Sudden Shock Research Articles

Clinical Characteristics, Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes of COVID-19 Positive Pregnant Mothers at a Tertiary Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa

Background: The global spread of the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has been sudden shock to the world and resulted in many questions that remain unanswered. Limited data has been published in low-middle-income country settings (LMICS).

Repercussions of the COVID-19 outbreak on Sri Lankan Economy

The novel Corona virus has been the hot topic of the today’s world which has brought about every aspect of the human kind to a very decisive position. Health concerns have been rising above all the other issues that human concentration was drawn to. The outbreak which was started in the city of Wuhan, China held the global population to a standstill with all of its operations being halted and causing serious impacts on the medical, educational, economic, and social and every other aspects adversely. Even though national leaders took proactive measures such as imposition of curfew and lockdown decisions, the wide spread of the virus was brutal threatening thousands of lives of the human history. This review paper discusses in depth about the origination of the said COVID-19 virus and its effects on the societal impacts of Sri Lanka. This paper also brings out a review about the history of pandemics that took place over the past few decades which were also known to cause lethal effects to the mankind. The causes for such outbreaks are also reviewed in brief with the scientific evidences proving that the human interactions with animals and such animal microbes being identified to be the origin of most of the outbreaks. It is cited in detail about the consequences the Sri Lankan economy faces with the impacts of the pandemic whereas the increasing rate of poverty, unemployment and the inflation rates while attention being drawn to how the GDP has been effected. Thus, the measures implemented by the government to absorb the sudden shock of the economy has also been discussed further.

The effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on shareholder value: evidence from the 9/11 terrorist attack

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on shareholder value using the stock market reactions to a terrorist attack. This paper exploits the September 11 terrorist attack as an unanticipated exogenous shock that reduced shareholder wealth suddenly and unexpectedly. Based on the risk-mitigation hypothesis, the argument is that more socially responsible firms should suffer less negative market reactions.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses the standard event study methodology to estimate the stock market reactions to the 9/11 terrorist attack. Then, the study executes a cross-section analysis to determine whether CSR offers any protection in the presence of a sudden negative shock. Additional analysis includes propensity score matching, instrumental-variable analysis and using Oster’s (2019) method for testing coefficient stability.FindingsThe results show that the negative stock market reactions to the shock are significantly alleviated for firms with strong social responsibility. A rise in CSR by one standard deviation improves the market reactions by 22.56% of the average decline. This is consistent with the prediction of the risk mitigation hypothesis, where CSR spawns moral capital or goodwill that functions as an insurance-like defense in case of an adverse event.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on short-term market reactions because this method is more likely to show a causal effect. Future research may investigate long-term effects.Originality/valueWhile prior research has investigated the effect of CSR on firm value, it has been challenging to establish causality. The approach is more likely to show causality as it is based on a sudden and unanticipated negative shock. This paper also uses several methods to reduce endogeneity, making it more likely that the results show causality, rather than merely an association.

Analysis of AP1000 severe accident induced by SBO using MAAP5

The total loss of AC power is an essential initiating event of PWR which can lead to a severe accident like Fukushima in Japan. For such improbable accidents, three cases of severe accidents of AP1000 induced by the station blackout (SBO) were simulated based on MAAP5 code. This particular analysis was conducted at 100% core power with different approaches. For the case with auto depressurization system (ADS), the primary system pressure appeared to uphold a low level for a longer duration and the external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) system had sufficient capacity to eliminate the heat from the molten pool with a ratio of ex-vessel heat flux to critical heat flux (CHF) at about 0.49. For the case without ADS, the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) rupture will occur due to the creep effect inducing a sudden shock to the containment, and the peak pressure in the containment is still under the level at which the inelastic deformation may take place. The hydrogen production of the case without ADS in the core is 83% more than that of having ADS, while the hydrogen mole fraction in the upper containment is lower before the RPV failure. Overall, our findings are meaningful and significant for comprehending the detailed process of AP1000 severe accident induced by SBO, which is the basic standard for the development of the severe accident management guidelines (SAMG).

CoronaGothic: a Post‐Mortem

In this article author talks about the spread of Coronaviruses around the world Topics include reports that as the virus spread, the voices of panic created a cacophony of stories across the digital sky, a dark cloud of fear and all these stories involved themes taking us beyond the human realm;and display the fruitfulness of the Gothic as a medium of interdisciplinary explication, especially fitting for new and difficult topics such as those arising from crisis faced by the world community

The Post Pandemic Global Economy - A Note On A Possible Trajectory

The combination of the COVID-19 Pandemic and global trade tensions seem likely to make 2020 / 2021 a turning point in the global economy of the same importance as the Great Depression of the 1930’s and combined breakdown of the Bretton Woods system and Oil Crisis of the 1970’s. Post 1980 liberalization (especially in capital markets and trade flows) plus moves towards product standardization have led to rapid globalization, with multi-national corporation Foreign Direct Investment playing a key development role.Starting with the financial crash of 2008, running through the decade of developed market austerity and into the trade tensions of recent years; the sudden shock event of the Covid-19 Pandemic has crystalised the challenging of base economic assumptions in the developed world. Developed nation consumer behaviour is shifting at an unprecedented speed, pressures are building for companies to “re-shore” activity, robotics and automation are making such re-shoring cost effective, governments are incurring unthinkable debt ratios and even the IMF is challenging the previous “Washington Consensus” liberalisation and debt reduction model.This note develops these themes to paint the picture of a “Post Pandemic World”.

Performance Effects of Shock Absorber and Spiral Springs Against Vertical Vehicle Expenses Weighing the Road Structure

This study aims to examine more about the effect of vertical dynamic load of vehicles and changes in dimensional barriers on the road surface in its path. Experimentally this fluctuating load is replaced by a pneumatic force change based on the regulation of air pressure on the regulator. The deviations generated by the varying load work are measured by placing a proximity sensor along the spring movement. The amount of vertical load transformation reaches the road surface is measured by using Load cell. Characteristics of vertical dynamic vibration occurring due to several dimensional barriers, U (cm) obtained using mathematical modeling method with 2 DOF suspension system transfer function. The results showed a condition on the body and wheels of vehicles experienced a brief overshot for 0.14 seconds with deviation of 0.178 m. From the graph shows that the rate of deviation that occurs is large enough that Y2d = 1.03 m / s caused by a sudden shock that occurred on the wheels of the vehicle. This condition does not last long that is only duration t = 0.22 s, because the spring reaction force and shock absorber can absorb 25% vibration against the sprung and un-sprung vertical load of the vehicle.

Fast recovery of a single-stage partial nitrification/anammox-based hybrid bioreactor impacted by a sudden lactose shock load

This study reports the recovery of single-stage partial nitrification (PN)/anammox bioreactor treating nitrite-free and ammonium-rich synthetic wastewater affected by a high concentration of lactose (2000 mg/l). The lactose shock led to the collapse of the PN/anammox process in <24 h. Major negative effects included significant washout of the suspended biomass and detachment of biofilm, changes in the colour of the biomass from reddish to blackish, and a significant drop in ammonium removal efficiency from 95% to <5%. Batch tests with biomass exposed to the lactose-free and lactose-containing ammonium-rich medium suggested that the lack of sufficient nitrite production during the PN process was the limiting factor for the low activity of anammox due to the limited oxygen available to the aerobic nitrifiers. The reduction of lactose from 2000 to 200 mg/l and temperature increase from 25 °C to 30 °C, led to the full recovery of the PN/anammox process in <40 days.

Transient response of the hygro-thermo-elastic field in hollow cylinders under heat-moisture shock via hyperbolic non-Fourier heat conduction and non-Fick diffusion

The classical Fourier heat conduction theory as well as the widely used Fick’s diffusion law predicts an infinite wave velocity. This is physically unrealistic. By generalizing the classical Fourier’s and Fick’s laws, this paper presents a hyperbolic diffusion law to apply heat and moisture coupling. The transient response of the hygro-thermo-elastic field in infinitely long hollow cylinders subjected to sudden heat and moisture shock on the inner and outer surfaces is studied. With the aid of the Laplace transform and the decoupling technique, the closed-form solutions of temperature, moisture, elastic displacement and stresses are determined respectively. The analytical results show that the thermal and moisture relaxation time effect between temperature and moisture is significant for composites. Compared with the classic counterpart, the finite hygrothermal wave speed of the pipe is achieved and decreases with the relaxation time rising. The temperature, moisture, elastic displacement and stresses are calculated. Numerical results are displayed graphically to show the influence of the phase lag of heat/moisture flux on the response of the hygro-thermo-elastic fields. Non-Fourier and non-Fick effects are remarkable between the classic model and hyperbolic hygrothermal coupling model. Some drawbacks induced by the classical Fourier’s and Fick’s laws are averted.

Low salinity reduces survival rate of a commercially important sea cucumber (Sandfish: Holothuria scabra)

Sandfish culture had been implemented for more than 20 years but has frequently failed to yield the expected results due to low survival rates. A decrease in salinity during the rainy season was suspected as a cause of sandfish mortality. This study aimed to assess the influence of salinity on sandfish survival rates. Treatments included sudden shock and gradual acclimation trial methods. Even though the results of this study indicate a mean survival rate of 50% at 14.6 ppt, the survival rate fell drastically as water salinity was reduced below the salinity of saltwater bony fish body fluids (around 18 ppt). Sandfish cannot live in water with salinity lower than the osmotic body fluid of freshwater bony fish (around 14 ppt). Therefore, for the cultivation of sandfish in coastal ponds, salinity should not be allowed to fall below a minimum of 18 ppt.

Financing foreign trade in Turkey under 2020 Corona virus Covid-19 pandemics

Purpose- The study aims to estimate the export income of Turkey under the effects Corona Virus Covid 19 Pandemics of 2020. Methodology- The study employs descriptive statistics analyses for macroeconomic indicators of leading export markets of Turkish economy. Findings- The analysis shows that Turkish Economy export income would decline 30 percent relative to 2019 due to sudden shock and lockdowns and losses, deaths and illnesses during the first quarter of 2020. Conclusion- The World Economy has been expected to shrink 3 percent at 2020. This is larger than 1.68 percent decline in growth rate at 2009. In 2009 financial crises, Turkish export volume decreased %30 in 2009. At 2020, the export of Turkey would decrease 30 percent due to decline of import demand of major export markets of EU, OECD and member countries of Islamic Cooperation Countries. However, the World Bank and IMF’s expectations suggest rapid growth in the World economy at 2021.

Policy-aware data lakes: a flexible approach to achieve legal interoperability for global research collaborations.

A popular model for global scientific repositories is the data commons, which pools or connects many datasets alongside supporting infrastructure. A data commons must establish legally interoperability between datasets to ensure researchers can aggregate and reuse them. This is usually achieved by establishing a shared governance structure. Unfortunately, governance often takes years to negotiate and involves a trade-off between data inclusion and data availability. It can also be difficult for repositories to modify governance structures in response to changing scientific priorities, data sharing practices, or legal frameworks. This problem has been laid bare by the sudden shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper proposes a rapid and flexible strategy for scientific repositories to achieve legal interoperability: the policy-aware data lake. This strategy draws on technical concepts of modularity, metadata, and data lakes. Datasets are treated as independent modules, which can be subject to distinctive legal requirements. Each module must, however, be described using standard legal metadata. This allows legally compatible datasets to be rapidly combined and made available on a just-in-time basis to certain researchers for certain purposes. Global scientific repositories increasingly need such flexibility to manage scientific, organizational, and legal complexity, and to improve their responsiveness to global pandemics.

Interconnections for Additively Manufactured Hybridized Printed Electronics in Harsh Environments

The ability to fabricate functional 3D conductive elements via additive manufacturing has opened up a unique sector of ‘hybridized printed electronics’. In doing so, many of the rigid standards (i.e., planar circuit boards, potting, etc.,) of traditional electronics are abandoned. However, one critical challenge lies in producing robust and reliable interconnections between conductive inks and traditional hardware, especially when subjected to harsh environments. This research examines select material pairings for the most resilient interconnection. The method of test is wire bond pull testing that would represent a continuous strain on a connection and high acceleration testing of up to 50,000 g that would represent a sudden shock that electronics may experience in a drop or crash. Although these two environments may be similar to an overall energy exerted on the connection, the rate of force exerted may lead to different solutions. The results of this research provide insight into material selection for printed electronic interconnections and a framework for interconnection resiliency assessment, which is a critical aspect in realizing the production of next generation electronics technologies for the most demanding environments.

The Altman ‘Z’ is “50” and Still Young: Bankruptcy Prediction and Stock Market Reaction due to Sudden Exogenous Shock

This study is motivated by the continuing popularity of the Altman Z-score as a measure of distress risk. This study provides a hitherto unexplored perspective by examining the relation between stock market returns and the probability of bankruptcy during an unexpected sudden shock. Following the 9/11 attacks of 2001, the US stock market dropped dramatically. We find evidence that firms which had higher bankruptcy risk experienced greater negative returns following the attack. This study suggests that the Altman Z-score is useful in identifying firms with a higher distress risk and consequent larger negative stock returns in the event of an exogenous sudden shock.

Drivers of household and agricultural adaptation to climate change in Vietnam

ABSTRACT Vietnam accounts for 6% of global rice production and is exceptionally vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This study utilises a mixed model ordinal logistic regression on farm household data collected in the Mekong and Red River deltas with the goal of quantifying their impacts on 'planned', in anticipation of gradual climate change, and 'response', to deal with the impacts of sudden onset change, adaptations. The study highlights increased planned adaptation in response to both direct and indirect climate stress. Farm households with higher proportions of income from agricultural sources were more likely to implement planned adaptation measures, but also response level adaptation due to the vulnerability of income sources to sudden onset shock. Planned adaptation is positively influenced by access to training and on farm support, while both planned, and response adaptation were more likely when households had access to financial assistance. Diversity, in terms of revenue sources, increased planned adaptation implementation, but lowered the likelihood of farm households implementing response level adaptation. Institutional support plays a key role in both planned and response adaptation. To increase resilience, it is essential that this support be responsive to localised contextual challenges.

Characteristics and influences of urban shrinkage in the exo-urbanization area of the Pearl River Delta, China

In the globalization era, shrinking cities have emerged as a widespread phenomenon and become a new buzzword in regional and urban research discourse. The Pearl River Delta (PRD), one of the most representative areas of rapid urbanization in China, is characterized by export-oriented economy and “exo-urbanization.” Induced by the financial crisis of 2008, new spatial symptoms related to urban shrinkage, such as factory collapses, job losses, and vacant dwellings, were observed in this area. To investigate spatial-temporal characteristics of the crisis-induced shrinkage in the PRD, this paper proposes a theoretical approach to interpret urban growth and shrinkage in combination with economic, population, and land dimensions. Moreover, through an analysis of statistical data and in-depth interviews in the case of Dongguan, three primary influences (i.e., global financial crisis, demographic dividend diminishment, and change in institutional arrangement) on urban shrinkage in town-level cities are evaluated. This study not only contributes to the literature by analyzing the short-term urban shrinkage influenced by sudden economic shock in globalization but also demonstrates the complexity and multiplicity of urban shrinkage that emerged in the rapidly urbanizing area of the Global South.

The Mental Health Implications of COVID-19 on Low-Income Communities and Communities of Color

Shelter-in-place and social distancing measures have been critical for “flattening the curve” and managing the spread of COVID-19, but the sudden shock to our economic and social lives is raising concerns about mental and behavioral health issues. Low-income communities and communities of color were already more likely to experience risk factors for poor mental health, such as low socioeconomic status and substandard living conditions. This research brief explores these risk factors in the context of COVID-19, and why mental health promotion should be part of a comprehensive approach to equitable economic recovery.

Nonlocal dual-phase-lag heat conduction and the associated nonlocal thermal-viscoelastic analysis

In this paper, the extension of the nonlocal dual-phase-lag (DPL) theory is formulated to account for the heat conduction at nanoscale. Both the temporally and spatially nonlocal effects are considered in heat conduction, which are verified experimentally by the size-dependent thermal conductivity of silicon nanofilms and the transient temperature variation during the femtosecond laser heating of gold films. A generalized uncoupled nonlocal thermoviscoelasticity is hence proposed, which is applied to a one-dimensional analysis of a finite plate under sudden thermal shock. Non-dimensional numerical analyses are performed to illustrate the effects of both nonlocal heat conduction and nonlocal elasticity on thermal propagations and thermoviscoelastic responses.

The effects of water hardness on the growth, metabolic indicators and stress resistance of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides

Water hardness varies regionally and optimal levels for fish are often species specific. It is generally assumed that largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, require elevated water hardness, but this has not yet been investigated. In this two-part study, M. salmoides juveniles were subjected to 100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/l CaCO3 (by CaCl2 additions) and the survival, growth, ammonia-N excretion/oxygen consumption rates, biochemical composition and ion-regulatory enzymes were measured after one month. Afterwards, fish were subjected to a sudden salinity shock test (SSST) at 10 ppt. In experiment 2, M. salmoides juveniles were subjected to 50 or 400 mg/l CaCO3 for one month and measured for the above-mentioned parameters. In experiments 1 and 2, both feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) significantly decreased at 400 mg/l CaCO3, compared to 50 or 100 mg/l CaCO3, however, hardness had no significant effect on survival or growth. There was no significant effect to gill Na+/K+-ATPase or H+-ATPase activities; however, survival to SSST was significantly less at 50 or 100 mg/l than the other treatments. At 400 mg/l CaCO3, ammonia-N excretion/oxygen consumption rates were significantly less compared at 50 mg/l CaCO3, indicating greater energy expenditure at lower water hardness. These results demonstrate that while high water hardness substantially improves stress resistance in M. salmoides juveniles, they do not require high water hardness for optimal growth.

Intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids: a systematic review of the literature

BackgroundUterine leiomyomas are common benign tumours found in women of reproductive age that are rarely associated with intra-abdominal haemorrhage. The aetiology behind this relationship is poorly understood and the aforementioned association poorly recognized from a patient’s clinical presentation. Available information in the literature is limited to case reports. The aim of this systematic review is to document and highlight the occurrence of intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids, and determine associated morbidity and mortality.MethodsA systematic review of Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library – CENTRAL was performed from the databases inception through to December 2018 for case report and series of patients who experienced intra-abdominal haemorrhage from uterine fibroids. Findings were presented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.ResultsWe identified 115 publications reporting on 125 original case reports. The documented intra-abdominal haemorrhage were commonly due to the rupture of superficial blood vessels over the surface of a fibroid, followed by rupture and avulsion of the fibroid involved. A clinical picture of sudden and profound hypovolemic shock with severe abdominal pain was often the presenting complaint, with a correct pre-operative diagnosis only made in 7 cases on computed tomography imaging. Hysterectomy and myomectomy were the most common surgery performed. Mortality was reported in 4 cases which were directly related to complications of uterine fibroids.ConclusionIntra-abdominal haemorrhage secondary to uterine fibroids remained a rare phenomenon which is poorly recognized among clinicians. While this association is not representative of the population of interest, it highlights the pathophysiological spectrum of uterine fibroids and its relevance to emergency physicians, surgeons and gynaecologists during clinical practice.