Longer Term Research Articles

An energy system model-based approach to investigate cost-optimal technology mixes for the Cuban power system to meet national targets

Cuba's power supply is characterized by the dependence on imported oil, outdated power plants and frequent power curtailment. Cuba's government aims at changing this situation through the National Economic and Social Development Plan, which targets a renewable share of 37 % in 2030. In the longer term, the Cuban government has already acknowledged the goal of 100 % renewable electricity supply. This work reviews the current ambitions of the Cuban government and provides a scientific approach to identifying the most cost-effective 100 % renewable energy system in 2030. First, we study whether the generation mix proposed by the Cuban government to reach 37 % renewables is the most cost-effective. Second, we run a simulation that considers fossil and renewable energy technologies purely to optimize costs. Third, we investigate the renewable future for Cuba with a simulation under the constraint of a 100 % renewable energy share. Our results suggest that energy sector plans should be reconsidered from a techno-economic point of view: With the overall cost-optimization, we find that much higher renewable energy shares of over 80 % are possible at lower overall costs. Finally, we analyze that the cost viability of a 100 % renewable electricity depends largely on the ability to use Cuba's biomass resources to balance solar generation.

Follow-up of Cardiopulmonary Responses Using Submaximal Exercise Test in Older Adults with Post-COVID-19.

Data on cardiopulmonary fitness in older adults in the longer term after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are of interest as the time required for the full recovery of physical fitness after COVID-19 remains unclear. Some studies have reported that patients do not recover physical fitness for up to 6 or 12 months after COVID-19, whereas other studies have observed full recovery after 12-months. Therefore, this study evaluated and compared the cardiopulmonary responses induced by the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and 1-minute sit-to-stand-test (STST) results at 3, 6, and 12 months in older adults with and without COVID-19. This study included 59 older adults with and without a history of COVID-19. The cardiopulmonary response parameters including heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse oxygen saturation (O2 sat), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and leg fatigue were evaluated in the participants after 6MWT and 1-min-STST assessments. Post-COVID-19, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, O2 sat, RPE, leg fatigue, 6MWT time, and 1-min-STST step numbers at 3, 6, and 12 months (P < 0.001). Moreover, older adults showed statistically significant differences in HR, SBP, DBP, RPE, leg fatigue, O2 sat, and 6MWT distance at 3 months post-COVID-19 compared with those in older adults without COVID-19 (P < 0.001). While older adults showed recovery of cardiopulmonary response parameters according to 6MWT and 1-min-STST findings at the 12-month follow-up post-COVID-19, these results of these measurements did not return to the values observed in older adults without COVID-19.

Be a hero, be your own best friend: a self-compassion-based PsyCap intervention improves PhD students’ well-being

AbstractGrowing research evidence points towards a mental health crisis in PhD students. High-quality support services for PhD students are scarce as is research on interventions. Inspired by Conservation of Resources theory, we introduce a novel type of PsyCap intervention—a self-compassion-based PsyCap training—that aims to improve PhD students’ well-being (i.e., in terms of reducing work pressure and increasing positive affect and support seeking) through PsyCap and self-compassion. 115 PhD students in the Netherlands were randomized to a self-compassion-based PsyCap intervention, a PsyCap-only intervention, or a wait-list control group. Results indicated that the self-compassion-based PsyCap intervention increased self-compassion, reduced work pressure, and increased support seeking in the short term following the intervention. The PsyCap-only intervention increased psychological capital and reduced work pressure in the short term. Notably, increase in self-compassion was a key mechanism through which participants of the self-compassion-based PsyCap intervention, but not the PsyCap-only intervention, experienced improvements in all well-being outcomes over the longer term. Unexpectedly, the self-compassion-based PsyCap intervention increased psychological capital only at follow-up via self-compassion. This study provides initial evidence that developing PsyCap, alongside self-compassion, may take longer but benefits PhD students’ well-being and does so more than developing PsyCap alone.

Realization of higher-order topological lattices on a quantum computer

Programmable quantum simulators may one day outperform classical computers at certain tasks. But at present, the range of viable applications with noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices remains limited by gate errors and the number of high-quality qubits. Here, we develop an approach that places digital NISQ hardware as a versatile platform for simulating multi-dimensional condensed matter systems. Our method encodes a high-dimensional lattice in terms of many-body interactions on a reduced-dimension model, thereby taking full advantage of the exponentially large Hilbert space of the host quantum system. With circuit optimization and error mitigation techniques, we measured on IBM superconducting quantum processors the topological state dynamics and protected mid-gap spectra of higher-order topological lattices, in up to four dimensions, with high accuracy. Our projected resource requirements scale favorably with system size and lattice dimensionality compared to classical computation, suggesting a possible route to useful quantum advantage in the longer term.

Impact of fiscal transparency on local fiscal revenue and expenditures: Evidence from a natural experiment

This study examines the impact of fiscal transparency on local fiscal revenue and expenditures through a natural experiment conducted in Jiaozuo, China. Using a synthetic control approach, we analyze data from 1984 to 2008, considering factors such as industrial structure, population, and economic development. The introduction of fiscal transparency reforms in Jiaozuo in 1998 initially led to a significant reduction in per capita fiscal revenue and expenditures, followed by a recovery and growth over time. The findings indicate that fiscal transparency initially restrains fiscal revenue and expenditures due to enhanced scrutiny and improved governance. However, over the long term, it stimulates economic growth and increases fiscal revenue and expenditures. This study highlights the dual impact of fiscal transparency: it initially restricts inappropriate fiscal behaviors while fostering economic growth and fiscal health in the longer term. The case of Jiaozuo provides valuable insights for other regions and countries, especially in the postepidemic era, underscoring the importance of fiscal transparency in improving government accountability and economic resilience.

Relational inequality in a (deeply) educationally polarized society: feasible strategies in the longer term

Abstract Fifty per cent of young people in the UK will now go on to university. We focus here not so much on the consequent divisive material inequality but on relational and epistemic inequality, the inequality of respect and esteem adversely felt by the less educated. The huge advances in ICT have radically changed workplaces, creating more relational and ICT-intensive environments, in which social skills typically acquired at universities are central. In response to this we envisage an on-going growth in HE participation, the result of which if sufficiently large over time will be the spreading of respect and esteem. But we argue that success depends on a transformation of the HE system in the UK: we need more 2-year vocational colleges (especially in health, care and education), widely located; and we need 3-year degrees and professional schools to teach students to work cooperatively, in a more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary way.

How to treat localized Hodgkin lymphoma?

We aim to summarize the current knowledge on the management of early-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma, with a focus on conventional strategies, incorporation of immunotherapies and exploration of novel prognostic markers. Long-term data on combined modalities (associating chemotherapy and radiotherapy) still supports their benefit in terms of progression free survival compared to chemotherapy alone in both early favourable and early unfavourable interim PET-negative classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Novel agents, such as Brentuximab Vedotin and checkpoints inhibitors show promising and impressive results when added to first-line treatment. Various strategies have been used, mainly in phase 2 non randomized clinical trials. Interim PET-scan has limited prognostic value and its role in regimens incorporating immunotherapies is yet unknown. Other prognosis markers emerge, such as metabolic tumour volume and circulating tumour DNA. By reflecting tumour burden pretreatment and minimal residual disease on treatment, they might be useful tools guiding treatment decisions. Novel immunotherapy agents are likely to change the landscape in front-line management of classical early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma by combined modality treatment. Despite encouraging recent data, proof of their efficacy and safety on the longer term are still needed. Treatment decisions might be guided by new promising prognosis markers but their use in clinical practice is still to be determined.

Individual Placement and Support and Participatory Workplace Intervention on the Work Participation of People with Disabilities: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

This study assessed the effectiveness of Individual Placement and Support (IPS), Participatory Workplace Intervention (PWI), and IPS + PWI on work participation and health of people with work disabilities. A randomised controlled 2 × 2 factorial trial with 120 clients and an 18-month follow-up was performed. Differences between IPS and no-IPS and between PWI and no-PWI were assessed using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models. In the IPS group, restricted mean survival time (RMST) for sustainable paid employment was 352days, compared to 394 in the no-IPS group (HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 0.81-2.63). In the PWI group the RMST was 378days, compared to 367 in the no-PWI group (HR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.48-1.64). For the secondary outcome 'starting any paid employment, a trial placement, or education' RMST was significantly lower for the IPS group (222days) than for the no-IPS group (335days; HR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.01-3.42). Mental health was significantly lower (worse) in the PWI group (difference -4.07, 95% CI = -7.93 to -0.22) than in the no-PWI group. For all other secondary outcomes, no statistically significant differences were found. No statistically significant differences were observed in the duration until starting sustainable employment between IPS and no-IPS, and between PWI and no-PWI. The duration until starting any paid employment, a trial placement, or education was shorter in the IPS group than in the no-IPS group, but further research should explore whether this also increases sustainable employment in the longer term.

Open Access ‘Unaccomplished’ – Reforming Copyright or Reconceptualizing Science? Access to Scholarly Publications under a (Reinterpreted) Right to Science

ABSTRACT This article identifies the impediments to science created by copyright and suggests ways to overcome these. It focuses on scholarly publishing—primarily of digital content—and queries whether commercial scholarly publishers continue to add value to research in the digital era. The deficits of copyright law, and potential solutions thereto, are assessed in light of the right of everyone ‘to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications’ (‘REBSPA’ or ‘right to science’), as protected in Article 15(1)(b) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966. I find that, while, in the shorter term, existing copyright law needs to undergo certain reforms (which would all be supported by the REBSPA) to accommodate the needs of science, in the longer term, the right to science requires something else—much more, in fact. Firstly, there needs to be a move towards another science, a science reconceptualized so as not to be primarily driven by instrumental and profit motives. Secondly, following from that, science would need to be genuinely open. Among other things, this requires the creation of a true scholarly knowledge commons, necessitating far-reaching changes in the way copyright applies, or potentially its abolition, in science. Thirdly, the envisaged scholarly knowledge commons would have to be globally inclusive in scope—which is to be achieved by recognizing and respecting the mostly ignored international dimension of the right to science. This article questions the traditional role of the commercial scholarly publishers and argues for a paradigm shift in the sphere of copyright and science. Identifying flaws and gaps in the current official interpretations of the REBSPA, the right to science is reinterpreted in various respects here. In making my case, I rely on the notion of a ‘right to research’ under the REBSPA and am aided by the deconstructive concept of ‘adequacy for science’.

Differences in productivity and soil properties in rice-based cropping systems under long-term organic, integrated and conventional production

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of four rice-based cropping systems (rice-vegetable pea + coriander; rice-chickpea + coriander; rice-potato and rice-wheat) cultivated in long-term organic, integrated and conventional production systems on system productivity (SP), soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and soil properties. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with the production system assigned to the main plots and the cropping system to sub-plots. The results revealed that SP, SOC content and SOC sequestration in the organic system were significantly higher than in the conventional counterpart (17.1%, 59.4% and 165.9% higher, respectively). The fractions of total organic carbon followed the order: very labile carbon > non-labile carbon > labile carbon > less labile carbon. The soil in the organic system had, in general, the most improved physical (water holding capacity, bulk density), chemical (available N, P, K and S, and DTPA-extractable Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn) and biological properties (dehydrogenase and acid and alkaline phosphatase activity), especially when compared with the conventional system. The legume-based cropping systems (rice-chickpea + coriander and rice-vegetable pea + coriander) enhanced the SP, SOC content and SOC sequestration by 22.6% and 46.5%, 16.3% and 11.9% and 47.5% and 29.4%, respectively, compared with the rice-wheat cropping system, with improvements also in different physical, chemical and biological soil properties. Thus, organic system with legume-based cropping (rice-chickpea + coriander and/or rice-vegetable pea + coriander) was concluded to sustain crop productivity and have greater soil carbon sequestration potential in the longer term.

Lack of Funds for Publications form a Threat to Young Medical Authors

Background: Young medical authors face several problems. One of them is their common limited access to funds that may be used to pay the Article Processing Charges (APC) of medical journals. Objectives: It is investigated whether the APCs are high, indeed, and – if so – how this problem for young authors can be tackled. Significance: It is important that good research is published in reliable and well-read journals. Measures should therefore be taken to avoid that young researchers publish in journals that are not or hardly read, only because they offer low APCs. Methodology: Analysis of the APCs of medical journals is carried out by searching for the APC on the website of the hundreds of journals that approached the present authors during one year with a request to submit a manuscript. Results: It is found that most journals have APCs that are too high for junior authors to pay personally. Almost all journals with an affordable APC have a quality below internationally acceptable standards and are not or hardly read (or cited). Young authors commonly see the advantages of publishing in low-APC journals on the short term, but they can difficultly overview the disadvantages on the longer term. This makes the ‘battle’ against low-quality journals difficult. Conclusions: Young authors should be warned that choosing a journal on the basis of a low APC may affect their scientific reputation. All medical institutes and organizations were research is carried out should develop a procedure that enables young authors to avoid publishing in low-quality journals, by supplying grants to cover the APC asked by appropriate high-quality journals.

BeGraft Aortic Stents: A European Multi-Centre Experience Reporting Acute Safety and Efficacy Outcomes for the Treatment of Vessel Stenosis in Congenital Heart Diseases.

Stent implantation has become the preferred method of treatment for treating vessel stenosis in congenital heart diseases. The availability of covered stents may decrease complications and have an important role in the management of patients with complex anatomy. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the pre-mounted cobalt-chromium stent-graft-covered ePTFE Aortic BeGraft in a broad spectrum of vascular lesions. This is a multicenter retrospective results analysis of 107 implanted BeGraft stents between 2016 and 2022 in six different European centers. One hundred and four patients with a mean age of thirteen years (range 1-70 years) and with the body weight of 56.5 kg (range 11-115 kg) underwent the BeGraft stent implantation. Stents were implanted in the following conditions: aortic coarctation (74 patients), RVOT dysfunction (12 patients), Fontan circulation (7 patients), and miscellaneous (11 subjects with complex CHD). All the stents were implanted successfully. The median stent diameter was 16 mm (range 7-24 mm), and the median length was 39 mm (range 19-49 mm). Major complications occurred in five subjects (4.7%). During a median follow-up of fourteen (1-70) months, stents' re-dilatation was performed in five patients. The BeGraft stent can be used safely and effectively in a wide spectrum of congenital heart diseases. Whether these good results will be stable in the longer term still needs to be investigated in a follow-up given its recent introduction into clinical practice, in particular regarding stent fracture or neointimal proliferation.

An Analysis of Reunifications Between Adopted Adults and Their Birth Relatives

ABSTRACT The life-long nature of adoption and recognition of the often-fragile nature of post-reunion relationships, means adoption agencies have a duty of care and moral onus to facilitate comprehensive support services that can be readily accessed. The Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust Post-Adoption Service was established in 1989, in response to the legislative changes brought about by The Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987. This study employed retrospective file analysis and a purposive sample of 15 Case Files, drawn from a 10-year period (2009–2018), to explore reunifications between adopted adults and their birth relatives, from the time of initial involvement and over the longer term. The use of an Advisory Panel of professional experts, a Pilot Study and a specifically created Data Collection Form, enhanced overall rigour and robustness. Thematic analysis of the data identified common themes of curiosity; identity related; meeting the birth mother; and death of adoptive parents/loss; leading to meta-themes of identity and loss. Key findings include the diversity amongst service users accessing the service in terms of their gender, age and life stage; their motivations; the time-restricted nature of current involvement; protracted timescales from initial contact to search is not uncommon; that post-reunion social work involvement saw a marked drop from pre-contact levels, particularly for birth relatives. The study makes a compelling case for a well-resourced service that offers additional pre- and post-reunion support and argues for a more proactive professional approach, with further expansion of existing support provision.

Investigating the Role of CNP and CNP Aggregates in the Rheological Breakdown of Triglyceride Systems

In many food applications, the mechanical properties of fats play a critical role in determining the processing performance of fat-rich products. In fact, fat crystal networks form a particular class of soft materials that exhibit viscoelastic properties. The uniqueness of the mechanical response is intricately linked to the hierarchical nature of the system, as fats possess a complex architecture encompassing features at different scale levels (i.e., length scales). Since the discovery of crystalline nanoplatelets (CNPs), it has been hypothesized that CNPs are the basic building blocks of lipid networks and that CNPs are the responsible units for the mechanical properties of fats. This hypothesis, however, has only been partially tested. In this article, we examine which units could be responsible (e.g., lamellae, CNP, CNP aggregates) for the mechanical breakdown of fat crystal networks, through Rheo-USAXS in beamline ID02 (ESRF, Grenoble, France). Time-resolved USAXS profiles were acquired during the three steps of a three-interval thixotropy test (3iTT), namely, pre-shear, shear and recovery. The results were then utilized to evidence which specific length scale is arranged (i.e., orientated) during rheological breakdown. The findings suggest that, at the tested shear rates, orientation is only visible from 250 nm onwards, suggesting that the rheological breakdown of triglycerides is primarily driven by the orientation, and possible disruption, of CNP aggregates. These results reveal the critical role of CNP aggregates in the mechanical properties of fats. In the longer term, we believe this study will steer future research toward a more focused understanding of CNP aggregation and disaggregation dynamics.

(008) VAGINAL TESTOSTERONE ABSORBANCE AFTER SEXUAL AROUSAL

Abstract Introduction While topical (exogenous) estrogens have been a focus of treatment for vaginal pain, recent work has shown testosterone may also revitalize weakened vaginal tissue. This research has documented that vaginal tissue responds well to exogenous testosterone treatment, supporting the hypothesis that endogenous testosterone may play a significant role in vaginal health. However, is it not known how the dynamics of vaginal arousal may contribute to activity of endogenous testosterone within the vaginal environment. Specifically, there is reason to expect that vaginal sexual arousal may activate mechanisms within the vaginal tissue that increase absorption of testosterone from the mucosal layer into the tissue beneath. Objective This project aims to characterize the influence of vaginal arousal on the presence of testosterone in the vaginal mucosa both pre- and post-arousal, and the within-person stability of these effects over time (3 weeks). Methods Analyses are drawn from an ongoing clinical trial in which participants complete 3 in-lab sessions spaced 3 weeks apart, in which they provided samples of cervicovaginal fluid before and after watching an erotic video (~7 minutes). For each fluid sample, participants insert a disposable menstrual cup, which sits loosely around the cervix, for about 10 minutes. After the post-arousal menstrual cup is removed, participants complete a survey battery that includes demographics and measures of sexual function and sexual desire. Results For the present analysis, data were drawn from 68 participants that had pre- and post-arousal samples for at least one study session. Preliminary tests revealed that, controlling for changes in fluid volume, testosterone in the vaginal mucosa decreased significantly between pre- and post-vaginal sexual arousal (F(1, 197.26) = 67.29, p &amp;lt; .0001). Additional data regarding the association between absorption of testosterone during arousal and self-reported sexual functioning will also be presented. Conclusions Though further work is needed to confirm testosterone is absorbed into the surrounding vaginal tissue, our findings suggest a significant movement of testosterone out of cervicovaginal fluid during sexual arousal. Likely, the increased blood flow that accompanies vaginal sexual arousal allows for greater absorption of testosterone originally present in the mucosa into the vaginal tissue. If vaginal sexual arousal allows for greater testosterone absorption, it may provide a unique window of time during which application of exogenous testosterone may be most advantageous. Further, if endogenous testosterone absorption happens during masturbation or sexual activity, this may function over the longer term as a protective factor for tissue integrity. Disclosure No.

Analytical fingerprint of the interactions between quinones and bioenergetic membranes in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The use of intact photosynthetic organisms (e.g. microalgae or cyanobacteria) for biotechnological approaches is a promising avenue to extract sustainable energy from oxygenic photosynthesis. More particularly, exogenous quinones can act as electron shuttles to reroute part of the photosynthetic electron flow of living cells to an outer collecting electrode. This encouraging approach is however hampered by reported poisoning or side-effects of exogenous quinones on the cell bioenergetics. In order to contribute to understand those effects, we investigated the modes and sites of interaction of two model quinones (2,6-DCBQ and 2,6-DMBQ) with the respiratory and photosynthetic electron transfer chains of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. By considering different analytical tools (chlorophyll a fluorescence, transient absorption spectrometry, O2 consumption rate), the two exogenous quinones are shown to hamper the photosynthetic electron transfer from photosystem II (PSII) to the cytochrome b6f and, at longer term, PSII damage. In addition, the investigated quinones initiate the suppression of mitochondrial respiration, illustrated by the decrease of O2 consumption. This results in the diminution of the ATP exchanges between mitochondrion and chloroplast responsible for the generation of the proton motive force across the thylakoid in darkness, and in turn affects the performances of the CF1FO ATPase. For all those effects, 2,6-DCBQ was more effective than 2,6-DMBQ in agreement with its higher redox potential and partition coefficient values. This work provides a new framework for the study of biophotovoltaic devices using photosynthetic organisms and quinones as mediators and could be extended to find the best candidates combining efficient bioelectricity production and limited toxicity.

Essentializing Ethnicity:

This article introduces an ongoing project that examines a key aspect of the transition from war to uneasy peace in the aftermath of WWII in Europe: the ethno-national categorizations of the expellees forcibly transported across inter-state borders as national minorities. It argues that the level of ethno-national homogeneity between incoming expellees and more established population groups in the ‘postwar moment’ has been exaggerated. In fact, this period witnessed a complex process of redefining and renegotiating the bounds of the postwar national community in which ethno-national categories were contested and whose consequences were far-ranging, both immediately and in the longer term.

Identification of Prodromal Parkinson Disease: We May Be Able to But Should We?

Parkinson disease (PD) remains a progressive and incurable disease. Research over the past decade provides strong evidence of a detectible phase before the clinical diagnosis, known as the prodromal phase of PD (pPD). In this article, we review the debate about disclosure of risk of progression to PD and related disorders to individuals through the perspectives of the pillars of medical ethics: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice. There is evidence that lifestyle modification may have positive effects on onset and progression of PD, providing justification of potential benefit. From a societal perspective, a diagnosis of pPD could allow targeted recruitment to disease-modifying trials. Regarding nonmaleficence, direct evidence that catastrophic reactions are scarce is largely derived from studies of monogenic conditions, which may not be generalizable. Diagnosis of PD can be traumatic, and appropriate communication and evaluation of circumstances to weigh up disclosure is crucial. Future research should therefore examine the potential harms of early and of false-positive diagnoses and specifically examine these matters in diverse populations. Autonomy balances the right to know and the right not to know, so an individualized patient-centered approach and shared decision-making is essential, acknowledging that knowledge of being in the prodromal phase could prolong autonomy in the longer term. Distributive justice brings focus toward health care and related planning at the individual and societal level and affects the search for disease modification in PD. We must acknowledge that waiting for established disease states is likely to be too little, too late and results in failures of expensive trials and wasted participant and researcher effort. Ultimately, clinicians must arrive at a decision with the patient that solicits and integrates patients' goals, taking into account their individual life circumstances, perspectives, and philosophies, recognizing that one size cannot fit all.

Play with Butterfly

This article explores the role of play in early childhood education, specifically in the context of project-based science learning at Thammissalam Kindergarten in Thailand. Playing is considered important because it helps develop children's concentration, creativity, motor skills, and cognitive development. Project-based learning is seen as an effective approach to integrating science education into the curriculum, stimulating children's critical and creative thinking. This research uses a qualitative, case study type. Data was taken at Thammissalam Kindergarten, Thailand. We made observations on children in Thammissalam Thailand when the project was carried out. We conducted interviews with teachers and the headmaster about this project. This project was carried out for 1 year. The result of this project is that children understand scientific and cognitive processes because they know the growth of butterflies from the beginning of metamorphosis. Children learn to manage their emotions because they understand that this project will not last for a short time. They also learn cooperation because butterflies need a home. They prepared it all. The project can be implemented in the classroom in stages, for example, when children see caterpillars, they will learn about caterpillars, what caterpillars eat, and how caterpillars move to practice gross motor skills. Maybe it could be researched more deeply about evaluating the long-term effects of project-based learning on child development. Measuring the lasting impact of project-based learning on children's cognitive, social, and emotional development over the longer term. It can also be related to technology. Explore how technology can enhance children's engagement and learning in a project context. It can also be researched further on the differences between using technology and not.

OpenVPN is Open to VPN Fingerprinting

VPN adoption has seen steady growth over the past decade due to increased public awareness of privacy and surveillance threats. In response, certain governments are attempting to restrict VPN access by identifying connections using “dual use” DPI technology. To investigate the potential for VPN blocking, we develop mechanisms for accurately fingerprinting connections using OpenVPN, the most popular protocol for commercial VPN services. We identify three fingerprints based on protocol features such as byte pattern, packet size, and server response. Playing the role of an attacker who controls the network, we design a two-phase framework that performs passive fingerprinting and active probing in sequence. We evaluate our framework in partnership with a million-user ISP and find that we identify over 85% of OpenVPN flows with only negligible false positives, suggesting that OpenVPN-based services can be effectively blocked with little collateral damage. Although some commercial VPNs implement countermeasures to avoid detection, our framework successfully identified connections to 34 out of 41 “obfuscated” VPN configurations. We discuss the implications of the VPN fingerprintability for different threat models and propose short-term defenses. In the longer term, we urge commercial VPN providers to be more transparent about their obfuscation approaches and to adopt more principled detection countermeasures, such as those developed in censorship circumvention research.