Anomalies of O3, CO, C2H2, H2CO, and C2H6 detected with multiple ground-based Fourier-transform infrared spectrometers and assessed with model simulation in 2020: COVID-19 lockdowns versus natural variability

Anomalies of tropospheric columns of ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), acetylene (C2H2), formaldehyde (H2CO), and ethane (C2H6) are quantified during the 2020 stringent COVID-19 world-wide lockdown using multiple ground-based Fourier-transform infrared spectrometers covering urban and remote conditions. We applied an exponential smoothing forecasting approach to the data sets to estimate business-as-usual values for 2020, which are then contrasted with actual observations. The Community Atmosphere Model with chemistry (CAM-chem) is used to simulate the same gases using lockdown-adjusted and business-as-usual emissions. The role of meteorology, or natural variability, is assessed with additional CAM-chem simulations. The tropospheric column of O3 declined between March and May 2020 for most sites with a mean decrease of 9.2% ± 4.7%. Simulations reproduce these anomalies, especially under background conditions where natural variability explains up to 80% of the decline for sites in the Northern Hemisphere. While urban sites show a reduction between 1% and 12% in tropospheric CO, the remote sites do not show a significant change. Overall, CAM-chem simulations capture the magnitude of the anomalies and in many cases natural variability and lockdowns have opposite effects. We further used the long-term record of the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) satellite instrument to capture global anomalies of CO. Reductions of CO vary highly across regions but North America and Europe registered lower values in March 2020.The absence of CO reduction in April and May, concomitant with reductions of anthropogenic emissions, is explained by a negative anomaly in the hydroxyl radical (OH) found with CAM-chem.The implications of these findings are discussed for methane (CH4), which shows a positive lifetime anomaly during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The fossil fuel combustion by-product tracer C2H2 shows a mean drop of 13.6% ± 8.3% in urban Northern Hemisphere sites due to the reduction in emissions and in some sites exacerbated by natural variability. For some sites with anthropogenic influence there is a decrease in C2H6.The simulations capture the anomalies but the main cause may be related to natural variability. H2CO declined during the stringent 2020 lockdown in all urban sites explained by reductions in emissions of precursors. Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s).

Simulation of COVID-19 Ultraviolet Disinfection Using Coupled Ray Tracing and CFD

Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiance (UVGI) is the effective technique of inactivating disease-causing bacteria, mould spores, fungi, and viruses using ultraviolet radiation. In this study, we seek to quantify the efficacy and COVID-19 infection risk reduction achieved by UVGI in the upper unoccupied zone of a room so that we may specify the type and placement of UVGI emitters optimally. We present a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based approach to model disinfection of aerosolized pathogens in a non-uniform ultraviolet field with mixing driven by air exchange and temperature gradients. We validate our CFD against simple calculation methods for UVGI effectiveness in well mixed spaces, and we integrate it with the Wells-Riley model of airborne infection risk to assess the relative benefit of UVGI with and against other measures. We demonstrate an order of magnitude reduction in infection risk as a result of applying UVGI, as well as the ability to quantify infection risk in non-well-mixed settings where simplified calculations methods do not apply. © International Building Performance Simulation Association, 2022

Analysing Adolescent Education and Health Trajectories in Crisis Contexts: Examples From a Multi-Year Longitudinal Cross-Country Study

Qualitative longitudinal research is a useful method for studying adolescent development, not least because the dimension of temporality in the analysis of longitudinal studies can help researchers understand the complexity of transitions during this unique and dynamic life stage. The Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence programme is a multi-year cross-country longitudinal study of adolescents in low- and middle-income countries. This article presents the methodological opportunities and challenges involved in analyzing such datasets, and seeks to offer insights for researchers undertaking qualitative longitudinal research. To ensure that both breadth and depth of such data are accurately represented in the analysis, a range of analytical approaches can be used. In this article, we provide key examples of how this data has been analyzed across a cohort of adolescent participants, exploring changes both pre- and post-Covid-19 including interactions with critical health and education services, and within individual life histories, exploring individual adolescent trajectories over multiple time points. Furthermore, we highlight how including caregivers' and key informants' perspectives can enhance triangulation of results. We show the importance of using a range of different approaches when analyzing a qualitative longitudinal dataset. © The Author(s) 2023.

A Comparison of Academic Output of Welsh Plastic Surgery Trainees Pre- and Mid-COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim The COVID-19 pandemic has affected doctors worldwide, with 1.5 million surgeries being postponed or cancelled in England and Wales during 2020. Surgeons in competitive specialties requiring active research portfolios may have used this time to strengthen their academic work. This cross-sectional study provides insight into the academic output of Welsh plastic surgery trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could be used to highlight contributing factors to benefit future training. Method A cross-sectional study was distributed to all Welsh burns and plastic surgery trainees from specialty trainee levels 3–8. Data was obtained comparing publications achieved, s submitted, and projects undertaken pre-pandemic, March 1st to 31st August 2019 and mid-pandemic, March 1st to 31st August 2020. Results Of the 12 Welsh plastic surgery trainees, 75% participated in this survey, with representation from all years of training. Mid-pandemic, an average of 3 publications were achieved per trainee when compared with 1.4 pre-pandemic. 78% submitted s during both periods, increasing from 1.5 to 2.44 mid-pandemic. Although the average number of projects undertaken pre- and mid-pandemic was 3.2 and 3.1 respectively, the number of trainees undertaking projects increased by 22% to 100%. Most commonly, this was attributed to an increase in capacity. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that overall, academic output increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unsurprisingly, this sudden decrease in surgical activity led to trainees in this highly competitive specialty employing their time towards research. Further studies investigating the factors enabling trainees to increase their academic productivity would be beneficial as routine surgical activity resumes.

The Development of Job Aids to Support the Use of Field Instruments, Methods, and Techniques by Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Environmental Emergency Personnel

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC’s) Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS) is tasked with providing scientific and technical advice to its federal partners during environmental emergencies including oil spill incidents. In addition, ESTS maintains a wide array of field instrumentation and equipment, which is available to support different areas of a spill response such as detection and monitoring, health and safety, and sampling. During a response, ESTS needs to quickly, and effectively, convey to ECCC Environmental Emergencies Officers what tools and equipment could be available for the response, and how they can help meet ECCCs objectives for the response. This can often be a challenge, especially when ESTS personnel cannot deploy on-site alongside the instrumentation and equipment, as the information must be provided in an easily understandable format, yet thorough enough to ensure proper usage of the particular tool or piece of equipment. To address these challenges, ESTS has begun the development of a suite of job aids or “Tactical Sheets”. Each Tactical Sheet contains necessary, condensed, information on a field method or equipment maintained by ESTS for use at an environmental emergency. The goal of these Tactical Sheets is to highlight what the specific objectives for ECCC are, and how a given piece of equipment or method can help meet that objective at a response. These Tactical Sheets come with a number of features including a standardized format, a visually appealing design layout, a required equipment list, a simplified procedure, and a summary of the typical use for the particular tool or piece of equipment. ESTS has begun trialing these Tactical Sheets at certain incidents throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to increase ESTS’ capability of providing remote support when on-site presence is not an option. These Tactical Sheets are meant to bolster ESTS’ portfolio of support options available to our partners during environmental emergency responses. This paper will present information on the program to update field methods used during an environmental emergency by ECCC. © 2022 44th AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response. All rights reserved.

User attitudes towards virtual home assessment technologies.

Telehealth has long been highlighted as a way to solve issues of efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare and to improve patients' care and has become fundamental to address patients' needs during the COVID-19 pandemic; however previous studies have shown mixed results in the user acceptance of such technologies. Whilst many previous studies have focussed on clinical application of telehealth, we focus on the adoption of telehealth for virtual assessments visits aimed to evaluate the suitability of a property where a patient is discharged, and eventual adaptations needed. We present a study of stakeholders' attitudes towards such virtual assessment visits. The study has been carried out with healthcare professionals and patients and allowed us to identify user attitudes, barriers and facilitators for the success of virtual assessment visits from the point of view of healthcare professionals and patients. Finally, we discuss implications for designers of telehealth services and guidelines that can be derived from our study.

An Adapted Delivery of the Brick-by-Brick™ Programme to Develop Communicative Competence in Children with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Systems

Background: Communicative rehabilitation can be complex and challenging for children with an acquired brain injury (ABI) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. The development of communicative competence (CC) in children with use AAC systems is in itself complex and multifaceted (Light, 1989, Light and McNaughton, 2014) and it can be challenging for clinicians to target multiple competencies effectively through direct intervention. The Brick-by-Brick™ programme (previously known as LEGObased therapyR) has an evidence base routed in research with verbal young people with Autism Spectrum Condition. The programme is a collaborative play therapy originally designed as a social intervention to target the development of social communication and interaction skills (LeGoff, 2004). Introduction: The presentation aims to explore a use of the Brick-by-Brick™ programme with children with ABI who use AAC to support or replace their verbal communication, as well as the areas of potential clinical need for adaptations to its delivery to increase access for this client group. It will also discuss the theory behind adaptations and the need for evidence to support decision making clinically around this topic. The aims and methods of the presenter's current research will be discussed using Janice Light's framework of communicative competence (Light, 1989;Light and McNaughton, 2012) to discuss areas of competence during the presentation. Methods: The research agenda of an embedded quasiexperimental mixed methods design will be shared, along with considerations for the commencement of data collection in a country still significantly affected by the health, social, and educational repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Clinical adaptations to the programme made by the presenter in her role as highly specialist speech and language therapist will be discussed and linked to her current research. Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations: Adapting the delivery of the Brick-by-Brick™ programme for use with AAC users with ABI is not without difficulties, but these are not insurmountable. Practical and theoretical recommendations for the adaptation of the programme in both educational and healthcare rehabilitation settings will be shared. Future thoughts on the development of the current research base will also be discussed.

A Shock to the System: What the COVID-19 Pandemic Reveals About Australia's Food Systems and Their Resilience

Australia has managed well through the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to many other developed nations. Through its first and second waves it was relatively successful in terms of control of outbreaks. Nevertheless, like everywhere, the shock to national systems has been profound, and adjustment remains complex and volatile. Food is a critical human need, and the food industry is recognised as a vital economic sector. We present an examination of some of the adaptive responses of Australia's food systems during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, from January 2020 to October 2020, with a focus on three case studies (seafood exports, consumer behaviour and food sector employment). These case studies provide observations of specific stresses experienced, as well as insights into the adaptation strategies carried out by various actors within the nation's food systems. The shock was experienced differently in different parts of given food systems, and the opportunities for adaptation varied. Some supply chains lost business, others had to adapt to rapidly increased demands, and surges. Our analysis reveals features of Australia's food systems, and their relationships to other systems, that have facilitated resilience, and features that have impeded it. We found that international supply chains are highly vulnerable to global shocks, that insecure employment conditions throughout the food system reduce the resilience of the system overall, and that consumers are not fully confident in supply chains. We observed the importance of agency and adaptive behaviour throughout the food systems as actors worked to build their own resilience, with consequences for other parts of the system. Our findings suggest that food system resilience can be enhanced by ensuring that the goals and priorities of those most vulnerable in society are recognised and addressed within decision making processes throughout the system. Copyright © 2022 Jones, Bellamy, Bellotti, Ross, van Bommel and Liu.

Risk factors for readmission following inpatient management of COVID-19 in a low-prevalence setting

This was a single-centre, observational cohort study of inpatients admitted to Austin Health from March to October 2020, investigating demographic, clinical,laboratory and treatment parameters associated with readmission to hospital within 6 months following initial inpatient management of COVID-19. Of 169 patients admitted with COVID-19 between March and October 2020 who survived to discharge, 24 (14.2%) were readmitted to hospital within 6 months(median, 36 days;interquartile range, 15-67 days). Ten(5.9%) patients re-presented with respiratory or COVID-19-specific symptoms,five (3.0%) patients represented with COVID-19 complications, and nine (5.3%) patients represented with unrelated problems.In whole cohort analysis, increased length of stay during index admission was significantly associated with readmission (5 days vs 7 days,P=0.04).Anon-significant increase in readmission was noted inpatients with pre-existing chronic respiratory disease,patients requiring supplemental oxygen, and patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

‘We Have No Hope for Anything’: Exploring Interconnected Economic, Social and Environmental Risks to Adolescents in Lebanon

Sustainable development is an effort to balance social progress with environmental equilibrium and economic growth. Young people affected by forced displacement are particularly vulnerable to the economic, environmental and social challenges of their surroundings. Using a framework that centres sustainable development on these three interconnected pillars, this article explores how the economic and environmental contexts in Lebanon impact adolescents’ and youth social development, drawing on qualitative data from adolescents in refugee and host community settings. The article highlights that adolescents face economic challenges because of the national economic crisis, exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns and service closures, poor labour market opportunities for youth—and for refugees in particular—and rising living costs. The environmental challenges facing adolescents include inadequate shelter (especially in collective shelters and informal tented shelters) and inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities. These economic and environmental conditions in turn influence adolescents’ social capabilities such as their physical and mental health, and voice and agency. The article concludes by highlighting the need for a more integrated approach to sustainable development that will allow both present and future generations in Lebanon to meet their own needs and live empowered lives. It outlines measures that could help achieve this approach, including: creating policies and programmes that promote investment in technical and soft skills-building to equip young people with the skills they need to take up jobs within the green economy;investing in adolescent-friendly social protection with linkages to environmental projects;and improved shelter, health and WASH facilities, particularly in response to the ongoing and future impacts of climate change. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

"Our World Is Shaking Because of Corona": Intersecting Crises and Disrupted Life Transitions among Young People in Ethiopia and Jordan Pre- and Post-COVID-19

Our article explores how intersecting crises, sociocultural norms around gender, age, household and community and broader political and economic shifts are affecting youth transitions. We draw on qualitative virtual research with 138 young people in Ethiopia and Jordan undertaken between April and August 2020. COVID-19 is exacerbating ongoing crises and gender inequalities in Ethiopia and Jordan and foreclosing opportunities for youth transitions. In Ethiopia, the pandemic has compounded the precarity of young people who have migrated from rural to urban areas, often to locations where they are socially marginalised. In Jordan, the confinement of young people affected by forced displacement to their households with extended family during pandemic-related service closures augments existing perceptions of an extended 'waithood'-both psychosocially and economically. In both contexts, conservative gender norms further entrench the restrictions on adolescent girls' mobility with consequences for their opportunities and wellbeing. This article makes an important contribution to the literature on gender, migrant youth and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by showing how multiple crises have sharpened the social and political (im)mobilities that already shaped young men and women's lives in Ethiopia and Jordan and the consequences for their trajectories to adulthood.

Teachers' Time Use and Affect Before and After COVID-19 School Closures

Several large-scale survey efforts have attempted to understand teachers' experiences in the early months of the pandemic. Our study complements this literature by providing direct evidence of teachers' work prior to and after the onset of COVID-19. We leverage unique longitudinal time use and affect data on 131 teachers from one district across the 2019-2020 school year. Specifically, we provide a full accounting of teachers' instructional activities, their reports of their positive affect and negative affect while engaged in these activities, and the extent to which teachers' work experiences changed post-COVID. Our results suggest a large reduction in teachers' daily instructional minutes, which were replaced with increased planning, paperwork, and interactions with colleagues and parents. Teachers' overall positive and negative affect did not change post-COVID. But teachers' affective responses to specific work activities did. Post-COVID, we saw increases in teachers' positive affect when with students.

Diabetic ketoacidosis rates rose among patients with type 1 diabetes during U.S. COVID-19 peaks with highest burden on non-Hispanic Blacks

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and has laid bare inequities in health care. Objectives: We sought to examine the United States (US) trends in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) across the lifespan during the COVID-19 pandemic and factors associated with these trends, compared to DKA rates the year prior to the pandemic. Methods: The T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative (T1DX-QI) collected aggregate data on the incidence of DKA among children and adults with established and new-onset T1D from 7 large medical centers in the US (total T1D population >15,000). We compared DKA rates during COVID-19 Wave 1 (March-May 2020) and COVID-19 Wave 2 (August-October 2020) to the same periods in 2019. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Chi-square tests were used to compare differences in patient characteristics. Results: DKA rates were higher in patients with established T1D during COVID-19 Wave 1 compared to the same period in 2019 (6.15% vs 4.71%, p=<0.001). DKA rates were also higher in patients with established T1D during COVID-19 Wave 2 compared to 2019 (5.55% vs 4.90%, p=0.02). There were no differences in rates of DKA by age or DKA severity. DKA rates were lower among individuals on insulin pumps during both COVID-19 waves compared to 2019 (Wave 1: 6.43% vs 10.25%, p=0.008;Wave 2: 8.14% vs 11.21%, p=0.03). Consistent with known T1D inequities, DKA rates were exacerbated for NH Black patients in 2020, with 18% of NH Blacks with T1D experiencing DKA compared to 6% of NH Whites. Conclusions: DKA rates rose among patients with T1D during US COVID-19 Waves 1 and 2, with the highest rates among NH Blacks. These findings highlight the urgent need for improved strategies to decrease the risk of DKA in individuals with T1D under pandemic conditions, especially among populations most affected by health inequities.

Collage: Intimate Black geographies

As part of the tribute for this Themed Intervention, this collage reflects on the loss of loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and on the impact of on-going environmental crises. We also reflect on ancestors, practices, and places that have fortified us during this time. In this collaborative visual archive, we document what was happening in the near past as we crafted our contributions for this collection. At the same time, this collage underscores the Black intimate geographies we have lived and the intimacy we practised in the course of its making. The information, practices and views in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). © 2021 Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).

Agency and Empowerment for Adolescent Girls: An Intentional Approach to Policy and Programming

As national governments roll out COVID response plans, an opportunity arises to re-cast adolescent girls' programs to centrally anchor them on girls' voices, leadership, ambitions, and assets in development policies and programs. Drawing together the evidence on what we know works for adolescent girls, as well as the growing literature on positive strengths-based programming which are gradually and increasingly being applied, this commentary calls for a girl-intentional approach to policy and programming. A girl-intentional approach is described through 3 case studies, which illustrate the additionality of new or improved adolescent knowledge, skills, and competencies;improved opportunities for adolescent engagement, voice, and agency;improved community safety and support;stronger, healthier relationships;and stronger and healthier norms, attitudes, values, and goals. The case studies describe program hooks that facilitate operationalization, point to measurable outcomes, and identify opportunities for scale, including the re-opening of schools. Overall, inter-sectoral solutions that address the myriad of issues affecting an adolescent girl's life and tackle pervasive gender inequities require greater emphasis by development actors and national governments.