Comprehensive Measures Research Articles

Passive Acoustic Sampling Enhances Traditional Herpetofauna Sampling Techniques in Urban Environments

Data are needed to assess the relationships between urbanization and biodiversity to establish conservation priorities. However, many of these relationships are difficult to fully assess using traditional research methods. To address this gap and evaluate new acoustic sensors and associated data, we conducted a multimethod analysis of biodiversity in a rapidly urbanizing county: Greenville, South Carolina, USA. We conducted audio recordings at 25 points along a development gradient. At the same locations, we used refugia tubes, visual assessments, and an online database. Analysis focused on species identification of both audio and visual data at each point along the trail to determine relationships between both herpetofauna and acoustic indices (as proxies for biodiversity) and environmental gradient of land use and land cover. Our analysis suggests the use of a multitude of different sampling methods to be conducive to the completion of a more comprehensive occupancy measure. Moving forward, this research protocol can potentially be useful in the establishment of more effective wildlife occupancy indices using acoustic sensors to move toward future conservation policies and efforts concerning urbanization, forest fragmentation, and biodiversity in natural, particularly forested, ecosystems.

Effects of partial saturation on the liquefaction resistance of sand and silty sand from Christchurch

The liquefaction resistance of partially saturated soil was experimentally investigated for one clean sand and one silty sand collected from a site in Christchurch, in an area severely affected by liquefaction in the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes. A series of cyclic undrained tests were performed on fully and partially saturated sand and silty sand specimens, in conjunction with evaluation of saturation conditions in situ based on comprehensive field measurements of P-wave velocity (Vp) in Christchurch deposits. The Skempton’s B-value and P-wave velocity were comparatively used as measures for partial saturation in the laboratory. B-value - Vp relationships from the test results indicate that Vp steadily increases with the B-value until a threshold B-value is reached beyond which Vp remains unchanged at values indicating full saturation, i.e. Vp ;≥ ;1600 ;m/s. In general, the liquefaction resistance of tested sand and silty sand increases with a decrease in the B-value or Vp, i.e. with a reduction in the degree of saturation. Furthermore, test results suggest existence of threshold B-values and Vp for tested soils beyond which no significant increase in the liquefaction resistance was observed. This threshold B-values and Vp were found to be dependent on soil type and applied confining stress. The effects of partial saturation on liquefaction strength are different for the sand and silty sand when using Vp as a measure for the degree of saturation. While a gradual rate of increase in liquefaction strength with decreasing Vp is observed for the tested sand, the liquefaction strength of silty sand shows similar gradual increase with a decrease in Vp up to about 800 ;m/s, which is then followed by an abrupt increase in the liquefaction strength for Vp ;< ;800 ;m/s. Generally good agreement between liquefaction strength of tested soils and published data was observed, with a clear distinctive feature in the behaviour of the silty sand as compared to clean sands.

Comparative Notes on the use of Commercial Litigation Funding in Insolvency: Australia and South Africa

This article explores the application of third-party litigation funding (TPLF), also referred to as commercial litigation funding, in insolvency litigation by way of a comparison of the legal position in Australia and South Africa. It proposes that TPLF could offer significant benefits by enabling liquidators of insolvent estates to pursue and enforce claims through civil proceedings with the aim of swelling the assets of the insolvent estate, ultimately to the advantage of the creditors. Since both jurisdictions share elements of English law, both were confronted with the English law doctrines of champerty and maintenance initially being regarded as impediments to the development and/or use of TPLF. Currently, and mainly due to developments in terms of case law, the concept of TPLF has in principle been accepted in both jurisdictions. However, in Australia the development originally transpired in the field of insolvency litigation. In South Africa the context was more in the confines of general litigation. It is submitted that the South African system could benefit by considering various aspects of the Australian system regarding the use of TPLF in insolvency litigation. It remains a question whether or not the respective systems would benefit by adopting comprehensive regulatory measures to regulate TPLF.

An integrative climate and land cover change detection unveils extensive range contraction in mountain newts

The global decline of amphibian populations, driven by anthropogenic activities, is a pressing conservation issue, with salamanders being of particular concern, as these species serve as ecological indicators vulnerable to environmental change. Mountain newts of the Neurergus genus, which are endemic to the Zagros Mountain chain from southeastern Turkey to northern Iraq and southwestern Iran, face a multitude of threats. Among these threats, climate change and land use alterations have been identified as major contributors to the decline of these species. Given the varying spatiotemporal scales at which these factors operate, in this study we aimed to assess the impacts of climate and land use/land cover (LULC) changes (LULCC) on the distribution of the Neurergus genus. We employed MaxEnt model to predict their habitat suitability under current climatic conditions. We projected the predicted model to the future, i.e., 2050, under two climate change scenarios. We then proceeded to map the LULC patterns of the identified suitable habitats for each species using Landsat satellite images, and conducted a hindcast of LULCC within these habitats for three time-slices 1988, 2005, and 2020. Finally, we evaluated the efficiency of current network of protected areas (PAs) and key biodiversity areas (KBAs) in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey to cover suitable habitats of the species. Our results revealed that climate changes would negatively influence all Neurergus species, with southern species in Iran and Iraq, i.e., N. derjugini, N. kaiseri, and N. crocatus exhibiting the greatest range loss. Conversely, LULC change detection indicated that northern species in Turkey, i.e., N. strauchii and N. barani, are more exposed to cropland developments and have experienced greatest habitat changes over the past 30 years. Ultimately, our findings underscore the insufficiency of extant conservation areas in protecting Neurergus habitats and urge the need for comprehensive conservation measures. We recommend promoting less strictly conserved areas, e.g., KBAs, implementing trans-boundary conservation plans, and designating new reserves to ensure long-term preservation of amphibians in the regions.

Gut microbiota transfer evidence from mother to newborn.

Early life microbiota is a risk factor for future diseases. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the transfer of gut microbiota from mother to newborn. A biological sample was collected from the anal mucosa of the pregnant women before delivery and from the newborns between 24 and 48h after delivery, as it was not possible to collect a meconium sample at that time. The microbiome of the samples was analyzed by sequencing the hypervariable regions V3-V4 of the 16S gene. To determine the likelihood of microbiota transfer from mother to newborn and examine the relationship with the mode of delivery, we utilized Fisher's exact test and odds ratio. A weighted transfer ratio was employed as a comprehensive measure of transfer. A total of 5767 ASVs were identified in newborn samples (n = 30) and 7253 in maternal samples (n = 30). In the analysis of transfer correlated with the mode of delivery, we observed significant ASVs (p < 0.05). Vaginal delivery showed a positive probability of transfer (OR = 2.184 and WTR = 1.852). We found a negative correlation (OR < 1) between the abundance of maternal ASVs and the likelihood of microbiota transfer to the newborn in both delivery modes. The relationship was inversely proportional for both cesarean section (log10 = - 0.2229) and vaginal delivery (log10 = - 0.1083), with statistical significance observed only for cesarean section (p = 0.0083). Conclusion:In our sample, the maternal gut microbiome was found to be associated with the infant gut microbiome, indicating evidence of ASV-specific transfer from the maternal microbiome to newborns. What is Known: • There is a relationship of early-life microbiota composition with future health outcomes. What is New: • This was the first study to evaluate maternal gut microbiota transfer to newborns in Brazil.

Highly Accurate Densities and Isobaric and Isochoric Heat Capacities of Compressed Liquid Water Derived from New Speed of Sound Measurements

Comprehensive and accurate measurements of the speed of sound in liquid water are reported. The measurements were carried out by a double-path-length pulse-echo technique and cover the temperature range from 273.65 K to 368.15 K with pressures up to 100 MPa. The relative expanded (k=2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${ k}=2$$\\end{document}) uncertainties are 2.1 mK in temperature, 45 parts-per-million (ppm) in pressure, and between 40 ppm and 70 ppm in speed of sound. Furthermore, values for the density and specific isobaric and isochoric heat capacities were derived from the speed of sound data in the measured temperature range up to 100 MPa by the method of thermodynamic integration. Very accurate values for the derived properties were obtained by using density data of Takenaka and Masui (Metrologia 27:165–171, 1990) and isobaric heat capacity data of Osborne et al. (J Res Natl Bur Stand 23:197, 1939) at ambient pressure as initial values in combination with an accurate correlation of our speed of sound. The relative expanded (k=2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${ k}=2$$\\end{document}) uncertainties of the derived properties are 2 ppm in density, 0.11% in isobaric heat capacity, and 0.12% in isochoric heat capacity. The experimental speeds of sound and derived properties are compared with experimental data of other authors from the literature, the IAPWS-95 (International Association of the Properties of Water and Steam) formulation for the thermodynamic properties of water, and a recent equation of state for supercooled water.

Challenges Facing Tourism for People with Disabilities (Accessible Tourism) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate the barriers to accessible tourism for individuals with disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also demonstrated disparities in the research sample's answers based on gender, kind of handicap, nature of the visit, and location. Methods: The survey approach was employed to reach the study's aim. The researchers constructed an "electronic questionnaire" as the study tool. After verifying the implications of its validity and reliability in the Saudi context, the questionnaire consisted of (29) items distributed in four domains: personal challenges related to the tourist himself, social challenges, economic challenges, and circumstantial challenges related to the tourist site. It was used on a sample of 201 disabled male and female respondents (sight-impaired, hearing-impaired, and motor-impaired). The stratified random approach was used to choose the sample from three locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's south (Najran, Jazan, and Asir). Results: The results revealed that the difficulties of accessible tourism for individuals with disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were high. According to the replies of the study sample members, there are statistically significant variations in the obstacles facing tourism for persons with disabilities (accessible tourism), related to the type of disability variable and in favor of motor impairment. Furthermore, variances in the variable of the type of the visit favored the individual visit, whereas no statistically significant differences showed in the variables of gender and area. According to the report, the Saudi government and the Tourism and Leisure Authority should take comprehensive initiatives and measures to enhance accessible tourism and modernize its services and facilities. These services are compatible with the requirements and needs of people with disabilities, regardless of their types of disabilities, individual differences, goals, and nature of the visit to reach universality.

Sustainability in the metallic minerals industry: The imperative for carbon accounting - insights from firm-level analysis in China

This paper presents an in-depth exploration of critical factors influencing sustainability within China's metallic resource mining sector, examining 100 publicly listed companies within the sector on China's stock exchanges. Using the CS-ARDL technique, the study finds that carbon accounting positively impacts energy expenditure reduction by enhancing transparency on pollution, optimizing resource efficiency, incentivizing energy-efficient technology adoption, and improving market access. Additionally, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development significantly lowers energy costs in both the short (0.26%) and long term (0.48%) by enabling real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, automation, and data-driven decision-making. Crucially, Research and Development (R&D) investments reduce energy expenses, with a 1% increase resulting in a 0.16% short-term and 0.36% long-term reduction. Enhanced stock prices correlate with increased energy expenditure, and boosting employment efficiency reduces energy costs. These findings underscore the importance of ICT development, innovation, and comprehensive policy measures in advancing sustainability within China's metallic resource mining companies, aligning with evolving sustainability goals.

Outlier detection for partially labeled categorical data based on conditional information entropy

Labeling a large amount of data is exceptionally costly and practically infeasible, and thus available data may have missing labels. In this article, we investigate outlier detection for partially labeled categorical data based on conditional information entropy. Firstly, the equivalence class in a partially labeled categorical decision information system (p-CDIS) is introduced, so that the missing labels can be predicted by use of conditional probability. Then, conditional information entropy in a p-CDIS is calculated, which provides a more comprehensive measure of uncertainty. Additionally, the relative information entropy and relative cardinality in a p-CDIS are proposed. Next, the degree of outlierness and the weight function are presented to find outlier factors. Finally, an outlier detection method in a p-CDIS based on conditional information entropy is proposed, and a corresponding conditional information entropy algorithm (CEOF) is designed. To evaluate the stability of the CEOF algorithm, experiments are performed on ten UCI Machine Learning Repository datasets. Compared with five other algorithms, the proposed method is shown to have good effectiveness and adaptability for categorical data.

How to Enhance Time Wealth? Insights from Changes in Time Use and Working Conditions During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Germany

This paper investigates the changes in time use, working conditions and subjective time wealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Our analysis draws on panel data collected before and during the first lockdown among 786 employees. It employs a recently developed scale on time wealth which has been suggested as a comprehensive measure to capture the subjective experience of time. We provide separate analyses according to gender and essential occupation. First-difference regressions are applied to examine how changes in time use and changes in working conditions during the lockdown affected subjective time wealth. Our results show a general growth in time wealth during the lockdown which is, among other factors, driven by a decline in work hours and an increase in sleep duration. We also find positive effects on time wealth from decreased time pressure at work, more autonomy in organising one’s working day, and an improved reconciliation of work and private life. This study contributes to existing research by identifying key aspects how to improve time wealth among employees.

Automatic detection and pixel-level quantification of surface microcracks in ceramics grinding: An exploration with Mask R-CNN and TransUNet

Microcrack damage on the grinding surfaces of engineering ceramics is inevitably incurred. To accurately evaluate the microcrack damage, an automatic detection and pixel-level quantification model based on the joint Mask R-CNN and TransUNet is developed. In addition, a joint training strategy is employed and the model is trained effectively on the image dataset of microcrack damage derived from the Si3N4 grinding, as captured by SEM. The Mask R-CNN demonstrates reliable automatic detection of microcracks, achieving an Average Precision of AP50 = 0.989 and AP75 = 0.864. Meanwhile, the TransUNet achieves fine segmentation of microcracks with complex characteristics, with an F1 score of 0.914 and an IoU value of 0.785. A skeleton-based quantification model of microcrack size is proposed, which delivers comprehensive and precise measurements of area, length, and notably, the width. The proposed quantification model provides a technical reference for the automatic evaluation of grinding surface quality.

Retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane volume in grading of age-related macular degeneration.

To assess the agreement of optical coherence tomography (OCT) algorithm-based retinal pigment epithelium -Bruch's membrane complex volume (RBV) with fundus photograph-based age-related macular degeneration (AMD) grading. Digital color fundus photographs (CFPs) and spectral domain OCT images were acquired from 96 elderly subjects. CFPs were graded according to Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) classification. OCT image segmentation and RBV data calculation were done with Orion™ software. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to find out whether AMD lesion features associated with higher RBVs. RBV correlated with AMD grading (rs=0.338, P=0.001), the correlation was slightly stronger in early AMD (n=52; rs=0.432, P=0.001). RBV was higher in subjects with early AMD compared with those with no AMD lesions evident in fundus photographs (1.05±0.20 vs 0.96±0.13 mm3, P=0.023). In multivariate analysis higher RBVs were associated significantly with higher total drusen (β=0.388, P=0.027) and pigmentation areas (β=0.319, P=0.020) in fundus photographs, whereas depigmentation area (β=-0.295, P=0.015) associated with lower RBV. RBV correlate with AMD grading status, with a stronger association in patients with moderate, non-late AMD grades. This effect is driven mostly by lesions with drusen or pigmentation. Lesions with depigmentation tend to have lower values. RBV is more comprehensive measurement of the key area of AMD pathogenesis, compared to sole drusen volume analysis. RBV measurements are independent on grader variations and offer a possibility to quantify early and middle grade AMD lesions in a research setting, but may not substitute fundus photograph-based grading in the whole range of AMD spectrum.

Piloting building early sentences therapy for pre-school children with low language abilities: An examination of efficacy and the role of sign as an active ingredient.

Early intervention is recommended for pre-school children with low language. However, few robustly evaluated language interventions for young children exist. Furthermore, in many interventions the theoretical underpinnings are underspecified and the 'active ingredients' of the interventions not tested. This paper presents a quasi-experimental study to test the efficacy and examine the active ingredients of Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST): an intervention based on usage-based theory designed to support young children to understand and produce two-, three- and four-clause element sentences. BEST manipulates the input children hear to support them to harness the cognitive mechanisms hypothesized in usage-based theories to promote the development of abstract linguistic representations. One such input manipulation is the use of signing alongside verbal input signalling both content and morphology of target sentences. To examine whether (1) BEST is more efficacious than treatment as usual (TAU); and (2) signing of content and morphology is an active ingredient of the intervention. A quasi-experimental study recruited children aged 3;5-4;5 years from 13 schools. Schools were assigned to receive either BEST with sign, BEST without sign or TAU. The TAU group received their usual classroom provision. Across arms schools were matched with respect to classroom oral language environment and indices of deprivation. Participants were 48 children (28 boys) with expressive and/or receptive language abilities ≤ 16th centile measured using the New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS). Outcomes gathered by researchers blind to treatment arm were NRDLS production and comprehension standard scores and measures of production of targeted sentence structures. Primary outcomes indicate that BEST with sign was significantly more efficacious than TAU with respect to NRDLS production standard score, but not comprehension. The advantage for production was maintained at follow-up. BEST without sign was significantly more efficacious than TAU on measures of targeted vocabulary, sentence structure and morphology. The results from this quasi-experimental study provide evidence for the efficacy of a usage-based intervention on expressive language outcomes for preschool children with low language abilities. There is also evidence to support the inclusion of sign as an active ingredient, and so efforts to train interventionists in its use are worthwhile. Patterns of findings across outcomes suggest signing of content and morphology may support the development of abstract linguistic representations and accelerate language learning. Given these positive results and the scale of this study, a fully powered randomized controlled trial is warranted. What is already known on the subject Robust language skills are crucial for positive social, emotional, academic and economic outcomes across the lifespan. There is a paucity of robustly evaluated interventions for preschool children with language difficulties. The development of such interventions is crucial for ameliorating language difficulties and promoting positive educational and psychosocial outcomes. What this study adds to the existing knowledge This paper evaluates BEST, a novel usage-based language intervention targeting children with language difficulties in the early years. Findings indicate that a usage-based intervention is efficacious for treating language difficulties. In particular, BEST benefited expressive language development, bringing benefits to both treated and untreated language structures and improving standard scores. The role of sign as an active ingredient is also supported. Further evaluation is warranted. What are the practical and clinical implications of this work? Findings suggest that BEST may be effective for targeting children who have been identified as having language difficulties. In particular, expressive language may be improved when the intervention is delivered as it was originally manualized, including a signing system to represent content and grammatical morphology. More broadly, these findings also provide preliminary evidence that the use of a signing system does not hinder oral language development in children with language difficulties and may conversely support their expressive language. Future research exploring the role and underpinning mechanisms of sign in language intervention is warranted.

What Aspects of Quality of Life are Important from Palliative Care Patients' Perspectives? A Framework Analysis to Inform Preference-Based Measures for Palliative and End-of-Life Settings.

Preference-based outcome measures are commonly applied in economic analyses to inform healthcare resource allocation decisions. Few preference-based outcome measures have been specifically developed for palliative and end-of-life settings. This study aimed to identify which quality-of-life domains are most important to Australians receiving specialised palliative care services to help determine if the development of a new condition-specific preference-based outcome measure is warranted. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 18 participants recruited from palliative care services in South Australia. Data were analysed using a framework analysis drawing on findings from a systematic review of international qualitative studies investigating the quality-of-life preferences of patients receiving palliation (domains identified included cognitive, emotional, healthcare, personal autonomy, physical, preparatory, social, spiritual). Participants identified missing or irrelevant domains in the EQ-5D and QLU-C10D questionnaires and ranked the importance of domains. A priori domains were refined into cognitive, environmental, financial, independence, physical, psychological, social and spiritual. The confirmation of the eight important quality-of-life domains across multiple international studies suggests there is a relatively high degree of convergence on the perspectives of patients in different countries. Four domains derived from the interviews are not covered by the EQ-5D and QLU-C10D (cognitive, environmental, financial, spiritual), including one of the most important (spiritual). Existing, popular, preference-based outcome measures such as the EQ-5D do not incorporate the most important, patient-valued, quality-of-life domains in the palliative and end-of-life settings. Development of a new, more relevant and comprehensive preference-based outcome measure could improve the allocation of resources to patient-valued services and have wide applicability internationally.

Information-psychological attacks as a threat to national security

The article "Information-Psychological Attacks as a Threat to National Security” discusses the pressing issue of using information-psychological methods to carry out attacks on national security in the modern world. The article focuses on the study of the impact of such attacks on society and national security as a whole.&#x0D; The article thoroughly analyzes the nature of information-psychological attacks, their main types, and effectiveness. It emphasizes that information- psychological attacks can have a serious impact on national security as they can lead to disinformation, manipulation of public sentiments, and influence on citizens' thoughts.&#x0D; The article also discusses the legislative framework for combating information-psychological attacks. Attention is drawn to the fact that legislation should meet the requirements of modern reality and ensure effective protection of the state from information-psychological threats.&#x0D; In summary, the article concludes that information-psychological attacks can have a serious impact on national security and emphasizes the need for the development of comprehensive measures to protect against such threats. As this problem becomes increasingly relevant in the modern world, the article is relevant and important for understanding the issues related to information- psychological attacks on national security. It is emphasized that combating information- psychological attacks requires the interaction of state and private structures, which must work together to ensure national security.&#x0D; The article also provides readers with recommendations on how to protect themselves from information-psychological attacks, including seeking reliable sources of information, critical thinking, and understanding how information- psychological attacks work.&#x0D; Overall, the article is an important contribution to understanding the issues related to information- psychological attacks as a threat to national security. It provides readers with information on the nature and effectiveness of such attacks, legislative frameworks for their prevention, and recommendations on how to protect oneself from them. This article is useful for a wide audience, including government structures, the private sector, and the public.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL SUPPORT OF POLICE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

The subject matter of the study is the conceptual, theoretical, empirical and methodological foundations of legal and economic aspects of administrative and legal support for the management of police activities in the context of economic integration. Methodology. The study uses general scientific and special methods of cognition. The dialectical method was used to analyse the essence of police management in the context of economic integration in both the legal and economic dimensions in a wide range of parameters. The analysis provided the basis for a multidimensional study of all the characteristic features of police management in the context of economic integration in economic and legal etymology. The synthesis created the basis for generalising the characteristic features of this police activity as a law enforcement agency. The formal legal method allowed for an accurate interpretation of the legal provisions defining the general and special legal framework for administrative and legal support of police management in the context of economic integration. The article aims at defining the essence of administrative and legal support for management of police activities in the context of economic integration and developing proposals for its improvement. The results of the publication show that the administrative and legal support of police management in the context of economic integration covers a number of comprehensive measures in various areas of activity of the relevant police unit, primarily aimed at ensuring economic security. The paper identifies areas for improving the administrative and legal support of police management in the context of economic integration, with a significant emphasis on lawmaking. Conclusion. In the context of economic globalisation, so-called transnational crimes play a significant role, including the creation of and participation in organised criminal groups, corruption offences, obstruction of justice, and money (income) laundering. The National Police of Ukraine is taking a number of measures to counteract unlawful manifestations in the economic sphere, which are largely components of transnational crime, by implementing appropriate management measures. In the context of administrative and legal support of the National Police, the article examines the structural elements of transnational crime and the powers of the police in this area. Some aspects related to combating crimes committed by organised groups and criminal organisations, corruption offences, economic crimes and the prevention of economic crime were highlighted. In order to overcome the negative manifestations of economic crime in the conditions of economic integration, relevant measures have been proposed, including: participation in legislative work, which should primarily incorporate the best practices of the international community in this area; development of the concept of service activities, which mediate the form and content of law enforcement activities in the economic sphere; improvement of management activities in combating manifestations of corruption in the economic sphere; creation of a qualified personnel potential in the relevant units of the National Police, whose activities are aimed at ensuring economic security in accordance with the above directions, etc. The paper provides proposals for improving the legislative definition of the concept of economic security and delineating the competence of national security entities in this area, including police units.

Dual-Language Books’ Potential Affordances for Biliteracy Development: Measuring Oral Reading Fluency and Comprehension

Dual-language books’ (DLBs) two-language format could support biliteracy development, but little is known about how children read them. Fifty-four third and fifth graders read aloud DLBs with English or Spanish first on each page to determine DLBs’ potential affordances. Although there were no significant differences in oral reading fluency or reading comprehension measures by the language printed first, there was some evidence of holistic bilingual processing. Students’ English fluency scores were also significantly higher than their Spanish scores. Findings indicate needs for more research about DLBs and potentially for increased attention to Spanish literacy skills in U.S. dual-language programs.

Consent for Research Involving Spanish- and English-Speaking Latinx Adults With Schizophrenia.

Latinxs are vastly underrepresented in mental health research; one of many contributing factors may be complexities in the research consent process, including language preferences. We examined determinants of comprehension of research consent procedures and tested the effects of a preconsent research schema condition among 180 adults with schizophrenia (60 Latinx-English and 60 Latinx-Spanish preference, and 60 non-Latinx White). Participants were randomly assigned (equal allocation) to an educational session regarding clinical research concepts and processes (schema condition) or to an attention control. Following a subsequent simulated consent procedure for a hypothetical drug trail, comprehension of consent disclosures was measured with 2 standard measures. One-way ANOVAs showed significant medium effect size differences between ethnicity/language groups on both measures of comprehension (η2s = 0.066-0.070). The Latinx-Spanish group showed lower comprehension than non-Latinx White participants; differences between the 2 Latinx groups did not reach statistical significance. Group differences were not statistically significant after adjusting for differences in education, or on scores from structured measures of acculturation, health literacy, or research literacy. Two-way ANOVAs showed no significant main effects for consent procedure on either comprehension measure (Ps > .369; partial η2s < 0.006) and no significant group-by-consent interactions (Ps > .554; partial η2s < 0.008). Although the preconsent procedure was not effective, the results suggest health and research literacy may be targets for reducing disparities in consent comprehension. The onus is on researchers to improve communication of consent information as an important step to addressing health care disparities.

Government guarantees and bank liquidity creation around the world

Governments provide bank guarantees, such as deposit insurance. While risk effects are well researched, impacts on bank output remain largely unexplored. We investigate bank output effects using data from 75 countries/regions on bank liquidity creation, a comprehensive bank output measure. We address reverse causality, examining home-country guarantee effects on liquidity creation by subsidiary banks in foreign host nations, and mitigate omitted-variables concerns with host country × year fixed effects and home country controls. Findings suggest home-country guarantees decrease subsidiary bank liquidity creation up to 10%, and hold prior to, during, and after the Global Financial Crisis.

Identifying Correlation Among Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: A Study of PROMIS-29, ODI, and VAS in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients

Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is becoming increasingly common in aging populations. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are self-reported patient surveys administered pre- and postoperatively that provide insight into patient improvement. We aim to compare 3 of the most utilized PROMs: PROMIS-29, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), to investigate whether they provide unique and independent assessments of patient outcomes when assessed longitudinally. We retrospectively reviewed a database of ASD at UT Southwestern Medical Center between 2016 and 2021. Adult patients (>18years old) were included if they underwent long-segment (>4 levels) thoracolumbar fusion. PROMIS-29, ODI, and VAS scores were collected preoperatively and at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, 24-, 30-, and 36-month follow-ups. Scores were recorded ±1month of the time points. Pearson correlation coefficients for each PROM were then calculated in a pairwise fashion. A total of 163 patients were included in our analysis. ODI and VAS showed significant covariance, with VAS Neck and VAS Back having Pearson coefficients of 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. ODI and PROMIS-29 also showed significant covariance, with Physical Function and ODI showing a Pearson coefficient of 0.95. PROMIS-29 and VAS demonstrated less correlation regarding Pain and Physical Function; however, they showed a significantly high Pearson coefficient when comparing VAS Back with PROMIS-29 Sleep and Pain Intensity (r=0.97 and r=0.96, respectively). All 3 PROMs demonstrated significant correlation over 36months, indicating that simultaneous administration of each during follow-up is redundant. The measure that provided the least unique information was ODI, as both VAS and PROMIS-29 demonstrated similar progression and assessed additional metrics. PROMIS-29 provided the same information as VAS and ODI, with extra facets of patient-reported outcomes, indicating that it may be a more comprehensive measure of longitudinal patient improvement.