El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is usually subject to a persistence barrier (PB) in boreal spring. This study quantifies the PB and then reveals its distinct features in the two types of ENSO, ...the eastern Pacific (EP) and central Pacific (CP) types. We suggest that the PB of ENSO can be measured by the maximum rate of autocorrelation decline of Niño sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) indices. Results show that the PB of ENSO generally occurs in boreal late spring to early summer in terms of Niño3.4 index, and the EP ENSO has the PB in late spring, while the CP type has the PB in summer. By defining an index to quantify PB intensity of ENSO, we find that the CP ENSO type features a much weaker PB, compared to the EP type, and the PB intensity of equatorial SSTAs is larger over the EP than the western Pacific and the far EP.
Key Points
Quantify the persistence barrier of ENSO and reveal its intensity for the two ENSO types in terms of the fastest loss of SSTA persistence
Persistence barrier of the eastern Pacific ENSO type is in boreal late spring while that of the central Pacific ENSO type in summer
The persistence barrier of ENSO is much weaker in the CP than EP type, and its intensity varies with longitude and maximizes in EP region
From a lifelong learning perspective, education during incarceration is crucial for prisoners' rehabilitation. This article describes the authors' development of their Perceived Barriers to Prison ...Education Scale (PBPES) and examines what deters prisoners from participating in education during their incarceration, how their perceptions differ depending on gender, age, educational level, learning difficulties, length of prison sentence, and whether the prisoners express a desire to participate in education or not. Within a larger survey conducted in all Norwegian prisons among all prisoners with Norwegian citizenship, the authors focused on those who did not participate in education (n = 838). To reveal the underlying constructs that comprise perceived barriers, they hypothesised a three-factor model to which they applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The analysis confirmed the model, which comprised institutional barriers (e.g. insufficient practical arrangements; lack of access to computers and to the Internet), situational barriers (e.g. education is not considered to be of help in the current situation) and dispositional barriers (e.g. having difficulties in mathematics, reading, writing and concentrating), with good fit to the data. The authors used mixed-model analyses of variance to examine differences between subgroups of prisoners. Gender, age, educational level, learning difficulties and length of prison sentence were found to influence perceived barriers. The authors also observed that prisoners who wished to participate in education were more likely than others to perceive institutional barriers and less likely to perceive situational barriers. Pourquoi les détenus ne participent-ils pas davantage à l'éducation et à la formation des adultes ? Analyse des obstacles à l'éducation dans les prisons norvégiennes – Dans une perspective d'apprentissage tout au long de la vie, l'éducation et la formation durant la détention sont indispensables à la réinsertion des détenus. Les auteurs de cet article décrivent la conception de leur schéma relatif aux obstacles à l'éducation en milieu carcéral (Perceived Barners to Prison Education Scale, PBPES) et explorent divers aspects : ce qui dissuade les détenus de participer à des mesures éducatives pendant leur incarcération, dans quelle mesure leurs perceptions diffèrent en fonction du sexe, de l'âge, du niveau d'instruction, des difficultés d'apprentissage et de la durée de la peine, enfin si les détenus expriment ou non le souhait de participer à des mesures éducatives. Dans le cadre d'une vaste enquête menée dans tous les établissements pénitentiaires de Norvège auprès de tous les détenus de nationalité norvégienne, les auteurs se sont penchés sur les non-participants (n = 838). Afin de dévoiler les concepts sous-jacents dont font partie les obstacles subjectifs, ils ont pris comme hypothèse un modèle à trois facteurs auquel ils ont appliqué une analyse factorielle de confirmation. Cette analyse a confirmé avec une bonne adéquation des données les trois facteurs du modèle : les obstacles institutionnels (entre autres modalités pratiques insuffisantes, manque d'accès à des ordinateurs et à Internet), les obstacles situationnels (par exemple l'éducation n'est pas jugée utile dans la situation actuelle) et les obstacles personnels (difficultés en calcul, lecture, écriture ou concentration). Les auteurs ont appliqué des analyses de variance à modèle mixte pour examiner les différences entre les sous-groupes de détenus, et établi que les facteurs sexe, âge, niveau d'instruction, difficultés d'apprentissage et durée de la peine influencent les obstacles perçus. Ils ont en outre constaté que les détenus désireux de participer ressentent davantage que les autres des obstacles institutionnels et moins que les autres des obstacles situationnels.
•A quantitative method to study spatial-temporal evolution of fire-related domino effects is developed.•The temporal change of escalation vectors in domino propagation is investigated.•The burnout ...state of process units is introduced to carry out a dynamic risk assessment of domino effects.•High-risk units are identified by a posterior probabilities analysis, and are validated by graph theory.
Domino effects are typically high impact low probability (HILP) accidents, whereby escalation effects triggered by fires are most frequent. The evolution of fire-related domino effects depends on synergistic effects and the performance of safety barriers, but those factors usually are time-dependent. In the present study, a methodology is developed to provide more accurate probabilities related to domino effects, by considering the temporal evolution of escalation vectors caused by time-dependent factors. The Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) approach is applied both to model the spatial-temporal propagation pattern of domino effects and to estimate the dynamic probabilities of domino chains. The methodology is illustrated with a case study to determine the dynamic aspect of the probabilities of domino effects considering the impact of add-on (active and passive) safety barriers and taking into account synergistic effects. The critical units for facilitating domino propagation have been identified by the analysis of posterior probabilities, and further validated using graph theory. The methodology will be helpful for risk management and emergency decision-making of any chemical industrial area.
An AlGaN/GaN double-channel Schottky barrier diode (DC-SBD) with dual-recess gated anode is demonstrated in this letter. The DC-SBD features two recess steps. The deep one cuts through two channels, ...and the anode metal contacts 2DEG directly from the sidewall of the recessed heterostructure. The shallow one terminates at the upper channel layer and is located adjacent to the Schottky contact. A MOS field plate is placed on the shallow recess region to pinchoff the underlying channels, so the off-state leakage current of the DC-SBD can be suppressed. Since the lower channel is separated from the etched surface, the field-effect mobility beneath this MOS structure shows a high peak value of 1707 cm 2 /(<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\text {V}\cdot \text {s} </tex-math></inline-formula>). The DC-SBD with an anode-to-cathode length (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{L}_{\text {ac}} </tex-math></inline-formula>) of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">15~\mu \text{m} </tex-math></inline-formula> exhibits a turn-on voltage (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{V}_{\text {T}} </tex-math></inline-formula>) of ~0.6 V (at 1 mA/mm), a leakage current of 7.8 nA/mm (at −100 V), and a breakdown voltage of 704 V (at <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">1~\mu \text{A} </tex-math></inline-formula>/mm). The double-channel design also allows both the deep and shallow recesses to be terminated at GaN layers that results in high uniformity of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">{V}_{\text {T}} </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Abstract Background Forced displacement is a significant issue globally, and it affected 112 million people in 2022. Many of these people have found refuge in low- and middle-income countries. ...Migrants and refugees face complex and specialized health challenges, particularly in the area of mental health. This study aims to provide an in-depth qualitative assessment of the multi-level barriers that migrants face in accessing mental health services in Germany, Macao (Special Administrative Region of China), the Netherlands, Romania, and South Africa. The ultimate objective is to inform tailored health policy and management practices for this vulnerable population. Methods Adhering to a qualitative research paradigm, the study centers on stakeholders’ perspectives spanning microsystems, mesosystems, and macrosystems of healthcare. Utilizing a purposive sampling methodology, key informants from the aforementioned geographical locations were engaged in semi-structured interviews. Data underwent thematic content analysis guided by a deductive-inductive approach. Results The study unveiled three pivotal thematic barriers: language and communication obstacles, cultural impediments, and systemic constraints. The unavailability of professional interpreters universally exacerbated language barriers across all countries. Cultural barriers, stigmatization, and discrimination, specifically within the mental health sector, were found to limit access to healthcare further. Systemic barriers encompassed bureaucratic intricacies and a conspicuous lack of resources, including a failure to recognize the urgency of mental healthcare needs for migrants. Conclusions This research elucidates the multifaceted, systemic challenges hindering equitable mental healthcare provision for migrants. It posits that sweeping policy reforms are imperative, advocating for the implementation of strategies, such as increasing the availability of language services, enhancing healthcare providers’ capacity, and legal framework and policy change to be more inclusive. The findings substantially contribute to scholarly discourse by providing an interdisciplinary and international lens on the barriers to mental healthcare access for displaced populations.
Background:
Discussion of religion and/or spirituality in the medical consultation is desired by patients and known to be beneficial. However, it is infrequent. We aimed to identify why this is so.
...Aim:
We set out to answer the following research questions: Do doctors report that they ask their patients about religion and/or spirituality and how do they do it? According to doctors, how often do patients raise the issue of religion and/or spirituality in consultation and how do doctors respond when they do? What are the known facilitators and barriers to doctors asking their patients about religion and/or spirituality?
Design:
A mixed qualitative/quantitative review was conducted to identify studies exploring the physician’s perspective on discussion of religion and/or spirituality in the medical consultation.
Data sources:
We searched nine databases from inception to January 2015 for original research papers reporting doctors’ views on discussion of religion and/or spirituality in medical consultations. Papers were assessed for quality using QualSyst and results were reported using a measurement tool to assess systematic review guidelines.
Results:
Overall, 61 eligible papers were identified, comprising over 20,044 physician reports. Religion and spirituality are discussed infrequently by physicians although frequency increases with terminal illness. Many physicians prefer chaplain referral to discussing religion and/or spirituality with patients themselves. Such discussions are facilitated by prior training and increased physician religiosity and spirituality. Insufficient time and training were the most frequently reported barriers.
Conclusion:
This review found that physician enquiry into the religion and/or spirituality of patients is inconsistent in frequency and nature and that in order to meet patient needs, barriers to discussion need to be overcome.
Although guidelines long have recommended objective pulmonary function testing to diagnose asthma and COPD, many primary care patients receive a clinical diagnosis of asthma or COPD without objective ...testing. This often leads to unnecessary treatment with associated incremental costs and side effects and delays actual diagnosis.
What are the barriers and enablers to lung function testing for asthma, COPD, or both in primary care?
We searched the literature for qualitative and quantitative studies reporting barriers, enablers, or both to in-office or out-of-office lung function testing for diagnosing asthma, COPD, or both in primary care. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts, assessed methodologic quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and extracted data from included studies. Identified barriers and enablers were categorized using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), applying a pre-established coding manual.
We identified 7,988 unique articles, reviewed 336 full-text articles, and included 18 studies in this systematic review. Of these 18, 12 were quantitative, three were qualitative, and three used mixed methods. All 18 addressed in-office testing and 11 also addressed out-of-office testing. Barriers and enablers overlapped for asthma and COPD, and in-office and out-of-office settings. We identified more reported barriers (eg, lack of knowledge of the usefulness of spirometry) than enablers (eg, skills for performing reliable spirometry). Barriers mapped to nine (of a possible 14) TDF domains (for both in-office and out-of-office settings). Enablers mapped to three domains for in-office testing and five domains for out-of-office testing.
Barriers to objective testing for airway disease in primary care are complex and span many theoretical domains. Correspondingly, a successful intervention must leverage multiple behavior change techniques. A theory-based, multifaceted intervention to address underuse of diagnostic testing for asthma or COPD now should be developed and tested.
This article reports GaN super-heterojunction Schottky barrier diodes (SHJ-SBDs) with substantially improved performance. Metal-2DEG sidewall n-ohmic contacts were deployed to achieve low contact ...resistance of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">0.75~\Omega ~ \cdot ~mm </tex-math></inline-formula>, avoiding the risk of abnormally high contact resistance caused by inaccurate etch depth control. A pGaN notch formed near the cathode successfully eliminated excessive hole conduction caused by the sidewall n-ohmic contact. Isolation was improved by a high-energy Al implantation step. The resulting SHJ-SBD exhibited a breakdown voltage (BV) of ~12.5 kV and a specific resistance of 100.8 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\text{m}\Omega ~ \cdot ~cm^{2} </tex-math></inline-formula>.
Electric cars (ECs) and electric motorcycles (EMs) can reduce the environmental load of transportation systems and boost energy security. To date, most studies have focused on ECs in industrialized ...economies. Less have considered barriers to electric mobility in developing countries, where motorcycles provide most transport. To contribute to this literature, this study aimed to systematically compare differences between barriers that impede EC and EM adoption. Focusing on Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, we leveraged data from a quantitative survey (n = 944) targeting potential adopters. Using exploratory factor analysis and a regression model, we investigated the influence of structural conditions—environmental, economic, social, institutional, etc.—on psychological factors that hamper EC/EM purchase intentions. Our findings reveal important commonalities and differences across barriers that hamper adoption intentions for each technology. This study thereby improves understanding of the complex interdependence among structural conditions in urban settings and their role in creating psychological barriers to electric mobility adoption.
Despite high estimated gains of a circular economy implementation, progress on the macro, meso and micro level is sluggish. The purpose of this paper is to examine, from a theoretical economics ...perspective, how four barriers – technological, market, institutional and cultural – can prevent the implementation of a circular economy. The barriers that currently hinder a circular economy from developing are identified and a mapping of these barriers is performed to understand how they are interdependent and entangled. The conclusion is that even small barriers could stop the emergence of a circular economy. Even though a circular economy is different from our traditional “linear” economy, the theoretical analysis in this paper gives no reason to believe that a circular economy will not follow the same rules as a traditional economy. There will be property rights, rule of law and price signals guiding the economy. If some of the essential parts of a market are lacking, a weaker circular economy than otherwise possible will materialize.
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