DICKENSIAN AMERIKA

Children in foster care with disabilities face significant challenges

Research on children in foster care with disabilities found profound impacts, including lower likelihood of permanent placement and higher risk of death

American Academy of Pediatrics

ORLANDO, Fla.— Children with disabilities in foster care are extremely vulnerable, facing risks of maltreatment and removal from their homes and greater need for healthcare services. New research suggests that children with specific disabilities in foster care are less likely to find a permanent home and have a higher risk of mortality while in care compared to those without disabilities.

This research, “The Effect of Initial Disability on Permanency Outcomes of Children in Foster Care,” presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 27-Oct. 1, found that children in foster care with specific disabilities were far less likely to achieve a positive outcome like adoption, guardianship, or reunion with family. Furthermore, children in foster care with intellectual disability, physical disability, and emotional disturbance had a significantly higher risk of death compared to those without disabilities.

“In undertaking this study, we expected to find differential outcomes for children with disabilities,” said senior author Jill D McLeigh, PhD. “We were, however, surprised by the degree to which risk levels for failing to achieve permanency were higher for children with disabilities – across several disability types – and for dying while in care for physical disability, emotional disturbance and other medical conditions.”

Researchers analyzed national data from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Reporting System from fiscal year 2005 to 2019 for about 3.24 million children, ages 16 and younger, with disabilities in foster care. Results showed surprising challenges for these children. Children with intellectual disability, visual/hearing impairment, or emotional disturbance were less likely to achieve a positive outcome, such as reunification with family, adoption or permanent custody with another individual, and were more likely to leave foster care by running away, through emancipation or by being transferred to other agencies.

“Given that children in foster care have higher rates of disability, it is very important that the child welfare and healthcare systems work to address the needs of this highly vulnerable population and to provide support to their caregivers,” said presenting author Gunjan Singh, MD, FAAP.  

Study author Dr. Singh is scheduled to present the research, which is below, from 2:25- 2:35 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at the Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care program at the Orange County Convention Center.

 

Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal. 

 

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/

 

ABSTRACT

Program Name: 2024 AAP National Conference-Abstracts

Submission Type: Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care

Abstract Title: The Effect of Initial Disability on Permanency Outcomes of Children in Foster Care

Children with disabilities in foster care (FC) are an exceptionally vulnerable group. In addition to significant physical, mental, and/or developmental health challenges, they also face risk factors related to maltreatment and removal from their homes and greater need for healthcare services. The few studies that have explored disability and FC status have shown that having a disability is a barrier to permanency and associated with other poor outcomes. These studies, however, have been limited by single-state or small samples, exclusive focus on older youth, and/or cross-sectional data.

To address this gap, this study merged data from the federal Adoption and Foster Care Reporting System (AFCARS) from fiscal year (FY) 2005 to 2019 to provide longitudinal data on children with disabilities, and by disability type, in foster care and comparison data for children without disabilities in FC. The state ID and record number were used to find 3.24 million unique participants aged 0 to 16 when they first entered FC and link records among different FY data. The participants who first entered FC were selected based on their first removal date and excluded if seen in previous FY data (Table 1). They were divided into disability groups pre-defined by the AFCARS Code Book. Participants' longitudinal outcomes were collected from the time when they first entered FC to FY 2021. Any participants, if they stayed in FC, had at least 2-year follow-up time since they first entered FC. The study estimated the relative risk of different discharge types from FC for participants with various disabilities, using participants without disability as the reference (Figure 1).

Findings show that children in FC with disabilities are associated with greater risk for negative outcomes and that risk profiles vary by disability type. Participants with disabilities, except those with other medical conditions, were less likely to get permanence discharge (RR< 1, p< 0.0001). Participants with intellectual disability, visual/hearing impairment, or emotional disturbance were more likely to get a non-permanence discharge (RR=1.79, 1.72, 3.01 respectively, p< 0.0001). Participants with physical disability had a surprisingly high risk of death in the follow-up period (RR=9.07, p< 0.0001) as compared to participants without disability. Participants with intellectual disability or other medical conditions also had a significantly high risk of death (RR=3.12, 3.31, respectively, p< 0.0001).

This study showed that children in FC with different disabilities had different risk characteristics for non-permanence discharge or death. Given that children in FC have higher rates of disability than children not in care, specialized effort is needed from the child welfare and healthcare systems to recognize and address the health-related needs of this population and to support their caregivers.

Table 1: Data Management

 

Figure 1: Discharge Type at the End of Follow-up by Participant Disability Type on Entry into Foster Care

 

Asthma rates lower in children who received only breast milk at birth hospital

Research from a large Cincinnati medical system will be presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition

American Academy of Pediatrics

ORLANDO, Fla.—Infants who were exclusively fed breast milk during their hospitalization at birth were 22% less likely to develop asthma in early childhood, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando.

The abstract, “Association Between Hospital Feeding Patterns and Childhood Asthma,” found lower rates of asthma in the infants born at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center who were exclusively fed breast milk even after adjusting for maternal race, insurance, infant sex, and length of hospital stay. Researchers will present their findings during the conference at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 27-Oct. 1.

“Although the birth hospitalization lasts only a few days, it sets a critical foundation for establishing breastfeeding, which can influence health outcomes like childhood asthma,” said Laura Placke Ward MD, IBCLC, FAAP, a study author and co-director for the Center for Breastfeeding Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“Our study underscores the importance of hospital practices in supporting exclusive breastfeeding, as these early experiences may impact long-term health,” she said.

 While longer duration and exclusive breastfeeding are known to reduce asthma risk, the effect of breastfeeding during the birth hospitalization is less understood, the authors note.

Of the 9,649 children included in the study, 81% received some breast milk and 31% exclusively received breast milk during the birth hospitalization. Five percent had a diagnosis of asthma. Infants who received only breast milk had a lower rate of asthma diagnosis compared to those who did not receive any breast milk or did not receive breast milk exclusively after adjusting for sex, race, and insurance status. Additionally, infants whose first feeding was breast milk also had a lower rate of asthma compared to those whose first feeding was not breast milk.

“This finding highlights the need for greater emphasis on supporting and promoting exclusive breastfeeding during the early days of life,” Dr. Ward said. “By focusing on these crucial first days, we may impact children's health and potentially reduce the risk of chronic conditions like asthma.”

Dr. Ward is scheduled to present the research, which is below, from 1:05-1:15 PM on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom C.

In addition, Dr. Ward and Jennifer McAllister, MD, IBCLC, FAAP, will be among highlighted abstract authors will give brief presentations and be available for interviews during a press conference at noon-1:30 PM on Saturday, September 28, 2024, in the National Conference Press Room, W208 AB. During the meeting, you may reach AAP media relations staff at 407-685-5401.

 

Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal. 

 

# # #

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/

 

ABSTRACT

Program Name: 2024 AAP National Conference-Abstracts

Submission Type: Section on Breastfeeding

Abstract Title: Association Between Hospital Feeding Patterns and Childhood Asthma

Laura Ward

Cincinnati, OH, United States

Breast milk is the optimal nutrition for newborns, and breastfed infants have a decreased risk of developing many childhood illnesses, including asthma. Studies have shown that longer periods of exclusive breastfeeding confer greater protection against asthma, but few studies have evaluated the impact of birth hospital feeding patterns on childhood asthma. Our objective was to examine the relationship between breastfeeding patterns during birth hospitalization and the diagnosis of childhood asthma.

We utilized the Maternal Infant Data Hub (MIDH), a regional perinatal data repository of maternal and infant dyads born within a large academic hospital system and linked to childhood data within the regional children’s hospital. Children born between 2017-2019 were included. Demographic information was collected, including sex, race, and insurance status. Feeding data including feeding type, frequency, and timing were collected from the birth hospitalization data, and asthma diagnoses were collected from the children's hospital records. We used descriptive statistics to examine demographic characteristics and multiple regression models to examine feeding type and asthma. Odds ratios were calculated from the bivariate and multivariable analyses.

There were 9649 children included in our study. Of those, 81% received any breast milk and 31% exclusively received breast milk during the birth hospitalization. Five percent had a diagnosis of asthma. Infants who received only breast milk had a lower rate of asthma diagnosis compared to those who did not receive any breast milk or did not receive breast milk exclusively after adjusting for sex, race, and insurance status. Additionally, infants whose first feeding was breastmilk also had a lower rate of asthma compared to those whose first feeding was not breast milk.

Development of asthma is multifactorial. Our study demonstrated that feeding patterns including first feed and exclusivity of breast milk feeding during the birth hospitalization are associated with decreased rates of childhood asthma. Although external factors may impact those who develop asthma, this work highlights the importance of early breastfeeding in mitigating the risk. Further work is needed to examine additional variables including prenatal, postnatal, and environmental factors and the influence of asthma outcomes.

Table 1.

 

Demographic and descriptive data and bivariate analysis comparing those with and without an asthma diagnosis. Discharge feeding defined as feeding type for twenty-four hours prior to birth hospital discharge.

Figure 1.

 

Forest plot demonstrating the odds ratios and confidence intervals (CI) for the diagnosis of asthma by hospital feeding patterns in A) bivariate analysis and B) multivariable analysis controlling for sex, race, insurance type

 

 

A recent doctoral thesis shows that learning is also something that needs to be learned and taught

Estonian Research Council

In his thesis, entitled "Teachers' and students' knowledge of learning strategies and how to teach them in the classroom", Granström investigated the methods used in Estonian schools to make learning more effective and the extent of their use. "Teachers were found to employ a variety of learning strategies and to value deeper learning strategies more than superficial ones, but their knowledge of them is sometimes incomplete,” he summarises the findings of his study. “There is also a lack of knowledge of how to teach and link learning strategies to learning.”

At the same time, his research shows that students value strategies that support shallow rather than deep learning, which can be difficult to understand, as immediate results are harder to perceive and teachers tend not to explain the advantages of one method or another. "In order for students to move towards the use of more sophisticated learning strategies that support deep learning, teachers should consciously support the development of students' knowledge of learning strategies and encourage their independent use,” Granström finds.

The more rapidly the world around us changes, the more topical this issue becomes, because knowing how to plan learning more effectively and to learn independently is important not only in school, but also later in life. "In a society where flexibility of knowledge is of great importance, and adaptation and the independent acquisition of knowledge is a lifelong process, poor knowledge of learning can become an obstacle to adapting to change," the researcher notes.

"If a teacher can adequately explain and demonstrate to their students the advantages of different learning strategies and how to use them independently, as well as guiding the students to use them, this will have a positive impact on students' motivation to learn."

In order to ensure that teachers are able to use learning strategies when planning lessons, and to explain them to pupils, Granström recommends that teacher training and school development programmes place more emphasis on introducing them: teachers need to be taught how to use learning strategies starting with students in Grade 1.

Mikk Granstöm defended his PhD thesis "Teachers' and students' knowledge of learning strategies and their teaching in the classroom" on 17 September. The thesis was supervised by Professors Eve Kikas and Eve Eisenschmidt of Tallinn University and opposed by Associate Professor Pirko Tõugu of the University of Tartu and Professor Markku Hannula of the University of Helsinki.

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Ph.D. thesis: Media offers multiple niches to researchers

Estonian Research Council

 

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Arko Olesk

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Credit: Reigo Pajula

"Researchers who are driven by a more strategic goal are usually able to be more visible in the media and to guide coverage in the direction that suits them,” explains Arko Olesk, whose doctoral thesis is titled "The mediatization of researchers: process, indicators, impact”.

"One can see similarities between media communication of scientists and the processes taking place in evolution,” Olesk adds. “A researcher has to adapt in order to successfully get their message across in the media. If they are primarily interested in explaining their subject in a comprehensible way, they need different skills and techniques than if their aim is to guide a public debate. Just as species adapt to their ecological niche, scientists adapt to the media niche they wish to inhabit."

"In my work, I outline five dimensions for assessing such adaptations," explains Olesk. These include an understanding of media logic and the ability to use it to your advantage. "For a researcher who wants to present their work, it's enough to adapt to journalists' expectations to respond quickly and to explain topics simply and interestingly. However, researchers with a more strategic aim need to be able to bring issues to the press themselves, by contacting journalists and offering ideas in a way that is attractive for them.”

The work builds on, among other things, the experience of the research group that launched Estonia's first satellite, ESTCube-1. "Studying their interactions with the media allowed us to see how researchers learn the written and unwritten rules of the media, and to understand how different objectives shape patterns in media communication," notes Olesk.

The scientific literature on media relations of scientists has pointed out that if researchers become overly concerned with media visibility, the scientific quality of their work can suffer. "No similar effects were apparent from this study,” says Olesk. “But while there is a lot of talk about the need for researchers to do more public outreach, we need to be aware of the threats this can pose to the quality of media coverage of science.”

The paper also identifies the weakening of the position of the press as a potential threat. "As scientists get better and better at 'selling' their ideas, and journalists don't have the time or desire to dig deeper, it's easy for scientists to get the media coverage they want," Olesk describes. "As long as a scientist's motives are noble, nothing bad may happen, but it is easy to overblow scientific results or spread questionable claims by exploiting journalists' trust in scientists. Societies will therefore continue to need critical science journalism."

"We can see that the media communication patterns of researchers can also be judged by the beneficial or detrimental impact they have on science in general, researchers themselves, the public or journalists,” says Olesk. “There are patterns that lead to problems, but there are also patterns where everyone benefits. It is precisely the skills needed to maintain and create such patterns that we need to pay more attention to when training researchers and journalists."

The defence of Arko Oleski's doctoral thesis took place on 18 September. Thesis supervisors were Barbi Pilvre and Anastassia Zabrodskaya, and the opponents Ragne Kõuts-Klemm from the University of Tartu and Mike Schäfer from the University of Zurich. The full text of the paper is available here: https://www.etera.ee/zoom/202230/view

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Subject of Research

People

 

The survival rate for avalanche burials has increased by ten percent since 1994

An analysis of 40 years of avalanche data highlights the importance of rescues undertaken by companions

Eurac Research

Modern avalanche transceivers, shovels and probes are now standard in ski touring. Along with a rise in the uptake of avalanche courses and increasingly efficient rescue teams, quicker detection and rescue of buried victims has also improved. The result: increased survival rates in avalanche burials over the past four decades. “Up until 1990, 43.5 percent of buried victims survived; now, it’s 53.5 percent,” explains Simon Rauch, the study’s lead author and an emergency physician at Eurac Research. “We analyzed data from 1981 to 2020 and compared it with a 1994 Nature study that covered a ten-year period.”

The new analysis also shows that the survival probability for long-term burials (over 130 minutes) has increased from 2.6 percent to 7.3 percent. The average rescue time has dropped from 45 minutes to 25 minutes. Rescue time decreased from 15 to 10 minutes in cases when a companion was present, while organized rescue times fell from 153 to 90 minutes. However, the phase where survival probability exceeds 90 percent has shortened from 18 to just 10 minutes.

“In 1994, we divided the survival curve into different phases and discovered that the first phase, when survival rate is very high, lasted up to 18 minutes. This became a global reference point in mountain rescue, but it now needs to be modified,” says Hermann Brugger of Eurac Research, author of the original 1994 study and co-author of the current one.

There are only hypotheses for the drastic reduction in this time window. “It could be that due to climate change and other factors, snow density has increased. The denser the snow, the less air it contains, making it harder to breathe under the snow.”  Rauch suggests. However, this theory has yet to be confirmed by data. “Time is the critical factor, and ten minutes is not long. Therefore, it’s essential to understand that the survival chances in an avalanche burial are three times higher when excursion companions are able to dig out the victims, rather than when organized rescue teams are involved.” Rauch emphasizes.

The study also highlights preventive measures such as avalanche warning services, training for ski tourers, and advancements in location and rescue techniques, along with improved emergency medical care, have significantly reduced the mortality rate for avalanche victims in recent decades.

WSL, the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research provided the data for the study, with biostatistician Markus Falk contributing a statistical analysis using a complex model.

The results of the study by Eurac Research and WSL: the Swiss Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research were published in the renowned JAMA Network Open

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Journal

JAMA

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35253 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Avalanche Survival Rates in Switzerland, 1981-2020

Article Publication Date

25-Sep-2024

 

Recording the cats in the hats

Canadian scientists knit little wool caps to contain electrodes that cats normally shake off when being tested for chronic pain.

University of Montreal

 

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Fée, an abandoned cat with chronic osteoarthritis, was one of 11 who wore specially knitted caps for tests at Université de Montréal's veterinary school.

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Credit: Aliénor Delsart / Université de Montréal

In a world first, veterinary scientists at Université de Montréal have found a way to scan the brains of cats while they’re awake, using electrodes concealed under specially knitted wool caps.

When being tested for chronic pain from common conditions like osteoarthritis, awake cats tend to shake off and chew the wired electrodes placed on their heads to produce electroencephalograms (EEGs).

To prevent that, cats are normally sedated through the procedure.

Now, in a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods, researchers led by Éric Troncy and Aude Castel of UdeM’s Groupe de recherche en pharmacologie animale du Québec report a new technique to keep the electrodes in place: by placing them in crocheted beanies.

In all, 11 adult cats with osteoarthritis were tested.

After assessing their stress and pain through stimuli passed through the electrodes, the scientists then went about exposing the cats to soothing stimuli such as coloured lights and comforting smells, as a way to ease their suffering.

‘New avenues opened’

The study – which is already beginning to make headlines around the world in publications such as New Scientist – “opens new avenues for investigating feline chronic pain and its potential modulation through sensory interventions,” the study concludes.

Next up: a national and international blitz to make the work even better known.

Co-author Aliénor Delsart, a Ph.D. student, recently presented preliminary results of the UdeM team’s work on several applications of the EEG assessments – in particular, pain sensitization – to the Royal Society of Medicine, in London, England.

“We now plan to obtain NSERC - Alliance funding, in partnership with private companies, to enable us to establish a genuine EEG signature for chronic pain, and many other applications that will enable us to automate chronic pain detection in the future,” said Troncy.

One example: a collaboration with UdeM computational psychiatry professor and CHU Sainte-Justine researcher Guillaume Dumas to test the synchronicity of cerebral waves between cats (and also dogs) and their owners.

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DOI

10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110254 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Non-invasive electroencephalography in awake cats: Feasibility and application to sensory processing in chronic pain

 

New continuous reaction process can help turn plant waste into sustainable aviation fuel

Washington State University

 

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Joshua Heyne, director of the WSU Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory, and research assistant Conor Faulhaber, examine swelling results from a material compatibility test related to sustainable fuels.

 

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Credit: WSU

RICHLAND, Wash. —Washington State University scientists successfully tested a new way to produce sustainable jet fuel from lignin-based agricultural waste.

Published in the journal Fuel Processing Technology, the team’s research demonstrated a continuous process that directly converts lignin polymers, one of the chief components of plant cells, into a form of jet fuel that could help improve performance of sustainably produced aviation fuels.

“Our achievement takes this technology one step closer to real-world use by providing data that lets us better gauge its feasibility for commercial aviation,” said lead scientist Bin Yang, professor in WSU’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering.

A class of structural molecules that make plants tough and woody, lignin is derived from corn stover—the stalks, cobs and leaves left after harvest—and other agricultural byproducts.

The team developed a process called “simultaneous depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation,” which breaks down the lignin polymer and at the same time removes oxygen to create lignin-based jet fuel.  At their Richland facility, the scientists introduced dissolved lignin polymer into a continuous hydrotreating reactor to produce the fuel.

Global consumption of aviation fuel reached an all-time high of nearly 100 billion gallons in 2019, and demand is expected to increase in the coming decades. Sustainable aviation fuels derived from plant-based biomass could help minimize aviation’s carbon footprint, reduce contrails and meet international carbon neutrality goals.

Lignin-based jet fuel could make sustainable fuels cleaner and more easily usable in jet engines. Thanks to their density, efficiency, and seal-swelling characteristics, hydrocarbons catalyzed from lignin could effectively replace fossil fuel-derived compounds called aromatics. Associated with contrails and climate impacts, aromatics remain in use because they enhance fuel density and help swell O-rings in metal-to-metal joints.

This research marked the team’s first successful test of a continuous process, which is more feasible for commercial production. The project also used a less processed, less expensive form of lignin derived from corn stover, dubbed “technical lignin,” contrasting similar research using extracted lignin bio-oil.

The team’s findings suggest lignin is a promising source of aromatic-replacing cycloalkanes and other useful fuel compounds.

“The aviation enterprise is looking to generate 100% renewable aviation fuel,” said Josh Heyne, research team member and co-director of the WSU-PNNL Bioproducts Institute. “Lignin-based jet fuel complements existing technologies by, for example, increasing the density of fuel blends.”

Offering reduced emissions, lignin-based fuel could ultimately make sustainable aviation fuels fully “drop-in” capable, meaning they can be used with all existing engines, infrastructure and aircraft like existing fossil-derived aviation fuel.

“We’re working to create an effective, commercially relevant technology for a complementary blend component that can achieve the 100% drop-in goal,” Heyne said.

The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Advanced Refining Technologies LLC.

The team is now working to refine their process for better efficiency and reduced costs.

• Read the journal article, “A Simultaneous Depolymerization and Hydrodeoxygenation Process to Produce Lignin-Based Jet Fuel in Continuous Flow Reactor,” at the Science Direct website.

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Journal

Fuel Processing Technology

DOI

10.1016/j.fuproc.2024.108129 

Article Title

A simultaneous depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation process to produce lignin-based jet fuel in continuous flow reactor

Article Publication Date

26-Sep-2024

Chinese NGOs’ engagement in trans-boundary renewable energy technology transfer

Tsinghua University Press

 

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The roles of NGOs in the cross-border transfer of renewable energy have been ordered according to their level of involvement, ranging from weaker to stronger, and the complexity of their tasks, ranging from easier to more execution-oriented.

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Credit: Energy and Climate Management, Tsinghua University Press

Effective adoption of renewable energy technologies (RETs) is essential for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. As a leader in RETs, China has been pivotal in advancing trans-boundary technology transfer. Since launching the Green Belt and Road Initiative in 2017, China has expanded its renewable energy network to the global South by increasing climate finance and accelerating technology transfer. However, numerous challenges remain, including political, financial, legal, environmental, and cultural barriers.

 

To address these issues, Chinese Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have started to engage in RET transfers, collaborating with tech enterprises, recipient country governments, local communities, and other stakeholders. Researchers from Renmin University of China analyzed the roles of Chinese NGOs in this process through three case studies. Their findings were published in Energy and Climate Management on August 30, 2024.

 

“We aim to balance the studies on the roles of NGOs in trans-boundary technology transfer, as previous research has primarily focused on NGOs in the West. The engagement of Chinese domestic NGOs in trans-boundary renewable energy technology transfer is a recent phenomenon, accompanying the advancement of Chinese technologies and supplying capacities in this field, thus making it an emerging field of inquiry. This study is one of the early birds in this field, hopefully it will inspire future studies,” said Professor Lei Zhang, corresponding author of the paper, associate professor from the School of Ecology & Environment at Renmin University of China.

 

The team examined three distinct Chinese NGOs: Institution G, a comprehensive NGO that implements technology transfer pilot projects; Institution L, a think tank specializing in industry research and policy advocacy; and Institution M, a bridge organization that empowers local NGOs and fosters cooperation between social organizations and enterprises. These cases were chosen to represent different types of Chinese NGOs involved in trans-boundary RET transfers.

 

The team used rigorous methods to analyze the three cases, including semi-structured interviews with NGO experts and renewable energy firm representatives, supplemented by secondary data analysis from reports, articles, and documents. Researchers found that the combination of globalization, informatization, and the institutional push for green and low-carbon transformations driven by environmental and climate crises has led to a new grid-based technology transfer model involving multiple players. Within this framework, Chinese NGOs play various critical roles, such as coordinating stakeholders, offering technical assistance and policy guidance, creating technology information exchange platforms, monitoring the environmental and social responsibilities of overseas enterprises, conducting pilot projects, and providing professional advice to support renewable energy investments and financing.

 

Despite their growing importance, the involvement of Chinese NGOs in climate technology transfer remains limited. Their participation in trans-boundary RET transfers is still in its early stages and faces several challenges, including limited global integration, insufficient policy and institutional support, a lack of professional expertise, and inadequate funding.

 

The research team discovered the new roles of domestic NGOs engaged in RET transfer and expected the paper to inform policy and practice, enabling NGOs to take on a more engaged and impactful role in global environmental governance and promoting the inclusive growth of host countries. Professor Lei Zhang said, “Building on previous studies on NGOs and technology transfer, we explored how the uniqueness in terms of Chinese domestic NGOs and the policy context in which they operate would contribute to the knowledge pool. Standing between the North and the South, Chinese NGOs do play a dual role, yet face dual challenges. We trust that this study will shed light on the potentials and concerns of these NGOs through in-depth case studies.”

 

Other contributors include Anqi Zhu and Xu Pan from the School of Ecology & Environment, and Professor Minpeng Chen from the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, both at Renmin University of China.

 

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China [2018YFA0606503].

 

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About Energy and Climate Management

Managing the changing climate and energy transition are two closely related scientific and policy challenges of our society. Energy and Climate Management is an open access, peer-reviewed scholarly, policy-oriented academic journal dedicated to publishing interdisciplinary scientific papers on cutting-edge research on contemporary energy and climate management analysis. The Journal is exclusively available via SciOpen and aims to incentivize a meaningful dialogue between academics, think tanks, and public authorities worldwide. Contributions are welcomed covering areas related to energy and climate management, especially policy, economics, governance, and finance. Online submission portal available at https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/jecm.

About SciOpen 

SciOpen is an open access resource of scientific and technical content published by Tsinghua University Press and its publishing partners. SciOpen provides end-to-end services across manuscript submission, peer review, content hosting, analytics, identity management, and expert advice to ensure each journal’s development. By digitalizing the publishing process, SciOpen widens the reach, deepens the impact, and accelerates the exchange of ideas.

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Journal

Energy and Climate Management

DOI

10.26599/ECM.2024.9400009 

Article Title

Chinese NGOs’ engagement in trans-boundary renewable energy technology transfer

 

Anti-bullying, sexual harassment resources increase in US schools but gaps remain

Researchers describe the situation as urgent 

American Academy of Pediatrics

 

ORLANDO, Fla. — While violence prevention education has increased in U.S. schools, only 1 in 10 schools today require violence prevention discussions in class, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition at the Orange County Convention Center.

Chloe Gao, MD/PhD Candidate and lead research author on “Implementation of Educational Programming and Policies to Prevent Bullying, Sexual Harassment, and Violence in US Schools, 2008-2020,” studied data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from principals and health education teachers regarding efforts their schools made to prevent bullying, sexual harassment and violence.

“Bullying, sexual harassment, and violence can create hostile school environments that negatively impact students’ academic performance, health, and developmental outcomes,” Gao said. “Some students drop out of school in order to avoid these situations, a choice that impacts them for the rest of their lives.”

Two in 3 schools in the U.S. reported at least one violent incident from 2021-2022.

A total of 2,718 schools were included in the data where Gao found 2 out of 5 schools didn’t provide families with information on bullying and sexual harassment. Data further showed that the availability of anti-bullying and sexual harassment educational materials remained low, ranging from 56.2% in 2008 to 61.4% in 2020.

With children spending most of their time in school, the setting provides a unique chance for anti-bullying and harassment education. Despite this, Gao said gaps linger as program quality and availability varies from state to state.

Teen girls were particularly impacted with data showing the percentage of teen girls reporting sexual violence increased from 15% in 2017 to 18% in 2021.

Gao said the need is urgent for improved anti-bullying and sexual harassment measures, stating schools should be looking into how to best improve policies already in place and implementing them across the board. 

“School is supposed to be a safe place for all. A place children can learn, grow, and play no matter what circumstance they come from,” Gao said. “We need to make sure that we are engaging schools in the fight against youth bullying, sexual harassment, and violence.”

Study author Chloe Gao is scheduled to present the research, which is below, from noon- 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, during a session for the Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention.

 

Please note: only the abstract is being presented at the meeting. In some cases, the researcher may have more data available to share with media, or may be preparing a longer article for submission to a journal.   

 

# # #  

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org. Reporters can access the meeting program and other relevant meeting information through the AAP meeting website at http://www.aapexperience.org/ 

 

ABSTRACT 

 

Program Name: 2024 AAP National Conference-Abstracts

Submission Type: Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention

Abstract Title: Implementation of Educational Programming and Policies to Prevent Bullying, Sexual Harassment, and Violence in US Schools, 2008-2020

Chloe Gao

Boston, MA, United States

Bullying, sexual harassment, and violence can create hostile school environments that negatively impact students’ learning, mental health, and well-being. However, little is known about the extent to which policies and curricula related to the prevention of bullying, sexual harassment, and violence have been implemented across middle and high schools in the US, and how this has changed over time. The overall purpose of the study was to examine trends in policies and curricula related to the prevention of bullying, sexual harassment, and violence across middle and high schools in the US from 2008 to 2020.

Data were collected from seven cycles (2008-2020) of the School Health Profiles (SHP), a national surveillance system operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The survey involves two self-administered questionnaires for the principal and lead health education teacher at randomly sampled schools that serve students from grades 6-12 across the US, covering 44-50 states during the study period. Initially, descriptive statistics were compiled, including percentages (%) and counts (n) of schools that had implemented various efforts to prevent bullying, sexual harassment, and violence. Data from states with a participation rate of 70% or higher for each survey year were adjusted through weighting to

accurately reflect the characteristics of schools within those states. In instances where states conducted sampling, adjustments were made to the data through weighting to compensate for the probabilities of school selection and instances of non-response. Weighted prevalence estimates were then calculated for schools with programs, policies, and curricula related to preventing bullying, sexual harassment, and violence.

A total of 2718 schools were included in the analytic sample. The inclusion of unintentional injury and violence prevention (safety) measures into assessment tools related to schools’ policies, activities, and programs remained low and unchanged (ranging from 36.6% in 2010 to 40.1% in 2020). Education materials to increase knowledge about preventing student bullying and sexual harassment, including electronic aggression, also remained relatively low (ranging from 62.7% in 2014 to 65.0% in 2020). Furthermore, the extent to which teachers received professional development related to violence prevention remained stable between 56.2% in 2008 to 61.4% in 2020.

Programs, policies, and curricula related to bullying, sexual harassment, and violence in schools remained low and stagnant between 2008 to 2020. Given the rise in school-based violence in recent years, there is an urgent need to scale up preventive interventions, while improving current monitoring practices related to program implementation and quality.