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Introduction: In the United States, adverse birth outcomes are most prevalent among Black women and birthing people, who are known to experience increased mistreatment and disrespect in care. The purpose of this paper is to describe findings from a study that used two validated scales to examine factors associated with experiences of person‐centered care during pregnancy and birth among Black birthing people in California. Methods: We used data from 234 Black women and birthing people who were recruited between January and September 2020 as part of a validation study for the Person‐Centered Prenatal Care (PCPC) and the Person‐Centered Maternity Care (PCMC‐US) scales. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the associations between PCPC and PCMC‐US scores and sociodemographic, health‐related, and care‐related factors. Results: The factors associated with lower PCPC scores were having foreign‐born parents, having public or no insurance, part‐time employment, unstable housing, late start of prenatal care (in the second or third trimester), poorer self‐rated health (less than very good), and lack of continuity of care with prenatal providers. Factors associated with lower PCMC‐US scores were having public insurance, late start of prenatal care, longer length of stay in facility following birth, poorer self‐rated health, lack of continuity of care between prenatal care and birth providers, and racial discordance with birth provider. Conclusions: Our analysis highlights the contributions of intersecting identities as well as health‐related and care‐related factors to Black birthing people's experiences of care in California. Continuity of care and provider racial concordance, in particular, were shown to improve pregnancy and birth experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores Latino male community college students' perceptions of their course-related interactions with faculty at a Hispanic Serving Institution in California. Using a Critical Race Theory in Education framework, we qualitatively examine the ways in which race and racism shape students' descriptions of these interactions and the extent to which students attribute negative interactions to racial discrimination and/or oppression. Longitudinal, semi-structured interview data (N = 24) presented underscore the need for structurally diverse faculty in community colleges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Pierre de Coubertin's revival of the modern Olympic games, the state of California has hosted the Olympics three times and is currently preparing for the games in Los Angeles in 2028. This paper attempts to add to the history of California's Olympic legacy by examining the period prior to 1896 and demonstrating that the Olympic idea had been firmly rooted in California long before the revival of the modern Olympic games and the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. Themes alluding to the Olympic idea had been exploited in California as early as the mid-nineteenth century, i.e. the time of the US annexation. In 1893 the Olympic Club in San Francisco organized the Ancient Greco-Roman Games with a statewide impact. The association of those spectacles with ancient Greek art or games attests to Californians' awareness of ancient athletics and to the significant role of the San Francisco events in a historical perspective. As the years passed the knowledge about sports with Olympic associations increased among Californians, and the 1893 Ancient Greco-Roman Games in San Francisco can be successfully considered the largest pseudo-Olympic sports event before the 1896 Summer Olympics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper is a critical reflection on a service-learning experience involving digital storytelling as a form of public engagement and community service. It is organized into themes that help illuminate the process: background and preparation, working "in the field," and outcomes and assessments of the venture overall. The paper's expected contribution lies in the examples from the field that speak to the healing power of community storytelling and listening, especially in unsettled times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we describe a participatory design process to develop a technology-based intervention for sun protection for children and their parents. Our methodology embraces and leverages the expert knowledge of the target users, children and their parents, about their sun protection practices to directly influence the design of our mobile just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI). The objectives of this paper are to describe our research procedures and summarize primary findings incorporated into developing our JITAI modules. Methods: We conducted 3 rounds of iterative co-design workshops with design expert KidsTeam UW children (N: 11–12) and subject expert children and their parents from local communities in California (N: 22–48). Iteratively, we thematically coded the qualitative data generated by participants in the co-design sessions to directly inform design specifications. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) preference for non-linear educational format with less structure,; (2) situations not conducive for prioritizing sun protection; and (3) challenges, barriers, and ambiguity relating to sun protection to protect oneself and one's family. Based on the design ideas and iterative participant feedback, three categories of modules were developed: personalized and interactive data intake module, narrative-education module with augmented reality experiment, person/real-time tailored JITAI, and assessment modules. Conclusions: This is one of the first projects that maximally engage children and parents as co-designers to build a technology to improve sun protection with iterative and intentional design principles. Our scalable approach to design a mobile JITAI to improve sun protection will lay the foundation for future public health investigators with similar endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new machine learning‐based method for nowcasting earthquakes to image the time‐dependent earthquake cycle. The result is a timeseries that may correspond to the process of stress accumulation and release. The timeseries are constructed by using principal component analysis of regional seismicity. The patterns are found as eigenvectors of the cross‐correlation matrix of a collection of seismicity timeseries in a coarse grained regional spatial grid (pattern recognition via unsupervised machine learning). The eigenvalues of this matrix represent the relative importance of the various eigenpatterns. Using the eigenvectors and eigenvalues, we compute the weighted correlation timeseries of the regional seismicity. This timeseries has the property that the weighted correlation generally decreases prior to major earthquakes in the region, and increases suddenly just after a major earthquake occurs. As in a previous paper (Rundle & Donnellan, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020ea001097), we find that this method produces a nowcasting timeseries that resembles the hypothesized regional stress accumulation and release process characterizing the earthquake cycle. We then address the problem of whether the timeseries contain information regarding future large earthquakes. For this, we compute a receiver operating characteristic and determine the decision thresholds for several future time periods of interest (optimization via supervised machine learning). We find that signals can be detected that can be used to characterize the information content of the timeseries. These signals may be useful in assessing present and near‐future seismic hazards. Plain Language Summary: Major earthquakes on fault systems in a tectonically active region are thought to occur in approximately repetitive cycles as a result of the buildup and release of tectonic forces (stress). Nowcasting is a technique adopted from weather, finance, and other fields that use readily observable proxy data to represent the unobservable stress accumulation process of interest. This paper presents a method that computes a timeseries representing the weighted correlation of small earthquake activity in the California region from 1950 to 2020. Prior to major magnitude M > 7 earthquakes, the timeseries trends toward lower values. Just after the earthquake occurs, the timeseries increases suddenly in association with the earthquake, before resuming its gradual trend toward lower values. Plotting the timeseries on an inverted scale, one sees a cyclic behavior that strongly resembles the hypothesized earthquake cycle. In principle, we can therefore use this timeseries for nowcasting, as a proxy for stress accumulation and release. Using methods of signal detection first developed for radar by the British in the 1940's, we find that the timeseries contain information about future large earthquakes that can be used for hazard assessment. Key Points: The current state of the earthquake cycle of tectonic stress accumulation and release is unobservable with existing methodsWe show that readily observable small earthquake correlations can be used to nowcast the current state of the earthquake cycleMachine learning techniques indicate that signals corresponding to future large earthquakes can be detected in a correlation time series [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to show how Californian libraries deliver value, by taking a preliminary value framework previously developed from a study of academic literature, and applying it to the public library landscape in California. A "bricolage" approach was used to develop an evidence-based framework of value and subsequently to gather data about Californians' use of and attitudes about public libraries. The framework was developed through an extended literature review and applied across data gathered through a survey of residents, interviews with library stakeholders, a review of statistics on library usage, and a review of the outcomes of grant-funded programs in California public libraries. The most significant outcome of our project is a unique value proposition for California's public libraries. These libraries deliver value for individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole. They provide opportunities and support for learning and knowledge development, health and wellbeing, community development, and economic development. Value is delivered through a unique combination of resources, people, and space. California's public libraries are largely offering services that are valued by the public; however, public awareness of the range and nature of services offered remains lower than desired. Practitioners can use the evidence-based framework and the unique value proposition to better understand the aspects of their library services that offer most value to their communities, and to make more persuasive cases for library support. This paper is the first to use an evidence-based framework of value in assessing the impact of California's public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar (PS-InSAR) is a widely used technique for local ground deformation estimation due to its millimetric accuracy and full-resolution results. However, with the enhancement of data acquisition capability of the SAR sensors, larger coverage and higher temporal-spatial resolution of SAR images can cause explosive increase and uneven distribution of PS points. PS network constructed between PSs with different qualities may cause spatial-error propagation. Large PS points list with large amount of data also have high requirements on computing performance and storage space. Those problems can bring big challenge for PS-InSAR technique in processing capacity, deformation monitoring accuracy and algorithm efficiency. In order to effectively overcome those limitations, this paper proposed a novel block PS-InSAR method that uses the approach of partitioning a study area into regular blocks with overlapping regions, selecting a high-quality reference point for each block and eliminating the discontinuity of the parameter calculating results in adjacent blocks by the weighted least square method. We used this approach to analyze ground subsidence in over 13,000 km2 of southern California, and it performed successfully when 69 Sentinel-1 images were used and 21,029,968 PSs were selected. Only approximately 10 h was needed for this experiment. Comparing the deformation rate and time series of the InSAR results with 29 GPS observations, the mean and standard deviation of difference of deformation rate were − 0.63 mm/yr and 1.53 mm/yr, respectively, and the average root mean squared error of deformation time series was 3.7 mm. The experiment demonstrated that this method could achieve high accuracy results without spatial discontinuity and increase the computational efficiency significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of the marine internal boundary layer (MIBL, height hi) with the shore‐normal distance x, is a topic of continuing interest because of its applications in coastal pollution dispersion, offshore wind farm siting, coastal air‐sea fluxes and in evaporative ducting. Available data on MIBL are scarce, given the difficulty of measuring the variability of coastal winds. During the Coupled Air‐Sea Processes and Electromagnetic Research campaigns, an array of instrumentation was deployed to measure offshore spatial variability and its effect on electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation. Meteorological sensors (flux towers and remote sensing) deployed along the coast of Point Mugu, California, on a research vessel and FLoating Instrument Platform provided surface layer and boundary layer observations. Measurements from multiple remote sensors such as synchronized triple Doppler lidars, small boat operations with tethered lifting system, and radiosondes provided a holistic view of the MIBL growth and its spatial variability in coastal areas. Convective and stable MIBL observed during two intensive operating period days showed distinct growth characteristics off the coast of Point‐Mugu. During stable stratified atmospheric conditions, an MIBL was observed to develop least as far as 47 km from the coast. The growth of MIBL within the nearshore adjustment zone was influenced by surrounding atmospheric, oceanographic, and topographic conditions. A parameterization scheme is developed based on advection‐diffusion balance equations, accounting for upstream turbulence, and compared with hi observations from a Doppler lidar and profiles taken from a small boat. An evaluation of existing IBL theories is also conducted. Plain Language Summary: Internal boundary layers (IBLs) in coastal areas can result in increased turbulence within the lowest few hundred meters, which can impact various atmospheric processes and directly influence coastal cities (by increased pollution, electromagnetic propagation and impact on offshore wind turbines). Although a very well known phenomena, the research community lacks high‐resolution data to characterize some of the local effects accurately. In this article, measurements from a field campaign within the Santa Barbara Channel were used to study the evolution of two IBL cases. The variability of the IBL near the coast and associated physical processes governing the variability are discussed in the manuscript. A new equation to better characterize the growth of the IBL is also presented. Key Points: Novel observations of offshore internal boundary during a convective and stable atmospheric conditions is presentedA modified model for rough‐to‐smooth transition internal boundary layers (IBLs) is presented in this paper for unstable, neutral, and stable boundary layer conditionsDuring both IBL cases, the evolution of IBL height was constrained by enhancement of atmospheric stability offshore, wind veer, horizontal shear, and inversion height [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy encourages the production and consumption of sustainable embankment geomaterials and their blends utilizing recycled waste materials in roads, railway tracks, airfields, and underground structures. Geomaterials comprising high-plastic soft expansive clay pose excessive settlement during cyclic traffic/railway/airfield loading resulting in uneven geometry of overlying layers. This paper demonstrates multiobjective optimized improvement of expansive clay (C) geotechnical characteristics by cost-effective agro-wastes additives at microlevel (by 3% to 12% rice husk ash, i.e., RHA), nanolevel (by 0.6% to 1.5% rice husk derived green nano-SiO2, i.e., NS), and synergistic micro to nanolevel (NS-RHA). The swell potential, resilient modulus (MR), initial elastic modulus (Es), unconfined compressive strength (UCT), and California bearing ratio (CBR) of C and its blends were determined. The chemical characterization of C and its blends were conducted through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and optical microscopic tests. The outcome of this study depicted that the cost ratio for the optimized composite, i.e., (1.2% NS-9% RHA)/(9% RHA) is 1.22 whereas stiffness ratio MR (NS-RHA)/MR(RHA) and Es (NS-RHA)/Es(RHA) and strength ratio UCT(NS-RHA)/UCT(RHA) and CBR(NS-RHA)/CBR(RHA) were found to be 2.0, 1.64, 2.17, and 2.82, respectively. FTIR revealed the chemical compatibility between C, RHA, & NS from durability perspective. Cost-stiffness results of this study can be applied by geotechnical experts to economize the green stabilization of C by use of agro-waste for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary crashes (SCs) are typically defined as the crash that occurs within the spatiotemporal boundaries of the impact area of the primary crashes (PCs), which will intensify traffic congestion and induce a series of road safety issues. Predicting and analyzing the time and distance gaps between the SCs and PCs will help to prevent the occurrence of SCs. In this paper, a combined data-driven method of static and dynamic approaches is applied to identify SCs. Then, the random forests (RF) method is implemented to predict the two gaps using temporal, primary crash, roadway, and real-time traffic characteristics data collected from 2016 to 2019 at California interstate freeways. Subsequently, the SHapley Additive explanation (SHAP) approach is employed to interpret the RF outputs. The results show that the traffic volume, speed, lighting, and population are considered the most significant factors in both gaps. Furthermore, the main and interaction effects of factors are also quantified. High volume possibly promotes the time and distance gaps, while low volume inhibits them. And volume affects the distance gap inconsiderably when it falls between 300 and 400 veh/5 min. Traffic conditions with high speed and low volume are strongly associated with short-time and short-distance gaps. Darker surroundings probably accelerate the occurrence of SCs. Moreover, crashes involving the violation categories of improper turns or unsafe lane changes likely result in long time and distance gaps. These results have important implications for proposing traffic management and improving road safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water conservation in California has been a major subject of concern for agencies in their efforts to satisfy their residential demand while coping with frequent shortfalls, especially in periods of drought. During the 2012–2016 severe drought in California, the state enacted a conservation mandate that imposed specific conservation targets of 4% up to 36% for water utilities. While the utilities met those targets in 2015, water use, on average, has slowly crept up or rebounded subsequently, although not to pre‐drought levels. Understanding the manner and degree to which water use rebounds can be critically important for water utilities in their planning and investment decisions. Using a unique panel dataset on single‐family residential water use by nearly 20,000 customers of a Northern California water agency from 2013 to 2019, this paper explores the magnitude and character of the rebound effect that occurred after the cessation of a statewide conservation mandate that was imposed on water use in response a severe drought enveloping California from 2014 through 2016. Our results suggest the presence of a significant rebound in water use—of approximately 9% on average—after the conservation mandate ended. Yet, and novel to our research, we find significant heterogeneity in the rebound effects across seasons and water users, with a greater rebound in the warm season months relative to other months and among lower water use households relative to higher water use households. Our results also suggest a significant shift in water use to earlier periods of the day once the mandate was lifted. Understanding the magnitude and variation in rebound effects both temporally and across different types of water users can be useful to water agencies in their efforts to make informed decisions surrounding investments, management, and messaging in response to drought, conservation, and water scarcity. Plain Language Summary: Given the prominence of demand‐side management in the water utilities toolbox for addressing increasing water shortages driven by drought and climate change, understanding how water use changes during a drought along with how and to what extent it increases, or "rebounds," afterward can be useful if not necessary in making informed policy decisions and cost‐effective investments. This research develops a unique data set consisting of household‐level daily and hourly water use by nearly 19,500 residential accounts from a California water utility from 2013 through 2019. It explores how water use changed during and post‐drought relative to pre‐drought levels. During this period, California entered a significant drought. Its governor requested a voluntary cutback, imposed a conservation mandate, and implemented a self‐certification requirement lasting until the drought eased. We find that residential water use decreased by 26% during the conservation mandate relative to pre‐drought levels but rebounded by approximately 9% post‐mandate. The "rebound" effect varied across the season (greatest in summer months) and water user type (lower‐end water users showed a larger percentage rebound than higher‐end water users). Our results suggest that due to the mandate, the peak hour water consumption shifted to the earlier hours of the day. Key Points: Our results suggest that the 2015 California water mandate resulted in temporary and permanent reductions in water useRebound effects are more prevalent in the warm season than in other months and for lower‐end water users than high‐end water usersOur results also show that, due to the mandate, the peak hour water consumption shifted to the earlier hours of the day [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water affordability is determined by the percentage of income households that must allocate to municipal water services, while factoring in essential or basic needs water use. With the rise in water prices reported in most areas of the country along with somewhat stagnant income growth—a combination that suggests ceteris paribus—more of a household's disposable income is being spent on water services. This paper adds to the discussion in three ways. First, given the lack of a consistent definition for "affordability" and the subjective connotation associated with such a term, we develop and compare five different water expenditure ratios, including two different measures of water for essential needs, as well as measures for indoor, efficient, and actual water use. Second, because of the granularity of our data, we illustrate how such "affordability" measures can vary significantly within a water district and thus highlight how using district‐ or county‐level income measures can mask the degree to which affordability is an issue for households living in low‐income block groups. Our results indicate that the choice of income measure and type of water service use can influence affordability measures substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous estimates indicate that COVID-19 led to a large drop in the number of operating businesses operating early in the pandemic, but surprisingly little is known on whether these shutdowns turned into permanent closures and whether small businesses were disproportionately hit. This paper provides the first analysis of permanent business closures using confidential administrative firm-level panel data covering the universe of businesses filing sales taxes from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. We find large increases in closure rates in the first two quarters of 2020, but a strong reversal of this trend in the third quarter of 2020. The increase in closures rates in the first two quarters of the pandemic was substantially larger for small businesses than large businesses, but the rebound in the third quarter was also larger. The disproportionate closing of small businesses led to a sharp concentration of market share among larger businesses as indicated by the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index with only a partial reversal after the initial increase. The findings highlight the fragility of small businesses during a large adverse shock and the consequences for the competitiveness of markets. Plain English Summary: Small businesses were more likely to close permanently during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic than large businesses. Although they rebounded strongly thereafter, market concentration remains higher than before the pandemic. We obtain these results from analyzing administrative firm-level data covering all businesses filing sales taxes in California. Our analysis contributes to research by demonstrating the fragility of small businesses during a crisis relative to large businesses. Our findings imply that small businesses may need additional support given the trend toward purchases from large online retailers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misuse use of prescription stimulants (MPS) among college students is a pressing public health concern. Past research suggests there is variation in MPS frequency by race/ethnicity. According to the Theory of Triadic Influence, a health behavior can increase in frequency based on experiences and characteristics of the behavior. Thus, our aim was to examine the association between experiences and characteristics of MPS with MPS frequency, by race/ethnicity. A probability sample of students attending two California universities completed a paper-based, psychometrically validated, instrument. Students who reported engaging in MPS in their lifetime were also asked questions about frequency, cost per pill, administration routes, sources, and experience with the drug. We used regression analyses to address our research questions, and conducted analyses by racial/ethnic group (i.e. for students identifying as Asian, Latinx, and White). MPS frequency did not vary by race/ethnicity. The influence of characteristics of misuse on frequency varied by race/ethnicity. Additionally, frequency of experiencing the desired outcome was significantly associated with increased MPS frequency across all three racial/ethnic groups. Characteristics of misuse are important to consider when screening for misuse and potential dependence. Particular attention should be given to these characteristics by race/ethnicity. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentration‐discharge (C‐Q) relationships of total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), particulate organic carbon (POC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were investigated in the tributaries and main‐stems of two mountainous river systems with distinct watershed characteristics (Eel and Umpqua rivers) in Northern California and central Oregon (USA). Power‐law (C = a × Qb) fits to the data showed strong transport‐limited behavior (b > 1) by TSS and POC, moderate transport limitation of DOC (b > 0.3) and chemostatic behavior (b < 0) by TDS in most streams. These contrasts led to significant compositional differences at varying discharge levels, with particle‐bound constituents becoming increasingly important (relative abundances of 50% to >90%) at high‐flow conditions. Organic carbon contents of TSS displayed marked decreases with discharge whereas they increased in TDS during high‐flow conditions. Daily and cumulative material fluxes for different coastal streams were calculated using the C‐Q relationships and showed that the delivery of transport‐limited constituents, such as TSS and POC (and DOC to a lesser degree), was closely tied to high‐discharge events and occurred primarily during the winter season. The coherence between winter fluxes and high wave‐southerly wind conditions along the coast highlights how seasonal and inter‐annual differences in fluvial discharge patterns affect the fate of land‐derived materials delivered to coastal regions. Plain Language Summary: Rivers play a key role in transporting materials from land to the ocean. In this study, we investigated several streams of different characteristics from two basins, the Eel River in Northern California and the Umpqua River in central Oregon. We measured how the concentrations of dissolved and particulate materials, including total suspended and dissolved solids and particulate and dissolved organic carbon, varied as a function of river flow. Our results show that different streams export these materials in different ways depending on the level of river flow and certain watershed characteristics. The different trends with river flow exhibited by these constituents impact the total amounts exported by rivers each year as well as the timing of their export. The latter is important because ocean conditions off the Eel and Umpqua rivers exhibit marked contrasts in winds, currents, and waves depending on the season. In the paper, we explore how the combination of the timing of export by the river and the ocean conditions offshore influences the distribution and cycling of particulate and dissolved materials from land in the coastal ocean. Key Points: Concentration‐discharge relationships for different constituents show marked variability among streams from different watershedsTotal suspended solids, particulate organic carbon, and to a lesser degree, dissolved organic carbon exhibit transport limitationThe magnitude and composition of constituent fluxes display variability at distinct time scales that affect their transport to the ocean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents gender differences in the career paths of novice politicians. Using trajectories of over 11,000 candidates for California local offices and a regression discontinuity approach, I investigate the persistence of candidates after they win or lose elections. Losing an election causes over 50% more attrition among female than male candidates. Yet the gender gap in persistence depends on the setting: there is a smaller gap among candidates for high female representation offices and among candidates with prior elective experience. I discuss how the expected costs and benefits of running again potentially explain the gender gap in persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impacts of three different potential evapotranspiration (PET) models on drought severity and frequencies indicated by the standardized precipitation index (SPEI). The standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index is a recent approach to operational monitoring and analysis of drought severity. The standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index combines precipitation and temperature data, quantifying the severity of a drought as the difference in a timestep as the difference between precipitation and PET. The standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index thus represents the hydrological processes that drive drought events more realistically than the standardized precipitation index at the expense of additional computational complexity and increased data demands. The additional computational complexity is principally due to the need to estimate PET within each time step. The standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index was originally defined using the Thornthwaite PET model. However, numerous researchers have demonstrated the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index is sensitive to the PET model adopted. PET models requiring sparse meteorological inputs, such as the Thornthwaite model, have particular utility for drought monitoring in data scarce environments. The aridity index (AI) investigates the spatiotemporal changes in the hydroclimatic system. It is defined as the ratio between potential evapotranspiration and precipitation. It is used to characterize wet (humid) and dry (arid) regions. In this study, a sensitivity analysis for the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration and aridity indexes was carried out using three different PET models; namely, the Penman–Monteith model, a temperature-based parametric model and the Thornthwaite model. The analysis was undertaken in six gauge stations in California region where long-term drought events have occurred. Having used the Penman–Monteith model as the PET model for estimating the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index, our findings highlight the presence of uncertainty in defining the severity of drought, especially for large timescales (12 months to 48 months), and that the PET parametric model is a preferable model to the Thornthwaite model for both the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index and the aridity indexes. The latter outcome is worth further consideration for when climatic studies are under development in data scarce areas where full required meteorological variables for Penman–Monteith assessment are not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of inherent damping modeling on the computed seismic response and collapse performance of selected seismically isolated buildings. The analyzed seismically isolated buildings were designed by the procedures of the ASCE/SEI 7–16 standard. The structure is a six‐story perimeter frame building designed with special moment resisting frames or with special concentrically braced frames (SCBF) for a location in California. Three different seismic isolation systems are considered: (i) triple friction pendulum (TFP) bearings without moat walls, (ii) TFP bearings with moat walls (double concave [DC] friction pendulum bearings with moat walls have effectively the same ultimate behavior), and (iii) DC friction pendulum bearings without moat wall. The superstructure inherent damping schemes considered are (i) zero damping, (ii) modal damping, (iii) Zareian‐Medina damping, (iv) added virtual viscous dampers with and without force‐caps, and (v) added virtual viscous dampers with the same damping constant value. The response parameters computed are peak floor accelerations, peak story drift ratios, peak residual story drift ratios, peak isolator horizontal displacement, and floor acceleration spectra. Also, the probability of collapse in the maximum considered earthquake (MCER) is computed. It is shown that the modeling approach for the inherent damping has minor effects on the computed responses and the collapse probability of the studied seismically isolated buildings, except for the peak floor acceleration and the floor response spectra for periods below one second. It is suggested that a convenient way to model inherent damping is to use virtual viscous dampers with all having the same damping constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transfer between two‐year and four‐year colleges is a critical path to baccalaureate attainment. Yet students face a number of barriers in transfer pathways, including a lack of coherent coordination and articulation between their community colleges and four‐year institutions, resulting in excess units and increased time to degree. In this paper we evaluate the impact of California's Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, which aimed to create a more seamless pathway between the California Community Colleges and the California State University. We investigate whether the reform effort met its intended goal of improving baccalaureate receipt, and greater efficiency in earning these degrees, among community college transfer students. We tease out plausibly causal effects of the policy by leveraging the exogenous variation in the timing of the implementation of the reform in different campuses and fields of study. We find an overall positive effect on bachelor's degree attainment. This increase is driven entirely by increased transfer rather than an increased probability of earning a BA/BS conditional on transfer. We find only suggestive evidence that the policy led to greater efficiency (i.e., fewer units at graduation) in BA/BS receipt for transfer students. These findings are broadly consistent across student subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Context: High quality early education, preschool through third grade, has received significant attention as a vehicle for addressing academic disparities. Research–practice partnerships (RPPs) offer a promising strategy for improving early education and closing the gap between research and practice; however, RPPs in the early learning context are understudied, and there is little information about how teachers experience them. Purpose/Research Questions: Grounded in a framework of sensemaking theory and research on teachers' beliefs and RPPs, this paper addresses the following questions: (1) How did an early education RPP attempt to build a meaningful and trusting partnership and amplify teacher voices? (2) How did teachers make sense of new knowledge within the context of the RPP and their practical wisdom? (3) To what degree were teachers reaffirming existing beliefs vs. questioning or adjusting current beliefs through their participation in the RPP? Research Design: This paper relies on qualitative data gathered as part of an interdisciplinary education neuroscience longitudinal RPP project between university researchers and educators in a California school district. The data analyzed for this paper included field notes and artifacts from RPP meetings and transcripts of teacher interviews. Conclusions/Recommendations: The RPP intentionally created opportunities for teachers to amplify their perspectives and interpretations. Within RPP meeting spaces, teachers reflected on their beliefs and practices in light of research conducted in their schools and, more generally, sometimes adjusting and other times reaffirming their views. The extent to which teachers incorporated new knowledge into their cognitive schemas varied based on the topic and how and where the information was presented. These findings yield important implications for research–practice partnerships and system change in early childhood education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Buildings in communities near wildlands, in the wildland–urban interface (WUI), can experience wildfire damage. Aims: To quantitatively assess the relationship between building features and damage, a building wildfire resistance index is developed and validated with the 2013–2017 CAL FIRE (DINS) database from California, USA, and the 2017 Pedrógão Grande Fire Complex post-fire investigation from Portugal. Methods: Three statistical dependence tests are compared to evaluate the relationship between selected building features and damage. The Wildfire Resistance Index (WRI), range: [–1, 1], is proposed and validated as a rating for building wildfire susceptibility. Key results: The most correlated features to wildfire damage are the presence of vent screens and deck materials in California, and exterior walls material and deck materials in Portugal. For Portugal, as WRI increases by 50%, linear regression estimates a 48% decrease in proportion of highly damaged buildings, and a 42% increase in proportion of low damage buildings (R 2 of 0.93 and 0.90, respectively). A total of 65% of California buildings with WRI = 1 were destroyed, compared to average 85% for WRI ≥−0.33. Conclusions: The WRI quantifies the wildfire damage experienced by buildings in two diverse WUI regions. Implications: The WRI could be used as an estimator of wildfire damage but it needs further development. This paper presents a statistical analysis of two post-fire building inspection databases of wildland–urban interface (WUI) damage in California and Portugal. Results compare considered building features' relative correlation to damage, and propose the Wildfire Resistance Index: an index applied to the vulnerability of WUI buildings to wildfire ignition and damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a large‐scale experimental study that focus on assessing structural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) cantilever slabs with carbon/epoxy fiber‐reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite strips using a near‐surface‐mounted (NSM) approach. The NSM/CFRP system evaluated in this study was implemented in strengthening the shoulders of the Slide Canyon Bridge in California, USA. The experimental phase is divided into two main parts: (i) determining the design parameters for NSM, including the bondline strength through pull‐out tests, and (ii) conducting a practical evaluation of the bending behavior of original and retrofitted RC cantilever slabs, each with varying NSM reinforcement and three different development lengths. Results of this study indicated that the use of NSM‐CFRP has a considerable benefit in that it significantly improves ductility and changes the failure mode of the unstrengthened RC slab from the typical brittle shear‐based failure mode to a more ductile flexural‐based failure mode. The large‐scale slab specimens' performances, which had different development lengths, showed little variance, except for the slab specimen with a development length of 457.0 mm that exhibited an appreciable flexural stiffness as compared to other specimens evaluated in this study. In order to simulate the serviceability and ultimate behavior of the RC slab specimens, linear and nonlinear finite element analyses were performed. A satisfactory agreement between numerical and experimental results was achieved especially at load level prior the initiation of large‐size cracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I employ an elasticity‐based method to invert a geodetically derived surface velocity field in the western US using for present‐day surface strain rate fields with uncertainties. The method uses distributed body forces in a thin elastic sheet and allows for discontinuities in velocity across creeping faults using the solution for dislocations in a thin elastic plate. I compare the strain rate fields with previously published stress orientations and moment rates from geological slip rate data and previous geodetic studies. Geologic and geodetic moment rates are calculated using slip rate and off‐fault strain rates from the 2023 US National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) deformation models. I find that computed total geodetic moment rates are higher than NSHM summed moment rates on faults for all regions of the western US except the highest deforming rate regions including the Western Transverse Ranges and the northern and southern San Andreas Fault (SAF) system in California. Computed geodetic moment rates are comparable to the moment rates derived from the geodetically based NSHM deformation models in all regions. I find systematic differences in orientations of maximum horizontal shortening rate and maximum horizontal compressive stress in the Pacific Northwest region and along much of the SAF system. In the Pacific Northwest, the maximum horizontal stress orientations are rotated counterclockwise 40–90° relative to the maximum horizontal strain rate directions. Along the SAF system, the maximum horizontal stresses are rotated systematically 25–40° clockwise (closer to fault normal) relative to the strain rates. Plain Language Summary: Geodetic measurements of surface velocities can be converted to strain rate which is a measure of the distortion rate of the crust. Strain rate is an important quantity for earthquake studies because it can be related to the rate of elastic stored energy (called moment) available for future earthquakes. In this paper I employ a new method to invert the surface velocity field in the western US for present‐day surface strain rates. I convert the strain rates to crustal moment rates and compare this with moment release rates computed from previous estimates of fault slip rates from geology as well as with model moment rates from the 2023 US National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM). I find that computed total geodetic moment rates are higher than NSHM model moment rates on faults for many regions of the western US. I also find systematic differences in present‐day strain rates and total stress in the crust indicating that the total stress in the crust is not simply the accrual of present‐day deformation. Key Points: I implement an elasticity‐based inversion of geodetic data for strain rateSystemic differences in orientation of stress and strain rate in Cascadia, San Andreas Fault, and eastern Basin‐RangeThe total geodetic moment rates are higher than geologic moment rates within most regions of the western US [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For persons serving life-without-parole (LWOP) sentences in California, a commutation usually offers them the sole glimpse of hope for release from prison. While governors were reluctant to consider any sentence reductions from 1975 to 2016, commutations—including those for LWOP—have become a more frequent occurrence since. Yet, little is still known about how governors have justified reducing a sentence that initially offered no prospect of release from prison. Given the apparent change in practice, themes emerging from the content of 177 gubernatorial commutation summaries granted to persons serving LWOP sentences between 2017 and 2021 are analyzed in this paper. Through open coding, rehabilitative indicators (programming and institutional conduct) emerged as necessary preconditions for a commutation, while retributive factors (a reassessment of the nature of the crime and the prerogative to adjust excessive prison sentences or to correct sentencing errors) complemented sentence reductions. The findings expose the ethical issues that arise from an LWOP sentence and the subsequent commutation. More specifically, they shed light on the commitment offenses underlying commuted LWOP sentences and raise questions regarding the penal objectives that are supposed to be accomplished with permanent imprisonment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper obtains comparable estimates of the effect of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits on labor supply throughout the unemployment spell and over the business cycle using a regression kink design and 20 years of administrative data from California. For a given unemployment duration, the behavioral effect of UI benefit levels on labor supply does not vary with the business cycle from 2002 to 2019. However, due to increased coverage from extensions in benefit durations, the duration elasticity of UI benefits rises during recessions. The behavioral effect during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic is substantially lower at all unemployment durations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing solar photovoltaic supply has significantly reshaped energy prices, lowering them during solar generating hours. Large-scale hydropower reservoir operations need to adapt to changes in energy prices to maximize hydropower revenue. This paper evaluates effects of solar generation-changed energy prices on hydropower generation for five multipurpose reservoirs in California using a hydroeconomic optimization model. In California, major solar generation began in 2013, so years 2010–2012 are a pre-solar period, and years 2013–2018 are post-solar. Reservoir operations, hydropower generation and revenue between these periods are compared. Operations in the wet season (January to June), and the dry season (July to December) are evaluated. Results show that releases are more profitable when hydropower is generated twice a day during on-peak hours in the morning and evening in the wet season. When water is scarce, energy is generated only during the higher-price evening peak. Hydropower generation is mostly curtailed between 10am and 6pm due to large solar supplies, and increase during morning and evening peaks when solar generation is unavailable. However, by optimizing hydropower scheduling hours, the new energy price pattern can be more profitable. With increased energy price variability and adaptation, overall daily revenue can increase by about 14% in the wet season and 30% in the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do gender diversity quotas enhance firm value? This broad question has sparked significant debate because, whereas diversity is generally thought to improve board functioning, prior research in international settings suggests mandating diversity may have adverse consequences if it moves firms away from market equilibrium. Exploiting the political events leading up to the passage of California Senate Bill (SB) 826 as an exogenous shock to assess the market implications of board gender composition, we document either significantly positive or insignificant two-day abnormal returns for California firms across a variety of model specifications. Importantly, this finding contradicts the strong claims of contemporary studies of SB 826 that the California mandate was value-destructive. We reconcile these findings by providing critical evidence that contemporaneous results lack robustness to alternative model specifications and provide an incomplete picture by failing to comprehensively examine a broader set of event dates or account for mixed messaging on the final event date. We also provide some evidence of significant negative abnormal returns to litigation milestones that threaten to overturn SB 826 with the magnitude increasing in the size of board gender deficits. Finally, we provide evidence that there is no observable decline in newly appointed female director quality following the implementation of SB 826 relative to either preregulation or male director appointments. Collectively, our results suggest nonnegative (if not positive) consequences to California firms arising from SB 826 and directly counter assertions that mandated gender diversity is detrimental to firm value. This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting. Funding: The authors gratefully acknowledge research funding from Brigham Young University and the University of Toronto. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4825. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality disclosures regarding medical outcomes such as patient mortality are common healthcare policy instruments. Mixed evidence exists on whether quality disclosures improve outcomes for disclosed ailments. Moreover, disclosure policies can generate spillovers and impact ailments not targeted by the policy. We examine the effects of quality disclosure regulation on mortality improvements in disclosed and nondisclosed ailments. We use patient records for California hospitals for 1995–2014 and construct three groups of ailments: those that were the target of disclosure regulation, complementary ailments that were not the target of disclosure regulation but are medically related to the disclosed ailments, and medically unrelated ailments. Using a difference-in-differences design, we find that quality disclosure regulation is associated with declines in mortality risk of disclosed ailments ranging from 11.5% to 23%. Quality disclosure regulation is also associated with improvements for complementary ailments that are not the target of the disclosure policy. Such positive spillover effects yield an estimated 15.2% decline in mortality risk. Consistent with demand-side pressures driving improvements, market shares become sensitive to disclosed quality measures after disclosure regulation. Our findings of direct and spillover effects have implications for disclosure regulation. This paper was accepted by David Simchi-Levi, accounting. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4817. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acute difficulty in wine-ratings-related research, and in calculating consensus among judges, is that each rating is one observation drawn from a latent probability distribution that is wine- and judge-specific. One observation is almost no data at all. Minimizing a weighted sum of cross entropies has been proposed as a method of estimating the shape of the latent distribution using one observation. That method was tested on 30 blind triplicate wine ratings. This article replicates that test, presents results of tests at hypothetical boundary conditions, and then presents test results for a set of 30 blind triplicate ratings published by Cicchetti [(2014, August). Blind tasting of South African wines: A tale of two methodologies (AAWE Working Paper No. 164, 15 pages)] and a set of 1599 blind triplicate ratings from the California State Fair. The test results show that the minimum cross entropy solution is substantially more accurate than the analysis of a single rating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: COVID‐19 has fundamentally changed the practice of Emergency Medicine (EM). Care delivery on the front lines has historically depended upon ostensibly reliable input‐output models for staffing, supplies, policies, and therapies. Challenged by the complexity of healthcare during the pandemic, the fallibility of these reductionist models was quickly revealed. Providers and systems quickly had to reconceptualize their dependence on the wider, complex system in which healthcare operates and find adaptive solutions to rapid changes. Aims/Method: This papers seeks to review and describe how Systems Thinking and Complexity Theory (ST/CT)—concepts, principles, and tools that can be used to understand and impact our constantly evolving health system—can be applied to better understand and enact change in complex settings such as during COVID‐19. Some of these ST/CT are described through the real world example of the Alameda Health System Vaccine Taskforce. Results: ST/CT concepts such as Unintended Consequences, Interrelationships, Emergent Behavior, Feedback Loops, and Path Dependence can help EM providers and planners understand the context in which their system operates. Key principles such as Collaboration, Iterative Learning, and Transformational Leadership can help these actors respond to current and future challenges. The integration of these concepts and principles into the Learning Health System offers a model for tying these key concepts and principles together into an adaptive, cross‐sectoral organizational approach. Conclusion: By integrating ST/CT into the practice of EM, we can not only improve our ability to care for patients but also our capacity to understand and strengthen our wider systems of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California Utility Firm Implements Innovative Model, Reducing Costs by 4% A California utility firm has successfully implemented a pioneering model to balance electricity demand and supply while minimizing costs. By utilizing direct load control contracts (DLCCs), the firm can reduce energy consumption during peak hours. Researchers developed an integer stochastic dynamic optimization problem that considers monthly and annual constraints, allowing for effective execution of DLCCs. Incorporating a "reduce-to-threshold" policy to flatten energy-consumption curves during high demand, the model was verified using real data from the California Independent System Operator. When implemented, the utility firm achieved an impressive cost reduction of approximately 4%. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to enhance customer experience and improve DLCC contract features. The success of this innovative model highlights the potential of DLCCs and advanced optimization techniques in the energy sector, offering a blueprint for other utility companies seeking to optimize grid stability and reduce costs. Balancing electricity demand and supply is one of the most critical tasks that utility firms perform to maintain grid stability and reduce system cost. Demand-response programs are among the strategies that utilities use to reduce electricity consumption during peak hours and flatten the energy-consumption curve. Direct load control contracts (DLCCs) are a class of incentive-based demand-response programs that allow utilities to assign "calls" to customer groups to reduce their energy usage by a prespecified amount for a given length of time. Given the rapid expansion of such contracts, in this paper, we develop an integer stochastic dynamic optimization problem for executing DLCCs that minimizes total system cost subject to monthly and annual constraints on the number of times and hours customers can be called. We develop a hierarchical approximation approach, which consists of an annual problem and monthly problems, to solve the DLCC implementation problem effectively and in a reasonable amount of time. Motivated by the practice in a large utility firm in California, we incorporate a reduce-to-threshold policy that attempts to flatten energy-consumption curves whenever demand exceeds a given threshold. We verified the quality of our proposed approach on real data from the California Independent System Operator, which is the umbrella organization of the utility firms in California, and measured the quality of our solution against a lower bound. A large utility firm in California implemented our model and informed us that the additional reduction in cost was approximately 4%. Our sensitivity analysis reports the impact of managerial concerns on some policies to enhance customer experience and provides insights for improving the features of DLCC contracts. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2021.0638. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream-terrace morphostratigraphy and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) geochronology indicate that storm-driven sedimentation has caused down-system decoupling of the uppermost reaches of McMillan Creek (southern California, USA) from the lower reaches of McMillan Creek since 1960 ± 190 yr B.P. This is significant because source-to-sink studies report high degrees of sediment transport connectivity over millennial time scales during periods of high fluvial discharge in sediment routing systems. The most recent relatively large-magnitude episode of sedimentation emplaced a sediment slug in the ephemeral channel of McMillan Creek. The sediment slug is correlated to the "California Storm of January 1862" via OSL dating. In this paper, a conceptual model of sediment slug dynamics in an ephemeral stream over 16 decades is developed based on fluvial sedimentation events that in most instances included reworking slug-derived sediment. Due to the episodic nature of streamflow in ephemeral streams and the dearth of sediment transport between streamflow events, sediment slug coherency is sustained over longer periods of time in ephemeral streams than in perennial streams having steady or variable flow regimes. The longevity of sediment-slug coherency in ephemeral streams leads to more prolonged down-system decoupling in sediment routing systems than down-system decoupling caused by ordinary fluvial sedimentation. In McMillan Creek, it is possible that up-system decoupling driven by sedimentation has been contemporaneous with down-system decoupling, but factors other than sedimentation may have a more significant role in up-system decoupling. Source-to-sink studies completed in areas having a Mediterranean climate cannot assume that sediment flux out of upland source areas includes the total amount of sediment available for transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the stabilizing effect of stone dust, granite dust, marble dust, and calcium lignosulphonate on construction materials and natural soils during road construction. The ultimate aim was to enhance the soil's engineering properties such that the pavement constructed could correctly withstand the load applied. To achieve this, every stabilizer was amalgamated with the soil at various percentages between 5 and 50%. Measurements were made of Atterberg limit tests, moisture content, and specific gravity. The research demonstrated that a diminution in optimal moisture content was seen, with an elevation in maximum dry density and California bearing ratio (CBR). Enhancements in the unconfined compressive strength were also identified. The outcomes determined that the untreated soil's CBR was 2.27% and in the case of soil with 45% additives, the CBR attained was 5.05%. When the soil was mixed with 50% additives, performance of 30.21%, 17.42%, and 12.82% was exhibited for (a) liquid limit, (b) plastic limit, and (c) plasticity index. Moreover, via the addition of presented stabilizers, the soil's mechanical properties were elevated appreciably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Excessive use of groundwater resources in the Central Valley in California has led to major land sinking over the years. In this study, we rely on satellite imagery to monitor and assess the extent of this sinking. Specifically, we use images from a satellite that emits microwaves which allows us to directly obtain the deformation at a specific time. Then, we apply a machine learning algorithm to the resulting data in an attempt to effectively predict short-term future deformation. We find that the algorithm applied has a low error when compared to the actual data. This shows that machine learning algorithms could be incorporated into models that assess potential hazards associated with land sinking. Land subsidence caused by excessive groundwater pumping in Central Valley, California, is a major issue that has several negative impacts such as reduced aquifer storage and damaged infrastructures which, in turn, produce an economic loss due to the high reliance on crop production. This is why it is of utmost importance to routinely monitor and assess the surface deformation occurring. Two main goals that this paper attempts to accomplish are deformation characterization and deformation prediction. The first goal is realized through the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to a series of Interferomtric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images that produces eigenimages displaying the key characteristics of the subsidence. Water storage changes are also directly analyzed by the use of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) twin satellites and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). The second goal is accomplished by building a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to predict short-term deformation after developing an InSAR time series using LiCSBAS, an open-source InSAR time series package. The model is applied to the city of Madera and produces better results than a baseline averaging model and a one dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a mean squared error metric showing the effectiveness of machine learning in deformation prediction as well as the potential for incorporation in hazard mitigation models. The model results can directly aid policy makers in determining the appropriate rate of groundwater withdrawal while maintaining the safety and well-being of the population as well as the aquifers' integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Geographic disparities exist in uptake of the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). In 2020, the National Immunization Survey‐Teen reported that adolescents living in nonmetropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) had lower HPV vaccination coverage (≥ 1 dose) compared to adolescents living in MSA principal cities. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a multilevel pilot intervention study to increase uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescent patients ages 11‐17 of a rural health clinic. Methods: This parent, primary care team, and clinic multilevel pilot intervention was guided by evidence‐based approaches to increase HPV vaccinations, formative research, and input from the community. HPV vaccination initiation and completion rates were analyzed at baseline and 23 months follow‐up. Findings: The proportion of adolescent patients ages 11‐17 who had initiated the HPV vaccine series was significantly greater at follow‐up compared to baseline, (82.7% compared to 52.4%), χ2 (1, n = 498) = 49.2, P <.0001. The proportion of adolescent patients ages 11‐17 who had completed the HPV vaccine series was also significantly greater at follow‐up compared to baseline, (58.0% compared to 27.0%), χ2 (1, n = 498) = 50.8, P <.0001. Conclusions: The multilevel intervention significantly increased HPV initiation and completion rates among adolescent patients ages 11‐17 at this rural health clinic. This study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing a multilevel intervention to address low HPV vaccination rates among rural adolescents and the potential of employing this strategy for a large‐scale randomizing‐controlled trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unnatural disasters, such as floods and wildfires, are making many areas difficult to inhabit. For relocation to unfold in a safer and more equitable way, it must be done in a manner that (1) aligns with community values in each locality, (2) navigates legal barriers to managed retreat, and (3) creates blue-sky funding for adaptation, including managed retreat planning and implementation. This paper argues that developers continuing to build in climate vulnerable areas could and should help cover the risk of their actions. Part I lays out the legal importance of planning for retreat, as well as the need for initial funding for community-level planning and experienced personnel. Few scholars have explored options for municipalities to fund difficult conversations about and initial steps towards managing retreat. Thus, Part II explores how community benefit agreements between communities and developers in climate-vulnerable areas could play a role in bridging the gap between research and implementation. Part II also introduces the idea of a climate resilience development fee, which could provide the needed blue-sky funding to implement managed retreat. Part III analyzes the validity of a climate resilience impact fee in California and Florida, two states in which the consequences of climate change are severe enough for communities to begin to consider managed retreat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of understanding of the compaction mechanism, both in the laboratory and field, could result in significant underestimation or overestimation of the roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) performance. The literature (1987 to 2022) depicts that there are numerous techniques to design RCCP in the laboratory; however, which method could closely simulate the field compaction is not fully explored. The present paper critically reviews the fundamental parameters affecting the strength characteristics of RCCP when compacted with different compaction mechanisms in the laboratory and attempts to rank the compaction methods based on the field performance. Also, recommendations are made on how to fabricate the specimens without having much impact on the considered compaction technique. The techniques that have been considered are the vibratory hammer, vibratory table, modified Proctor, gyratory compactor, and special compactors such as California kneading compactor, Marshall hammer, and duplex roller. Based on the present review, future research prospects are outlined to improve the performance of RCCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the leading programs and largest subnational carbon-crediting mechanism in the world, California's Offset Program and carbon market reflect key aspects of polycentric governance, including public and private actors interacting in rule-governed relationships, multifaceted strategies for carbon reductions, multiple jurisdictions, and standards of accountability, legitimacy, and environmental integrity. Participation in California's program, however, remains low particularly among private forest owners who own the majority (56%) of forests in the United States (Butler et al. Family forest ownerships of the United States, 2018: results from the USDA Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey. General Technical Reports NRS-199. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Madison. https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-199). This paper therefore asks: what characteristics encourage or discourage participation in California's program, and which interactions among related situations inform participation and the supply of forest offsets? To address these questions, the analysis adopts the network of action situations approach as a diagnostic tool for understanding interactions among related decisions for forest carbon commoditization under California's system for climate mitigation. The analysis relies on policy documents, offset projects data, semi-structured interviews, and empirical literature. Findings show how technically complex rules designed to protect the environmental integrity of offsets create interdependencies via multiple long-term contracts and increase participation costs relative to uncertain future payoffs. Results also highlight the important role of expert and state actors, and suggest that experimentation with carbon accounting methodologies, issues of scale, and uncertainty are likely to shape the future of forest carbon governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to describe the COVID-19 risk mitigation strategies implemented in California prisons and the impact of these policies on the mental health of incarcerated women. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with ten women who were over the age of 50 and/or had a chronic illness and had been incarcerated in California prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also interviewed ten health-care providers working in California jails or prisons during the pandemic. Interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory coding framework and triangulated with fieldnotes from ethnographic observations of medical and legal advocacy efforts during the pandemic. Findings: Participants described being locked in their cells for 23 hours per day or more, often for days, weeks or even months at a time in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. For many participants, these lockdowns and the resulting isolation from loved ones both inside and outside of the prison were detrimental to both their physical and mental health. Participants reported that access to mental health care for those in the general population was limited prior to the pandemic, and that COVID-19 risk mitigation strategies, including the cessation of group programs and shift to cell-front mental health services, created further barriers. Originality/value: There has been little qualitative research on the mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on incarcerated populations. This paper provides insight into the mental health effects of both the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 risk mitigation strategies for the structurally vulnerable older women incarcerated in California prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]