Understanding the use of telehealth in the context of the Family Nurse Partnership and other early years home visiting programmes:A rapid review

OVERVIEW: This rapid review sought to understand the use of telehealth in early parenthood programmes sharing similarities with the Family Nurse Partnership. METHODS: A rapid review protocol was developed in accordance with Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Guidance. Medline, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were developed using population, intervention, comparator, outcome, study design, and timeframe components. Two reviewers searched, screened, and extracted data. AMSTAR was used for critical appraisal. Results were synthesised narratively. RESULTS: Searches yielded 18 studies out of 881 for inclusion. Findings were identified across seven domains: acceptability and accessibility; therapeutic relationships; flexibility offered by telehealth; participation and engagement; confidentiality and privacy; equipment and technical considerations; and training and support. CONCLUSION: Telehealth provides unique opportunities to improve access to early years health services for young mothers. However, considerable accessibility barriers remain in the form of connectivity issues, access to appropriate technology, and the acceptability of remote healthcare delivery. This review presents a timely overview of the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of telehealth in early parenthood and family-based programmes

New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2016-2017 Field Campaign – Seafloor Photographs

The New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2016-2017 Field Campaign – Seafloor Photographs” was developed by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center (CCOM/JHC). The field campaign was conducted to provide ground truth for surficial geology maps for the continental shelf off New Hampshire (NH) and focused on the inner shelf between the coast and the Isles of Shoals. Station locations were chosen where high-resolution bathymetry was available, including multibeam echosounder (MBES) surveys conducted by the UNH CCOM/JHC Hydrographic Field Course (Ocean Engineering 972), MBES surveys by the NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS), and a topo-bathy lidar (Shoals) survey by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) (see Ward et al., 2021c for details). In total, seafloor videography was collected at 151 stations and 855 photographs were extracted from the video. In addition, 150 sediment samples were collected from 85 of the stations and analyzed for grain size. The bottom sediment grain size data is available at the University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (see Ward et al., 2021 https://dx.doi.org/10.34051/d/2021.2

New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2016-2017 Field Campaign – Seafloor and Sample Photographs and Sediment Data

The New Hampshire Continental Shelf Geophysical Database: 2016-2017 Field Campaign - Seafloor and Sample Photographs and Sediment Data contains photographs of the seafloor from sampling locations, photographs of the sediment samples, and grain size data from a major field campaign conducted in 2016- 2017 and from the UNH Ocean Engineering 972 Hydrographic Field Course classes in 2012, 2014, and 2018. In total, sixteen one-day cruises provided 150 samples for grain size analysis. The database provides complete descriptions for each sample including identification, station and sample characteristics, sediment classifications, grain size statistics, and grain size distribution. Presented here are tables with the station locations and types of data available followed by single sample summaries for each sample collected and analyzed. Included in each summary are location information, seafloor photographs, photographs of the sample (in field and laboratory) where available, collection information, sediment classifications, grain size statistics, and grain size distribution. Samples were analyzed with standard sieve and pipette analyses after Folk (1980). The sediment grain size classifications include: CMECS (Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard; FGDC, 2012); Gradistat (Blot and Pye, 2001); and Wentworth (Wentworth, 1922; described in Folk, 1954, 1980). Statistics are based on the phi scale and include the graphic mean, sorting, skewness, and kurtosis (Folk, 1980)

New Hampshire Volunteer Beach Profile Monitoring Program (VBPMP): Implementation, Field Methods, and Data Processing

The New Hampshire (NH) Volunteer Beach Profiling Monitoring Program (VBPMP) monitors beach elevation profiles at multiple stations along the NH Atlantic coast on a near-monthly basis using the Emery method. The program grew from three monitoring stations in 2016-2017 to thirteen stations across six beaches in 2018, with an additional station added in 2022. The overarching goal of the VBPMP is to assess the stability of New Hampshire’s Atlantic beaches over multiple years to determine seasonal changes and long-term trends using citizen science methods. Included in the assessment of beach stability are erosional or accretional trends, response to storms, and comparisons between beaches with differing morphology, sediments, and infrastructure (e.g., seawalls or dunes). Presented in this report are the methods used by the NH VBPMP for establishing profile stations, collecting beach elevation profiles based on the Emery method, recording, and uploading field data, and taking field photographs. The methods used for processing profile data after collection by volunteers is also described, including data review and quality assurance, datum corrections, plotting elevation profiles, sediment volume computation, and determination of mean profile elevations. Finally, examples of data products created for sharing with the public are presented

A Queueing Analysis of Hashing With Lazy Deletion

Hashing with lazy deletion is a simple method for maintaining a dynamic dictionary: items are inserted and sought as usual in a separate-chaining hash table; however, items that no longer need to be in the data structure remain until a later insertion operation stumbles on them and removes them from the table. Because hashing with lazy deletion does not delete items as soon as possible, it keeps more items in the dictionary than methods that use more careful deletion strategies. On the other hand, its space overhead is much smaller than those more careful methods, so if the number of extra items is not too large, hashing with lazy deletion can be a practical algorithm when space is scarce. In this paper, we analyze the expected amount of excess space used by hashing with lazy deletion

Analyzing and mapping fish assemblages off central California, USA

This study describes fish assemblages and their spatial patterns off the coast of California from Point Arena to Point Sal, by combining the results of the multivariate analyses of several fisheries datasets with a geographic information system. In order to provide comprehensive spatial coverage for the areas of inshore, continental shelf, and continental slope, three fisheries datasets were analyzed: 1) Inshore: the California Department of Fish and Game dataset of fishery-dependent commercial passenger fishing vessel trips that targeted rockfish; 2) Continental Shelf: the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) fishery-independent bottom trawls; and 3) Continental Slope: the NMFS fishery-independent bottom trawls on the continental slope. One-hundred seven species were analyzed. These species represented those captured in at least 5% of the fishing trips or trawls in at least one of the three data sets. We analyzed each of the three datasets separately, and the three sets of results were combined to define 28 species assemblages and 23 site groups. A species assemblage consisted of species caught together, whereas a site group consisted of fishing trips or trawl locations that tended to have the same species assemblages. At the scale of these datasets, 97% of all site groups were significantly segregated by depth

Seasonal Changes in Sediment Grain Size of New Hampshire Atlantic Beaches

The beaches along the New Hampshire Atlantic coast are essential to the local and regional economy and are one of the major attractions of the seacoast. Beyond their economic importance, the beaches also have great aesthetic and ecological value that are vital to the character and history of New Hampshire. Unfortunately, climate change and an acceleration in sea-level rise, coupled with a major reduction in sediment supply and extensive development (including engineering structures along the coast), has led to loss of elevation and narrowing of many of the beaches. The forecast is that these trends will continue and likely become worse. It is also very likely that engineering solutions will be sought to reduce the impact of sea-level rise and coastal erosion in the near future as the loss of the beaches become more critical and coastal flooding becomes a more frequent threat. An option that will undoubtedly play an important role in efforts to mitigate the impacts of beach erosion, flooding and storm damage is beach nourishment. Essential to beach nourishment success is a thorough understanding of the natural sediments that compose the beach. This includes studying the grain size distribution under low energy conditions (typically summer) when the beaches tend to be accretional, and under higher energy conditions (typically winter and stormy periods), when the beaches erode and finer sediments are winnowed. A preliminary inventory of the grain size of the natural sediment composing the major New Hampshire beaches was carried out by Ward et al. (2016). However, this study was conducted in summer 2015 after a prolonged period of accretional or stable conditions. In addition, samples were taken only in the upper ten centimeters of the sediment column. Here, a seasonal study (completed in 2017) of sediment grain size from seven major New Hampshire beaches is presented. A total of twenty-eight elevation profiles were measured and one hundred forty sediment samples collected at cross-shore transects in late winter – early spring following an extended period of beach erosion. In late summer twenty-two of the profiles were rerun and ninety-seven sediment samples collected following an extended period of accretion. Six stations were not rerun due to a late summer storm which eroded the beach. The samples were collected along shore-normal transects from the seawall or foredunes to the low tide swash. Large samples were typically collected (~1 kg to 24 kg) from the upper 20 to 30 cm of the sediment column. Results of cross-shore elevation profiles at each beach verified that all locations sampled in late winter – early spring 2017 had been eroded by winter storms and often had sediment lag deposits. Conversely, all the beaches sampled following the summer accretional period had recovered and gained elevation. Along with the deposition of sediment there was a general fining of grain size, especially at bimodal beaches. This decrease in grain size by late summer was related to the deposition of fine to medium sand that migrated onshore, often in ridge and runnel systems. The bimodal beaches tended to show the largest change in grain size overall due to scattered pebbles or pebble lag deposits being buried by the sandy accretional wedge

Surficial Geology of the Continental Shelf off New Hampshire: Morphologic Features and Surficial Sediment

The continental shelf off New Hampshire (NH) in the Western Gulf of Maine (WGOM) is extremely complex and includes extensive bedrock outcrops, marine-modified glacial deposits, marine-formed shoals, seafloor plains, and associated features that are composed of a range of sediment types from mud to gravel. Furthermore, the physiography and composition of the seafloor frequently changes dramatically over relatively short distances (tens of meters). The complexity of the WGOM seafloor results from the interplay of glaciations, sea-level fluctuations, and marine processes (waves and currents). High-resolution multibeam echosounder (MBES) bathymetry and backscatter surveys, along with ground truth consisting of archived seismic reflection profiles, bottom sediment grain size data, vibracores, and video were used to develop surficial geology maps based on the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). The surficial geology maps cover ~3,250 km2 and extend from the coast of NH seaward ~50 km to Jeffreys Ledge and depict major geoforms (physiographic features) and seafloor substrate (sediment size) classifications. CMECS provides a sound basis for classifying the texture of the seafloor; however, the geoform classifications need to be broadened for paraglacial environments in future studies. The surficial geology maps presented here are a major refinement of the original maps produced in 2016 (see Ward et al., 2016a). The new maps reflect the results of a major field campaign conducted in 2016-2017 to obtain accurately located sediment samples and seafloor images to complement the original bottom sediment database. The new sites specifically targeted areas where high-resolution MBES bathymetry existed or where surficial features warranted further ground truth for evaluations. This work was designed to enhance the surficial geology mapping efforts and contribute to the development of new approaches for utilizing acoustics to remotely classify seafloor sediments and morphologic features (also supported by the University of New Hampshire Joint Hydrographic Center). The new surficial geology maps presented here depict the exposed bedrock, morphologic features, and sediment distribution on the continental shelf off NH, revealing features of the seafloor in exceptional detail that have not been previously described. An important finding of this study was the extent and importance of marine-modified glacial features on the WGOM continental shelf. Extensive glacial deposits including drumlins, eskers, outwash, and moraines have been eroded and modified by wave and tidal currents as sea level fluctuated over the last 12,000 years. These features are potential sources of sand and gravel for future beach nourishment projects; however, more detailed subbottom seismic surveys and vibracores are needed for verification. Also, these potential resource areas are presently too far from shore and in too great a depth of water to be easily utilized. As the demand for sand and gravel becomes more acute and technologies advance, mineral resources farther offshore and in deeper water will likely become viable

Clean-Fuel e-VTOL Air Mobility Vehicles for Unmanned and Manned Operations

Imagine for a moment, having your very own safe, affordable, clean-fuel, point-to-any point vehicle for travel in the 21st-century 3-dimensional airspace system. Your ultra-reliable e-VTOL allows commuters to leave behind the constraints of hub-and-spoke airports, and the congestion of interstates, turnpikes and freeways. Facilitating Inter- and Intra-urban travel, such as downtown-to-airport, or metropolis-to-metropolis, or home-to-work. Perfect for dense urban environments worldwide. And all while offering the clean power of hydrogen for zero-emission travel. This vision for efficient, clean, delay-free mobility has been talked about for decades, but always waived aside as some kind of futurist vision. This future requires tackling hard problems in propulsion, airspace management, regulatory satisfaction and (not the least) technologies that seemed out of reach. Well, the future is upon us. What’s at stake? Serious impact on climate change. Affordable transportation. Widely available medical-flights. Timely disaster relief and recovery. Autonomous transport and delivery. On-Demand air taxis. Efficient emergency response. Ubiquitous border security. Economical bulk commodity deliveries. Simplified off-shore deliveries. Sustainable fleet support. NASA, FAA and industry have been laying the foundations for decades, starting with the NASA AGATE and SATS programs of the 1990’s to 2000’s, and the industrial initiatives in On-Demand Mobility such as DayJet, SATSair, LinearAir and many others. Now, some 20 years later, we’re poised to build and deliver e-VTOL, powered by clean, reliable hydrogen fuel cells, operated with more reliable simplified vehicle operations, and in more automated airspace capabilities. This paper summarizes the core strategy, progress and challenges in the certification program for a hydrogen fuel-cell powered e-VTOL having redundant power sources, redundant motors, redundant auto-pilots, and an airframe parachute. The authors believe the implications to operator training for safe and reliable transportation services for the public are central to strategies and industrial vision