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This report describes what computational modeling reveals about the human body's immediate responses to blast trauma. Specifically, this literature review aims to (1) provide the state of the science of multiscale computational modeling of the human body's responses to blast-related trauma, including both descriptions of models used or developed and research findings, and (2) identify future opportunities to strengthen the current research on understanding the human body's responses to blast-related trauma particularly across multiple scales. This review is meant to serve as a roadmap to inform additional computational and experimental research investigating the human body's responses to blast-related trauma. The most-valuable investigations will require an understanding of the interactions among cells, organs, and systems and how these interactions change in response to blast exposure over time. Continued computational modeling of the human body's responses to blast exposure could better support service members, leading to improved personal protective equipment to reduce injury severity and improved care for those injured.

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This report presents the findings of a quick-turn study conducted between February 2021 and May 2021. During this time frame, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had resulted in 83 million confirmed infections and more than 1.8 million deaths worldwide. In the Middle East, there were close to 21 million cases reported and 336,000 COVID-19 deaths. Many countries in the Middle East struggled with health care capacity and access prior to the pandemic, and this crisis has placed significant additional strain on health care delivery in the region. Evaluating strategies used by health care systems and public health and policies implemented by governments in the Middle East during the ongoing pandemic is critical to understanding and disseminating successful approaches to meeting the health care demands of populations in the region. This report outlines the results of an exploratory analysis of five Middle East countries - Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and Tunisia. Drawing from a literature review and qualitative data collected from focus groups and one-on-one interviews conducted between March 2021 and May 2021, the authors identify common challenges regarding COVID-19 faced by the countries studied, highlight successes and innovations in addressing these challenges, and recommend strategies for strengthening internal infrastructure and regional cooperation between countries. This work should be of interest to regional and international stakeholders as they continue to combat the pandemic, and its findings could inform future research around pandemic response.

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Social media can enhance situational awareness in response operations, but using social media this way poses challenges. The aim of this project was to contribute to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission to ensure resilience to disasters by helping DHS understand whether and how social media might be better leveraged for such situational awareness. The primary focus of this research was on U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) response operations. Using several types of analyses, the researchers found that, for decades, the USCG and other boaters have relied on communication channels (e.g., Rescue 21) that are intended specifically for maritime safety. As a result, these channels provide specific information that can be used to locate mariners in distress. Yet the authors also found that a significant proportion of distress calls now come to the USCG through other means, such as cell phones and, indirectly, from 911 calls. This raises concerns about potential hindrances to the USCG's search-and-rescue (SAR) mission, including lack of location information, uncertainty about overwater cell coverage, and lack of organizational capacity to collect and analyze social media information. With these findings, the authors recommend that DHS develop policies and procedures to facilitate sharing cell phone distress location data with the USCG, that the USCG work to ensure that an organization—itself or another—assumes responsibility for understanding cell coverage over water, and that the USCG identify other missions for which social media information could help increase maritime safety and security and enhance environmental protection and response operations.

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Burns, a leading cause of fatality among military service members, are one of the most difficult injuries for which to care. Additionally, blast-related burn injuries are associated with infection, disability, mental illness, discharge from the military, and mortality. To identify areas that are understudied, RAND researchers conducted a comprehensive literature review and synthesis of the evidence surrounding blast-related burn injury. The authors found sufficient information regarding treatment; however, there remains a need for additional research concerning prevention of blast-related burn injury. They also observed a lack of studies addressing prolonged field care for burns. Because U.S. military forces have expanded their scope and mission into more remote and rugged terrain, it is not always possible to immediately evacuate injured soldiers—and personnel exposed to burn injuries are at heightened risk of infection and complications. In this type of situation, burn injuries might need to be treated and managed in the field for an extended period of time. Therefore, strategic thinking and specific planning are necessary to develop, practice, and refine potential strategies to care for burns in prolonged field settings.