Lillian Smith's Strange Fruit and periodical readerships

Recent scholarly interest in Lillian Smith and her controversial best-selling novel Strange Fruit (1944) has ignored the importance of the magazine she edited with her partner Paula Snelling, South Today (1936–45). After considering Smith and Snelling's cultivation of an ideal southern literature through their book reviews, this article reads the short stories Smith published in South Today, which functioned as early drafts of Strange Fruit. Tracing the significance of the magazine's readers, I argue that the process of editing a magazine shaped the structure and style of Smith's novel, considering what literary magazines can tell us about southern identity

Performance of remotely sensed precipitation products in capturing meteorological drought over typical agricultural planting area

Remote sensed precipitation products (RSPPs) can provide reliable data for drought monitoring. However, using numerous RSPPs can introduce significant uncertainties due to their discrepancies. This study focuses on the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in China, a key agricultural region sensitive to meteorological drought. Using grid precipitation interpolated by observed data from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), we evaluated the performance of three long-term series (> 30 years) RSPPs (PERSIANN-CDR, CHIRPS, and MSWEP) in capturing the spatial and temporal characteristics of meteorological drought events. We found that (1) three RSPPs can generally reproduce the pattern of annual precipitation, but they are difficult to accurately capture the trend of CMA. (2) MSWEP performs better than the other two products in identifying drought variation and area proportions at various spatiotemporal scales, with the one-month scale (SPI1) being the optimal timescale for RSPPs to identify meteorological drought. (3) All RSPPs can reproduce the pattern of drought categories and characteristics, with their performance order of MSWEP > CHIRPS > PERSIANN-CDR. This indicates considerable room for improvement in depicting the drought characteristics. Our results can guide the selection of the RSPPs for meteorological drought monitoring and disaster avoidance

Evaluating the hygrothermal performance and associated benefits and risks of replacement infill panels for historic timber-framed buildings in the UK

Historic timber-framed buildings, although a small part of the UK's historic building stock, contribute to UK national cultural identity. However, their thermal performance is typically inferior to their masonry counterparts, and their defining exposed frames limit retrofit options. Where historic infill is missing or damaged, there exists the opportunity to infill with thermal insulation. However, this may increase moisture accumulation leading to biological decay. The research in this paper, funded by Historic England, has monitored the hygrothermal performance of eight experimental infill panels in Cardiff, since 2019. Four infills materials were monitored, wattle-and-daub, a wood fibre/wood wool composite, expanded cork board, and hempcrete, within a reclaimed oak frame. Two finishes were applied, NHL 3.5 and sand render, and a non-hydraulic lime with hemp shiv aggregate. Moisture content and temperature were monitored at nine positions within each panel. Over five years, significant moisture fluctuations were recorded. Initially no interstitial condensation was identified, with wetting and drying cycles corresponding with wind-driven rain events. However, in the last few years, incidences of interstitial condensation were identified in the wood fibre/wood wool composite and the wattle-and-daub. Additionally, extended periods of high moisture content were recorded at some perimeter junctions. Overall, those panels finished in the less moisture permeable NHL 3.5 show higher moisture contents and longer drying times. Comparative WUFI® Pro simulations are now underway using measured climate data and material properties. The final results will inform best practice guidance as we aim towards a sustainable future for these iconic buildings

Comparative analysis of VSC-HVDC converters under phase jumps, frequency change, and short-circuit faults

Voltage source converters (VSCs) are essential for integrating renewable energy into modern power systems. VSC-HVDC systems will take part in grid-forming capabilities in the future. This paper investigates the response of grid-forming VSCs to three AC-side disturbances: phase jump, rate of change of frequency (RoCoF), and short-circuit fault. Phase jumps and RoCoF both cause phase angle changes, but they lead to different dynamics of active power. Phase jumps and short-circuit faults are compared based on transient current and energy imbalance. The current-limiting control with virtual impedance is evaluated for managing the overcurrent during disturbances. The results show that it effectively mitigates overcurrent caused by both phase jumps and short-circuit faults. The findings highlight the similarities and distinctions among phase jumps, RoCoF, and short-circuit faults, contributing to the understanding of grid-forming capability specifications and control strategy design for VSC-HVDC systems

Understanding gas mixing in the circumgalactic medium

We study gas mixing in a simulated Milky Way–mass galaxy’s circumgalactic medium (CGM) using cosmological ‘zoom-in’ simulations. We insert tracer dyes in the CGM with different gas flows (shearing, coherent, and static) and diverse physical properties to track gas mixing. We correlate the extent and shape of the dye spread with the local gas properties to understand gas mixing. Velocity dispersion and traceless symmetric shear tensors (pure shear deformation) in small regions (⁠ ⁠) around the dye injection locations best predict the dye spread extent after ⁠. We use this to determine diffusion calibration constants for subgrid-scale mixing models. While the dye shape after aligns well with the velocity dispersion and magnetic field dispersion, the best alignment occurs with the dispersion of stretching eigenvectors (traceless symmetric shear tensor) and plane of rotation (antisymmetric shear or vorticity tensor) in large regions (⁠ ⁠) around the dye injection locations. Therefore, shear statistics and velocity dispersion best predict the extent and shape of mixed gas. The linear temporal dependence of the dye spread suggests superdiffusion in the CGM, potentially due to turbulent and large-scale coherent flows or numerical diffusion. Despite significant numerical mixing from our 1 kpc resolution (insufficient to resolve Reynolds numbers ⁠, which require a few hundred pc resolution), our correlation results are robust thanks to fixed spatial resolution throughout the CGM. These results can be used to predict diffusion coefficients to model magnetic field diffusion, heat transport, and metal mixing

The validation of the ‘CARe Burn Scale: Parent/Caregiver Form’—A patient reported outcome measure (PROM) using Rasch measurement theory (RMT) to assess quality of life for parents or caregivers supporting a child with a burn injury

A PROM is a measure of patient needs and therapeutic progress. This paper outlines the validation of the CARe Burn Scale: Parent/Caregiver Form, a PROM that measures quality of life in parents/caregivers supporting a child with a burn injury. A literature review and interviews with sixteen parents and six burns health professionals informed the development of the PROM conceptual framework/draft form. Cognitive debriefing interviews with five parents and seven burns-specialist health professionals provided feedback to ascertain content validity, and two-hundred and four parents/caregivers took part in the field testing. Rasch measurement theory (RMT) analyses and internal consistency tests were conducted to create a shortened version and for psychometric validation. The final conceptual framework included eight domains/individual scales: Physical Well-being, Confidence with Managing Burn Wound/Scar Treatments, Social Situations, Partner Relationship, Self-worth, Negative Mood, Parent Concerns about the Appearance of their Child’s Burn Wounds/Scars, and Positive Growth. Seven scales had solutions from RMT analyses and passed internal consistency criteria. Confidence with Managing Burn Wound/Scar Treatments did not fit the Rasch model but was retained as a checklist based on theoretical insight. The CARe Burn Scale: Parent/Caregiver Form is the first and only burn-specific PROM that assesses parents’ own health needs when caring for a child with a burn

Concerted catalysis of single atom and nanocluster enhances bio-ethanol activation and dehydrogenation

Single atom and nanocluster catalysts are extensively investigated in heterogeneous catalysis due to their high catalytic activity and atomic utilization, while their coexisting properties and potentially synergistic effect are yet to be clarified. Herein, we construct three systems of atomic-scale catalysts (xNi/Mo2TiAlC2, x = 0.5, 1, and 1.5) for bio-ethanol reforming, which correspond to single atoms, single atoms mixed with nanoclusters, and nanoclusters. The respective hydrogen utilization efficiency of mixed-form catalyst increases by 43.7% and 29.3% compared to single atom and nanocluster catalysts. Results demonstrate that the adjacent Ni single atom facilitates electron transfer from Mo2TiAlC2 to Ni-Mo interface and raises the d-band center, thus enhancing bio-ethanol adsorption and activation; while the existence of Ni nanoclusters contributes to lowering the energy barriers of CH3CHO* dehydrogenation. The catalytically active sites are Ni-Mo alloyed single atoms with adjacent Ni nanoclusters. This work provides new implications for highly activated catalytic site construction and advanced catalyst design

Psychometric validation of the Spanish for Ecuador Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) and its application to measure impact on family members of patients with skin diseases

Background: The Family Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) is a generic tool to measure the impact of health conditions on patients’ family members and partners (FMs). This study aimed to translate, validate, evaluate, and implement FROM-16 in Ecuadorian Spanish and to assess the quality of life (QoL) of FMs of patients with skin diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional study of patients and their FMs was performed using FROM-16 and a five-point-Likert scale to evaluate patient´s skin health by the FM and physician. Construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis and item response modelling of FROM-16 were assessed. Results: 195 FMs completed Ecuadorian FROM-16. Inter-item correlation was 0.40 and factor analysis confirmed the original two-factor model: Cronbach’s alpha 0.89, with factor loadings of 0.44–0.76. Mean age of patients = 41.8 ± 31.1 years and of FMs = 47.3 ± 7; diseases were classified as inflammatory (n = 88) or non-inflammatory (n = 107). The mean FROM-16 score was 12.5 ± 7 meaning “a moderate effect on QoL;” however, scores of 29.2% (57 of 195) indicated a “very large” (n = 47) or “extremely large” (n = 10) effect. Populations with the highest burden were adult children main carers, not cohabiting with their sick parents (mean FROM-16 = 17 ± 7.7, n = 8, p = 0.05 versus those cohabiting), and FM of patients with inflammatory conditions (mean = 14 ± 6.9, n = 88, p = 0.006 versus those with non-inflammatory dermatoses). Conclusion: The FROM-16 is a succinct, well-structured two-domain instrument. It can be used to identify the largely overlooked impact on FMs of dermatology patients. Understanding this impact may contribute to better holistic care, inform physicians’ decisions, and encourage further support for families