Author: Latest Results

Representing rainfall extremes over the Indo-Gangetic Plains using CORDEX-CORE simulations

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Abstract

The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), which is the site of India's Green Revolution, covers almost 15% of the country's landmass and is among the most extensively fertile lands across the world. The densely populated IGP region bears great importance for the socioeconomic facets of India and contributes to a major share of the GDP of the country. The present study demonstrates the regional-specific assessment of summer monsoon precipitation and associated extremes with dynamical and thermodynamical aspects over the IGP region using high-resolution regional climate models (RCMs) under the CORDEX-CORE framework. The analysis reveals that the eastern parts of the IGP receive low-to-moderate precipitation with a higher tail than the western parts, which is due to the direction of the monsoon low-level flow. The observed mean precipitation characteristics are well represented by the RCMs. Further, the research identifies extreme precipitation events over the IGP and conducts comprehensive analysis to understand their underlying mechanisms. It has been observed that extreme precipitation events are linked with the moisture transport associated with trough activity and instability, and RCMs are capable in representing the observed precipitation extremes and underlying mechanisms at localized scales. Overall, this study represents a significant step forward in understanding the evolution of spatio-temporal variability of precipitation over the IGP region, where agriculture is a major economic activity and millions of people depend on rainfed agriculture.

From pilots to policies: Challenges for implementing intercultural bilingual education in Latin America

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Abstract

For the past four decades, intercultural bilingual education (IBE) has been a common policy prescription to address Indigenous/non-Indigenous education gaps in Latin America. Initiatives have grown from small, localised pilots to national and state-level initiatives across thousands of schools. While there is some rigorous evidence of the effectiveness of IBE pilot initiatives at a small scale, there is very little evidence that expanding them to a larger scale benefits learners to the same extent. This article reviews the existing evidence on IBE’s effectiveness and identifies a number of challenges in replicating success at scale. The authors identify factors which have limited our understanding of IBE’s effectiveness, as well as factors which may have contributed to less-than-ideal outcomes for larger programmes, including uneven coverage, varying teacher quality, and limited resource availability for smaller Indigenous languages. Addressing these issues will be crucial for improving IBE programmes’ ability to operate successfully at scale.

Culturally competent respect for the autonomy of Muslim patients: fostering patient agency by respecting justice

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Abstract

Although Western biomedical ethics emphasizes respect for autonomy, the medical decision-making of Muslim patients interacting with Western healthcare systems is more likely to be motivated by relational ethical and religious commitments that reflect the ideals of equity, reciprocity, and justice. Based on an in-depth cross-cultural comparison of Islamic and Western systems of biomedical ethics and an assessment of conceptual alignments and differences, we argue that, when working with Muslim patients, an ethics of respect extends to facilitating decision-making grounded in the patient’s justice-related customs, beliefs, and obligations. We offer an overview of the philosophical contestations of autonomy-enhancing practices from the Islamic tradition of biomedical ethics, and examples that demonstrate a recommended shift of emphasis from an autonomy-centered to a justice-focused approach to culturally competent agency-promotion.

Culturally competent respect for the autonomy of Muslim patients: fostering patient agency by respecting justice

Latest Results

Abstract

Although Western biomedical ethics emphasizes respect for autonomy, the medical decision-making of Muslim patients interacting with Western healthcare systems is more likely to be motivated by relational ethical and religious commitments that reflect the ideals of equity, reciprocity, and justice. Based on an in-depth cross-cultural comparison of Islamic and Western systems of biomedical ethics and an assessment of conceptual alignments and differences, we argue that, when working with Muslim patients, an ethics of respect extends to facilitating decision-making grounded in the patient’s justice-related customs, beliefs, and obligations. We offer an overview of the philosophical contestations of autonomy-enhancing practices from the Islamic tradition of biomedical ethics, and examples that demonstrate a recommended shift of emphasis from an autonomy-centered to a justice-focused approach to culturally competent agency-promotion.

Streamflow projection under CMIP6 climate scenarios using a support vector regression: a case study of the Kurau River Basin of Northern Malaysia

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Abstract

The forecasting of future streamflow aids researchers and policymakers to understand how changes in climate affect hydrological systems. However, traditional computational approaches demand intensive data specifically for the basin, and it is costly. The shift towards more contemporary and data-driven approaches known as support vector regression (SVR) in hydrological modeling utilizing only the hydro-climate data from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) provides rapid input–output data processing with accurate future projection. CMIP6 is an updated and improved Global Climate Models (GCMs) for the exploration of the specific impacts of changing streamflow patterns for improved water management in agricultural areas. The delta change factor method was used to generate climate sequences, fed into the SVR model to project streamflow from 2021 to 2080. The SVR model fitted reasonably well, demonstrated by several statistical indicators, including Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Percent Bias (PBias), and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), with the training phase performance surpassing the testing phase. Future projections indicated increased rainfall during the dry season for most months, excluding April to June. The rise in precipitation was particularly pronounced during the wet season. Maximum and minimum temperature projections increased for all SSPs, with SSP5-8.5 predicted a substantial increase. The projection revealed that seasonal streamflow changes would range between  – 19.1% to – 1.2% and – 7.5% to – 3.1% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. A considerable streamflow reduction is anticipated for all SSPs in April and May due to increased temperatures, with the most pronounced impact in the SSP5-8.5. Assessing the effects of climate variations on water resource availability is crucial for identifying effective adaptation strategies to address the anticipated rise in irrigation demands due to global warming. The projected streamflow changes due to potential climate impacts are significant for Bukit Merah Reservoir, aiding the formulation of appropriate operational strategies for irrigation releases.

Streamflow projection under CMIP6 climate scenarios using a support vector regression: a case study of the Kurau River Basin of Northern Malaysia

Latest Results

Abstract

The forecasting of future streamflow aids researchers and policymakers to understand how changes in climate affect hydrological systems. However, traditional computational approaches demand intensive data specifically for the basin, and it is costly. The shift towards more contemporary and data-driven approaches known as support vector regression (SVR) in hydrological modeling utilizing only the hydro-climate data from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) provides rapid input–output data processing with accurate future projection. CMIP6 is an updated and improved Global Climate Models (GCMs) for the exploration of the specific impacts of changing streamflow patterns for improved water management in agricultural areas. The delta change factor method was used to generate climate sequences, fed into the SVR model to project streamflow from 2021 to 2080. The SVR model fitted reasonably well, demonstrated by several statistical indicators, including Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE), Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE), Percent Bias (PBias), and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), with the training phase performance surpassing the testing phase. Future projections indicated increased rainfall during the dry season for most months, excluding April to June. The rise in precipitation was particularly pronounced during the wet season. Maximum and minimum temperature projections increased for all SSPs, with SSP5-8.5 predicted a substantial increase. The projection revealed that seasonal streamflow changes would range between  – 19.1% to – 1.2% and – 7.5% to – 3.1% in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. A considerable streamflow reduction is anticipated for all SSPs in April and May due to increased temperatures, with the most pronounced impact in the SSP5-8.5. Assessing the effects of climate variations on water resource availability is crucial for identifying effective adaptation strategies to address the anticipated rise in irrigation demands due to global warming. The projected streamflow changes due to potential climate impacts are significant for Bukit Merah Reservoir, aiding the formulation of appropriate operational strategies for irrigation releases.

Optimizing the Management of the Global FES and Adjusting its Dynamics, Taking into Account the Financial Flows of Decentralized Currencies

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Abstract

The author proposes an adjustment and analysis of the variability of the mathematical models of the dynamics of the global financial and economic system (FES) caused by financial flows of capital movements of decentralized currencies. These models are generated based on the matrix of cross-border movement of capital and are used to calculate the governing influences of regulators, aimed at optimizing the management of the global FES for anti-crisis protection. Computational problems related to the mathematical features and model correction are analyzed. Calculation of changes in the eigenvalues of the model matrices during capital flows of decentralized currencies are given.

Advancing Understanding of Childhood Asthma: Lessons Learned from Birth Cohort Studies

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Abstract

Asthma and allergies are some of the most common chronic disorders affecting children, the prevalence of which has been increasing in countries and regions undergoing rapid development like China. To curb the rising tide of allergies and safeguard the health of future generations, it is of critical importance to understand how asthma inception is influenced by factors acting at different life stages. Birth cohorts represent a powerful tool to investigate the temporal sequence of exposures along the natural course of asthma. We examined recent evidence on birth cohort studies of asthma and allergic diseases and evaluated their strengths and weaknesses. Essential elements for a successful birth cohort are proposed to further elucidate asthma etiology and pathogenies. Initiating new cohorts in understudied populations with the application of advanced analytical approaches will be needed. Moreover, fostering collaborative networks using standardized methodologies should be prioritized to enable integration of findings across diverse cohorts. There remains an urgent and unmet need to further translate the seminal findings from asthma birth cohort studies into targeted primary prevention strategies to eradicate the disease.