million doses were administered
Molecular Epidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Clinical Bovine Mastitis in Northern China, 2018–2019
No full textKlebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumonia, KpI) is a predominate inducement of bovine mastitis, which is associated with high mortality and milk yield reduction. However, data is lacking on the molecular characteristics of bovine K. pneumoniae, limiting the risk assessment of its transmission through the food chain. Herein, we investigated the prevalence of K. pneumoniae in 6301 clinical mastitis (CM) milk samples from dairy cattle in Northern China. In total, 183 K. pneumoniae isolates were recovered, with detection rates of 3.0% and 2.8% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Like human clinical K. pneumoniae, all CM K. pneumoniae isolates belonged to one of three phylogroups: KpI (n = 143), Klebsiella. quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae (KpII-B) (n = 37), and Klebsiella variicola (KpIII) (n = 3). We detected the extended-spectrum β-lactamase-encoding genes blaSHV-2a, blaCTX-M-14, and blaCTX-M-15, as well as clpC, lpfA, lacI, lacZ, lacY, and the fecABDEIR operon in the KpI isolates, which may contribute to their pathogenicity and host adaptability in cows. The high prevalence of KpI in dairy farms may be problematic, as it showed relatively higher rates of antibiotic resistance and virulence gene carriage than the KpII-B and KpIII isolates. Furthermore, we observed distinct differences in population structure between CM- and human infection-associated KpI isolates, with the genes associated with invasive infection in humans rarely being observed in bovine isolates, indicating that few CM-associated K. pneumoniae isolates pose a threat to human health. Nevertheless, bovine KpII-B isolates shared a high level of nucleotide sequence identity with isolates from human infections and frequently carried the nitrogen-fixation gene nif, suggesting an association between KpII-B isolates from cattle and humans, and plant-derived bacteria