Institutional Resilience Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast in The Context of Pre- And Post-Hurricane Katrina

Building resilience to disasters helps reduce loss of life and property, allowing communities to recover more quickly from shocks and disruptions. Governing institutions are tasked with tremendous responsibility in terms of mitigating risks and enhancing resilience of local communities through proactive planning and policies. It is important to examine how institutional policies have changed pre- and post-disaster to determine their contribution to community resilience. Metrics and indicators can be used to quantitatively assess, establish baseline, track, and monitor resilience at the community level. Few studies have attempted to measure institutional resilience using a set of indicators and metrics, and even fewer explore the conceptual gaps between academic research on hazards and emergency management practice. This research investigates the utility of the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) institutional resilience (IR) sub-index in a context-specific case study. This study replicates the BRIC IR sub-index, aggregated at the state scale, for eighty-two counties in Mississippi in the context of pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina. Difference of means and median tests along with evaluating of change in ranking were utilized to determine the drivers of change in institutional resilience from 2000 to 2010 for the state of Mississippi and for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties. In addition, content analysis of state and local hazard mitigation plans (HMPs) provides contextual information to explain observed changes in institutional resilience metrics as well as in post-disaster mitigation practice. Mitigation spending, flood insurance coverage, disaster aid experience, jurisdictional coordination, and crop insurance coverage are the drivers of change in institutional resilience for the state of Mississippi, while only the first three indicators along with population stability are the drivers for Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties. Increases in mitigation spending and flood insurance coverage can be directly attributed to Hurricane Katrina. Content analysis of state and local HMPs suggests that the theoretical basis of BRIC IR indicators is reflective of mitigation practice. In addition, there are substantial improvements in the post-Hurricane Katrina HMPs in the categories of hazard identification, jurisdictional coordination, reporting of loss data, hazard modeling, participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, and social vulnerability assessment

On the Mazur-Tate-Teitelbaum conjecture

This thesis is intended to explain the result proved by Greenberg and Stevens on the Mazur-Tate-Teitelbaum conjecture. Specially, the objective of the thesis is to develop all the necessary theory in order to understand Greenberg and Stevens' paper in detail.ope

Til hvilken grad står norske toppfotballtrenere ved sine verdier i motgang?

Det finnes mye forskning knyttet til fotballtrenerrollen, men lite av denne forskning ser på trenerrollen og hens utøvelse av ledelse med utgangspunkt i verdier. Det som gjør en fotballtrener interessant å forske på sammenlignet med andre verdibaserte ledere, er en fotballtreners omstendigheter, med seier og tap og et voldsomt press fra både media, supportere og styre. Norske toppfotballtrenere lever under et voldsomt press, og lagene de leder står ofte i motgang. Spillerne blir preget av motgangen, og treneren må finne løsninger for å snu den negative trenden. Norske toppfotballtrenere er tydelige på at verdier er viktige å lede etter. Men hvordan forholder de seg egentlig til verdiene sine når de står i motgang? Denne oppgaven ser på toppfotballtreneres utførelse av verdibasert ledelse, og oppgavens problemstilling lyder slik: Til hvilken grad står norske toppfotballtrenere ved sine verdier i motgang? Til tross for at det finnes mye forskning om både verdibasert ledelse og fotballtrenere, finnes det et tomrom i det å se på norske fotballtreneres utøvelse av verdibasert ledelse i motgang. Oppgaven er basert på en kvalitativ undersøkelse basert på dybdeintervjuer med seks trenere på toppnivå som alle har stått i motgang. Oppgavens informanter hadde et bevisst forhold til verdier i sin ledelsesutøvelse, og verdiene involvering, trivsel, ærlighet, lojalitet og kommunikasjon var de mest fremtredende. Trenerne hadde et nokså bevisst forhold til hvordan disse verdiene stod seg i motgang, og praktiseringen av verdiarbeid knyttet til disse varierte fra trener til trener og fra verdi til verdi. Totalt sett fant vi at trenerne tilsynelatende gjennomførte mer verdiarbeid i motgang enn det de gjorde ellers

Hvordan kan kunstig intelligens effektivisere tjenestedesign?

Bakgrunnen for denne bacheloroppgaven bunner ut i vår interesse for disruptive teknologier, tjenestedesign og kunstig intelligens. Temaet vi ønsket å forske på var hvordan kunstig intelligens kan påvirke et yrke og bidra til effektivisering. Dette ledet oss til følgende problemstilling: Hvordan kan tjenestedesign understøttes og effektiviseres gjennom bruk av kunstig intelligens? Målet med oppgaven er forstå hvilke muligheter det finnes for verdiskapende samarbeid mellom tjenestedesignere og kunstig intelligente verktøy. Vi har valgt å bruke kvalitativ metode ettersom vår empiri er basert på et lite antall ekspertintervjuer og dokumentstudier. Vi gjorde fem dybdeintervjuer med personer som jobber med tjenestedesign. For å ytterligere styrke oppgavens datagrunnlag gjennomførte vi i tillegg en dokumentanalyse, for å avdekke hvilke relevante kunstig intelligens verktøy det finnes der ute. Resultatene viser at kunstig intelligens kan frigjøre tid i selve designprosessen. Det finnes et stort antall verktøy der ute som kan utføre administrative oppgaver, lage brukerreiser, analysere personlighetstrekk og generere produkter ut av forhåndsdefinerte problemstillinger. De fleste av våre informanter var positive til bruk av kunstig intelligens i sitt yrke, der de ikke frykter at de i nær fremtid tid vil bli erstattet. Dette begrunner de med at kunstig intelligens ikke er nysgjerrig, empatisk, motivert eller har samme personlige drivkraft som mennesker. Forskningen vår har ikke som mål å generalisere, men eksplorerende hvor målet har vært å avdekke muligheter fremover for tjenestedesignfaget og avdekke temaer som det bør forskes mer på

CSA: Thực hành nông nghiệp thông minh với khí hậu ở Việt Nam

During the last five years, Vietnam has been one of the countries most affected by climate change. Severe typhoons, flooding, cold spells, salinity intrusion, and drought have affected agriculture production across the country, from upland to lowland regions. Fortunately for Vietnam, continuous work in developing climate-smart agriculture has been occurring in research organizations and among innovative farmers and entrepreneurs. Application of various CSA practices and technologies to adapt to the impact of climate change in agriculture production have been expanding. However, there is a need to accelerate the scaling process of these practices and technologies in order to ensure growth of agriculture production and food security, increase income of farmers, make farming climate resilient, and contribute to global climate change mitigation. This book aims to provide basic information to researchers, managers, and technicians and extentionists at different levels on what CSA practices and technologies can be up scaled in different locations in Vietnam

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Improvement of Hydrophilicity for Polyamide Composite Membrane by Incorporation of Graphene Oxide-Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

In this work, the polyamide (PA) membrane surface has been modified by coating of nanomaterials including graphene oxide (GO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) to enhance membrane separation and antifouling properties. The influence of surface modification conditions on membrane characteristics has been investigated and compared with a base membrane. Membrane surface properties were determined through scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy. Membrane separation performance was determined through the possibility for the removal of methylene blue (MB) in water. Membrane antifouling property was evaluated by the maintained flux ratios (%) after 120 minutes of filtration. The experimental results showed that the appearance of hydrophilic groups after coating of GO and TiO2 nanocomposite materials with or without UV irradiation onto membrane surface made an improvement in the separation property of the coated membranes. The membrane flux increased from 28% to 61%; meanwhile, the antifouling property of the coated membranes was improved clearly, especially for UV-irradiated PA/GO-TiO2 membrane

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundEstimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period.Methods22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution.FindingsGlobal all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations.InterpretationGlobal adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic