Sampling Area Research Articles

Approaches for the measurement of lateral dimensions of graphene oxide flakes using scanning electron microscopy

Abstract There is a practical need, especially from the industrial community, to accurately measure the size and shape of graphene oxide (GO) flakes of commercial origin, in a reliable, simple, and unambiguous way. The sample preparation is a decisive step to obtain a homogeneous distribution of flakes on a substrate, which is suitable for image analysis. A certain level of inhomogeneity was still found but could be accepted for the purpose of this lateral size measurement study. A measurement procedure for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) including sample preparation, measurement, image analysis and reporting was developed and validated to be applied for the lateral size analysis of “real-world” 2D flakes. Samples were produced for analysis by drop casting GO dispersions onto Si/SiO2 substrates. After SEM imaging, the images were analysed using two approaches to derive size and shape parameters. The influence of different operators has been evaluated. A maximum difference of 10% for the size descriptor and 2% for shape descriptor was found for both image analysis approaches when different samples of the same source material are measured and analysed by the same operator, hence indicating variability caused by sample preparation and analysing different sample areas. When different laboratories/operators perform the image analysis on exactly the same images and same flakes, the deviation found for the size descriptor is 2% and 4.6% corresponding to the two approaches applied, while no difference in the shape descriptor is observed.

Evaluation of Conservation Problems in Historical City Centers Within the Scope of Street Sanitization Works

Objective: Historic city centers constitute the unique value system of the society by containing the cultural heritage and knowledge of the past. However, changing living conditions in the process cause the maintenance and repair of these urban textures to be neglected, causing them to wear out and wear out. Although there is no clear road map for the conservation of historical buildings today, street sanitization works are frequently preferred because they have a fast implementation practice. This method, which is seen as an important step in creating conservation awareness in historical areas, is not effective in solving the problems permanently because it is a superficial application. In this context, the aim of the study is to examine the street rehabilitation works carried out within the scope of conservation projects in the historical city center. Theoretical Framework: The Tepebağ-Kayalıbağ neighborhood, which constitutes the historical city center of Adana, which is on the agenda with its conservation problems and is frequently discussed with critical readings with the street sanitization works, was selected as the sample area. Method: Within the scope of the study, Lawyer Turhan Arın, 26005 and 26012 street sanitization projects developed to find solutions to the problems in the region were examined in detail. Results and Discussion: In line with the analysis; it has been determined that street sanitization-oriented improvements in Tepebağ and Kayalıbağ Neighborhoods alone are not sufficient to ensure sustainable conservation. Originality/Value: From this point of view, socio-economic, legal-administrative and physical assessments specific to Tepebağ and Kayalıbağ Neighborhoods have been made to solve the problems in the region and measures have been developed.

Novel relatives of Mecsek Mountains mammarenavirus (family Arenaviridae) in hedgehogs living in different sampling areas in Hungary

Mammarenaviruses (genus Mammarenavirus, family Arenaviridae) are rodent-borne zoonotic viruses consisting of 52 viral species, including ten that are pathogenic to humans. Currently, only two endemic mammarenavirus species are known in Europe: the human pathogenic Mammarenavirus choriomeningitidis (LCMV) and the recently discovered hedgehog-origin Mammarenavirus mecsekense (MEMV). In this study, 59 faecal specimens from Northern white-breasted hedgehogs (Erinaceus roumanicus) from different geographic regions in Hungary were investigated for mammarenavirus presence and complete genome characterization using newly designed screening primers by RT-semi-nested PCR and sequencing methods. Five (8.5%) of the 59 samples tested positive for mammarenavirus RNA (ER8, ER15, ER27, ER33, and ER39, GenBank accession numbers PQ441959-PQ441968). The L- and S-segments of these strains showed 66–93% and 73–92% nt identity to the closest known mammarenavirus, MEMV, respectively. The NP protein exhibited 86–97% aa sequence identity compared to the corresponding protein of MEMV. Notably, the S-segment intergenic region (S-IGR) of strains ER8, ER15, ER27 and ER33 exceeded the average nt length among known mammarenaviruses and contained two, highly similar stem-loop structures with conserved self-complementary nucleotide motifs. Based on the sequence- and phylogenetic analysis these strains (ER8, ER15, ER27 and ER33) potentially represent a novel mammarenavirus species, tentatively named Pannonia mammarenavirus (PANV).

Biodiversity and ethnobotanical significance of vascular plants in the ecological trail and reservation site of indigenous trees (ECOTRIS), Ifugao Province, Philippines

This study examines the macrofloral diversity and ethnobotanical significance of the Ecological Trail and Reservation Site of Indigenous Trees (ECOTRIS) in Ifugao Province, Philippines. The site is compartmentalized into four distinct land-use areas: an arboretum of native trees, a bamboo plantation, a fern grove, and a grassland with patches of trees. Biodiversity assessments were conducted across three plots established near the water tributaries, revealing the highest diversity index in the midstream plot, attributed to its dense canopy structure. Biodiversity indices using the Shannon index showed that the sampling plot near the stream had the highest value (3.02). In contrast, sampling sites near the marginal land and bamboo plantation had values of 2.56 and 2.78, respectively. Similarity indices indicated that Plot 1 had the highest similarity attributed to the high presence of pioneering species dominating the canopy, while Plot 3 exhibited lower species. Species Importance Value (SIV) analysis highlighted the pioneering species, particularly Melanolepis multiglandulosa Merr. dominated the sampling area. The study documented 22 edible plant species and 35 ethnobotanically significant trees, underscoring local floras’ cultural and medicinal value. This research emphasizes the ecological and cultural importance of preserving indigenous species and highlights the need for sustainable management practices to mitigate human-induced disturbances in the region. The findings underscore the potential of ECOTRIS as a field gene bank, advocating for sustainable management and the integration of indigenous conservation practices to enhance its ecological value and heritage.

Sexual Mosaicism and Teratogenesis in Simulium guianense s.l. and S. incrustatum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae), Onchocerciasis vectors, from Environmentally Impacted Areas in the Yanomami Indigenous Land, Brazil.

Sexual mosaics in Simuliidae members have been detected at low frequencies in various locations worldwide. These phenotypic expressions are expected in very small amounts in any natural insect population and may result from inherent individual formation factors, such as hormonal or external elements, i.e., environmental pollution and parasitism, both of which can disrupt sexual differentiation development processes. This study assessed a Simuliidae collection sampled as a result of the Brazilian focus on endemic onchocerciasis in the Yanomami Indigenous Land in 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2021. Some specimens exhibited morphological alterations comprising sexual mosaic and teratogenicity phenotypes. In total, three Simulium guianense Wise, 1911s.l. and three S. incrustatum Lutz, 1910s.l. specimens presenting significant sexual anomalies were observed, two of which were teratogenic. No specimens were found parasitized by nematodes. A detailed morphological description of each specimen is provided. This study suggests the importance of assessing and monitoring the environmental toxicity of the sampling area and potential associations between anomalous specimens and environmental pollution by mercury, as all specimens were found in mining-impacted areas. This is the first record of sexual mosaic and teratogeny in Simuliidae specimens from Brazil.

Particulate matter concentrations and health risks associated with cow hides singeing in Abattoirs in Benin City, Nigeria

Introduction: The singeing of animals is one of the major sources of human exposure to air pollutants in abattoirs especially in developing countries and it can cause various adverse health effects among the workers. This study assessed the concentrations of particulate matter in selected abattoirs and examined the associated health risks among the workers in Benin City, Nigeria. Materials and methods: Measurements of Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were performed in three areas in the abattoirs for three months, and the noncarcinogenic risks of exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 were determined via Hazard-Quotients (HQs) and Hazard Indices (HIs). The occurrence and relationship between the reported risk factors and health effects among abattoir workers were also examined using the modified American Thoracic Standard (ATS) respiratory symptoms questionnaire. Results: The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 in the hide roasting areas were significantly higher (p>0.05) than those at other sampling points across the abattoirs. The indoor and outdoor ratio (I/O) of the particulates was greater than 1.0 in almost all the abattoirs. The concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were higher than the permissible air quality standards. The HQ values exceeded 1.0 in all the sampling areas, implying that exposure to particulate concentrations could result in adverse health effects in abattoirs. The chi-square test revealed significant associations between reported risk factors such as: age, work experience, duration of exposure, and use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and health effects (dry cough, eye irritation, asthma, difficulty breathing, sore throat, and chest pain) among abattoir workers. Conclusion: This study revealed that hide roasting at abattoirs results in poor air quality in the abattoir environment and contributes to adverse health effects among workers.

Calibration of optical particle spectrometers using mounted fibres

Abstract. Calibrations of optical particle spectrometers (OPSs) are non-trivial and conventionally involve aerosolisation techniques, which are challenging for larger particles. In this paper, we present a new technique for OPS calibration that involves mounting a static fibre within the instrument sample area, measuring the scattering cross section (SCS), and then comparing the SCS with a calculated value. In addition, we present a case for the use of generalised Lorenz–Mie theory (GLMT) simulations to account for deviations in both minor- and major-axis beam intensity, which has a significant effect on particles that are large compared with the beam waist, in addition to reducing the need for a “top-hat” spatial intensity profile. The described technique is OPS independent and could be applied to a field calibration tool that could be used to verify the calibration of instruments before they are deployed. In addition to this, the proposed calibration technique would be suited for applications involving the mass production of low-cost OPSs.

In Situ Classification of Original Rocks by Portable Multi-Directional Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Device

In situ rapid classification of rock lithology is crucial in various fields, including geological exploration and petroleum logging. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is particularly well-suited for in situ online analysis due to its rapid response time and minimal sample preparation requirements. To facilitate in situ raw rock discrimination analysis, a portable LIBS device was developed specifically for outdoor use. This device built upon a previous multi-directional optimization scheme and integrated machine learning to classify seven types of original rock samples: mudstone, basalt, dolomite, sandstone, conglomerate, gypsolyte, and shale from oil logging sites. Initially, spectral data were collected from random areas of each rock sample, and a series of pre-processing steps and data dimensionality reduction were performed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the LIBS device. Subsequently, four classification algorithms—linear discriminant analysis (LDA), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)—were employed for classification discrimination. The results were evaluated using a confusion matrix. The final average classification accuracies achieved were 95.71%, 93.57%, 92.14%, and 98.57%, respectively. This work not only demonstrates the effectiveness of the portable LIBS device in classifying various original rock types, but it also highlights the potential of the XGBoost algorithm in improving LIBS analytical performance in field scenarios and geological applications, such as oil logging sites.

Development of a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Measurement System to Identify Placebo Phenomenon in Emission Areas

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can be used as a biomarker of placebo phenomenon, such as stress, panic disorder, health conditions, and many others. VOCs from the exhaled breath have different concentration levels that are also related to many health diseases. However, the use of VOCs as biomarkers in exhaled breath are very limited. Hence, this study aims to develop a novel e-nose (electric nose) system based on a VOC measurement system to identify placebo phenomenon in emission areas. For this purpose, a digital semiconductor VOC sensor and a microcontroller were used to detect VOC level. The developed system was tested inside a chamber for the initial calibration and comparation steps using fresh air and a comparator device. After calibration, the system was used to measure the VOC concentrations of 20 exhaled breath samples in the emission sampling areas (control and emission sources). In other sides, the VOC levels surrounding the emission areas were also measured using the comparator device. The placebo levels (PLS) of the exhaled breath samples were divided into PLS(-) or placebo negative and PLS(+) or placebo positive related to the placebo conditions. The sampling areas were divided into indoor and outdoor areas to identify the different placebo percentages and the dependence related to the emission levels. The results show that the emission levels of the emission sources are about 504-528 ppb, meanwhile, the control area (clean area) has <10 ppb of VOC levels. A higher VOC concentration, a higher PLS(+) percentage. The exhaled breath of PLS(+) samples contain >78 ppb of VOC levels, while PLS(-) samples has < 78 ppb of VOC levels (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that VOC concentrations in the emission sources has a potential to influence the placebo quantification in human psycological health. The developed e-nose system can be used to identify VOC levels as a biomarker of a placebo phenomenon.

Technological assessment of trihalomethanes in drinking water supplying the city of Sidi Bel Abbes (western Algeria)

Trihalomethanes are a group of chemical compounds that can contaminate drinking water. THMs are formed when the chlorine used to disinfect the water reacts with the natural organic matter present in the water. Mainly, their formation depends on pH, free residual chlorine, water temperature, and the concentration of natural organic matter.The objective of this work is to determine the impact of certain physicochemical parameters on the formation of trihalomethanes in the drinking water supplying the city of Sidi Bel Abbes.Physicochemical analyses of drinking water from three distribution networks supplying the city of Sidi Bel Abbes revealed that the pH values are around 7 and the temperature does not exceed 20°C. The analysis of organic matter in the collected samples shows variable results between areas, with organic matter concentrations in area 1 being slightly higher than those in area 2. The average concentrations of organic matter recorded in area 3 are lower compared to those in the other two sampling areas. Our results show that the free residual chlorine in the network directly contributes to the formation of disinfection by-products. This study aims to enhance knowledge of the spatio-temporal formation of trihalomethanes in drinking water distribution reservoirs.

Expectations of the older people from housing in the context of aging in place: the case of Afyonkarahisar City (Türkiye)

Many countries around the world are witnessing a period of significant demographic changes. As a developing country, Türkiye is also experiencing a rapid aging and urbanization process. Changes in Türkiye’s population structure have caused the country’s population to face the phenomenon of aging. According to the United Nations (UN), the ratio of the population aged 65 and over to the total population worldwide has increased from 6% in 1990 to 9.8% in 2022. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data, while the older population rate in Türkiye is 9.9% in 2022, the older population rate in Afyonkarahisar is 11.8%. This study aims to determine the expectations of individuals aged 65 and over regarding their housing in Afyonkarahisar city center from the perspective of aging in place. It is also one of the few studies that examine the relationship of individuals with the environment and space in the context of urban aging and aging in place. Various hypotheses were formed for the research. To test these hypotheses, a questionnaire was applied to 374 older adults in the sample area determined in the city. In the study, explanatory factor analysis and difference tests were used to examine the factors affecting the housing preferences of older adults. According to the factor analysis results, the dimensions determining the housing expectations of older adults include housing facilities, housing size, housing type, toilet and bathroom use.

Use of multispecies (Nannochloropsis oceanica, Artemia franciscana, and Arbacia nigra) approach to assess the quality of marine water from Callao Bay, Peru

Multi-species tests in bioassays offer a holistic view of the ecosystem’s response to toxicity, as different species display varying sensitivities to pollutants. This research aimed to assess the ability of toxicity tests’ to distinguish contamination levels, examine site-specific effects, and investigate seasonal variability. Using a multispecies approach (Nannochloropsis oceanica, Artemia franciscana, and Arbacia nigra), bioassays evaluated marine water quality from Callao Bay in Peru across four sampling areas (Naval School: PA1, Peruvian Marine Institute: PA2, Callao Pier: PA3, and San Lorenzo Island: PA4). These species, with varying sizes and morphologies, are relevant to marine systems and ideal for multispecies toxicity testing, contributing to broader environmental impact discussions. To conduct toxicity bioassays, seasonal evaluations were performed in fall, winter, spring, and summer. Brine shrimp displayed seasonal variations in toxicity values, with notable mortality rates during winter. Nannochloropsis oceanica was the most sensitive species, showing moderate toxicity across seasons. Areas impacted by pollution sources, such as wastewater and maritime traffic, exhibited the highest toxicity levels (PA3 and PA4). These fluctuations underscore the need to consider seasonal and local conditions when assessing organism sensitivity to seawater contaminants. Additionally, they reveal the complex interplay between environmental factors, water quality, and organism responses in marine ecosystems.

STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF MONTMORILLONITE-SURFACTANT SYSTEMS: INFLUENCE OF SURFACTANT PACKING DENSITY AND MONTMORILLONITE SURFACE NATURE

This study presents sorption investigations of complexes formed by dihexadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DHDAB) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMAB) with montmorillonite, revealing the high affinity of these complexes for the interlayer space of clay. The intercalation process involves several stages, including initial rapid saturation, the formation of saturation plateaus, and subsequent super-equivalent sorption linked to the development of multi-layered structures or micelle-like formations on the surface of clay plates. This sorption mechanism is similar for various cationic surfactants.DHDAB, with two alkyl chains, exhibits a more complex intercalation dynamic compared to HDTMAB, which has only one chain, and shows higher saturation efficiency at early stages. The cation exchange capacity (CEC) of montmorillonite influences the intercalation process, with clays possessing lower CEC having fewer available sites for intercalation.Adsorption of different amounts of surfactants results in crystalline structures with varying interlayer distances. The saturation level of exchangeable cations (n) influences the interplanar distance, and increasing n leads to a reduction in the specific surface area of montmorillonite samples. The adsorption efficiency of methylene blue on montmorillonites depends on their cation exchange capacity, structure, and degree of surfactant saturation. However, excessive saturation may lead to decreased efficiency due to the blocking of interlayer space. These findings are significant for the development and optimization of montmorillonite-based materials for environmental sorption and purification.

Habitat fragmentation increases the risk of local extinction of small reptiles: A case study on Phrynocephalus przewalskii.

Habitat fragmentation represents a multifaceted global conservation threat, exerting both direct and indirect effects on individual animals and communities. Reptiles, particularly smaller species with limited migratory abilities, are especially vulnerable to these changes. This study examines how small reptiles adapt their life history strategies in fragmented habitats and determines whether their responses are primarily due to phenotypic plasticity or genetic adaptation. We focused on Phrynocephalus przewalskii, analyzing body size, reproductive strategies, genetic structure, and diversity across three habitats with varying degrees of fragmentation. This study investigated the response of P. przewalskii to varying degrees of habitat fragmentation in Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia. The study compared morphological characteristics, reproductive investment, genetic diversity, and fluctuating asymmetry of P. przewalskii individuals from the sampling areas. Results showed that individuals in highly fragmented areas exhibited smaller body size, higher reproductive investment, and lower genetic diversity. Genomic analyses revealed significantly fewer SNPs, INDELs, and SVs in the highly fragmented area compared to others, with the slowest linkage disequilibrium decay rate, indicating strong environmental pressure. Furthermore, individuals in the highly fragmented area had significantly higher fluctuating asymmetry, serve as an important ecological and biological indicator reflecting habitat fragmentation. These findings demonstrated that habitat fragmentation negatively impacts the survival and reproduction of P. przewalskii, reducing its genetic diversity and adaptive potential, and increasing the risk of local extinction. This study provides crucial data for understanding the mechanisms of animal adaptation to fragmented habitats and aids in assessing species extinction risks and developing conservation strategies.

Food environmental footprint: Evolution of the countryside species-area relationship (SAR) with new methodologies.

The species-area relationship (SAR) is one of the oldest in ecology, linking the increase in species richness in sampling area. Later, new parameters were incorporated into its equation, such as taxon-specific responses, habitats use by species and species adapted to human-modified habitats, originating the Countryside SAR, a version intended to integrate the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which is still inefficiencies when used to evaluate food production systems. Therefore, we present the first attempt to incorporate into Countryside SAR the minimum land demand parameter for food production, the food environmental footprint - EFP, and improve the use of the method within the agricultural sciences scope. To prepare the EFP, we used land cover data for two types of food systems: agriculture (annual crops), composed of nine types of food; and, livestock (pasture), consisting of meat production. They were later tested in inventories for the Western European broadleaf forest ecoregion (ecocode: PA0445). The most important result observed was that the models responded to variations in production values, resulting in higher impact and a more conservative result when EFP is adopted. But as historically integrating a productivity parameter, or performance of production systems, has been left out of the development of SAR, only the first step has been taken. Therefore, incorporating minimum land demand for food production into the Countryside SAR appears to be a new stage in its development, allowing to generate results that consider the "efficiency" of food production, assuming a more agronomic profile. However, this is still the first attempt to include the EFP in the Countryside SAR, and we believe that our models should still be subject to further evaluation.

Living on the edge: Herpetofauna of the buffer zone of the Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

ABSTRACT Habitat loss and fragmentation is the greatest threat to global biodiversity and is especially acute in biodiversity hotspots such as the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Because the Brazilian fauna suffers from ongoing human impacts both inside and outside protected areas and their buffer zones, inventories of the faunal assemblages in these areas remain vital. Based on field surveys and the examination of museum specimens, we report on the herpetofauna of the buffer zone of Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Across nine sampling areas during 2017 and 2018, we documented 30 species of anurans, one caecilian, 18 snakes, eight lizards, and one crocodilian. This assemblage includes the first record for five species from the protected area. Our inventory offers fundamental information that can promote actions to maintain populations of these taxonomic groups and their habitats within and outside of this protected area.

Three-dimensional characterization of nanoporous membranes by capillary filling using high speed interferometry.

A high-speed interferometric system was developed to analyze nanostructured porous silicon (PS) membranes by measuring reflectance variations during capillary filling from both sides. A high-speed camera was employed to capture the reflectance evolution of the entire sample area with the necessary temporal resolution, providing quantitative information on filling dynamics. By integrating these data with a simple fluid dynamic model, it is possible to examine the internal structure of the membranes and determine the effective pore radii profiles along their thickness. The system is capable of accurately measuring radii within the range of 10-20nm, with a spatial resolution of ∼20 μm and an in-depth resolution of ≈1μm. This three-dimensional characterization provides valuable insights into the complex morphology of PS membranes and can be applied to other nanostructured porous materials.

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Microstructure on Coalbed Methane Adsorption Characteristics Affected by Chemical Solvents.

Coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir modification based on chemical solvent treatment could change the coal microstructure, which further affects the adsorption capacity and flow characteristics of this clean energy. Coal samples were extracted by tetrahydrofuran (THF), carbon disulfide (CS2), and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Low-pressure nitrogen adsorption, carbon dioxide adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and methane isothermal adsorption test were adopted. The variations of pore structure and chemical composition in coal were evaluated by density functional theory, Barrett-Joyner-Halenda model, and peak fitting method, and their impacts on methane adsorption characteristics were studied. Results show that (1) the micropores less than 2 nm show a bimodal distribution. After acidification, micropore specific surface areas of coal samples I and II increase by 16.79% and 11.72%, respectively, while that of coal sample III-HCl decreases by 4.29% closely related to carbonate and silicate minerals in coal. Microporous specific surface areas of sample II-CS2 and III-CS2 affected by solvent rise by 4.28% and 4.17%, respectively. (2) Among the three original coal samples, the highest level of OH-OH hydrogen bonds content is observed. Solvents have a tendency to interact with -CH2 groups, which shorten the length of fat chains and increase the number of branched chains. THF tends to dissolve C-O-C groups and carbonyl C═O groups. Following CS2 treatment, samples II and III show 38.42% and 47.76% decrease in aromatic C═C area, respectively. (3) The methane adsorption capability in three coal samples is I > III > II. Except for sample I-HCl and sample III-THF, other coal samples have a lower methane adsorption capability than raw coal. Methane adsorption is reduced not just by a decrease in the number of micropores but also by aliphatic groups, aromatic structures, and oxygen-containing structures. Relevant results could deliver guiding significance for understanding methane adsorption and flow characteristics in coal after chemical solvent modification.

Arm muscle area is correlated to handgrip strength in postmenopausal women

Objective To analyze the correlation between arm muscle area and handgrip strength among postmenopausal community dwelling low-income women in order to provide an easy anthropometric indicator to assess muscle mass quantity and quality. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving postmenopausal women (n = 171) from three urban-marginal communities of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Corrected arm muscle area was calculated using the Frisancho formula. Dynapenia was defined as HGS < 16 kg. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was calculated at a 5% significance level to test the correlation between corrected arm muscle area and handgrip strength. Results Median (interquartile range: IQR) age of the sample was 72.0 years (17.0). The median of corrected arm muscle area was 34.8 cm2 (20.7). The overall prevalence of dynapenia was 57.9% (n = 99). There was a significant decreasing trend with age regarding all anthropometric characteristics and handgrip strength, as well as a higher prevalence of dynapenia with age. For the whole sample, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between corrected arm muscle area and handgrip strength [r = 0.267; p < .001]. Conclusion: There was a significant yet weak positive correlation between corrected arm muscle area and handgrip strength in this postmenopausal sample. There is a need for additional research in this regard.

Prevalence and pattern of carriage of Enterobacterales isolates among food handlers in Nnewi metropolis, southeast Nigeria

Background: There is a public health concern about carriage of Enterobacterales among food workers and their potential role for transmission of food-borne illnesses. Food contamination by Enterobacterales could happen at any point of the production, processing, distribution, and preparation processes. This challenge is especially severe in developing countries like Nigeria. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and pattern of carriage of Enterobacterales by food handlers in Nnewi metropolis, southeast Nigeria.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study that employed a non-probability sampling technique to recruit 178 food handlers who gave their consent and were available at the sampling area during the time of the study. Stool, urine, nasal and hand swab samples were collected from 115, 116, 120 and 173 food handlers respectively for microbiological analysis using conventional culture isolation and biochemical identification by Analytical Profile Index (API) 20E (bioMérieux). The antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the isolates was carried out on the identified isolates by the disk diffusion method. Descriptive statistics were carried out on the data.Results: Forty-four (25.4%) of the hand swab samples from 173 food handlers, 39 (32.5%) of the nasal swabs from 120 food handlers, 67 (58.3%) of the stool samples from 115 food handlers, and 29 (25.0%) of the urine samples from 116 food handlers, were positive for Enterobacterales isolates. The frequency of Enterobacterales isolation was significantly higher from stool samples compared to other samples (x2=40.032; p&lt;0.0001), indicating a higher carriage rate in the gastrointestinal tracts of the food handlers. Across all the samples, a total of 179 Enterobacterales were isolated from the 101 (56.7%) positive food handlers. The frequency of isolation in descending order is Escherichia coli 23.2% (n=41), Klebsiella spp 18.1% (n=32), Enterobacter spp 15.3% (n=27), Citrobacter spp 10.7% (n=19), Raoultella spp 7.3% (n=13), Serratia spp 5.6% (n=10), Salmonella spp 3.9% (n=7), Kluyvera spp 3.9% (n=7), Shigella spp 2.8% (n=5), Proteus spp 2.8% (n=5), Cronobacter spp 1.7% (n=3), Erwinia spp 1.1% (n=2), Pantoea spp 1.1% (n=2), Hafnia spp 1.1% (n=2), and Yersinia spp 1.1% (n=2). The Enterobacterales isolates were resistant to cefotaxime (83.0%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (79.1%), cefuroxime (76.8%), cefixime (75.1%), imipenem-cilastatin (74.6%), ceftazidime-avibactam (73.3%), ceftriaxone-sulbactam (71.2%) and levofloxacin (70.5%).Conclusion: Food handlers in this study had a high carriage rate of resistant Enterobacterales pathogens, which can be transmitted to unsuspecting consumers, through the food processing and handling chains.