Local Perspective Research Articles

Local and Object-Based Perspectives on Atmospheric Rivers Making Landfall on the Western North American Coastline

Abstract We apply the Ralph et al. scaling method to a reanalysis dataset to examine the climatology and variability of landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs) along the western North American coastline during 1980–2019. The local perspective ranks AR intensity on a scale from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong) at each grid point along the coastline. The object-based perspective analyzes the characteristics of spatially independent and temporally coherent AR objects making landfall. The local perspective shows that the annual AR frequency of weak and strong ARs along the coast is highest in Oregon and Washington and lowest in Southern California. Strong ARs occur less frequently than weak ARs and have a more pronounced seasonal cycle. If those ARs with integrated water vapor transport (IVT) weaker than 250 kg m−1 s−1 are included, there is an enhanced seasonal cycle of AR frequency in Southern California and a seasonal cycle of AR intensity but not AR frequency in Alaska. The object-based analysis additionally indicates that strong ARs at lower latitudes are associated with stronger wind than weak ARs but similar moisture, whereas strong ARs at higher latitudes are associated with greater moisture than weak ARs but similar wind. For strong ARs, IVT at the core is largest for ARs in Oregon and Washington and smaller poleward and equatorward. Both IVT in the AR core and cumulative IVT along the coastline usually decrease after the first day of landfall for weak ARs but increase from the first to second day for strong ARs.

OPT-In; Optimized Patient Treatment Outcomes in Plaque Psoriasis: A 3-Year State-Transition Treatment-Sequencing Model in the Italian Setting.

There are several treatment options for plaque psoriasis (PsO), but uncertainty remains around the optimal sequencing of treatments. The aims of this study were to investigate how adopting a best-treatment-first treatment sequence impacts patient outcomes and healthcare systems and to quantify the cost of treatment failure to the healthcare system. A 3-year state-transition treatment-sequencing model which identifies all possible treatment sequences in PsO was adapted to the Italian healthcare setting. Treatments considered in the model are those with European Medicines Agency marketing authorization and reimbursement in Italy as of December 2022. Italian market share data (2019-2021) and list prices (2022) informed the current prescribed sequences; these sequences were compared against all possible sequences to determine opportunities for improvement. Both the national perspective in Italy as well as the local perspective from seven regions were considered. The cost of treatment failure was informed through a questionnaire circulated to Italian dermatologists. Overall, 1284 possible treatment sequences are possible when four lines of treatment are considered for patients with moderate-to-severe PsO in Italy. Within the estimated range of treatment failures across those sequences (0.97-2.56 per patient over 3 years), current prescribing behavior from the national perspective suggests patients will face 1.44 failures on average; this highlights the potential for improvement. For every treatment failure, the cost borne by the Italian National Healthcare Service (NHS) is €676.80. Overall, prescribing more optimized treatment sequences results in a 22.95% reduction in failures with a 2.27% increase in costs. The regional analyses found similar trends. Results suggest that selecting the most effective treatment sequences for incident patients provides the greatest opportunity to reduce treatment failures and maximize patient outcomes with a modest impact on costs. While regional variations exist, there is room for improvement across the board, which could translate to more efficient local healthcare systems.

How does rapid urban construction land expansion affect the spatial inequalities of ecosystem health in China? Evidence from the country, economic regions and urban agglomerations

Identifying the adaptation mechanisms between urban construction land expansion (UCE) and ecosystem health (EHI) is a crucial aspect of sustainable management. However, there is still progress room for existing studies in distinguishing the impact mechanisms of UCE on the EHI of China's cities, different economic subregions and urban agglomerations. These gaps hinder the development of differentiated supportive frameworks for urban land management policies and ecosystem restoration initiatives across various scales in China. This study integrated multivariate satellite remote sensing data to monitor the heterogeneous evolution patterns of EHI and UCE in Chinese cities, economic subregions and urban agglomerations. A set of spatial measure models are utilized to distinguish the variability impact of UCE on China's EHI from a multi-dimensional perspective, including global and local, whole-area and sub-area, and direct and indirect influences. The results indicate that as UCE continues to grow, EHI steadily declined, reaching 0.512 with an average annual decrease of 1.507% from 2000 to 2020. A diminishing cluster pattern of EHI was observed, primarily concentrated in urban agglomerations such as BTH, GBA, and YRD. UCE exhibited a significant negative spatial dependence on EHI, and both global and local perspectives, UCE had a gradually weakening negative effect on the EHI of Chinese cities and economic subregions. However, the impacts of UCE on EHI in mature urban agglomerations (e.g., GBA, BTH, and YRD) were dominated by spatial spillovers, whereas growing urban agglomerations (e.g., MRYRU and CCU) were more affected by direct shocks from UCE. Our investigation informs site-specific ecologically sustainable management strategies in China based on cross-scale analyses, providing new perspectives into establishing cooperative mechanisms for cross-regional ecological management while emphasizing ecological risks management under the integration of urban agglomerations.

On the Local Available Potential Energy Perspective of Baroclinic Wave Development

Abstract Extratropical cyclones convert available potential energy (APE) to kinetic energy. However, our current understanding of APE conversion on synoptic scales is limited, as the well-established Lorenz APE framework is only applicable in a global, volume-integrated sense. Here, we employ a recently developed local APE framework to investigate APE and its tendencies in a highly idealized, dispersive baroclinic wave, which leads to the formation of a primary and a downstream cyclone. By utilizing a Lagrangian approach, we demonstrate that locally the downstream cyclone not only consumes APE but also generates it. Initially, APE is transported from both poleward and equatorward reservoirs into the baroclinic zone, where it is then consumed by the vertical displacement of air parcels associated with the developing cyclone. To a lesser extent, APE is also created within the cyclone when air parcels overshoot their reference state; i.e., air colder than its reference state is lifted and air warmer than its reference state is lowered. The volume integral of the APE tendency is dominated by slow vertical displacements of large air masses, whereas the dry intrusion (DI) and warm conveyor belt (WCB) of the cyclone are responsible for the largest local APE tendencies. Diabatic effects within the DI and WCB contribute to the generation of APE in regions where it is consumed adiabatically, thereby enhancing baroclinic conversion in situ. Our findings provide a comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of the local APE tendency on synoptic scales within an idealized setting and complement existing frameworks explaining the energetics of cyclone intensification.

A new model for selecting valued components in environmental assessment: Lessons from an Indigenous-led cumulative effects management program

Valued components (VCs) are at the core of impact assessment (IA), cumulative effects management (CEM), and other environmental planning and management processes. However, the research that exists on VC selection identifies major conceptual and methodological flaws in the conventional approaches used in most project-based IAs, including poor understanding, inadequate guidance, insufficient engagement with local stakeholders and Indigenous communities, and failure to incorporate local and Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and values in decision-making. To address these flaws, this paper proposes a new community-based method for selecting VCs, which was developed in the Indigenous-led CEM program of the Metlakatla First Nation (located on the northwest coast of Canada). The new VC selection method is grounded in Indigenous values and informed by Indigenous and local knowledge as well as scientific research. It uses a six-step approach to identify VCs and prioritize them, based on clear decision-making criteria, deliberative community dialogue, and explicit consideration of implementation constraints. The Metlakatla First Nation used this method to identify high-priority VCs for their CEM program, but the method could also be adapted for use in project-based IA and other planning and management processes to improve VC selection. A comparison of the results of the application of the new method in the Metlakatla CEM Program with the results of a recent conventional proponent-led IA of a large industrial project in Metlakatla territory shows that the new method addresses many of the deficiencies in the conventional model and generates a substantially different set of high-priority VCs that better reflect Indigenous values and knowledge.

Structural evolution and rheology of continuous shear-induced dense granular flow in unsteady state

The structural properties of particulate matter can significantly affect the rheology of the system. We report the structural evolution and flow properties of dense granular flows induced by Couette shear and try to reveal the relationship between them. In unidirectional shear, monodisperse particles undergo a transformation from disorder to order. Throughout this continuous process, both the velocity and shear strain rate of the particles experience alterations. By filling with particles of varying polydispersity, the structural potential of the system can be controlled, thereby influencing the extent of structural transformations. The results indicate that the transition in flow characteristics is suppressed as the initial filling in the system approaches from high to low structural potential. The results based on the local volume fraction and relative positions of particles suggest that it is due to the weakening of the structural thinning effect caused by order. We found that both fixed shear paths and more rotatable local structures caused a significant reduction in the contact force to transfer energy. Inertia number and apparent viscosity vary with volume fraction, indicating a transition in dense granular flow after volume fraction φ≳ 0.62, with the onset of significant structural thinning effects. We have revealed the physical mechanisms influencing fluidity from a local structural perspective and established the relationship between fluidity g and φ in the continuous process of unsteady flow.

The Relief Campaign for the 1954 Yangzi River Flood and Rural Collectivization in Early Communist China

Abstract: In 1954, a devastating flood struck the entire Yangzi River basin, causing the first major natural disaster in the newly established People’s Republic of China (PRC). The young regime had just embarked on its First Five-Year Plan, aimed at achieving rapid economic development and industrialization. The flood swept across several provinces, displaced populations, and submerged farmlands, posing both a new challenge and an opportunity for the regime to shape the socioeconomic landscape of the affected regions. This article uses a localized perspective to examine how the rural society of Hubei Province, the hardest-hit area, responded to the disaster. The central government’s self-help doctrine delegated much power to local governments and communities. Local officials and rural cadres had considerable leeway in managing the relief campaign as they simultaneously followed the state macroeconomic policy of rural collectivization. The 1954 flood in Hubei Province serves as a case study that illustrates the complexities of disaster management in the early years of the PRC.

An evaluation model for city-scale construction and demolition waste management effectiveness: A case study in China

The growing generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW) has emerged as a prominent challenge on global environmental agendas. However, the effectiveness of CDW management (CDWM) strategies varies among cities. Existing literature predominantly evaluates the effectiveness of CDWM at the project level, offering a localized perspective that fails to capture a city’s comprehensive CDWM profile. This localized focus has certain limitations. To fill this gap in city-scale evaluations, this study introduces a novel model for assessing CDWM effectiveness at the municipal level. An empirical investigation was conducted across 11 cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to operationalize this model. The model defines five distinct levels of CDWM effectiveness. Findings indicate that Hong Kong consistently achieves the highest level (level I), while the majority of cities fall within levels III and IV. This pattern suggests that CDWM effectiveness in the GBA is moderately developed, with uneven progress in CDW management outcomes and supporting systems. Essentially, there is a lack of synchronous development of CDWM results and guarantee systems. The proposed evaluation model enriches existing CDWM research field and offers a framework that may inform future studies in other countries.

Unjust Winds of Change: The Politics and Narratives of Wind Farms in the Brazilian Northeast

Renewable energy is recognized as a cornerstone in achieving sustainable development globally, evidenced by international standards such as the UN Agenda 2030 as well as in nations energy policies globally. One of the front runners of the energy transition globally is Brazil, where wind energy has expanded substantially since the early 2000’s. Currently, the state of Bahia in North-Eastern Brazil is seeing the fastest expansions, a state that is characterised by its many traditional and Indigenous communities. Although wind energy is known for its positive sustainability aspects, conflicting wind energy narratives and politics are abundant in this region. The fast expansion of wind energy projects has caused socio-environmental conflicts due to land related conflicts and expulsion of traditional communities for the creation of wind energy parks. In this study, we apply document analysis to critically explore the multiple narratives surrounding wind energy expansion in the state of Bahia. This study shows that different actors frame the matter differently, showcasing that civil society and local perspectives are made invisible in policy documents and decision-making processes. Our results suggest that the dominant narrative of wind power as the most sustainable energy option excludes the contrasting perspectives, perpetuating exclusion and marginalisation of local communities as well as the environment that are directly impacted by the expansion of wind energy projects.

Risks on the Belt and Road in Eurasia: Local Perspectives and Options

ABSTRACT A binary, geopolitical narrative of a new “Great Game” for power in Central Asia may be too simplistic. It remains unclear what regionalisation trends will become embedded in Central Asia, with the apparent rise of China. The paper examines potential for China's Belt and Road Initiative to build new Eurasian economic interdependence through connectivity infrastructure and to reduce dependency for some actors on Russia. A political risk and grounded theory approach is taken, utilising in-depth interviews with local experts and stakeholders to develop a risk/opportunity framework. Conclusions from the research indicate China is unlikely in the foreseeable future to replace Russia as regional hegemon, but is likely to drive greater economic integration. Empirical investigation of dynamics on the ground - including the spectrum of options available to actors - is recommended for realist understanding of economic and other international connectivity trends across Central Asia.

Analysis of spatial characteristics and influencing factors of the flow network of highly educated talents from national and local perspective

Based on dynamic monitoring data on China’s population, by using complex networks, spatial analysis and mathematical measurement, this study reveals the spatial characteristics and influencing factors of the network of flows of highly educated talents in the Yangtze River Delta region from the national and local perspectives. In the two perspectives, the network has strong isomorphism and certain differences. The in-flow of highly educated talents from cities with high administrative levels and more developed economies to Shanghai constitutes the core of the entire network. From a national perspective, highly educated talents tend to converge to the Yangtze River Delta region. From a local perspective, it was found that these talents cluster towards a limited number of cities in the region. From both perspectives, the flow network has developed into a “core-periphery” progressive hierarchical structure, with Shanghai becoming the sole core city. There is little difference in the influencing factors of talent mobility from both macro and meso perspectives. Highly educated talents would frequently flow between cities with strong economic development levels, and cities with high education level, scientific and technological level, complete infrastructure, and good aesthetics. However, geographical distance still plays a hindering role in the flow of highly educated talents, and factors such as cultural identity, institutional, and social modality differences among regions also have a certain effect on the flow of these talents.

Quality Assessors’ Feedback and Recommendations on Music Education in Hong Kong Kindergartens

In Hong Kong, quality assessors from the Education Bureau (EDB) visit kindergartens to conduct Quality Review (QR) assessments. Their written reports, therefore, reflect the official local perspective of quality kindergarten education. We conducted a content analysis of 323 QR reports focusing on the positive and negative feedback and recommendations for improvement regarding music education. Two coding schemes were developed using an inductive approach. High inter-reliability was obtained. The most frequently mentioned positive feedback codes were related to sufficient exposure to music and enjoyable musical learning experiences. In contrast, there were negative feedback codes pointing out that children’s musical exposure was insufficient at Kindergarten 3 (children aged 5–6 years), and some musical activities were poorly prepared and/or designed. Children’s music learning outcomes were rarely mentioned in the reports. The analyses indicate that the local understanding of kindergarten music education strongly emphasizes exposing children to enjoyable musical activities, with a lower focus on the nature and quality of musical learning. We conclude that the QR reports reflect a teacher-centric view of music education. Findings may inform curriculum designers and teacher educators about EDB’s expectations in the area of music education. Future research should explore the perspectives of other kindergarten stakeholders such as teachers, principals, and teacher educators.

Effects of source space resolution, randomization and averaging in focal EEG source localization: Estimation of forward and inverse errors

In this article, we study randomized multiresolution forward modeling and source localization in electroencephalography (EEG). Our goal is to determine numerically the effects of variable source space resolution on both forward modeling and source localization perspectives and to examine how it affects the detection of the sources at different depths inside the brain. Our concentration is in the main principles of multiresolution methods: random source space generation and the reconstruction obtained via averaging over multiple maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimations obtained at a finite set of different sub source spaces, and their suggested enhancement in distinguishability of weak components. The motivation of averaging is to reduce the discretization and optimization error and marginalize other variable factors. Due to the unguided randomized source space generation, multiple samples of the same size source spaces are needed. For this very reason, a large number of source spaces of multiple source counts are used to obtain statistically feasible results in this paper. This study verifies the described postulates of the multiresolution technique by showing averaging to be crucial in order to obtain a robust projection to a lower resolution, where the lead field matrix is overdetermined. From the viewpoint of source localization, the multiresolution approach was found to improve the reconstruction accuracy obtained with each resolution level below the highest and observed to be necessary to achieve an accuracy comparable to that of forward modeling.

Building stewardship capacity through fishers’ knowledge and advocacy in fisheries management: a case study from Southeast Alaska

Local environmental stewardship supports resilience of social-ecological systems through a wide range of actions that benefit both environmental and human wellbeing. Stewardship actions of harvesters have been recognized as an important component in building adaptive capacity of coastal fisheries undergoing change. In Southeast Alaska, where commercial fishing plays a key role in cultures and economies, concerns for local fisheries have arisen from declines in salmon returns, high price variability, and barriers to participation, among other issues. Here, we aimed to understand existing and potential pathways for stewardship actions of small-boat commercial fishers in Juneau, Alaska. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 22 commercial fishers, agency staff, and leaders of seafood associations to document fisher-led stewardship actions and ways that small-boat commercial fishers engage formally and informally with local management, explore the role of fishery management agencies in facilitating collaboration and communication with fishers in the Juneau area, and understand local perspectives on how the stewardship capacities of the fishery system can be better supported. We found that multiple pathways for stewardship exist in commercial salmon and shellfish fisheries, including formal and informal interactions with state fishery management staff and decision-makers, participation in fishing associations and advocacy organizations, knowledge sharing among fishers, and taking personal conservation actions to care for fisheries. We identified areas of relatively low social, financial, and institutional capital that may limit the effectiveness of these stewardship actions. Our findings highlight diverse perspectives of fishery participants on how these stewardship actions might be better supported through policy, advocacy, and collaboration.

Local Perspectives on Agrosilvofishery in Peatlands: A Case Study of Perigi Village, South Sumatra, Indonesia

Local Perspectives on Agrosilvofishery in Peatlands: A Case Study of Perigi Village, South Sumatra, Indonesia

Exploring youth eco-literacy through lived experiences. ‘When you purchase a pair of jeans, you bear the burden of child labor in South Asia’

This study explores youth eco-literacy and its role in addressing the climate crisis, consumption, and socio-political challenges. Eco-literacy involves environmental understanding, skills, and critical perspectives, enabling active engagement and informed decision-making. Through geo-social lenses, I examine how Turkish youth participate politically, both online and offline, in climate change and consumerism dialogues, considering local, global, and planetary perspectives. The analysis focuses on young people’s interpretive agency, creatively expressing environmental ideologies and shaping values with a political stance characterized by reflexivity, agency, and commitment to daily activism and eco-friendly lifestyles. Qualitative data collection included discussions on daily environmental practices and essays on environmental citizenship, covering eco-literacy sources, responsible actors, and ecological awareness strategies. Findings illustrate how young participants address opportunities and disparities, utilizing the research environment for collective learning and action. The study further investigates young people’s showcase of their eco-literacies and advocacy for a public (eco) pedagogy beyond traditional education.

Heterogeneous Structure, Mechanisms of Counterion Exchange, and the Spacer Salt Effect in Complex Molten Salt Mixtures Including LaCl3.

Complex molten chloride salt mixtures of uranium, magnesium, and sodium are top candidates for promising nuclear energy technologies to produce electricity based on molten salt reactors. From a local structural perspective, LaCl3 is similar to UCl3 and hence a good proxy to study these complex salt mixtures. As fission products, lanthanide salts and their mixtures are also very important in their own right. This article describes from an experimental and theory perspective how very different the structural roles of MgCl2 and NaCl are in mixtures with LaCl3. We find that, whereas MgCl2 becomes an integral part of multivalent ionic networks, NaCl separates them. In a recent article (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 21751-21762) we have called the disruptive behavior of NaCl "the spacer salt effect". Because of the heterogeneous nature of these salt mixtures, there are multiple structural motifs in the melt, each with its particular free energetics. Our work identifies and quantifies these; it also elucidates the mechanisms through which Cl- ions exchange between Mg2+-rich and La3+-rich environments.

Differentiable double clustering with edge-aware superpixel fitting for unsupervised image segmentation

Unsupervised image segmentation is an essential topic in the field of computer vision, which broke the limitation of training data and expanded application scenarios. Off-the-shelf clustering methods simply rely on semantic concepts and incomplete boundary cues, resulting in incorrect segmentation in object boundaries. Therefore, this paper proposes an unsupervised image segmentation framework combining differentiable double clustering (DDC) and edge-aware superpixel (EA), which outperform prior work on the accuracy of the prior art. First, a multi-layer feature extraction network is introduced to combine low-level and high-level features for clustering. Then, the DDC module is designed to obtain initial labels of pixels from both local and global perspectives to improve the clustering accuracy. Pixel-wise feature similarity in different classes is pushed away, and one in the same class is brought closer. Finally, we use EA to provide well-fitting boundary cues for DDC label fusion to reduce incorrect segmentation. Extensive experiments on the benchmark datasets PASCAL VOC2012 [34] and BSD500 demonstrate that the proposed method provides competitive segmentation results.

Exploring alternative preschool education methods in Georgia: Enhancing accessibility

This study is relevant as it examines public-private partnerships in early childhood education in Georgia, seeking solutions to the significant educational challenges common to post-Soviet regions. It assesses the suitability of alternative educational models in a society that is still struggling with the infrastructural legacy of the Soviet past, providing valuable recommendations for policy reforms needed to expand access to and improve the quality of preschool education. The purpose of the study was to assess the readiness of Georgian society to implement alternative educational practices. Drawing upon the experiences of post-Soviet nations, alongside international insights and local perspectives, the study aims to provide comprehensive insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative models in Georgia. Employing a mixed-methods approach encompassing qualitative interviews, surveys, and data analysis, the research examines the strengths, challenges, and implementation prospects of various alternative models within the unique socio-economic and cultural context of post-Soviet Georgia. Early childhood education in post-Soviet and similar countries confronts common challenges in access and quality, despite varied policies, with efforts such as legislation and public-private partnerships aimed at addressing financial and geographical barriers. Persistent disparities in preschool systems across the region, as illustrated by reform initiatives and staffing issues in Georgia, highlight the need for continuous reforms. These factors underscore the importance of sustained policy efforts to support comprehensive and effective early learning environments. The results underscore a compelling need for alternative education avenues in Georgia, particularly in regions facing infrastructural and geographical barriers similar to those experienced in other post-Soviet nations. While highlighting the potential benefits of public-private partnerships models, the study also identifies key challenges that need to be addressed to ensure their successful implementation within the post-Soviet context. The practical value of this study extends to policymakers, educators, and communities across post-Soviet countries with similar educational challenges. By advocating for legislative reforms to incorporate alternative approaches, this research contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen preschool education and promote inclusivity in post-Soviet Georgia and beyond

Local perspectives on heritage reconstruction after conflict: a public opinion survey of Aleppo

ABSTRACT The destruction of heritage in conflict has emerged as a key challenge to global security and the prospects of peace. In response, the international community has undertaken several large-scale heritage reconstruction projects on the assumption that they would foster development and promote cohesion. However, to date very little is understood about how local populations value their heritage, how they perceive its destruction, whether they view reconstruction as a priority, and the extent to which they support foreign efforts to rebuild. This article addresses this lacuna by focusing on the case study of Aleppo and documenting the results of an original public opinion survey of 1600 residents. The results hold several implications for heritage projects in Aleppo, namely that locals prefer that heritage reconstruction: not be privileged over security, development and peace; includes the rebuilding of their local religious sites as much as significant non-religious sites; transforms sites into more useful structures for the community; and they want domestic control and agency over the future of their heritage. The article concludes by noting that such findings hold important implications for heritage projects in other (post-)conflict contexts where mass heritage destruction has taken place.