Avoiding media-fueled psychological distress

UC Irvine-led experts call for public education about risks of exposure to graphic images, such as those from Israel-Hamas war

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - IRVINE

Viewing, engaging with and sharing graphic images poses a profound public health threat. The proliferation of graphic images of war or other violent acts, such as mass shootings, has become an inescapable reality, especially with the advent of social media, which can spread the horror with the click of a button.

 

In an invited perspective published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, lead author E. Alison Holman, UC Irvine professor of nursing and psychological science; Roxane Cohen Silver, UC Irvine Distinguished Professor of psychological science, public health and medicine, as well as vice provost for institutional research, assessment and planning; and Dana Rose Garfin, assistant professor-in-residence at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, have applied their decades of research on viewing mass violence in both traditional and social media to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

 

Their studies of the aftermath of other collective traumatic events, including the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombings, have linked extensive media exposure to heightened stress symptoms. This association appears to operate cyclically, with greater exposure predicting increased distress, which can lead to spending more time immersed in this behavior after subsequent tragedies. The Israel-Hamas war provides a current, real-time context for these issues, as the graphic images coming out of the Middle East can be highly disturbing to those who view them again and again.

 

“Warring parties often use these pictures and videos as propaganda to shock the public and garner public support for one’s side,” Holman says. “They can be deliberately mislabeled and used to spread mis- and disinformation about what actually happened, with the aim of manipulating opinions and emotions. Vulnerable individuals, such as those who are emotionally tied to the events by sharing an identity with victims or those who have experienced violence in the past, are at greater risk for harm.”

 

There are differing opinions on the societal implications of viewing such images. Some argue that they increase transparency and awareness, while others caution against desensitization and emotional numbing. Achieving balance between free information dissemination and ethical considerations poses a complex challenge for both sides.

 

To address the situation, the scholars encourage policymakers to promote widespread media literacy campaigns to educate the public about ways to identify the veracity of images they’re viewing, as well as how to limit extensive exposure to and sharing of graphic images.

 

“We must act with compassion as we grapple with how to inform the public without causing emotional overload,” Holman says. “Programs must be implemented that help prevent people from being pulled into a vicious cycle of misinformation, disinformation and stress.”

 

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

 

Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.

 

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

ARTICLE TITLE

It matters what you see: Graphic media images of war and terror may amplify distress

 

It’s time to rethink our attitude to fatness, academic argues

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Prejudice against fat people is endemic in our society and public health initiatives aimed at reducing obesity have only worsened the problem, according to a U.S. academic.

In her new book Why It’s OK To Be Fat, Rekha Nath, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama, argues for a paradigm shift in how society approaches fatness.

According to Nath, society must stop approaching fatness as a trait to rid the population of, and instead fatness should be approached through the lens of social equality, attending to the systematic ways that society penalizes fat people for their body size.

Nath explains: “Being fat is seen as unattractive, as gross even. We view fat as a sign of weakness, of greediness, of laziness. And we have made the pursuit of thinness, bound up as it is with health, fitness, beauty, and discipline into a moralized endeavor:  making the ‘right’ lifestyle choices to avoid being fat is seen as a duty we each must fulfill.

“Our collective aversion to fatness translates into an aversion to fat people. Fat people are bullied and harassed. They receive worse healthcare, frequently at the hands of doctors and nurses who endorse harmful anti-fat stereotypes. Fat students are ridiculed and teased by classmates and even teachers. In the workplace, fat people experience rampant discrimination, which is legal in most jurisdictions.”

Health and weight

According to research cited in the book, global obesity rates have tripled during the past 50 years, while the World Health Organization has deemed childhood obesity “one of the most serious global public health challenges of the 21st century”. Nath explains why, from a public health standpoint, this is worrisome, as severe obesity is linked to lower life expectancy, and carrying ‘excess weight’ (weight that places one above a ‘normal’ BMI) is associated with a heightened risk of diabetes and heart disease.

However, Nath explores further into the science of weight and health beyond headline figures, revealing a more complex picture. Surveying a body of scientific research, Nath shows that diet and fitness may bear more on our health than weight alone. For instance, a 2010 systematic review of 36 studies found that fit, obese individuals were less likely to die prematurely than unfit normal-weight individuals.

Nath also points to evidence that advice dispensed to fat people to lose excess weight—eat less and move more—is ineffective and can even be harmful. According to one rigorous review, cited in the book, many people who try to lose weight through dieting end up heavier in the long run with 41% of dieters weighing more four to five years after dieting than they had before starting their diets.

Stigmatizing fatness

Nath shows how many public health campaigns that aim to help people lose weight can make the situation worse by inadvertently stigmatizing fatness.

“The consensus view in the literature on weight stigma is that it doesn’t help. Actually, it’s worse than that,” she explains. “Not only does subjecting fat people to weight stigma seem to make it less likely that they will become thin, but, more­over, weight stigma appears to seriously harm their physical and mental health in many ways.”

Nath cites research showing that people who feel stigmatized are less likely to lose weight. In one study that tracked more than 6,000 individuals for four years, those who reported experiencing weight discrimination were more likely to become obese or remain obese than those who did not.

“Numerous studies indicate that people who experience weight stigma are more likely to suffer depression and low self-esteem,” she explains.

Looking forward

Nath writes that the prejudice experienced by fat people is stark and impacts their lives in tangible terms. She cites studies that reveal children as young as three show a preference for a playmate who ‘isn’t chubby’. And she says that a survey of over 800 American college students found that one in three agree with the claim that becoming obese would be “one of the worst things that could happen to a person”.

In the book, Nath imagines a world where fat people should enjoy equitable healthcare, equitable inclusion in the workforce, and the ability to appear in public without shame.

She says: “It is OK to be fat because there’s nothing wrong with being fat. There’s nothing wrong with being fat, of course, except for all that our society does to make it bad to be fat: oppressing fat people for their body size by imposing on them the gross injustice of sizeism.”

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DOI

10.4324/9780367853389 

 

Declining iron levels in women in the military

UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG

 

IMAGE: 

FABIAN TAUBE AND INGRID LARSSON, SAHLGRENSKA ACADEMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

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CREDIT: PHOT BY UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG.

After five months of basic military training, the proportion of female recruits with iron deficiency had more than doubled, from 25% to 55%. According to the researchers, this study calls for increased attention and action to improve iron levels.

The study, published in the journal BMJ Military Health, is based on surveys of conscripts at the Command and Control Regiment in Enköping. The regiment is a common resource in command and control for the entire Swedish Armed Forces.

The study measured the iron levels at baseline and after five months of basic military training. Out of 112 women and 148 men at the first measurement, a majority, 58 women and 104 men, volunteered to participate in a second round of sampling and testing. 

The study shows that the prevalence of iron deficiency, around 25%, is as high among female conscripts as in the rest of society for the given age group. The same was true for the proportion of women with anemia due to iron deficiency, known as iron deficiency anemia, with an incidence of 8%.

Marked increase in iron deficiency

Remarkably, the proportion of female conscripts with iron deficiency more than doubled, from 25 to 55% over the five-month study period. The proportion of conscripted men with iron deficiency increased from 4 to 7 percent.

Levels of hemoglobin, often abbreviated as Hb, generally increased during the study period. Hemoglobin is responsible for oxygen transport in the blood. However, levels of ferritin, a measure of iron deposits in the body, fell in both women and men. The decrease was significantly greater for women than for men.

The study also found that high physical work capacity at the time of enlistment was related to a lower risk of having adapted service. Adapted service means that a soldier does not fully participate in intensive training sessions, often due to injury or illness. Adapted service can be seen as a risk factor for completely discontinuing the training.

Attention and action

The study is a collaboration between the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH) in Stockholm, the Swedish Armed Forces Center for Defense Medicine in Gothenburg and the Command and Control Regiment in Enköping.

The study is the first to show a high prevalence of iron deficiency both before and after basic military training in Sweden. Iron deficiency is often accompanied by various combinations of fatigue, lethargy, attention deficit, dizziness, headaches etc. Iron levels are mainly influenced by the diet, which should be varied and rich in iron including from animal sources, and by blood loss during periods among women.

“The results of the study highlight the importance of paying attention to iron levels and potential iron deficiency among conscripts, and to discuss causes and measures that should be implemented,” says Fabian Taube, Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Gothenburg, as well as Medical Research Advisor at the Swedish Armed Forces Center for Defense Medicine and the first author of the study.

“Given the central role of iron in health, this is an important discussion that not only concerns the Armed Forces,” says Ingrid Larsson, Associate Professor of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Gothenburg and one of the co-authors.

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JOURNAL

BMJ Military Health

DOI

10.1136/military-2023-002656 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Changes in haemoglobi and ferritin levels during basic combat training: relevance for attrition injury frequency

 

Modeling the Anthropocene: New graduate school at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology

MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE OF GEOANTHROPOLOGY

 

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LOGO GRADUATE SCHOOL MODELING THE ANTHROPOCENE

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CREDIT: MPI-GEA

The Anthropocene presents society with unprecedented challenges, requiring new scientific partnerships and interdisciplinary research. To equip the next generation of researchers, the newly established IMPRS-ModA will be a partnership between five institutions: the MPI of Geoanthropology, Bielefeld University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Leipzig University and Arizona State University. The disciplines involved range from geosciences to physics, prehistory and early history as well as the history of science, psychology and sociology - to name but a few.

"Geoanthropology researches the relationship between humans and their habitat, the Earth, globally and systematically at all levels, in a multidisciplinary manner. Only with such an approach can we contribute to address the challenges of the Anthropocene," explains Prof. Dr. Jürgen Renn, one of the founding directors of the MPI of Geoanthropology.

More than 30 doctoral researchers will carry out individual projects that have been developed in tandem with senior researchers and presented in a symposium. The most promising ideas will then be funded as part of the graduate school. The projects will focus on modeling the development of the Anthropocene, asking how different anthropogenic and ecological factors influence each other, or examining the dynamics of individual changes. Regardless of the specific question, the quality of the models themselves will be of critical importance.

"This diversity of approaches within the IMPRS allows us to study the Human-Earth System in the Anthropocene in a truly transdisciplinary manner," says Prof. Dr. Ricarda Winkelmann, also founding director at the MPI of Geoanthropology. "The graduate school offers a unique framework and shared platform of exchange for all doctoral researchers. At the same time, each doctoral candidate will undergo an individual curriculum tailored to their previous knowledge, dissertation project and career planning."

These individual curricula will include a longer research stay at one of the participating partner institutions, enabling doctoral researchers to expand their portfolio of knowledge and skills - be it through teaching experience or by working in other laboratories.

In addition to support within their working groups, the doctoral researchers will be accompanied by a Thesis Advisory Committee – a team of two supervisors and at least one mentor with whom they meet twice a year.

"This is an important measure to strengthen the connections between the young scientists and the institutions. The new IMPRS offers the best environment for this,” says Gopesh Jha, doctoral researcher at the MPI of Geoanthropology and the first doctoral researchers’ representative in the new graduate school. “We are pleased that the new graduate school is implementing the requirements of doctoral researchers from the entire Max Planck Society.” 

Like all International Max Planck Research Schools, IMPRS-ModA will have a very international focus. The organizers encourage applications from the Global South and will be approaching partners in these regions. As the first institute in the Max Planck Society to be awarded the Total E-Quality predicate, the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology is dedicated to diversity and equal opportunities.

 

Zero-emissions trucks alone won't cut it: Early retirement of polluters key to California's emission goals

IOP PUBLISHING

 

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HEAVY DUTY TRANSPORT VEHICLES

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CREDIT: IOP PUBLISHING

California must implement early retirement for existing heavy-duty vehicles as well as introducing zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) to protect Black, Latino and vulnerable communities and hit net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets by 2045. This is the outcome of a new study published in Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability by researchers from Stanford University and Arizona State University. 

Stringent policies for mandating both ZEVs and early vehicle retirement could reduce cumulative emissions by two-thirds (64%) and reduce half of pollution-related mortality, particularly among disadvantaged communities.  

California is the world’s 5th largest economy, producing 0.75% of the world’s GHG emissions, with transport as its single largest emitter. Heavy-duty vehicles alone cause 8% of the state’s total emissions - 32 million tonnes of CO2 annually, roughly equivalent to New Zealand’s total annual emissions. 

The study models the effects of two proposed policies to achieve zero emissions in heavy-duty vehicles: requiring the sale of only ZEVs by a set date and the early retirement of current combustion engine vehicles. It examines the simultaneous impact of these two policies for different implementation dates between 2025 and 2040. The model focuses on the turnover of vehicles, using data from the CARB’s EMFAC online Emissions and Fleet Database and includes the emissions from the increased production of electricity that electrification would require. 

The model also considers the health impact of reduced airborne particulates resulting from the removal of combustion engine vehicles. It predicts that there would be 8000 excess deaths between 2019 and 2045 from particulates under a ‘business as usual’ scenario. 

“While ZEV sales mandates are effective, it is clear from our analysis that they will not be sufficient for reaching zero emissions on the desired timescales. Accelerated retirement programs will be critical for California to reach emissions targets by 2045.” says Eleanor Hennessy, lead author of the study. 

While focused on California, the study's insights are applicable globally. Numerous states such as New York, Washington, and Louisiana have similar carbon neutrality goals, as do countries such as those in the European Union. The research findings are relevant to any government aiming to decarbonise their vehicle fleet. 

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JOURNAL

Environmental Research Infrastructure and Sustainability

DOI

10.1088/2634-4505/ad54ed 

ARTICLE TITLE

Pathways to zero emissions in California’s heavy-duty transportation sector

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

8-Jul-2024

Mining rare earth metals from electronic waste

ETH ZURICH

 

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ETH DOCTORAL STUDENT MARIE PERRIN PRESENTS THE NEW RECYCLING APPROACH. IN HER LEFT HAND, SHE IS HOLDING THE RAW MATERIAL IN THE FORM OF A FLUORESCENT LAMP AND, IN HER RIGHT, THE YELLOW REAGENT THAT CAN SEPARATE RARE EARTH METALS. 

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CREDIT: FABIO MASERO / ETH ZURICH

Rare earth metals are not as rare as their name suggests. However, they are indispensable for the modern economy. After all, these 17 metals are essential raw materials for digitalisation and the energy transition. They are found in smartphones, computers, screens and batteries – without them, no electric motor would run and no wind turbine would turn. Because Europe is almost entirely dependent on imports from China, these raw materials are considered to be critical.

However, rare earth metals are also critical because of their extraction. They always occur in compound form in natural ores – but as these elements are chemically very similar, they are difficult to separate. Traditional separation processes are therefore very chemical- and energy-intensive and require several extraction steps. This makes the extraction and purification of these metals expensive, resource- and time-consuming and extremely harmful to the environment.

"Rare earth metals are hardly ever recycled in Europe," says Victor Mougel, Professor at the Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry at ETH Zurich. A team of researchers led by Mougel wants to change this. "There is an urgent need for sustainable and uncomplicated methods for separating and recovering these strategic raw materials from various sources," says the chemist.

In a study recently published in the journal Nature Communications, the team presents a surprisingly simple method for efficiently separating and recovering the rare earth metal europium from complex mixtures including other rare earth metals.

Inspired by nature

Marie Perrin, a doctoral student in Mougel's group and first author of the study, explains: "Existing separation methods are based on hundreds of liquid-liquid extraction steps and are inefficient – the recycling of europium has so far been impractical." In their study, they show how a simple inorganic reagent can significantly improve separation. "This allows us to obtain europium in a few simple steps – and in quantities that are at least 50 times higher than with previous separation methods," says Perrin.

The key to this technique can be found in small inorganic molecules featuring four sulphur atoms around tungsten or molybdenum: tetrathiometallates. The researchers were inspired by the world of proteins. Tetrathiometallates are found as a binding site for metals in natural enzymes and are used as active substances against cancer and copper metabolism disorders.

For the first time, tetrathiometallates are now also being used as ligands for the separation of rare earth metals. Their unique redox properties come into play here, reducing europium to its unusual divalent state and thus simplifying separation from the other trivalent rare earth metals.

Keeping europium in circulation

Electronic waste is an important but as yet underutilised source of rare earth metals. "If this source were tapped into, the lamp waste that Switzerland currently sends abroad to be disposed of in a landfill could be recycled here in Switzerland instead," says Mougels. In this way, lamp waste could serve as an urban mine for europium and make Switzerland less dependent on imports.

In the past, europium was mainly used as phosphor in fluorescent lamps and flat screens, which led to high market prices. As fluorescent lamps are now gradually being phased out, demand has fallen, so that the previous recycling methods for europium are no longer economically viable. More efficient separation strategies are nevertheless desirable and could help to utilise the vast quantities of cheap fluorescent lamp waste whose rare earth metal content is around 17 times higher than in natural ores.

Reduce demand

This makes it all the more urgent to recover rare metals at the end of a product's life and keep them in circulation – but the recovery rate of rare earth elements in the EU is still below one per cent.

In principle, any separation process for rare earth metals can be used both for extraction from ore and for recovery from waste. With their method, however, the researchers are deliberately focussing on recycling the raw materials, as this makes much more ecological and economic sense. "Our recycling approach is significantly more environmentally friendly than all conventional methods for extracting rare earth metals from mineral ores," says Mougel.

The researchers have patented their technology and are in the process of founding a start-up called REEcover to commercialise it in the future. They are currently working on adapting the separation process for other rare earth metals such as neodymium and dysprosium, which are found in magnets. If this is successful, Marie Perrin wants to build up the start-up after her doctorate and establish the recycling of rare earth metals in practice.

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JOURNAL

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-024-48733-z 

ARTICLE TITLE

Recovery of europium from E-waste using redox active tetrathiotungstate ligands

 

Ancient large kangaroo moved mainly on four legs, according to new research

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL

 

IMAGE: 

DRAWINGS BY BILLIE JONES, NEW INTERPRETATION OF PROTEMNODON SHOWN NEXT TO A PERSON AND THE LARGEST OF TODAY’S KANGAROOS, THE RED KANGAROO (OSPHRANTER RUFUS).

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CREDIT: DRAWINGS BY BILLIE JONES. FIGURE DESIGNED BY SCIENCE GRAPHIC DESIGN.

A type of extinct kangaroo that lived during the Pleistocene around two and a half million to ten thousand years ago, known as the ‘giant wallaby’, was a poor hopper, a study by scientists at the University of Bristol have found.

Several large key species of kangaroo, all bigger than modern kangaroos and known as Protemnodon, were previously assumed to have hopped, despite their size. However findings, published today in the Journal of Mammalian Evolution, show that they were mainly quadrupedal and likely used four legs to move around most of the time.

Lead author Billie Jones, a former Masters student in the Bristol Paleobiology programme explained: “There had been some speculation in a graduate thesis from the University of Uppsala that it might have been more quadrupedal in its habits compared to living kangaroos.

“This new paper draws on a couple of previous quantitative studies that looked at the anatomy of the humerus (upper arm bone) in a diversity of mammals, and concluded that Protemnodon habitually put more weight on its forelimbs than kangaroos today.”

Previous research has shown that the ankle bones of Protemnodon were unsuited to withstand the stresses of hopping.

The team showed that the limb proportions of Protemnodon were quite unlike that of any living kangaroos, especially the short feet, backing up the proposal that it was mainly quadrupedal, rather than a dedicated hopper like living large kangaroos.

This new paper is a quantitative study of limb proportions, plus a more qualitative discussion of some other aspects of the anatomy, in an attempt to confirm the locomotion of this extinct animal.

This provides further evidence that the taxonomic diversity of large kangaroos in the Pleistocene of Australia was matched by a locomotor diversity. Supervisor Professor Christine Janis of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences had already shown that extinct sthenurines - a separate subfamily of kangaroos - were bipedal striders rather than hoppers. This locomotor diversity suggests a greater variety of habitats in the Australian Pleistocene than previously considered, with the continent not as arid as it is currently.

Professor Janis added: “A study of the limb bones, and the bone proportions to each other, show that the so-called extinct ‘giant wallaby’, Protemnodon, was likely a poor hopper at best, and probably moved mostly quadrupedally, perhaps bounding on all fours like tree-kangaroos do on the ground.”

Billie Jones won both the David Dineley Prize and the Curry Prize for this thesis.

Paper:

‘Hop, Walk or Bound? Limb Proportions in Kangaroos and the Probable Locomotion of the extinct genus Protemnodon’ by Billie Jones and Christine Marie Janis in Journal of Mammalian Evolution.

 

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JOURNAL

Journal of Mammalian Evolution

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Hop, Walk or Bound? Limb Proportions in Kangaroos and the Probable Locomotion of the extinct genus Protemnodon’

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

9-Jul-2024

 FROM BAD TO BADDER

Pinpointing coal plants to convert to nuclear energy, considering both practicality and community support

The most comprehensive coal-to-nuclear analysis to date could help policymakers and utilities plan how to meet climate targets

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

 

 

Images

 

An assessment ranks the feasibility of converting 245 operational coal power plants in the U.S. into advanced nuclear reactors, providing valuable insights for policymakers and utilities to meet decarbonization goals, according to a new study by University of Michigan researchers.

 

The R M Schahfer coal plant in Indiana emerged as the most feasible smaller electric capacity site, generating 1,000 megawatts electric (MWe) or less, while the AES Petersburg plant in Indiana was top-ranked among the larger electric capacity sites, having generation capacity greater than 1,000 MWe.

 

"With no new coal plants planned and many utilities aiming to retire all coal power plants within 15 years in the U.S., transitioning to cleaner energy sources is crucial," said Md Rafiul Abdussami, a doctoral student of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences at U-M and corresponding author of the study published in Energy Reports.

 

In 2022, coal plants in the U.S. accounted for 20% of energy generation and 55% of power sector CO2 emissions. Nuclear power can generate the same stable base load of energy as coal but with zero carbon emissions.

 

Rather than establishing new sites, transitioning operational coal plants to nuclear plants can save time and money by using existing equipment like transmission lines and power system components. Surrounding communities also stand to benefit from the transition, retaining jobs and tax bases as coal plants are phased out. 

 

"This data set can support economic revitalization plans in regions affected by coal plant closures and provide information for engagement efforts in coal communities considering hosting clean energy facilities," said Aditi Verma, an assistant professor of nuclear engineering and radiological sciences at U-M and senior author of the study.

 

To address the intricate interplay of socio-technical and economic factors when selecting sites to repurpose coal plants, the researchers used a tool called Siting Tool for Advances Nuclear Development. This tool allows users to optimize socioeconomic factors, safety and proximity—for instance, nearby population, transportation infrastructure—while selecting feasible locations. 

 

The tool's  ability to evaluate multiple sites simultaneously while balancing a suite of objectives offers a more scalable and robust analysis than previous studies, which focused on a few specific plants. 

 

Results revealed a broad spectrum of suitability levels and tradeoffs across different locations, highlighting both the feasibility and complexity of transitioning from coal to nuclear capacity. For the smaller electric capacity group, the feasibility score ranged from 51.52 to 84.31 out of 100 with a median of 66.53. The larger electric capacity group ranged in feasibility scores from 47.29 to 76.92 with a median of 63.97.

 

Regional attributes like energy prices and nuclear policies strongly influenced suitability.

 

The Department of Energy, states and electric utilities across the country are currently exploring the potential of transitioning away from coal to cleaner sources of energy. These findings provide valuable insights for both policymakers, developing strategies and regulations, and utilities, planning investments and timing for a smooth coal-to-nuclear transition while maintaining grid reliability.

 

"My hope is that this work, which looks at the potential for coal-to-nuclear transitions in a very granular way, for each coal plant across the country, can inform the national and state-level conversations that are unfolding in real time," Verma said. 

 

The work is sponsored by the Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy under project number (DE-NE0009382), funded through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP).

 

The Geographical Information Systems (GIS)-based tool was collaboratively developed by the University of Michigan, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the National Reactor Innovation Center.

 

Study: Investigation of potential sites for coal-to-nuclear energy transitions in the United States (DOI: 10.1016/j.egyr.2024.05.020)

 

 

 

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JOURNAL

Energy Reports

DOI

10.1016/j.egyr.2024.05.020 

 

First-ever study of the psychological impact of war on autistic children

THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM

A new study reveals alarming findings on the psychological impact of terrorism on autistic children and their parents, following Hamas' October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel. Within 30 days of the attack, both autistic and non-autistic children exhibited significant post-traumatic stress symptoms, with autistic children showing a more pronounced response, and their parents experiencing higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, underscoring the urgent need for specialized mental health services for these families. These preliminary findings highlight the urgent necessity for both immediate and ongoing mental health support for all children and parents impacted by the conflict.

 

]– In the first ever study of autistic children and their parents in the context of war, Dr. Judah Koller from the Seymour Fox School of Education, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his team, led by doctoral student Shir Rozenblat, found alarming preliminary findings on the impact of terrorism and war on this population. The study, which focuses on the psychological aftermath of Hamas' October 7th, 2023 attack on Israel, underscores the urgent need for tailored support services for autistic children and their families during times of conflict.

Within 30 days of the attack, both autistic and non-autistic Israeli children exhibited clinically significant post-traumatic stress symptoms, with autistic children showing a more pronounced manifestation of these symptoms, highlighting their heightened vulnerability. Additionally, parents of autistic children reported significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress compared to parents of non-autistic children. These levels were found to be 2-4 times higher than what was reported by an independent cohort of parents of autistic children assessed prior to the war in a study conducted by the Azrieli National Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research at Ben Gurion University.

Autistic children's reliance on routine and predictability, which are severely disrupted during terrorist attacks and warfare, appears to exacerbate their stress responses. "Parenting a child during wartime is a universal challenge, but our findings indicate that autistic children and their parents," said Dr. Koller. "These children and families need targeted mental health support that takes into account their unique characteristics."

The study employed caregiver-report online questionnaires to gather data quickly and efficiently from a wide population. While acknowledging the limitations in generalizability due to sample size and characteristics, the researchers emphasize the importance of their preliminary findings as a crucial first step in a year-long longitudinal investigation.

The research team has completed data collection on a more extensive mixed-methods, cross-sectional study, reaching a broader population of both autistic and non-autistic children and their parents. This effort, in collaboration with Dr. Yonat Rum, also of the School of Education, includes in-depth analyses of parental post-traumatic stress and resilience along with qualitative data on families' experiences. "Our goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing effects of war on these vulnerable populations and to advocate for the necessary support services," Dr. Koller added.

These findings highlight the critical need for immediate and sustained mental health support for all children and parents affected by the conflict. The study calls on policymakers and healthcare providers to prioritize the specific needs of autistic children and their families, not only in Israel but in similar conflict-affected regions worldwide. This project is a collaboration with ALUT, the Israeli Society for Autistic Children and Adults, Bar-Ilan University, and Ben-Gurion University.

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JOURNAL

Stress and Health

DOI

10.1002/smi.3442 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Autistic children and their parents in the context of war: Preliminary findings

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

5-Jul-2024