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The global community, with coordination from the United Nations, is energized to pursue the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a list of 17 important aspirations that summarize the key challenges of our era. The SDGs apply to every nation and represent an international effort to eliminate extreme poverty, ensure access to safe drinking water, strengthen food security, and produce clean and reliable energy, among other pursuits. Space technology is already being used around the world to advance progress toward the SDGs and monitor their related Indicators. This paper explores how six technologies related to space—satellite Earth observation, satellite communication, satellite navigation and positioning, human spaceflight and microgravity research, space technology transfer, and basic scientific research—are being used to realize the vision that the SDGs represent. The paper also discusses the obstacles that limit the application of these technologies for the SDGs and provides an overview of potential paths to overcome these barriers. The paper finally studies the historical and potential roles that four distinct types of entities involved in global sustainable development—governments, non- and inter-governmental organizations, entrepreneurial companies, and universities— have played or may play in the application of space technologies towards the SDGs. • Six space technology areas are shown to support the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. • Examples of space projects that support the SDGs are found in many sectors. • New designs for technology are needed to improve effectiveness of space applications for the SDGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems engineering tools and methodologies are increasingly being used in urban planning and sustainable development applications. Such tools were previously extensively used for urban planning during the 1960s and 1970s in the United States, only to result in high profile failures and pushback from urban planners, politicians, and the public. In order to better understand why this occurred, what has changed, and how we can avoid such failures moving forward, this study conducts a systematic review and an integrative review of the systems engineering and critical literature. These reviews are used to identify eight common pitfalls and organize them into key themes. Technological and methodological developments that may address each of these pitfalls are considered and recommendations are made for future applications of systems engineering to planning contexts. Finally, examples are provided of systems engineering being used productively in a way consistent with these recommendations for sustainable development applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been increasing interest in the spatial mapping of various perceptual and cognitive magnitudes, such as expanding the spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect into domains outside of numerical cognition. Recently, De Tommaso and Prpic (Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 82, 2765–2773, 2020) reported in this journal that only fast tempos over 104 beats per minute have spatial associations, with more right-sided associations and faster responses for faster tempos. After discussing the role of perceived loudness and possible response strategies, we propose and recommend methodological improvements for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing the process of writing "The House on Legs," a novel in progress featuring a Baba Yaga-inspired protagonist living in the Tasmanian bush, this essay reflects on the production of new writing through a combination of creative exploration and engagement with critical discourse. It explores the contemporary political sensitivities surrounding the installation of an ancient European fairy-tale character in a postcolonial Tasmanian/Australian context and argues that hybridized and multicultural retellings of fairy tales may provide a way to move beyond the apparently entrenched limitation of the use of fairy tales in Australian literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution is an extract from a longer work of fiction in which the Slavic witch/crone Baba Yaga is transported into a Tasmanian bush setting and into the literary tradition of the Tasmanian Gothic. The work focuses on Baba Yaga's signature quality of ambiguity and demonstrates—through practice—the creative potential of placing a contemporary version of the fairy-tale character in relationship with the marsupial carnivore, the Tasmanian devil. Like Baba Yaga, the Tasmanian devil—demonized for much of the colonized history of Tasmania but increasingly employed as an animal mascot for its island home—has been the subject of widely variant representations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, both the Commonwealth and state governments are running substantial budget deficits, and future challenges are likely to make these problems worse. This paper presents the key challenges facing these budgets. Falling terms of trade and lower nominal economic growth will drag on government revenues. Spending in health and infrastructure has grown faster than GDP. State government revenues are also affected by Commonwealth decisions to reduce grants to them. We also show how the government's short-term and medium-term projections rely on overly-optimistic assumptions about organic revenue growth and spending restraint. As such, a drift back to surplus is unlikely and restoring budget sustainability will require Australian governments to make more politically difficult decisions. While containing spending is important, both the politics of budget repair and the sheer size of the budget gap means that they will not be able to bring their budgets to balance without also boosting revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria and other vector borne diseases claim lives and cause illness, especially in less developed countries. Although well understood methods, such as spraying and insecticidal nets, are identified as effective deterrents to malaria transmission by mosquitoes, the nations that have the greatest burden from the disease also struggle to deploy such measures sufficiently. More targeted and up to date information is needed to identify which regions of malaria-endemic countries are most likely to be at risk of malaria in the near future. This will allow national governments, local officials and public health workers to deploy protective equipment and personnel where they are most needed. This paper explores the role of environmental data generated via satellite remote sensing as an ingredient to a Malaria Early Warning System. Data from remote sensing satellites can cover broad geographical areas frequently and consistently. Much of the relevant data may be accessed by malaria-endemic countries at minimal cost via international data sharing polices. While previous research studies have demonstrated the potential to assign malaria risk to a geographic region based on indicators from satellites and other sources, there is still a need to deploy such tools in a broader and more operational manner to inform decision making on malaria management. This paper describes current research on the use of satellite-based environmental data to predict malaria risk and examines the barriers and opportunities for implementing Malaria Early Warning Systems enabled by satellite remote sensing. A Systems Architecture Framework analyses the components of a Malaria Early Warning System and highlights the need for effective coordination across public and private sector organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Global participation in space activity is growing as satellite technology matures and spreads. Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are creating or reinvigorating national satellite programs. These countries are building local capability in space through technological learning. This paper analyzes implementation approaches in small satellite programs within developing countries. The study addresses diverse examples of approaches used to master, adapt, diffuse and apply satellite technology in emerging countries. The work focuses on government programs that represent the nation and deliver services that provide public goods such as environmental monitoring. An original framework developed by the authors examines implementation approaches and contextual factors using the concept of Systems Architecture. The Systems Architecture analysis defines the satellite programs as systems within a context which execute functions via forms in order to achieve stakeholder objectives. These Systems Architecture definitions are applied to case studies of six satellite projects executed by countries in Africa and Asia. The architectural models used by these countries in various projects reveal patterns in the areas of training, technical specifications and partnership style. Based on these patterns, three Archetypal Project Architectures are defined which link the contextual factors to the implementation approaches. The three Archetypal Project Architectures lead to distinct opportunities for training, capability building and end user services. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Baseline values vs post-intervention showed methadone was prescribed to 41% vs 48% of children with an average methadone exposure of 25 vs 19 days, and 16% vs 14% of children were discharged home on methadone. B Methods: b The OBJECTIVE was to implement sedation titration and weaning guidelines in infant patients (0-12 months) undergoing cardiac surgery. B Introduction: b Children undergoing cardiac surgery are exposed to peri-operative and post-operative sedation with the consequent side effects of withdrawal, constipation, delirium, respiratory depression and neurological effects. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: Countries on every continent are making new or renewed commitments to domestic satellite programs. These programs have the potential to address national needs by enhancing access to information, improving infrastructure and providing inspiration to the public. How do countries without local expertise in space technology begin a new satellite program? What is the role of international collaboration in supporting the efforts of a new space fairing country? This paper explores such questions by highlighting outputs from intensive field work in Africa and Asia. Specifically, the study explores case studies of early space activity in these countries to search for lessons about the management of a young space program. The observations from field work are compared to ideas from scholarly literature on technological learning. The findings are organized using principles from systems architecture. The paper presents a model that captures many of the influences and strategic decision areas for a collaborative satellite development project. The paper also highlights the growth of capability among African countries in the area of satellite technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Space technology and resources are used around the world to address societal challenges. Space provides valuable satellite services, unique scientific discoveries, surprising technology applications and new economic opportunities. Many developing countries formally recognize the advantages of space resources and pursue national level activity to harness them. There is limited data or documentation on the space activities of developing countries. Meanwhile, traditional approaches to summarize national space activity do not necessarily capture the types of activity that developing countries pursue in space. This is especially true if they do not have a formal national space program or office. Developing countries pursue national space activity through activities of many types—from national satellite programs to commercial use of satellite services to involvement with international space institutions. This research aims to understand and analyze these trends. This paper introduces two analytical frameworks for evaluating space activity at the national level. The frameworks are specifically designed to capture the activity of countries that have traditionally been less involved in space. They take a broad view of space related activity across multiple societal sectors and disciplines. The discussion explains the approach for using the frameworks as well as illustrative examples of how they can be applied as part of a research process. The first framework is called the Mission and Management Ladders. This framework considers specific space projects within countries and ranks them on “Ladders” that measure technical challenge and managerial autonomy. This first method is at a micro level of analysis. The second framework is called the Space Participation Metric (SPM). The SPM can be used to assign a Space Participation score to countries based on their involvement in various space related activities. This second method uses a macro level of analysis. The authors developed both frameworks as part of a long term research program about the space activities of developing countries. This aspect of the research focuses on harnessing multiple techniques to summarize complex, multi-disciplinary information about global space activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyzes the historical paths of eight countries – from Africa, Asia and Latin America – as they have pursued technological capability in the area of space technology. The analysis is unfolded in three stages. The first stage introduces a framework called the Space Technology Ladder. This Ladder framework posits a path through four major technology categories, as follows: 1) establishing a national space agency; 2) owning and operating a satellite in low Earth orbit; 3) owning and operating a satellite in geostationary orbit; and 4) launching satellites. The second stage of the analysis uses data to create a graphical timeline, by mapping the historical achievements of the eight countries onto the Ladder framework. The results provide information about the similarities and differences in the technology strategies of the various countries. The third stage is a discussion of the strategic decisions faced by the countries under study. Exploring their diverse strategies is an initial step toward developing prescriptive theory to inform developing country space programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper explores the process of building technological capability in government-led satellite programs within developing countries. The key message is that these satellite programs can learn useful lessons from literature in the international development community. These lessons are relevant to emerging satellite programs that leverage international partnerships in order to establish local capability to design, build and operate satellites. Countries with such programs include Algeria, Nigeria, Turkey, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. The paper first provides background knowledge about space activity in developing countries, and then explores the nuances of the lessons coming from the international development literature. Developing countries are concerned with satellite technology because satellites provide useful services in the areas of earth observation, communication, navigation and science. Most developing countries access satellite services through indirect means such as sharing data with foreign organizations. More countries, however, are seeking opportunities to develop satellite technology locally. There are objective, technically driven motivations for developing countries to invest in satellite technology, despite rich debate on this topic. The paper provides a framework to understand technical motivations for investment in satellite services, hardware, expertise and infrastructure in both short and long term. If a country decides to pursue such investments they face a common set of strategic decisions at the levels of their satellite program, their national context and their international relationships. Analysis of past projects shows that countries have chosen diverse strategies to address these strategic decisions and grow in technological capability. What is similar about the historical examples is that many countries choose to leverage international partnerships as part of their growth process. There are also historical examples from outside the space arena in which organizations have pursued technological capability. Scholars have analyzed these examples and developed insightful frameworks. The paper draws key concepts from this literature about the nature of development, technology, knowledge and organizational learning. These concepts are relevant to learning in new satellite programs, but the ideas must be applied cautiously because of the nature of satellite technology. The paper draws three major lessons from the international development literature regarding absorptive capacity, tacit knowledge and organizational learning; it synthesizes these lessons into a cohesive, original framework. The closing section proposes future work on a detailed study of technological learning in specific government satellite programs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article outlines issues of planning and adaptation for watershed management programs by overlapping three broad bodies of literature: a) social psychology; b) performance management; and c) watershed planning and management. Our specific interest lies within the intersection areas: (ac) individual and socio-economic influences on the adoption of conservation practices; (ab) data utilization by managers; (bc) evaluation and performance measurement of watershed projects; and (abc) learning and adaptation in watershed planning and management. Literature within these intersections suggests several implications: values and individual perceptions are an important basis for environmental decision making; intermediate metrics are needed; metrics can be misleading; data are created but not used; and performance management and evaluation are conflated. More research is needed on adaptive capacity and effectiveness for non-regulatory approaches to environmental management. Research and practice would benefit by recognizing behavior change and environmental change as two discreet areas of learning and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescription drug diversion has significant health, legal and social implications. Deaths from misuse of prescription drugs account for a significant proportion of overdose deaths. The drugs most commonly involved are analgesics, particularly opioids, and psychoactive drugs, particularly benzodiazepines. Diverted drugs are most often sourced from a family member or friend, but are also sourced from overseas pharmacies or laboratories, or bought from drug dealers. Drug diversion can be mitigated by good prescribing practices. Systems for monitoring the prescribing and dispensing of medicines are being instituted across Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The narrator of Christopher Koch's 1958 novel The Boys in the Island claims for Tasmania "a different soul", distinct from that of the Australian mainland to the north, in the same breath in which he claims for the island "a different weather". Observations of the distinctiveness of island geography and weather - and of the quality of the light - are recurrent in narratives set not only in Tasmania, but also on those islands to which Tasmania itself acts as a 'mainland'. This paper surveys a range of texts, including Koch's The Boys in the Island, Joanna Murray-Smith's Truce, and my own The Alphabet of Light and Dark, in which a Tasmanian island functions both as a setting for the protagonist's idealized childhood and as a metaphor for the protagonist's "true self". It explores the representation of islands in these texts, examining how a specific tradition of writing about Tasmania intersects with a broader tradition of writing about islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poem "Relinquish" by Danielle Wood is presented. First Line: it is five minutes or less since I was you, pushing away from land in; Last Line: I turn to the house on the hill.

Local decisionmakers managing forests for sequestering carbon and mitigating disturbance face increasing pressures from climate change, while needing to derive revenue from forests resources and balance diverse stakeholder concerns. Decision support systems (DSS) that use freely available satellite data are effective tools for forest management decision-making, due to the broad spatial coverage and temporal consistency of this data. However, the literature demonstrates that many DSS developed by researchers incorporating satellite data are often not utilized by decision makers. This is in part due to a lack of stakeholder engagement in DSS development. Here, we employ an intentional stakeholder engagement process to develop an accessible DSS incorporating satellite data. This process is applied with the Yurok Tribe – an Indigenous community in California – towards the goal of managing forests for carbon sequestration. We use system architecture framework (SAF) to translate stakeholder objectives into targeted analyses and the environment-vulnerability-decision-technology (EVDT) integrated modeling framework to incorporate contextual local infrastructure and land ownership information alongside satellite data analyses. Satellite data analyses classify tree cover and track Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) over time. We compare and show that trends in our analysis agree with independent global tree cover and biomass datasets. These analyses meet the Tribe's objective for tracking forest trends in Yurok carbon sequestration projects, while also detecting undesirable conifer encroachment on culturally-important prairies traditionally managed as open landscapes. Additionally, integration of community infrastructure data alongside satellite-derived drought, forest fire, and smoke density information via EVDT meets another Yurok Tribe objective of identifying negatively impacted Tribal areas for aid allocation. User feedback sessions with participating Yurok Tribe employees assess the prototype DSS and show 80% of users providing high ratings (≥75%) for information accuracy, relevancy, and sufficiency, demonstrating that our DSS development process overcomes previous gaps to DSS use and satellite data accessibility to augment Yurok Tribe forest management decision making. • System architecture translates stakeholder objectives into targeted datasets and analyses. • Satellite data elucidates contrasting canopy and biomass trends based on forest management. • Integrated satellite and local data augments carbon project management and aid allocation. • Feedback sessions show information relevancy, sufficiency, and accessibility for local users. • Design process produces a software system that augments the Yurok Tribe's forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Article Impact Statement: We address solutions to current challenges in crowdsensing and provide a replicable framework for future groundwater monitoring studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed an improved dust soiling model and validated it against published data. • Satellite-derived input PM data performed slightly better than reanalysis only. • Dry-season soiling losses can be more than 50% near the Sahara Desert. • In Bamako, Mali, 21 cleanings per year are required to keep soiling losses below 1% • Total PV panel cleaning costs in SSA could rise to $1Bn (USD) annually by 2030. West Africa's proximity to the Sahara Desert can cause photovoltaic (PV) systems to experience significant power generation reductions when particulates settle onto solar panel surfaces in a phenomenon known as soiling. Previous studies have created models to estimate PV soiling globally, but these models have several limitations in the region due to the accuracy of the input particular matter (PM) concentration values, the accuracy of methods for computing power loss, and the regional use of decentralized solar systems. Here we develop and apply a methodology for the development of a soiling estimation model based on the Coello framework, and evaluate it when using input PM concentration values from both a reanalysis dataset (MERRA-2) and a dataset derived from satellite-observations (WUSTL). This model reduces error in soiling-related power loss estimates by approximately 50% when compared to the unadjusted Coello approach. Using this model, we find soiling losses can exceed 50% in the most greatly affected locations during the Harmattan season and these power losses can vary considerably each year (between 26 and 53% in Niamey, Niger). To support PV system design, we develop a function that relates maximum soiling losses to annual cleaning frequencies in major cities. Finally, we find if decentralized solar is used to meet electricity access goals as projected, PV cleaning costs could sum up to $1Bn (USD) annually in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of national data on water-related ecosystems is a major challenge to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 targets by 2030. Monitoring surface water extent, wetlands, and water quality from space can be an important asset for many countries in support of SDG 6 reporting. We demonstrate the potential for Earth observation (EO) data to support country reporting for SDG Indicator 6.6.1, 'Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time' and identify important considerations for countries using these data for SDG reporting. The spatial extent of water-related ecosystems, and the partial quality of water within these ecosystems is investigated for seven countries. Data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat 5, 7, and 8 with Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) are used to measure surface water extent at 250 m and 30 m spatial resolution, respectively, in Cambodia, Jamaica, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia. The extent of mangroves is mapped at 30 m spatial resolution using Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), Sentinel-1, and SRTM data for Jamaica, Peru, and Senegal. Using Landsat 8 and Sentinel 2A imagery, total suspended solids and chlorophyll-a are mapped over time for a select number of large surface water bodies in Peru, Senegal, and Zambia. All of the EO datasets used are of global coverage and publicly available at no cost. The temporal consistency and long time-series of many of the datasets enable replicability over time, making reporting of change from baseline values consistent and systematic. We find that statistical comparisons between different surface water data products can help provide some degree of confidence for countries during their validation process and highlight the need for accuracy assessments when using EO-based land change data for SDG reporting. We also raise concern that EO data in the context of SDG Indicator 6.6.1 reporting may be more challenging for some countries, such as small island nations, than others to use in assessing the extent of water-related ecosystems due to scale limitations and climate variability. Country-driven validation of the EO data products remains a priority to ensure successful data integration in support of SDG Indicator 6.6.1 reporting. Multi-country studies such as this one can be valuable tools for helping to guide the evolution of SDG monitoring methodologies and provide a useful resource for countries reporting on water-related ecosystems. The EO data analyses and statistical methods used in this study can be easily replicated for country-driven validation of EO data products in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]