Earticle

This paper describes the development of an evaluation program designed to efficiently assess the performance of heat exchangers, which are crucial in factories and power plants for heat transfer processes. The program’s efficacy was verified by comparing its results with those from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) TR-101397’s Appendices C and F, as well as with examples from EPRI data. For the uncertainty analysis, both the Colburn and Delaware equations were utilized to accurately reflect the heat transfer characteristics of heat exchangers. The results indicate that the program’s results match closely with those from EPRI TR-101397 for three analyzed cases. In addition, the Delaware equation proved more effective than the Colburn equation in the performance evaluation program for ensuring comprehensive uncertainty analysis. The developed program can provide important information necessary for the safe operation and efficient management of safety-related heat exchangers.

South Korea has the highest suicide rate among young adults in the OECD, reflecting the severe economic hardships faced by this population. This study investigates whether financial support policies targeting young adults can reduce suicide rates. Using geocoded mortality data from Statistics Korea and variations in policy implementation across regions and time, the study employs event-study and panel models to estimate the effects of young adult allowances on suicide rates. Robustness checks, including pre-trend tests and placebo regressions, ensure the validity of the findings. The results reveal a significant reduction in suicide rates among young adults following the implementation of these policies, with stronger effects observed for men than women. These findings align with prior research linking economic hardship to mental health outcomes and highlight the critical role of targeted financial policies in improving well-being. By addressing the underexplored relationship between youth labor policies and health, this study provides new evidence for policymakers seeking to mitigate the causes of youth suicide.

Background and Purpose: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to verify aromatherapy’s effectiveness and safety in reducing anxiety during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. Methods: Relevant electronic databases were searched until February 31, 2024. The search generated 877 articles; 21 were included in the final review. Sixteen of these were meta-analyzed. Aromatherapy reduced maternal anxiety by 1.67. Results: Aromatherapy reduced anxiety by 0.57, 2.12, 1.69, and 0.81 during pregnancy, the active phase of labor, post caesarean section, and postpartum, respectively. Inhalation, massage, and inhalation or massage reduced anxiety by 1.98, 0.97, and 1.35, respectively. Apropos of aroma oils, anxiety was reduced by 6.79, 3.04, 0.54, and 1.35 with neroli, sage, lavender, and essential oil blends, respectively. Conclusion: Aromatherapy is effective for anxiety-relief in pregnant, laboring, and postpartum women. However, there was insufficient evidence on safety, such as side effects or toxic reactions in participants during aromatherapy intervention.

Telework has gained increasing attention due to its potential environmental benefits. However, some scholars argue that these benefits may be limited because telework can lead to an increase in non-work-related travel, offsetting the reduction in traditional commuting trips. This study explores the environmental implications of telework adoption within local government entities in California. By utilizing survey data collected in 2019 from employees of a California local government, this research examines the disparities among teleworkers based on demographic factors such as marital status, education level, and ethnicity, in relation to their perceptions of telework’s environmental impact. The findings underscore the necessity of tailoring telework policies to accommodate diverse employee demographics in order to maximize environmental benefits. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of considering behavioral changes and regional factors that may influence the overall effectiveness of telework programs in achieving sustainability goals. This research contributes valuable insights to policy makers and organizations looking to optimize telework strategies for environmental impact.

Urban water supply systems are essential for public health, economic stability, and daily life, particularly in earthquake-prone regions like Japan. The Osaka Municipal Waterworks Bureau (OWMB) developed a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure rapid response and continuity of water services following major seismic events. This paper describes the BCP’s framework, emphasizing risk assessment, prioritization of critical activities, and resource allocation guided by the Incident Command System (ICS) and Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). Key components include structured resource reallocation, enhanced disaster response protocols, and regular training programs to build a resilient organizational culture. The effectiveness of BCP was recognized once again during the process of checking the initial response facing to the first alert for Nankai Trough megaquake in August 2024. These findings support a strategic approach to strengthening disaster preparedness and operational resilience in urban water infrastructure.

This study was conducted with the aim of increasing the applicability of the Disaster Resource Integrated Management Center, planned under the leadership of the central government, to ensure its efficient operation at the local government level in South Korea. The analysis confirmed that perceived ease of use significantly impacts perceived usefulness, supporting the theoretical framework of TAM. Moreover, both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were found to influence behavioral intention to use the system. Notably, perceived ease of use emerged as a more crucial factor in determining behavioral intention than perceived usefulness. This suggests that the applicability of TAM may have limitations depending on the user group, policy-makers, or both. So, to effectively utilize the Disaster Resource Integrated Management Center, local governments should focus not only on the advantages and efficiency of the technology but also on improving the ease of use for public officials, who are the end users of the system. This is crucial for enhancing its operational success.