Search

This study characterized the unobserved patterns in crisis response among youth in the U.S. from March to December 2020 and determined the characteristics of vulnerable subgroups who were at increased risk for suicide due to the pandemic.A latent class analysis of crisis support-seeking from a national text-based crisis platform, (n = 179,497, aged 24 years or younger) for 11 crisis concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety/stress, suicidal thoughts, isolation, abuse, bereavement, relationships) was performed on three study periods: (1) January 2017 to December 2020, (2) prepandemic: 1 January 2017 to 12 March 2020, and (3) pandemic: 13 March to 20 December 2020. Demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity) were used as predictors for class membership using the three-step method.Four latent classes were identified: (1) depression/isolation/self-harm (D/I/S) (18,694 texters, 10.4%), (2) interpersonal stress/mood-anxiety (I/M) (32,640 texters, 18.2%), (3) suicidal thoughts/depressed (S/D) (34,067, 19.0%), and (4) adjustment/stress (A/S) (94,096 texters, 52.4%). During the pandemic, an increase in suicidal thoughts and active rescues occurred in the D/I/S and S/D higher-risk subclasses. Characteristics of vulnerable groups in higher-risk classes since the pandemic included children, LGBTQ, American Indian, White, Black, Asian, female, and gender-nonconforming youth.Results identified a strong association with class membership in more severe risk classes during the pandemic and an increase in suicidal help-seeking, particularly among children and LGBTQ youth. Low-cost and targeted crisis text-based platforms for support-seeking in youth may be one potential safety net strategy to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in youth.

Chapter 1: Mn4O4[O2P(OtBu)2]6 (1), an Mn4O4 “cubane” complex combining the structural inspiration of the Photosystem II Oxygen-Evolving Complex with thermolytic precursor ligands, was synthesized and fully characterized. Core oxygen atoms within complex 1 are transferred upon reaction with an oxygen-atom acceptor (PEt3), to give the butterfly complex Mn4O2[O2P(OtBu)2]6(OPEt3)2. The cubane structure is restored by reaction of the latter complex with the O-atom donor PhIO. Complex 1 was investigated as a precursor to inorganic Mn metaphosphate/pyrophosphate materials, which were studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy to determine the fate of the Mn¬4O4 unit. Under the conditions employed, thermolyses of 1 result in reduction of the manganese to MnII species. Finally, the related butterfly complex Mn4O2[O2P(pin)]6(bpy)2 (pin = pinacolate) is described.Chapter 2: The three tetranuclear manganese complexes described in the previous chapter, while not effective in producing inorganic Mn4O4-containing materials, exhibit magnetic properties highly relevant to understanding the Photosystem II Oxygen-Evolving Complex (PSII OEC). Previous efforts to understand features of the PSII OEC using manganese model complexes are described, including the need for more information on subtle electronic structure-function relationships. Magnetic susceptibility, electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra, and simulations thereof are reported for the three complexes and related to the PSII OEC. In particular, subtle geometric differences between the two butterfly complexes and the magnitude of accompanying spectroscopic changes are related to current proposals on the structure and EPR signals of the PSII OEC’s S2 state.Chapter 3: In pursuit of improved stability, facile electrochemical characterization, and artificial photosynthesis device integration for Mn4O4 and Co4O4 cubane complexes with known or postulated water oxidation activity, efforts to immobilize these complexes on conductive substrates are described. The substrates employed include covalently functionalized glassy carbon, transparent conducting oxides, functionalized carbon nanotubes, and functionalized, conductive polymers prepared by electropolymerization. While anchoring of Mn4O4 or Co4O4 produced modest success under a few conditions, these efforts were largely unsuccessful. Detailed analysis of the possible causes for decomposition or incomplete anchoring of cubane is provided in hopes that it might guide future studies of covalently anchored molecular complexes on electrodes.Chapter 4: A set of coordination polymers or metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that builds on the lessons of the previous chapters and exploits the advantages of Co4O4 cubanes is described. The Co4O4 polymers have favorable properties including stability in basic water and high porosity. The presence of intact Co4O4 units was confirmed by XAS, EPR, and other methods. The extended structure of the polymers was elucidated by diffuse X-ray scattering with pair distribution function analysis. The polymers are electrocatalysts for water oxidation and exhibit molecular-level tunability, demonstrating a powerful method for design of new catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.

Die EU-Tiertransportverordnung (EG) 1/2005 soll nach jahrelanger Kritik und groben Vollzugsmängel überarbeitet werden. Die Diplomarbeit untersucht die Rolle des Tierschutzes in der EU und dessen Stellenwert in den Verträgen. Dabei wird der Weg bis zur aktuellen Verordnung (EG) 1/2005 beleuchtet. Die Problemfelder der Verordnung werden im Lichte des Tierschutzes aufgezeigt und die relevante Rechtsprechung des EuGH erörtert. Schlussendlich wird auf die geplante Revision und die Einsetzung eines Untersuchungsausschusses im EU-Parlament eingegangen. Ethische und tierrechtliche Vorüberlegungen runden das Thema ab. eingereicht von Kurt Roth Universität Linz, Diplomarbeit, 2021

A Survey of Modern English covers a wide selection of aspects of the modern English language. Fully revised and updated, the major focus of the third edition lies in Standard American and British English individually and in comparison with each other. Over and beyond that, this volume treats other Englishes around the world, especially those of the southern hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa as well as numerous varieties spoken in southern, eastern and western Africa, south and southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The main areas of investigation and interest include: pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary; multiple facets of English dialects and sociolects with an emphasis on gender and ethnicity; questions of pragmatics as well as a longer look at English-related pidgin and creole varieties. This authoritative guide is a comprehensive, scholarly, and systematic review of modern English. In one volume, the book presents a description of both the linguistic structure of present-day English and its geographical, social, gender, and ethnic variations. This is complemented with an updated general bibliography and with exercises at the end of each chapter and their suggested solutions at the end of the volume, all intended to provide students and other interested readers with helpful resources.

IMPORTANCE Crisis text lines have proven to be an effective and low-cost means for delivering texting-based mental health support to youth. Yet there has been limited research examining the use of these services in capturing the psychological impact of youth affected by a weather-related disaster. OBJECTIVE This ecologic study examined changes in help-seeking behavior for youth in North and South Carolina, USA, before and after Hurricane Florence (2018). DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOMES A retrospective, interrupted time-series design was used to examine pre- and post-hurricane changes in crisis text volume among youth help seekers in the Carolinas for the following outcomes: (1) text for any reason; (2) stress & anxiety; (3) depression; and (4) suicidal thoughts. RESULTS Results showed an immediate and sustained increase in crisis texts for stress/anxiety and suicidal thoughts in the six weeks following Florence. Overall, an immediate 15% increase in crisis texts for anxiety/stress (SE=.05, p=0.005) and a 17% increase in suicidal thoughts (SE=.07, p=0.02) occurred during the week of the storm. Text volume for anxiety/stress increased 17% (SE=.08, p=0.005) and 23% for suicidal ideation (SE=.08, p=0.01) in the 6-week post-intervention period. Finally, forecast models revealed observed text volume for all mental health outcomes was higher than expected in the 6 weeks post-Florence. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE A low-cost, crisis texting intervention platform provided 24/7 mental health support available to young people in the Carolinas impacted by Hurricane Florence. These findings highlight a new application for text-based crisis support services to address the mental health consequences among individuals following a weather-related disaster.