Human Security Research Articles

Interrelated drivers of migration intentions in Africa: Evidence from Afrobarometer surveys

Migration is influenced by various factors, including economic, political, social, and environmental drivers. While the multicausal nature of migration has been recognized, there are considerable gaps in understanding how different drivers interact with each other and jointly influence human mobility. This is particularly relevant in the African context, where local communities are faced with multiple, often interlinked challenges that affect their livelihoods, security, and health and well-being. Using detailed data from Afrobarometer surveys for 36 countries, this study analyzes the interconnected nature of 23 potential drivers of migration intentions that span across various domains. Our results show that previous migration experiences at the household level, political conditions and instabilities, the personal economic situation, as well as issues related to personal safety are particularly strongly related to respondents’ intentions to migrate. The drivers are not independent of each other, but closely interconnected jointly shaping and reinforcing migration intentions in non-linear ways. We also find strong evidence for heterogeneous effects of the drivers across sociodemographic groups, further contributing to diverse patterns in the relationships. Our study emphasizes the need to move beyond analyzing average linear effects and advocates for approaches that consider the interdependencies of various systems of drivers and their interconnected roles in shaping both intended and actual migration behavior.

Real-world research on beta-blocker usage trends in China and safety exploration based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

Beta-blockers are widely used, with continuously updated clinical recommendations. However, their application faces challenges in personalized treatment and safety. The study aimed to investigate the frequency and patterns of prescribing beta-blockers in China and to explore potential adverse event risk signals associated with beta-blockers, providing reference for rational medication use in clinical settings. Prescription data for beta-blockers from January 2018 to June 2023 were extracted through the Hospital Prescription Analysis Collaborative Project in China to analyze clinical usage trends. While adverse drug reaction reports for beta-blockers were obtained from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. The classification and standardization of adverse drug event (ADE) reports were based on the preferred terms (PT) and corresponding system organ classes (SOC) from the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). Signal detection utilized a proportion imbalance method. In clinical practice, metoprolol dominated beta-blocker prescriptions in China, accounting for 62.2%. Beta-blockers were primarily prescribed to the elderly (65.7%) and male patients (57.0%). However, off-label use of beta-blockers was relatively widespread. For instance, sotalol was prescribed for hypertension at 18.25%, while esmolol was used for angina and heart failure at rates of 12.94% and 14.98%, respectively. In addition, we identified newly discovered adverse reactions associated with beta-blockers, such as BRASH syndrome (metoprolol: n = 186, ROR = 391.285; carvedilol: n = 72, ROR = 256.459), acute kidney injury (bisoprolol: n = 247, ROR = 5.641), premature baby (labetalol: n = 110, ROR = 91.385), and sleep disorder (propranolol: n = 254, ROR = 10.98). Metoprolol led the beta-blocker market in China. Attention was warranted regarding the newly discovered adverse reactions, such as the risk of acute kidney injury with bisoprolol and the potential for BRASH syndrome with metoprolol and carvedilol.

EAD: effortless anomalies detection, a deep learning based approach for detecting outliers in English textual data

Anomalies are the existential abnormalities in data, the identification of which is known as anomaly detection. The absence of timely detection of anomalies may affect the key processes of decision-making, fraud detection, and automated classification. Most of the existing models of anomaly detection utilize the traditional way of tokenizing and are computationally costlier, mainly if the outliers are to be extracted from a large script. This research work intends to propose an unsupervised, all-MiniLM-L6-v2-based system for the detection of outliers. The method makes use of centroid embeddings to extract outliers in high-variety, large-volume data. To avoid mistakenly treating novelty as an outlier, the Minimum Covariance Determinant (MCD) based approach is followed to count the novelty of the input script. The proposed method is implemented in a Python project, App. for Anomalies Detection (AAD). The system is evaluated by two non-related datasets-the 20 newsgroups text dataset and the SMS spam collection dataset. The robust accuracy (94%) and F1 score (0.95) revealed that the proposed method could effectively trace anomalies in a comparatively large script. The process is applicable in extracting meanings from textual data, particularly in the domains of human resource management and security.

College Students’ Anticipated Bystander Intervention Actions Against Male Supremacism: “Something More Needs to be Done”

Male supremacist groups and ideas are an increasing threat to the positive development of young people, including college students. This study examines actions students proposed taking when presented with a scenario in which a male classmate displayed warning signs of having been exposed to male supremacist ideas online. We conducted 16 semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students involved in sexual violence prevention efforts on college campuses, who acted as key informants. Participants were ages 18 to 23, female or non-binary, and attended geographically diverse U.S. colleges. More than 50% held marginalized racial and/or ethnic identities, and more than 50% held LGBTQ+ identities. We analyzed students’ responses using critical thematic analysis informed by social justice youth development and antifascist violence prevention. Students suggested direct intervention strategies to encourage change in the hypothetical classmate, and identified peers, faculty, and staff who they would talk to about the warning signs. Students also identified barriers to intervention, including personal safety risks and wanting proof of harm. Findings indicate the need for: institutional resources for options other than peer bystander intervention that can promote individual change; support for students to assess their safety when choosing intervention strategies; and antifascist community-building.

Exploration of the reactivities of homemade binary pyrotechnics.

Understanding the properties of explosives is the basis for investigating and analyzing explosion cases. To date, due to the strict legal control of standard explosives and initiators, homemade pyrotechnics composed of oxidizers and fuels have become popular explosive sources of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) threatening greatly social stability and personal safety. The reactivity of pyrotechnics strongly depends on their intrinsic characteristics and operating conditions, which determine the efficiencies of heat and mass transfer between the reaction zone and the unreacted zone. Herein, the tests of thermodynamics, pressurization characteristics, and combustion propagation behaviors are conducted to explore the effects of oxidizer species, particle size, and loading density on the reactivity of homemade binary aluminum-based pyrotechnics. The results show that the pyrotechnics with potassium chlorate (KClO3) have the strongest reactivity with the highest pressurization rate (dp/dt) and the shortest combustion duration. Compared with their counterparts based on aluminum microparticles(mAl), pyrotechnics consisting of Al nanoparticles (nAl) possess superior reactivity as expected, which results from the relatively short heat and mass transfer distances. The nAl-based pyrotechnics have a low reaction exothermic peak temperature, great heat release, great aluminothermic reaction completeness, and high produced peak pressure with several orders of magnitude higher pressurization rate. Increasing the loading density of the pyrotechnics over a certain value can change the dominant mode of heat transfer from convective to conduction, sharply decreasing the pressurization characteristics and combustion front propagation velocities (vp). The results of theoretical calculations using the NASA-CEA codes show that loading density can alter the reaction process of the pyrotechnics, leading to a decrease in the predicted pressure per unit mass for Al/KNO3 or Al/AP, and an increase for Al/KClO3. For nAl/potassium nitrate (KNO3), the density is between 1.0 and 1.25g cm-3, across which dp/dt decreases by one order of magnitude from 0.148 to 0.014MPa ms-1. In addition, vp decreases by three orders of magnitude from 0.040 to 0.078m s-1. Distinct pressurization behaviors of nAl/AP are observed at a density of 1.5g cm-3, while the variation in nAl/KClO3 reactivity fluctuates. These results are beneficial for the damage assessment of scenes caused by an explosion and for inversely calculating charge parameters.

Personal Wellbeing Amid Pandemic Response: Impacts of Neighborhood Built Environment, Risk Communication and Health

Abstract Maintaining personal wellbeing is essential for an effective pandemic response due to its multifaceted impacts on various aspects of society. This study aimed to evaluate personal wellbeing during pandemic response and investigate the effects of built environment in neighborhoods, risk communication, and health indicators. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A sample with 5458 participants was collected in Hong Kong through a self-administered online survey. Personal Wellbeing Index- Adult (PWI-A) was adopted to measure personal wellbeing. This study indicated a more than 20% decrease in personal wellbeing among Hong Kong residents during the pandemic, particularly impacting future security, personal safety, and living standards. Positive influences on wellbeing included more open spaces, using more traditional information channels, seeking reliable media sources, and confidence in information seeking. Conversely, wellbeing was negatively affected by a higher percentage of public residential areas, using more new information channels, increased social media time, smoking habits and chronic health conditions. These findings provide critical insights into the diverse impacts of the pandemic on individuals and communities. They guide targeted interventions and contribute to building resilience against future crises.

Assistive Technology to Support Dementia Management: Protocol for a Scoping Review of Reviews.

In Canada, more than 60% of persons living with dementia reside in their own homes, and over 25% rely heavily on their care partners (ie, family members or friends) for assistance with daily activities such as personal hygiene, eating, and walking. Assistive technology (AT) is a key dementia management strategy, helping to maintain health and social support in home and community settings. AT comprises assistive products and services required for safe and effective use. Persons living with dementia and their care partners often require multiple types of AT to maintain their needs, dignity, and autonomy. AT for dementia management is rapidly developing with abundant scientific literature, which can present a challenge to efficiently navigate and extract insightsfor policy and personal decision-making. This scoping review aims to synthesize review-level evidence from published scientific literature on AT to support dementia management for persons living with dementia and their care partners in their homes and communities. Research gaps in knowledge and areas for further investigation into the use and access of AT will be identified. This review will provide an overview of AT types and characteristics and chart the outcomes and conclusions in review-level evidence. This review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute's framework for conducting scoping reviews and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. In total, 6 electronic databases will be searched. Articles will be screened according to the "Population-Concept-Context (PCC)" framework for eligible studies. Population includes persons living with dementia, their care partners, and health care professionals (eg, therapists or others who recommend AT). Concept includes AT and self-help devices of many types. Context includes homes and communities. A data charting template will guide data extraction, charting, and summarization. A descriptive numerical summary and an overview of the findings will be presented. Data, such as (1) article information (eg, author and year), (2) article characteristics (eg, review type), (3) AT types and characteristics, (4) setting and population characteristics, and (5) key review outcomes and conclusions, will be extracted. A total of 10,978 unique citations were identified across the 6 electronic databases. This review is in the full-text screening stage, which is expected to be completed by October 2024. This review will provide a comprehensive understanding and documentation of the published scientific literature on AT to support dementia management. Findings from this review are expected to provide evidence-based insights on the complexities of AT types, uses, availability, and access. The author group's diverse national and international perspectives may contribute to knowledge exchange and influence standards to improve the daily function, safety, and well-being of persons living with dementia. Open Science Framework DKSM9; https://osf.io/dksm9. PRR1-10.2196/57036.

The impact of safety leadership on safety behaviors of aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives. Facing risk of contracting COVID-19, adopting individual health and safety behaviors to prevent infection was critical for first responders to ensure personal and public safety. This study assessed direct and indirect relationships between safety leadership, safety behaviors and the effect of risk perceptions on these relationships among aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method. A total of 127 ARFF frontline personnel participated in an online survey. COVID-19-specific constructs of safety leadership, safety behaviors and risk perceptions were assessed using a structural model with moderation and serial mediation analysis using the mixed-model method. Results. Safety leadership had significant direct effects on safety compliance and indirect effects on safety participation and mask use. ARFF personnel’s perceived severity of the virus had significant direct effects on mask use and indirect effects on safety compliance and participation behaviors. The interaction of safety leadership and perceived susceptibility to the virus had significant direct effects on safety compliance behaviors and indirect effects on safety participation and mask use. Conclusion. There are practical implications to strengthen safety compliance behaviors through leadership. This study contributes to the literature on leadership and safety behaviors among ARFF personnel during exceptional circumstances and times of crisis.

Challenges Identifying Domestic Violence in Chinese Judicial Practice: An Empirical Analysis of Personal Safety Protection Orders.

Domestic violence is a global social issue that not only poses a significant threat to the stability of families but also has a profound impact on the physical and mental well-being of family members. In China, due to the broad criteria for defining domestic violence in the Anti-domestic Violence Law, challenges have arisen in the practical handling of domestic violence cases. The study is based on 238 civil protection order rulings available on the China Judgments Online website for the year 2021. In China, the criteria for identifying domestic violence are not only still subject to theoretical debate, but contentious viewpoints have also translated into inconsistencies in judicial practice. This study aims to further assess the underlying reasons for the difficulties in identifying domestic violence in Chinese judicial practice and to propose recommendations for improvement.

Phytoremediation of soil co‐contaminated with uranium and chromium by sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) enhanced with slow‐release composite chelating agent (EDTA/ammonium citrate)

AbstractBACKGROUNDSoil in uranium mining areas is contaminated by uranium and associated heavy metals, posing a significant threat to human health and ecological security. Chelating agent assisted phytoremediation is a cost‐effective and ecologically friendly remediation approach for uranium and associated heavy metals contaminated soil. In this work, a novel slow‐release composite chelating agent (SRCMC‐g‐CMCD‐EDTA/AC) was fabricated using carboxymethyl chitosan‐graft‐carboxymethyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (CMC‐g‐CMCD) as a slow‐release carrier and EDTA/ammonium citrate (AC) as a composite chelating agent through the spray drying method, which was used for phytoremediation of soil co‐contaminated with uranium and chromium.RESULTSCMC‐g‐CMCD exhibited superior slow‐release performance for both EDTA and AC in comparison with CMC and CMCD. When applied to soil contaminated with uranium (U) and chromium (Cr), SRCMC‐g‐CMCD‐EDTA/AC effectively regulated the release of U and Cr. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) grown in treated soil showed a significant increase in U and Cr uptake by 70.55% and 35.55%, respectively, and reduced leaching losses by 34.88% and 37.42%.CONCLUSIONSRCMC‐g‐CMCD‐EDTA/AC not only assists in the phytoremediation of soil co‐contaminated with U and Cr but also reduces the risk of leaching into groundwater during the soil phytoremediation process. SRCMC‐g‐CMCD‐EDTA/AC‐assisted phytoremediation technology was an effective and environmentally friendly remediation means for the removal of U and heavy metals from contaminated soils in uranium mining areas. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

CrackNet: A Hybrid Model for Crack Segmentation with Dynamic Loss Function

Cracks are a common form of damage in infrastructure, posing significant risks to both personal safety and property. Along with the development of deep learning, visual-based crack automatic detection has been widely studied. However, this task is still challenging due to complex crack topology, noisy backgrounds, unbalanced categories, etc. To address these challenges, this research proposes a novel hybrid network, named CrackNet, which leverages the strengths of both CNN and transformer. On the encoder side, CNNs are employed to extract multi-level local features, while transformers are used to model global dependencies. Additionally, a strip pooling module is introduced to suppress irrelevant regions and enhance the network’s ability to segment narrow and elongated cracks. On the decoder side, an attention-based skip connection strategy and a mixed up-sampling module are implemented to restore detailed information. Furthermore, a joint learning loss combining Dice and cross-entropy with dynamic weighting is proposed to mitigate the effects of severe class imbalance. CrackNet is trained and evaluated on three public crack datasets, and experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms several well-known deep neural networks, with a particularly noticeable improvement in recall rate.

Mobile Apps for the Personal Safety of At-Risk Children and Youth: Scoping Review.

Personal safety is a widespread public health issue that affects people of all demographics. There is a growing interest in the use of mobile apps for enhancing personal safety, particularly for children and youth at risk, who are among the most vulnerable groups in society. This study aims to explore what is known about the use of mobile apps for personal safety among children and youth identified to be "at risk." A scoping review following published methodological guidelines was conducted. In total, 5 databases (Scopus, SocINDEX, PsycINFO, Compendex, and Inspec Archive) were searched for relevant scholarly articles published between January 2005 and October 2023. The gray literature was searched using Google and Google Scholar search engines. The results were reported using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. For summarizing the features and users' experiences of the apps, a published framework for evaluating the quality of mobile health apps for youth was used. A total of 1986 articles were identified, and 41 (2.1%) were included in the review. Nine personal safety apps were captured and categorized into 4 groups based on the goals of the apps, as follows: dating and sexual violence prevention (n=4, 44% of apps), bullying and school violence prevention (n=2, 22% of apps), self-harm and suicide prevention (n=2, 22% of apps), and homeless youth support (n=1, 11% of apps). Of the 41 articles, 25 (61%) provided data solely on app descriptions and features, while the remaining 16 (39%) articles provided data on app evaluations and descriptions. Outcomes focused on app engagement, users' experiences, and effectiveness. Four articles reported on app use, 3 (75%) of which reported relatively high app use. Data on users' experience were obtained from 13 studies. In general, participants found the app features to be easy to use and useful as educational resources and personal safety tools. Most of the views were positive. Negative perceptions included redundancy of app features and a lack of usefulness. Five apps were evaluated for effectiveness (n=2, 40% dating and sexual violence prevention; n=2, 40% self-harm and suicide prevention; and n=1, 20% bullying and school violence prevention) and were all associated with a statistically significant reduction (P=.001 to .048) in harm or risk to participants at the 95% CI. Although many personal safety apps are available, few studies have specifically evaluated those designed for youth. However, the evidence suggests that mobile safety apps generally appear to be beneficial for reducing harm to at-risk children and youth without any associated adverse events. Recommendations for future research have been made to strengthen the evidence and increase the availability of effective personal safety apps for children and youth.

Assessing the Effects of Climate Change on Human Security: Case of Nyahururu Sub-county, Laikipia County, Kenya

Climate change poses a significant threat to human security by exacerbating societal challenges, potentially leading to widespread despair. The primary objective of this study was to assess the effects of climate change on human security in Nyahururu Sub-County. The study adopted a concurrent triangulation research design. The study targeted the residents (household heads) of Nyahururu Sub-County, including farmers, pastoralists, ranchers and traders, who were distributed across the 4 locations/administrative units: Gituamba, Marmanet, Ngarua and Nyahururu. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Nyahururu Sub-County had an estimated population of approximately 154,704 individuals and a total of 44,073 households as of the 2019 census. The study was conducted between 2021 and 2024. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. Data collection involved questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions, with stratified random sampling for household heads and purposive sampling for key informants. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages and thematic analysis. The study found that Nyahururu Sub- County experiences fluctuations in both temperature and precipitation levels from 1989 to 2023, with mean daily maximum temperatures ranging from 22.8°C to 24.4°C and total annual precipitation varying between 665.1 mm and 771.7 mm. These trends indicate climate variability rather than a consistent long-term change in either temperature or precipitation. The study recommends targeted interventions to enhance community capacity, strengthen governance structures and promote sustainable livelihoods to mitigate the impacts of climate change on human security.

Exploring the Nexus Between Fertility Rates and Geopolitical Risk with Intelligence Methods: A Multifaceted Analysis

Background/Objectives: This paper presents an analysis of birth rate statistics, specifically focusing on recorded births in Scotland. The main research objective focuses on investigating the influence of geopolitical concerns on birth rate forecasts. Specifically, we examine whether individuals may choose to postpone or abstain from having children during times of conflict or political turmoil due to concerns about personal safety, the welfare of their children, or uncertainty about the future caused by geopolitical risks. Additionally, this study examines how disruptions to healthcare services, such as limited access to prenatal care and maternal health facilities, can affect birth outcomes and lead to changes in birth rates. Methods: To approach the research objective both machine learning algorithms and classical statistical procedures. Also, as part of the current analysis, the Geopolitical Risk Index has been applied as an extra factor to predict the birth rate. Results: The results of our study demonstrate the effectiveness of machine learning in producing precise predictions in this field, while emphasizing the significant influence of geopolitical risk on comprehending the dynamics of birth rates in Scotland. Conclusions: This study examines the effectiveness of several machine learning regression models in accurately predicting the number of births in Scotland using data that is not included in the model training process. Findings show promising outcomes in predicting births, while geopolitical instability has been indicated as a substantial influence on birth rates and fertility rates.

Introduction and preliminary psychometric evaluation of the assessment of functional capacity interview for older adults

Measures of complex functional decision-making capacity can greatly aid in assessing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and facilitating early intervention in dementia care. We examined the ability of the Assessment of Functional Capacity Interview (AFCI) to detect functional differences among older adults who were cognitively unimpaired (CU), or who presented with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) or MCI. A sample of 97 older adults (CU; n = 30, Mage = 74.64 ± 7.42 years; SCD; n = 34, Mage = 72.56 ± 6.43 years; MCI; n = 33, Mage = 78.28 ± 7.55 years) underwent neuropsychological testing and responded to the Financial Capacity Instrument (FCI-SF). Informants completed the Assessment of Functional Capacity (AFCI), an instrument of functional decision-making capacity, and responded to the Social Vulnerability Scale (SVS15) and Amsterdam Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (A-IADL-Q-SV), a measure of functional status, for comparison. According to informant-reported responses, the CU group had significantly lower AFCI total (and domain) scores, H(2) = 27.59, p<.001, relative to MCI. Additionally, the CU group had significantly lower AFCI scores in the Home and Personal Safety domain relative to the SCD group, H(2) = 14.06, p<.05. In the overall sample, AFCI total scores were associated with FCI-SF, SVS15, and A-IADL-Q-SV scores and cognitive measures. Our results demonstrate that the AFCI is sensitive to impairment in safety, social, financial, and medical functioning in MCI and is associated with measures of cognitive functioning and social vulnerability in older adults. Incorporating this instrument as a supplement to cognitive screening instruments may aid in the prevention of hazardous decision-making in older adults.

Towards the realization of socio-economic rights of children in Zimbabwe; a child sensitive policy framework

ABSTRACT With high incidences of poverty and a depressed economy as well as limited political will, it will be difficult to guarantee the socio-economic rights of children in Zimbabwe. Children struggle to get access to basic services such as health care, basic education, clean water and proper sanitation. This study critically reviews the implementation or lack thereof, of the key socio-economic rights as enunciated in the constitution and child-sensitive policies in Zimbabwe. Through document analysis, the study offers a nuanced examination of social policy implementation in the country. This paper advances the argument that poverty and inequality in Zimbabwe have worsened the lives of children who are subjected to inadequate food, lack access to proper heath facilities and proper shelter among other social amenities. Using a human security framework, the paper foregrounds the need for deliberate policies which respond to the needs of the underprivileged children. The paper concludes that a multifaceted and multi-stakeholder approach will ensure that no child is left behind as envisioned by the agenda of the sustainable development goals. It recommends that the government should implement various policies which guarantee the protection of children in need.

Perceptions of forensic interviewers on the sexual education of individuals with a disability exposed to sexual victimisation

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines the perspectives of forensic interviewers on the education of individuals with a disability who have been exposed to sexual abuse and violence. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 25 forensic interviewees in six provinces in Turkey. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Thematic analysis results revealed four themes: types of disabilities of individuals subjected to sexual violence and abuse; family; education and sexual violence and abuse; and the effect of difficulties in self-expression during the forensic interview process. The findings emphasise the necessity for tailored, visually supported education aligned with developmental stages to prevent sexual violence. The inclusion of parents in these sexual education sessions could prove to be effective in preventing the onset of sexual abuse perpetrated against individuals with a disability. The insights provided by forensic interviewers underscore the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in developing and implementing sexual education programmes, aiming to address deficiencies in current sexual education frameworks. Personal safety and sexual education could be useful in preventing negative incidents that individuals with a disability may encounter at every stage of their lives. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT Our results highlight the critical importance of customised sexual education programmes for reducing the vulnerability of individuals with a disability to sexual violence and abuse. It addresses the role of identifying practical measures to address the risks associated with these individuals, promoting parental involvement, and raising awareness in the community. Interdisciplinary collaboration across various fields, such as health care, psychology, and law, and the development of inclusive sexual education initiatives, may be important for protecting the rights and well-being of individuals with a disability and their families.

School travel behaviors: How the pandemic impacted communities

The global pandemic in early 2020 significantly disrupted life for many families, and the trip to and from school was not immune to these disruptions. Parents and children alike made travel adjustments depending on their preferences with regard to personal health and safety, social distancing, and aversion to risk. Each school district and individual school also made decisions with regard to in-person or remote learning during this period of uncertainty.In this study, a research gap was filled by examining the effect of the pandemic on school transportation-related decisions for hundreds of families living in the United States. An online survey was developed and administered with the help of Qualtrics, an experience management company. Over 600 responses were gathered from across three Pacific Northwest states. In addition to collecting demographic data about the respondents, the survey asked about travel mode choices and characteristics of the trip to and from school. The collective results were then analyzed to determine which factors directly contributed to pandemic-related changes in travel behavior.The study concluded that parent education level, household income, and age of child were all statistically significant variables that affected behavioral change. Additionally, common travel assumptions associated with rural students, when compared with urban students, were confirmed. These factors included a greater reliance on a yellow school bus and lesser availability of critical infrastructure.

The History, Landscape, and Outlook of Human Cell Line Authentication and Security

The History, Landscape, and Outlook of Human Cell Line Authentication and Security

Effects of different drying methods on the nutritional components, microstructure, and metabolomic profile of Spirulina maxima

Spirulina maxima (S. maxima) is considered a potential solution to address the issue of human food security. In this study, three drying methods were employed: spray drying (SD), freeze drying (FD), and vacuum drying (VD), to process fresh S. maxima (FS). A comprehensive nutritional evaluation was conducted using principal component analysis and cluster analysis, along with an untargeted metabolomics study. The results indicated that after SD, FD, and VD treatments, the phycocyanin content decreased by 23 %, 9 %, and 80 %, respectively, compared to that of the FS. The polysaccharide content also significantly decreased by 36 %, 33 %, and 67 %, respectively. Comprehensive analysis showed that SD resulted in the least loss of nutritional indicators in S. maxima. Further metabolomics analysis revealed that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to metabolic disruptions in 2-oxocarboxylic acid metabolism, purine metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Additionally, the levels of coproporphyrin I and coproporphyrin III increased which ultimately led to a decrease in chlorophyll and phycocyanin contents. Therefore, VD resulted in the poorest quality of S. maxima. This study provided a theoretical basis for the quality assessment of S. maxima in response to drying.