Relief Phase Research Articles

Collection and sorting debris management after technological disasters

This study is dedicated to the first relief phase after technological disasters, which consists of collecting and sorting materials. This phase precedes the introduction into the circular economy. The main motivation is to re-use or recycle materials, which reduces the extraction of raw materials from the environment. For such a purpose, the disaster site is divided into areas and the extraction considers horizontal and vertical constraints. This is due to the unstable state of the debris structure. Three objectives are addressed, the quality of materials, the total cost, and the total time. The problem is referred to as the Multi-objective Multi-mode Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem in Disaster Relief (2M-RCPSP-DR). We propose a multi-objective mathematical formulation, exact methods based on the ϵ-constraint, and a multi-objective NSGAII based metaheuristics. Other than a classical NSGAII, four variants are developed, where a local search is integrated into the NSGAII using different strategies. Experiments and analyses are conducted to validate and evaluate the performance of the proposed models and methods.

Palmitoylation by ZDHHC4 inhibits TRPV1-mediated nociception

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a capsaicin-sensitive ion channel implicated in pain sensation. While TRPV1 potentiation in hyperalgesia development has been extensively investigated, its functional decline during pain relief remains largely unexplored. Here, by molecular, electrophysiological and in vivo evidence, we reveal that S-palmitoylation fine-tunes TRPV1 function by promoting its degradation via the lysosome pathway thereby facilitating inflammatory pain relief. The palmitoyl acyltransferase ZDHHC4 is identified to physically interact with TRPV1 and to catalyze S-palmitoylation at the cysteine residues C157, C362, C390, and C715 of the channel. Furthermore, we show that TRPV1 palmitoylation is counterbalanced by the depalmitoylase acyl-protein thioesterase 1 (APT1), thereby reinstating pain sensation. These findings provide important mechanistic insights into the relief phase of inflammatory pain.

Identification of Indicators for the Evaluation of Health Disaster Management Interventions during the Relief Phase: Scoping Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature

INTRODUCTION: Disasters have existed for many ages and although they are known to threaten health, there is still lack of evidence regarding the effectiveness of health disaster response interventions. Indicators are primordial for the evaluation of such interventions. The main objective of this study was to map the output, outcome and impact indicators used to evaluate health interventions in disasters and to identify gaps in the existing peer-reviewed literature. METHODS: A scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature was performed. Scopus, Web of Science and Pubmed were the 3 databases in which the search was launched. All references published in the peer-reviewed literature in English, Dutch or French since 1990 were eligible for inclusion if they met all the inclusion criteria. Characteristics of the studies, the interventions and indicators identified were charted. Interventions were categorized using an extraction template. RESULTS: A total of 8329 articles were identified. After removal of duplicates, 5578 unique studies were screened of which 56 met all inclusion criteria. The selected articles contained 86 interventions and 1387 indicators which could be grouped into 619 unique indicators. Of these indicators the majority were output indicators (70,8%). Of the remaining indicators 28,8% were outcome indicators and only 2 (0,3%) were impact indicators. For almost half (47,7%) of the interventions, no outcome or impact indicators were identified. The highest proportions of outcome indicators were found in medical care interventions and overall response interventions. CONCLUSION: This scoping review identified the existence of many indicators, however most of them were output indicators. In order to generate evidence on the effectiveness of interventions, the priority should lie on determining outcome and impact indicators. If health disaster management wants to become a scientific discipline, several steps must be undertaken. First, there is an urgent need for the standardization of definitions and the development of a glossary. Second, the identification of indicators should begin with the determination of interventions needed in disaster response after which systematic scoping reviews should be performed in order to identify the most appropriate indicators. Lastly, data collection should be standardized, and a universally accepted reporting template should be implemented.

Optimal logistics scheduling with dynamic information in emergency response: Case studies for humanitarian objectives

The mathematical model of infectious disease is a typical problem in mathematical modeling, and the common infectious disease models include the susceptible-infected (SI) model, the susceptible-infected-recovered model (SIR), the susceptible-infected-recovered-susceptible model (SIRS) and the susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) model. These models can be used to predict the impact of regional return to work after the epidemic. In this paper, we use the SEIR model to solve the dynamic medicine demand information in humanitarian relief phase. A multistage mixed integer programming model for the humanitarian logistics and transport resource is proposed. The objective functions of the model include delay cost and minimum running time in the time-space network. The model describes that how to distribute and deliver medicine resources from supply locations to demand locations with an efficient and lower-cost way through a transportation network. The linear programming problem is solved by the proposed Benders decomposition algorithm. Finally, we use two cases to calculate model and algorithm. The results of the case prove the validity of the model and algorithm.

Simulation-based educational approach toward improving thermal outdoor comfort for pedestrians in semi-arid climate

Abstract The urban cooling is the most effective strategy to fight the urban climate change effects in summertime. Thus, searching urban cool islands can remedy the rise of urban temperatures. This study aims to consider cool urban pathways offering optimal levels of thermal comfort in downtown Guelma during summer overheating. This involves researching the appropriate tree ratio and typology, tree layout and suitable configurations of water bodies of outdoor spaces. The scientific methodology is made through either straightforward step included on-site measurements and calculating the difference of urban temperatures to select five outdoor spaces with maximum heat stress. As our study also aims to improve the outdoor thermal comfort by natural elements, it simulates different scenarios of the selected stations using ENVI-Met model and exploiting the real field measurement of the urban microclimate. The most significant reductions in thermal comfort levels (UTCI) over three thermal phases identify the coolest urban pathways. Consequently, we confirmed that considering cool pathways spanning from station S2 to station S8 is possible with optimal thermal comfort levels over the day; 0.46–6.9°C in the morning phase, 0.94–3.87°C in the hot thermal phase and 1.42–3.54°C in the thermal relief phase. The findings indicate three main effects of microclimatic regulation underlie the improvement of the thermal comfort levels: tree cooling effect with (Ta ≤ 1.1°C), cooling effect of water bodies (Ta ≤ 0.3°C) and cooling effect of trees in combination with water bodies (Ta ≤ 1.9°C).

Experiences and Lessons Learned from Implementing the RELIEF Digital Symptom Self-Reporting App in a Palliative Home Care Setting.

The majority of Canadians agree they have the right to end-of-life care in their own homes. While a palliative approach to care in the home setting has been demonstrated to be beneficial for patients and the healthcare system, it has rarely been well-integrated through an eHealth approach. Thus, in 2018, we piloted the RELIEF app, a digital symptom self-reporting tool for patients with palliative care needs. This was followed by the initiation of an extension phase of RELIEF in the home care setting. In this commentary, we share the implementation perspectives and experiences of the researchers and healthcare workers involved in this home care phase. It was mainly expressed that there were challenges with nurses feeling involved, supporting the research program, and using the technology, while patients and family caregivers had challenges using the app and cooperating with staff. We describe our lessons learned from these experiences and future changes to be enacted. A detailed report of this trial will be made available in future publications.

Strategies to Develop Resilience: Lessons from a Civil Rights Activist, a Scientist, and an Astronaut.

Strategies to Develop Resilience: Lessons from a Civil Rights Activist, a Scientist, and an Astronaut.

Diffraction-optimized aperiodic surface structures for enhanced current density in organic solar cells.

Novel diffractive surface structures are designed, evaluated, and optimized to achieve a significant increase in current density in organic solar cells. The surface relief phase gratings are patterned based on concentric rings, a Fermat's spiral, and an Archimedean spiral, respectively, and thus diffract incident light independent of its azimuthal angle, as they all exhibit circularly symmetric diffraction patterns. The grating pillars are arranged on the rings or spirals according to periodic or deterministic aperiodic Thue-Morse and Rudin-Shapiro sequences, tailoring the desired diffraction patterns. After evaluating the surface patterns against each other and further parameter optimization, a final current density enhancement of 5 % is achieved for one of the most promising patterns, the Thue-Morse sequence on an Archimedean spiral.

Model parameters of a horizontal seismometer with an optical diffraction vibration sensor

Subject of study. This study investigates the model of a horizontal seismometer composed of a physical pendulum and an optical diffraction sensor for angular vibrations that comprises a laser, an assembly of two relief phase diffraction gratings (DGs), a diaphragm isolating the radiation of the first diffraction order after the diffraction grating assembly, and a photodetector. The physical pendulum comprises a disk mounted on the rotation axis, pullback springs, and an additional weight on the disk edge. The assembly of DGs was positioned on the disk. The signal from the photodetector output was proportional to the small linear displacements of the additional weight owing to the inertial forces under horizontal vibrations of the seismometer base. Model parameters. The diameter and mass of the disk are 250 mm and 2 kg, respectively. The free swing period of the pendulum is 3 s. The mass of the additional weight is 0.1 kg. The laser power is 5 mW. Two relief phase DGs with a groove depth of 0.32 µm and a period of 0.1 mm are positioned on the opposite facets of a glass block of DGs with a thickness of 13 mm. The grooves of the first DG are parallel to the grooves of the second DG. An FD-24k photodiode, a load resistor, an amplifier, and a filter with a bandwidth of 1800 Hz are connected to the output. Test results. The model of the optical diffraction seismometer and SM-3 reference seismometer were mounted on a single platform. Periodic oscillations of the platform with a period of 0.475 s were applied in the first series of experiments. The dependence of the signals from the outputs of seismometers of both types were similar; however, a 90° phase shift of the output signal from the investigated model with respect to the SM-3 output signal was present. This is because the output signal of the sensor in the optical diffraction seismometer is proportional to the angular displacement of the physical pendulum, whereas the signal from the coil of the SM-3 sensor is proportional to the speed of pendulum movement. A slow weak linear force was applied to the platform with seismometers in the second experiment series. In this case, the SM-3 output signal did not exceed the noise level, whereas the output signal of the optical seismometer model was triple the noise level. The sensitivity of the seismometer model significantly exceeds the sensitivity of the SM-3 seismometer under slow perturbations. Practical significance. The output signal from the optical diffraction vibration sensor is proportional to the angular displacement of the pendulum instead of the speed of its movement. Thus, the sensitivity of the seismometer model does not decrease in the range of low frequency vibrations. A seismometer with negative feedback for investigation of weak low-frequency vibrations of the Earth’s surface can be designed based on this scheme.

Fabrication and optical characterization of large aperture diffractive lenses using greyscale lithography

Diffractive lenses can replicate the optical functions of their refractive counterparts using an equivalent surface relief phase profile, enabling more compact optical assemblies and microsystem integration. Greyscale lithography enables the direct definition of tridimensional photoresist lenses atop glass substrates, providing a simple nanofabrication process for complex micro-optics, compatible with nanoimprint replication. In this work, we report the greyscale fabrication and optical characterization of 10 × 10 mm 2 , NA ≈ 0.25, photoresist diffractive lenses for near-infrared LIDAR applications and evaluate their optical performance in the visible range for imaging. We demonstrate a two-lens varifocal system integrating diffractive lenses for λ = 1550 nm operation with a 55–215 mm focal length tuning range and an average spot size of ø188 ± 82 μm. In addition, we characterize the strong longitudinal chromatic aberration, typical of diffractive lenses, and evaluate their optical performance for imaging in the visible range. • Diffractive lenses microfabricated on low contrast photoresist atop glass wafers using greyscale lithography are demonstrated • A varifocal system integrating two diffractive lens with 55–215 mm tuning range is presented for 1550 nm LIDAR applications • Chromatic aberration and imaging quality of diffractive lenses are evaluated

Positive Treatment Expectations Shape Perceived Medication Efficacy in a Translational Placebo Paradigm for the Gut-Brain Axis.

Placebo research has established the pivotal role of treatment expectations in shaping symptom experience and patient-reported treatment outcomes. Perceived treatment efficacy constitutes a relevant yet understudied aspect, especially in the context of the gut-brain axis with visceral pain as key symptom. Using a clinically relevant experimental model of visceral pain, we elucidated effects of pre-treatment expectations on post-treatment perceived treatment efficacy as an indicator of treatment satisfaction in a translational placebo intervention. We implemented positive suggestions regarding intravenous treatment with a spasmolytic drug (in reality saline), herein applied in combination with two series of individually calibrated rectal distensions in healthy volunteers. The first series used distension pressures inducing pain (pain phase). In the second series, pressures were surreptitiously reduced, modeling pain relief (pain relief phase). Using visual analog scales (VAS), expected and perceived treatment efficacy were assessed, along with perceived pain intensity. Manipulation checks supported that the induction of positive pre-treatment expectations and the modeling of pain relief were successful. Generalized Linear Models (GLM) were implemented to assess the role of inter-individual variability in positive pre-treatment expectations in perceived treatment efficacy and pain perception. GLM indicated no association between pre-treatment expectations and perceived treatment efficacy or perceived pain for the pain phase. For the relief phase, pre-treatment expectations (p = 0.024) as well as efficacy ratings assessed after the preceding pain phase (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with treatment efficacy assessed after the relief phase, together explaining 54% of the variance in perceived treatment efficacy. The association between pre-treatment expectations and perceived pain approached significance (p = 0.057) in the relief phase. Our data from an experimental translational placebo intervention in visceral pain support that reported post-treatment medication efficacy is shaped by pre-treatment expectations. The observation that individuals with higher positive expectations reported less pain and higher treatment satisfaction after pain relief may provide first evidence that perceived symptom improvement may facilitate treatment satisfaction. The immediate experience of symptoms within a given psychosocial treatment context may dynamically change perceptions about treatment, with implications for treatment satisfaction, compliance and adherence of patients with conditions of the gut-brain axis.

Learning about post-disaster phases via ludic activities: A case study of Santiago, Chile

On February 27, 2010, a magnitude 8.8 Mw earthquake struck Chile and provoked a tsunami that wreaked havoc on the Chilean coast. A total of 830 failures in the transportation system were registered on roads, with 91 concession bridges and 221 public bridges suffered damage or collapsed. This study aims to test a methodology for teaching people about the characteristics of each post-disaster phase concerning road infrastructure and business continuity. The methodology is based on ludic activities designed as a non-structural mitigation action to reduce cascading risk and enhance business continuity. Activities include answering questions related to experiences with earthquakes, completing puzzles as a metaphor of a city during the reconstruction process and associating scale models of vehicles and machinery with a specific post-disaster phase. The methodology was tested with Chilean high school students aged 11 to 15. Answers from the participants indicate that girls were more aware of protection techniques during earthquakes than boys. In contrast, boys were more mindful of terminology and engaged in decision-making activities. The similarity between completing a puzzle and a city in reconstruction after an earthquake was easy for participants to understand. Initially, participants only identified relief as a post-disaster phase but did not recognise the other post-disaster phases of early recovery, recovery and development. After the workshop, they managed to identify vehicles related to the relief phase, some vehicles and machinery related to the early recovery and recovery phases, and others that can be used in more than one or two post-disaster phases.

Living-transforming disaster relief shelter: a conceptual approach for sustainable post-disaster housing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the performance of post-disaster housing reconstruction projects, propose the conceptual living-transforming disaster relief shelter (LTFDR-shelter) approach where temporary shelter is incrementally transformed into a more permanent dwelling by using living technologies and investigate its applicability to provide sustainable post-disaster housing following natural-hazard-induced disasters.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey with 120 household recipients of three Sri Lankan post-disaster housing projects was employed to explore how the post-disaster housing projects have performed against the occupants' expectations. Furthermore, the new proposed LTFDR-shelter conceptual approach's applicability to address the existing issues found in the study was investigated.FindingsThe paper evaluates and identifies the physical and technical, and socio-economic performance issues of post-disaster housing and discusses the applicability of the proposed LTFDR-shelter conceptual approach as an efficient tool to adequately improve the identified factors integrating three phases of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction employing living technology.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the study's scope was limited to the occupant view of the performance of post-disaster housing in Sri Lanka, the findings and conceptual LTFDR-shelter approach could be of particular relevance to other developing countries affected by similar disasters. Further research is recommended to investigate and develop this concept in depth.Originality/valueThis study lays the conceptual foundation for a new theoretical approach in post-disaster housing, which encourages more interdisciplinary collaborations and empirical investigations that potentially enhance post-disaster housing performance and facilitates the application of living technology in the built environment.

A multi-objective optimization model for logistic planning in the crisis response phase

PurposeProper planning for the response phase of humanitarian relief can significantly prevent many financial and human losses. To this aim, a multi-objective optimization model is proposed in this paper that considers different types of injured people, different vehicles with determining capacities and multi-period logistic planning. This model can be updated based on new information about resources and newly identified injured people.Design/methodology/approachThe main objective function of the proposed model in this paper is minimizing the unsatisfied prioritized injured people in the network. Besides, the total transportation activities of different types of vehicles are considered as another objective function. Therefore, these objectives are optimized hierarchically in the proposed model using the Lexicographic method. This method finds the best value for the first objective function. Then, it tries to optimize transportation activities as the second objective function while maintaining the optimality of the first objective function.FindingsThe performances of the proposed model were analyzed in different cases and its robust approach for different problems was shown within the framework of a case study. Besides, the sensitivity analysis of results shows the logical behavior of the proposed model against various factors.Practical implicationsThe proposed methodology can be applied to find the best response plan for all crises.Originality/valueIn this paper, we have tried to use a multi-objective optimization model to guide and correct response programs to deal with the occurred crisis. This is important because it can help emergency managers to improve their plans.

Disaster risk governance for district-level landslide risk management in Bangladesh

The Government of Bangladesh has been successful in reducing death rates from tropical cyclones. However, in recent years, landslides have been a significant hazard, especially in the south-eastern part of Bangladesh. For example, the landslides of 2017 killed 110 people in Rangamati district. These deaths have raised an important question: whether district disaster risk governance at the local level is effective enough to mitigate the impact of landslide disasters? Based on literature review, nine good characteristics of disaster risk governance were selected (accountability, participation, collaboration, transparency, information sharing, shared decision making, communication, leadership and shared resources) to assess the effectiveness of district disaster risk governance for landslides underpinned by the disaster risk management cycle. These characteristics were assessed by interviewing 18 members of the Rangamati's District Disaster Management Committee. Policy documents were also reviewed to study the devolution of disaster risk governance urged by the Hyogo Framework and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The findings suggest that the four principles (viz. accountability, participation, collaboration, and leadership) function satisfactorily during the response, evacuation, rescue and relief phases compared to the other five principles. The findings also suggest that the national Disaster Management Regulatory Framework and the Disaster Management Institutions are conducive to promote local disaster risk governance. However, there are challenges with regard to collaboration within and between state and non-state actors. As such, context specific recommendations are provided to improve collaboration and effectiveness with implications for other disaster-prone districts in Bangladesh.

When hazards become disasters: coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Using the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses) framework as an analytical lens, this study elucidates how climate-related hazards, coupled with other drivers and pressures, create vulnerability to disasters for coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh. Primary data has been collected through fieldwork in four communities in the Southern Region, consisting of individual interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study reveals that coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh face recurrent hazards that, coupled with other natural and anthropogenic drivers and pressures, have disastrous consequences on human well-being and the environment. Disaster impacts on coastal communities vary and differ by the capacities, situations, experiences, and capitals of households. In response to disasters’ adverse impacts, affected communities adopt various coping strategies, which produce both beneficial and harmful impacts. To include those impacts into long-term development goals of coastal communities, the study calls for the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines (SSF Guidelines), which could help in the immediate relief phase, as well as the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery after disasters and reduce vulnerabilities of small-scale fishers.

Регистрация высокочастотных рельефно-фазовых голографических структур на фотоматериале ПФГ-04

A new variant of processing photographic plates for holography based on dichromed gelatin PFG-04 (produced by JSC "Slavich Company", Pereslavl-Zalessky) for the manufacture of high-frequency relief–phase holographic gratings with a spatial frequency up to 1500 mm-1 is proposed. The technology is based on the selective destructive effect of short-wave UV radiation on gelatin and subsequent etching of the layer with various reagents. For the first time, relief-phase high-frequency holographic gratings with a maximum diffraction efficiency of 67% were obtained on PFG-04 photographic plates.

Ecospatiality: transforming Kerala’s post-flood ‘riskscapes’

AbstractKerala’s 2018 floods and landslides offer great lessons on risk governance and climate policies. The challenges in each phase of rescue, relief and rebuilding were addressed in this case study. Through the strategic use of ‘ecospatiality’, it is shown that the ‘state–society synergy’ does exist in its potentiality, although, by and large, it is ignored in already existing ‘riskscape’ scholarship. However, the context of this study proves to be an ideal site for illustrating the possibilities of actualising this latent potential through ecospatiality planning. Such attempts can, at the same time, be of local effectiveness and global significance.

Public awareness, emotional reactions and human mobility in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in China - a population-based ecological study.

The outbreak of COVID-19 generated severe emotional reactions, and restricted mobility was a crucial measure to reduce the spread of the virus. This study describes the changes in public emotional reactions and mobility patterns in the Chinese population during the COVID-19 outbreak. We collected data on public emotional reactions in response to the outbreak through Weibo, the Chinese Twitter, between 1st January and 31st March 2020. Using anonymized location-tracking information, we analyzed the daily mobility patterns of approximately 90% of Sichuan residents. There were three distinct phases of the emotional and behavioral reactions to the COVID-19 outbreak. The alarm phase (19th-26th January) was a restriction-free period, characterized by few new daily cases, but a large amount public negative emotions [the number of negative comments per Weibo post increased by 246.9 per day, 95% confidence interval (CI) 122.5-371.3], and a substantial increase in self-limiting mobility (from 45.6% to 54.5%, changing by 1.5% per day, 95% CI 0.7%-2.3%). The epidemic phase (27th January-15th February) exhibited rapidly increasing numbers of new daily cases, decreasing expression of negative emotions (a decrease of 27.3 negative comments per post per day, 95% CI -40.4 to -14.2), and a stabilized level of self-limiting mobility. The relief phase (16th February-31st March) had a steady decline in new daily cases and decreasing levels of negative emotion and self-limiting mobility. During the COVID-19 outbreak in China, the public's emotional reaction was strongest before the actual peak of the outbreak and declined thereafter. The change in human mobility patterns occurred before the implementation of restriction orders, suggesting a possible link between emotion and behavior.

Climate Change Impacts on a Tropical Fishery Ecosystem: Implications and Societal Responses

The present study aimed to map out the current threats and anticipated impacts of climate change on the most important hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fishery and the associated fishing communities based on fieldwork in six coastal fishing communities. To collect empirical data, individual interviews, focus group discussions, oral history, and key informant interviews were conducted. To supplement the empirical findings, time-series data of cyclones and sea-borne depressions in the Bay of Bengal were also analyzed. Analysis of secondary data regarding climate change-induced events and regional studies suggested that the biophysical conditions of the Bay of Bengal are likely to be aggravated in the future, potentially causing more frequent extreme events and affecting the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh. The fisher respondents revealed that the main target hilsa shad fishery is particularly vulnerable to climate change in terms of alterations to migration patterns and breeding and growth performance. The fishers reported constant climate-related risks because they live in seafront locations, exposed to extreme events, and their occupation entails risky sea fishing. Fishers claimed that they often need return to the coast due to unsuitable weather conditions related to cyclones and frequent tropical depressions, which can cause financial losses or even causalities. Such events negatively affect fishers’ livelihoods, and wellbeing. To cope with the impacts of climate change the fishers have adopted various strategies at both sea fishing and household levels. However, these strategies only support the fishers in terms of immediate survival; they are not enough for long-term resilience. To improve the resilience of the hilsa fishers, the study argues for the implementation the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines (SSF Guidelines), which call for longer-term development goals, including in the immediate relief phase, and rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery to reduce vulnerabilities to climate and anthropogenic risks.