Environment-related Variables Research Articles

Government Capacity: Evidence from Nepal

Autonomous local governments are essential for maintaining stable economic and social development mechanisms and democratic regimes. The prime objective of the article is to examine the impact of pressure-capacity variables on local governance. Two sources of data, such as NPHC 2021 and LISA are used. Overall local government of Nepal has still weak performance as only 38 percent of total municipals have secured good ranking status. Based on PCP framework, total score of 10 composite indicators generated by LISA and some population management related characteristics (e.g., sex ratio, population density, literacy, household size, and two food coping strategy related variables) have been examined using multiple regression to understand interrelationship response and explanatory variables. The statistical analysis shows that there is a string relationship between pressure and capacity variables. Individually, three population related variables such as sex ratio, literacy and household size are positively correlated with total score of 10 indicators with low coefficient of determination. In addition to strengthening existing gender status, educational level and population growth, more socioeconomic and environment related variables as explanatory variables are necessary to link government capacity and its performance in Nepal.

Evolution and Treatment of Academic Burnout in Nursing Students: A Systematic Review.

To analyse the scientific literature related to the evolution of burnout syndrome during nursing studies and the interventions for the treatment or prevention of this syndrome in nursing students. A systematic review of the PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL databases was performed in August 2022 using the search phrase "burnout AND nursing students" to extract experimental and longitudinal studies. Eleven relevant studies were obtained for analysis. Four were experimental, and seven were cohort studies. According to these studies, the interventions reduced burnout overall, but on occasion, the burnout scores for some aspects increased, as did the prevalence. Psychological and work environment-related variables were the most important factors predicting burnout. Burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation) tends to increase during nursing studies. Related factors include personality, coping strategies, life satisfaction, and the work environment. Interventions such as progressive muscle relaxation, behavioural therapy, and recreational music may alleviate burnout.

Exploring information dissemination effect on social media: an empirical investigation.

Operators make profits by publishing information. If they can know the influencing factors in the process of information dissemination, they can provide new insights for practical operations and formulate corresponding operation strategies for different types of accounts. The purpose of this article is to discuss the information dissemination process of WeChat public accounts and what factors will affect the reading rate and sharing rate of the article. In this paper, the "feedback-sympathize-identify participant-share" (FSIPS) two-stage model is used to analyze the characteristics of information dissemination, and the negative binomial regression model is used to analyze which factors have a significant impact on the two stages of the dissemination model. Our data is obtained from a company that specializes in operating WeChat Official Accounts, and the data is authentic and more valuable. We collectively consider the roles of users, message content, interactions between content and individuals, and the context of social media in information dissemination behaviors (i.e., reading and sharing). In this process, some new variables, such as environment-related variables, are involved and incorporated into the two stages of information dissemination for analysis. The results show that the like rate, which is one of the feedback dimensions, has the greatest impact on the reading rate, while the favorite rate has the greatest impact on the sharing rate. Article type also plays a crucial role in the dissemination of information. In addition, the content relevance between the title and the content also largely affects the share rates of the three types.

On the relationship between corporate CO2 offsetting and pro-environmental activities in small- and medium-sized firms in Germany

Voluntary CO2 offsetting by individuals, firms, and organizations is increasingly considered as a direction of climate policy that is complementary to traditional approaches such as subsidies or CO2 taxes. Based on data from a large-scale survey among corporate decision makers, this paper empirically examines corporate CO2 offsetting and its determinants in small- and medium-sized firms in Germany. Our descriptive statistics show both a rather limited engagement in corporate CO2 offsetting as well as a strong lack of knowledge about its mechanism. The econometric analysis reveals that some firm-specific characteristics like the average age of the employees, firm size, and firm age matter for CO2 offsetting. However, the main estimation results refer to the relevance of general environment-related variables like the implementation of environmental product and service innovations or the share of employees that carry out environment-related tasks and especially of climate-related factors and activities. In particular, the implementation of climate targets and the participation in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) are strongly significantly positively correlated with CO2 offsetting. In line with similar findings at the individual level, these estimation results imply that also corporate CO2 offsetting does not substitute or crowd out other climate protection and further pro-environmental activities, but rather complements them.

An explorative study of psychological and social factors impacting littering behavior in Vietnam.

Littering is a worldwide problem and Vietnam is one of the most affected countries. To enact change, not only individual cognitive determinants but also social and natural-, or environment-related variables should be taken into consideration. Although there is a large body of literature researching littering, most researchers do not distinguish the level of these factors. Thus, this research aims to investigate the interactive mechanism of these different level factors influencing the intention of the Vietnamese to stop littering, with the multi-level social-ecological model used to guide model building. The data were collected through a self-reported online questionnaire and the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method was employed to examine the proposed conceptual framework. The results indicated that perceived behavioral control and connectedness to nature are the two main factors influencing the Vietnamese people's intention to stop littering. Multi-group analysis results suggested the moderating effects of injunctive and descriptive norms. This research proposed a new conceptual framework and achieved unique insights into littering behavior in Vietnam, which could benefit and guide behavioral change experts, academics, and practitioners to design appropriate marketing strategies/campaigns to reduce littering.

Factors Influencing Stopping Locations of Motorcycle Riders on Signalized Urban Intersection Approaches

In developing countries, motorcycle riders normally attempt to stop at their desired locations during queue formation on signalized intersection approaches. Under mixed-traffic conditions, motorcycle positioning in a queue affects the operational and safety performance of the intersection. This study aimed to identify factors influencing motorcycle riders’ stopping locations at signalized urban intersections. This study applied Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to observe the stopping behavior of 1413 motorcycle riders on 24 approaches from 10 signalized intersections in Thailand (N = 1413). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the stopping locations of motorcycle riders and rider- and motorcycle-related variables and traffic- and environmental-related variables. The statistical analyses presented a Cox and Snell R2 and Nagelkerke R2 of 0.466 and 0.499, respectively, indicating that the model accounted for almost 50% of the variation among the five stopping locations of motorcycle riders. The results showed that, under mixed-traffic conditions in Thailand with left-hand traffic, motorcycle riders intending to turn right, the morning peak period, the presence of shadows, motorcycle riders not wearing helmets, the presence of a larger vehicle in the queue, and the density of desired stopping locations significantly influenced the motorcyclists’ choice of stopping locations on signalized intersection approaches. Practical policy-related recommendations drawn from the findings are provided to improve motorcyclists’ safety on signalized intersection approaches.

Determinants, predictors and negative impacts of burnout among health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic

The first defense line of the battle, healthcare workers (HCWs), faces a significant challenge in managing the current COVID-19 pandemic. An online electronic survey was sent to HCWs via email and social media networks. Socio-demographic data and work environment-related variables were assessed. Consequences of burnout (BO) were reported, e.g., elicited medical errors. Maslach burnout inventory was used to diagnose BO. Two hundred and eighty-four participants were included with a mean age of 39.83 ± 7.34 years, 70.8% worked in the COVID-19 frontline, 91.9% were followed daily updates about COVID-19, 63.7% were not satisfied with the coordination between triage and isolation, 64.4% got COVID-19 infection, 91.9% had a colleague or family member developed COVID-19 infection, and 21.5% experienced a colleague /a family member died due to COVID-19. Multivariate analysis by linear regression revealed that; working as a frontline HCW (OR 1.28, CI = 0.14–2.55) and sleep deprivation (OR 3.93, CI = 1.88–8.22) were the predictors of burnout.

Measuring and understanding the association between license-related infractions and road crash severity

The relationship between license-related infractions (LRIs) and the severity of road crashes has been scarcely addressed in previous research. This study estimates the association between each LRI and the severity of driver injuries and the partial severity of the crash (i.e., crash severity after excluding the severity of the driver’s own injuries) in a cohort comprising 78,720 drivers who were considered responsible for crashes in the Spanish National Register for Road Traffic Accident Victims, from 2014 to 2017. Adjusted Relative Risk Ratios for each LRI and severity level were obtained through multinomial logistic regression models. Age- and sex-adjusted estimates revealed an increased severity for almost all LRIs. Additional adjustment for seat belt use showed a decrease in the magnitude of the associations, particularly regarding driver injury severity, suggesting that part of these associations was related to increased vulnerability of the driver. Adjustment for other vehicle- and environment-related variables showed a further decrease in the associations but remained significant for “never having obtained a license” and other specific LRIs. These results support the need for maintaining police surveillance and legal measures to identify these subgroups of drivers, remove them from the road and adopt strategies for their safe return to driving.

EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATION, EDUCATIONAL INVESTMENT AND EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF MIGRANT CHILDREN -- FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR CHANGE

Abstract Background Educational expectation has a certain impact on the educational performance of migrant children, which can be achieved through the establishment of expected objectives and educational investment of migrant children, so as to improve the educational performance of migrant children. The education quality of migrant children has many complex factors in both macro and micro aspects. Macroscopically, it is affected by factors such as education policy and social integration, and microscopically by schools and families. In addition, educational expectation is the expectation of parents or children for the future of education, which has an important impact on educational investment. At the same time, with the development of migrant children's education, the changes of children's related emotional behavior are also advancing. Subjects and Methods According to China Education follow-up survey (CEPs) (2014-2015), the subjects were migrant children who lived in the household for more than 6 months and under the age of 16. Based on fcsp-eip theory, this paper analyzes the relationship between educational expectation, investment and educational performance in four environments by constructing structural equation model and using Amos 22.0 statistical software. We also searched the databases of CBM, VIP, CNKI, Wanfang Data, PubMed, web of science and EBSCO based on the computer to collect relevant studies on the characteristics and changes of emotional behavior of older children. The retrieval time limit is from the establishment of the database to December 31, 2019. After two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the bias risk of the included study, the results of the included study were summarized by qualitative analysis. Results In the EIP structure, parents' educational expectations were significantly correlated with migrant children's educational performance, and educational investment as an intermediary had a significant impact on educational performance. After adding other environment related variables, it is found that education policy has a negative impact on children's educational performance; Community and school conditions have a positive impact on educational performance; Educational expectation is an important intermediary variable affecting educational performance. Children's anxiety, confrontation, attachment and other behaviors show three different patterns over time. The results of two children's emotional studies show that when parents' educational expectations are too high, children are easy to show negative emotions. Conclusion With the help of Chinese education tracking data and structural equation, this paper draws some conclusions. Through the parents' attention to the education of migrant children, the state strongly supports the education of migrant children, and provides good community and educational conditions to effectively improve the educational performance of migrant children. Firstly, the limitation of education policy is a negative variable that affects the educational expectation and performance of migrant children. At the same time, migrant children may also have unfair psychology, which will also have a negative impact on communication and psychological performance. Secondly, educational expectation is an important intermediary variable affecting educational performance. Parents' educational level and family economic status can help children choose high-quality educational resources, improve educational expectations, and then affect educational performance. Third, quality community and school conditions have a positive impact on educational expectations and performance. The higher the quality of the school, the higher the educational expectations of parents and children. Finally, the family structure dominated by one-child in China will also affect children's emotional changes, resulting in the inconsistency between parents and children's expectations for the future. More social support should be given to children's psychological and emotional changes. Acknowledgments Supported by a project grant from general project of national social science fund: Research on Theory, Path and Practice Model of Healthy China Construction (Grant No. 20BJY014) and from key research project of philosophy and social sciences of the ministry of education: Research on Management Innovation Mechanism of Megacities in the New Era (Grant No. 20JZD030).

Prediction of train arrival delays considering route conflicts at multi-line stations

Multi-line stations (MLSs) are the intersections of different railway lines; they are crucial for delay propagation in railway networks. Therefore, the precise prediction of train arrival delays at the MLSs can efficiently support train operation rescheduling plans and reduce delay propagation in the railway network. The arrival routes of trains at the MLSs are critical factors for managing train arrival delays, since there may be latent route conflicts with forward arrival/departure trains. However, route conflicts will not occur at single-line stations (SLSs) that are traversed by only one railway line. Existing train delay prediction studies have considered the ways that trains arrive at/depart from stations as black boxes, but have not considered the latent route conflicts from a microscopic view. This study considers the arrival routes of predicted trains and route conflicts with forward trains, for contemplating the gap (not considering the route conflicts from other railway lines) in the existing studies. The influencing factors are separated into three categories according to the data attributes, namely, route-related variables, delay-related variables, and environment-related variables. Then, an architecture called LLCF-net is proposed, with a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) block for route-related variables, two long short-term memory (LSTM) networks for delay-related variables, and a fully connected neural network (FCNN) block for environment-related variables. Compared with the methods in exiting studies, this architecture showed the best performance for both two MLSs—GuangzhouSouth(GZS) and ChangshaSouth (CSS)—on the Chinese high-speed railway network, regardless of the consideration of route-related variables. In addition, LLCF-net is proven to have a strong predictive effectiveness and a robust performance for different delay lengths.

Analysis of the drivers of CO2 emissions and ecological footprint growth in Australia.

This paper investigates the determinants of environmental degradation in Australia from 1990 to 2017, using ecological footprint analysis and the well-established logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition method. Additionally, decoupling factor analysis was performed to examine the link between environment related variables (CO2 emissions and ecological footprint) and their determinants such as real income and population. The decomposition analysis considered the impact of five different factors on CO2 emissions: income effect, population, energy intensity, energy structure, and carbon intensity. For decoupling factor analysis, the link between ecological footprint and its two determinants, real income and population, was examined. Furthermore, the possible decoupling between CO2 emissions and these determinants was also analyzed, because CO2 emissions are the main cause of the country’s increasing ecological footprint. The present study has a more comprehensive approach because it analyzes the factors affecting environmental degradation in Australia by assigning two proxies (CO2 emissions and ecological footprint) as dependent variables. The results confirmed that Australia’s ecological reserve substantially declined over the past three decades due to deforestation and energy industries. The LMDI results demonstrated that income effect, population, and carbon intensity were the main factors that raised Australia’s CO2 emissions, whereas the energy intensity factor substantially curbed them. The reducing impact of energy structure on CO2 emissions was minimal; thus, Australia was not able to prevent an upward trend in CO2 emissions. Lastly, an analysis of Australia’s CO2 emissions according to economic activities was conducted for the period between 1990 and 2017 in order to understand other factors that may have affected environmental sustainability.

Sea Spray Aerosols Contain the Major Component of Human Lung Surfactant.

Marine phytoplankton influence the composition of sea spray aerosols (SSAs) by releasing various compounds. The biogenic surfactant dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) is known to accumulate in the sea surface microlayer, but its aerosolization has never been confirmed. We conducted a 1 year SSA sampling campaign at the Belgian coast and analyzed the SSA composition. We quantified DPPC at a median and maximum air concentration of 7.1 and 33 pg m-3, respectively. This discovery may be of great importance for the field linking ocean processes to human health as DPPC is the major component of human lung surfactant and is used as excipient in medical aerosol therapy. The natural airborne exposure to DPPC seems too low to induce direct human health effects but may facilitate the effects of other marine bioactive compounds. By analyzing various environmental variables in relation to the DPPC air concentration, using a generalized linear model, we established that wave height is a key environmental predictor and that it has an inverse relationship. We also demonstrated that DPPC content in SSAs is positively correlated with enriched aerosolization of Mg2+ and Ca2+. In conclusion, our findings are not only important from a human health perspective but they also advance our understanding of the production and composition of SSAs.

Translation and Validation of the TANGO Nocturia Screening Tool into Greek.

PurposeThe present study aimed to translate the Targeting the individual's Aetiology of Nocturia to Guide Outcomes Questionnaire (TANGO) into the Greek language to create TANGO-Gr. A relative reliability study in prospective samples of community dwellers and rehabilitation centre residents was undertaken in order to validate the translation. In terms of nocturia severity, these groups were considered to be representative of patients at both ends of the scale, and therefore suitable validation purposes.Patients and MethodsThe prospective descriptive study took place between 07 and 09/2020. Fifty residents in a rehabilitation centre and thirty-seven community dwellers were included in the study. All participants had more than one episode of nocturia per night. They were asked to complete the newly translated TANGO-Gr Questionnaire twice (test–retest procedure). TANGO-Gr includes three possible answers (“yes”, “no”, and “DK/NA”) to facilitate increased validity. The study group evaluated the socio and demographic characteristics, the level of independence and the comprehensive frailty of all participants.ResultsBoth groups satisfactorily completed questionnaire responses. The overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.753 (community-dwelling people: 0.776; rehabilitation centre residents: 0.531). A test–retest statistical analysis to determine reliability found an overall median Kappa of 0.88 (IQR: 0.79–0.94) in community dwellers and 0.91 (IQR: 0.84–1.00) in rehabilitation centre residents, thereby confirming an almost perfect respective agreement.ConclusionThe validity of the newly translated TANGO-Gr Questionnaire was proven. It should be considered to be a reliable, self-administered screening tool suitable for clinical practice, and therefore invaluable for Greek-speaking people. The study also determined that certain environment-related variables may contribute to nocturia in rehabilitation centre populations, which is a finding which invites further study.

Song recordings and environmental factors affect the response rate of Tropical Screech-Owls to conspecific playback: the importance of carefully designed protocols

Reproducing conspecific vocalization has been widely used to detect owls in the field due to the nocturnal habits and cryptic nature of most of them. Surveying and monitoring owl populations using playback and other methods are important given the key roles these birds play in the environment and the ecosystem services they provide, especially Neotropical owls that are still poorly understood. We described Tropical Screech-Owls (Megascops choliba) response to playback and examined playback- and environmental-related variables affecting it, at one of the last lowland Atlantic forest remnants, in southeastern Brazil. Our playback protocol consisted of three repetitions of 2-min broadcasting of one recording of the species’ A-song, interspersed by 5-min silent listening periods. We used nine recordings randomly selected by sampling point to avoid pseudoreplication. The most common response (77%, N = 85) was an undescribed variation of the A-song, followed by other two voices that are possibly undescribed. The response rate to playback was 83.4% (N = 102 samples). Response rate was negatively affected by wind speed (especially wind bursts), and positively affected by greater cloud cover and lower ambient light. Recordings used for playback were more influential than any environmental variable. Recordings with fewer phrases, uneven and longer intervals between phrases, and higher-pitched songs elicited more responses. These characteristics are usually associated with lower quality individuals. We argue that playback protocols, whatever their goals, should be carefully designed and tested to improve their efficiency.

3D-printing of lopinavir printlets by selective laser sintering and quantification of crystalline fraction by XRPD-chemometric models

The objectives of this study were to develop and characterize amorphous lopinavir (LPV) printlets and to the quantify crystalline fraction of LPV in the printlets by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD)-chemometric models. Amorphous printlets (4.5 mm diameter × 3 mm height) of various LPV concentrations were fabricated by selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D technique. The printlets were characterized for physicochemical properties. The XRPD data in conjunction with chemometric method were used to quantify the crystalline fraction of the drug. The LPV content in the printlets was 95.2–100.9%, disintegration time was < 2 min, and dissolution was fast (>90% of LPV was dissolved in < 30 min). The porosity of the printlets increased with an increase in the LPV percentage. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and XRPD data of the printlets demonstrated that the majority of LPV was present in amorphous form. The XRPD-chemometric models showed good linearity and low root mean squared error, standard error, and bias. Models validation showed that the actual values of crystalline and amorphous fractions of the drug were close to the predicted values. These results demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating amorphous printlets by SLS method, and the application of the XRPD-chemometric models to quantify low fractions of crystalline drug in the 3D formulations if they are formed due to process or environment related variables.

Land-use regression model and machine learning algorithms in assessing outdoor noise exposure in Hong Kong

Land-use regression model and machine learning algorithms in assessing outdoor noise exposure in Hong KongBackground/Aim: There are epidemiological studies in reporting the association between environmental noise exposure and various health outcomes, including cardiovascular diseases and cognitive decline. However, evidence in using land-use regression (LUR) model in predicting noise is limited and not conclusive, while machine learning algorithms are seemed to be a novel method in improving the explanative power of noise prediction. In this study, random forest (RF) model was adopted to estimate outdoor noise level in Hong Kong and compare the performance between LUR and RF. Methods: A total of 102 measurement sites with 27 environment-related variables were used to estimate the spatial environmental noise variation. Two separate measurements for A-weighted equivalent sound pressure levels over 24 hours (Leq,24h) were conducted at each site during the 2019-2020 period. Land use types, traffic information and geographic information systems were chosen to the related variables for building models. Ordinary linear regression was adopted to be the traditional land-use regression model. Results: The annual mean of 102 measurement sites of Leq,24h was 66.3 dB(A). The proportion of variation (R2) explained by the random forest model in full-frequency noise was higher than the traditional LUR (R2: RF: 0.76, LUR: 0.69). Random forest performed also better in lower root mean squared errors (RF: 2.91 dB(A), LUR: 3.22 dB(A)). Further results on the noise level in different time periods and frequencies will be described in the conference. Conclusion: Random forest model is suggested to be a better alternative in estimating noise exposure. Further study on the application of the model on epidemiological studies can be conducted.

Latest trends in Leishmania infantum infection in dogs in Spain, Part I: mapped seroprevalence and sand fly distributions

BackgroundThis report describes L. infantum infection seroprevalence in dogs in Spain through data obtained from peer-reviewed literature and a cross-sectional serological survey assessing epidemiological and habitat variables as risk factors for infection. The study also provides preliminary sand fly species distribution data and indicates factors affecting their distribution and density.MethodsThree different studies were conducted in Spain: (i) a peer-reviewed literature seroprevalence survey (1985–2019); (ii) a cross-sectional serological survey (2011–2016); and (iii) a preliminary entomological survey (2013–2014). In the cross-sectional serological survey, 1739 dogs from 74 different locations including 25 Spanish provinces were tested for L. infantum by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (antibody titre ≥ 1:100). Seroprevalence of L. infantum infection was analysed by province and bioclimatic zone. Statistics were used to analyse relationships between several dog- and environment-related variables and L. infantum seroprevalence. In parallel, during 2013–2014, sand flies were collected across the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands using CDC light traps to examine relationships between habitat-related factors and sand fly species densities (number of sand flies per trap per hour).ResultsThe literature review revealed that the provinces showing the highest seroprevalence were Balearic Islands (57.1%), Ourense (35.6%), Málaga (34.6%) and Cáceres (34.2%), and those showing the lowest seroprevalence were Vizcaya (0%), Cantabria (2.0%) and Álava (3.3%). In our survey, anti-Leishmania IgG antibodies were detected in 176 of the 1739 dogs rendering a seroprevalence of 10.12%. Percentage seroprevalence distributions significantly varied among bioclimatic belts. Seropositivity for L. infantum was related to size (large breed dogs versus small) and were significantly higher in younger dogs (≤ 1 years-old). In the entomological survey, 676 sand flies of five species were captured: 562 (83.13%) Phlebotomus perniciosus; 64 (9.47%) Sergentomyia minuta; 38 (5.62%) P. ariasi: 6 (0.89%) P. sergenti; and 6 (0.89%) P. papatasi. Phlebotomus perniciosus showed a greater density in the thermo-Mediterranean than in the meso-Mediterranean zone. Densities of S. minuta and P. ariasi were significantly higher in rural habitats.ConclusionsThis updated seroprevalence map of L. infantum infection in dogs in Spain defines non-endemic, hypoendemic, endemic and hyperendemic areas, and confirms P. perniciosus as the most abundant sand fly vector in Spain.

Determinants of Under-five Deaths in Urban Parts of Ethiopia

The objective of this study was to identify determinants of under-five mortality in urban parts of Ethiopia using the 2011 EDHS data. To achieve the objective of this study descriptive statistics and count regression models were used for data analysis using socio-economic, demographic and environmental related variables as explanatory variables and the number of under-five deaths per mother as the response variables. Information on the number of deaths of under-five children obtained from a total of 1,807 women in the urban parts of Ethiopia was studied. From these, 328 women experienced 513 under-five deaths. Conversely, 81.8% of the women in urban areas never experienced under-5 death of their children. Nevertheless, 12%, 3.6%, 1.6%, 0.6%, 0.2%, 0.1% and 0.1% of them lost 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of their under–five deaths, respectively. Factors influencing the number of under-five deaths have been identified. Mother’s level of education, age of mothers at the first birth, toilet facility and work/employment status of mothers were found to be statistically significant with the number of under-five deaths per mothers in urban parts of Ethiopia.

Daily growth of young-of-the-year largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus) in relation to environmental variables in the East China Sea

Abstract Largehead hairtail (Trichiurus japonicus) is an important fish species in China Sea, characterized by wide distribution, extensive migration, long spawning period and high economic value. The East China Sea is one of the typical over-exploited ecosystems in the world where most of the fish populations are overfished. In spite of high fishing pressure over an extended period, the catch of largehead hairtail showed an increasing trend in recent years. In this study, using otolith microstructure analysis for daily ageing, we explored spawning seasonality of largehead hairtail and daily growth of young-of-the-year (YoY) largehead hairtail in the East China Sea. Spawning seasonality of largehead hairtail was found to be nearly year round with two dominant seasons: autumn and spring. The gradient forest method was used to identify the relative importance of various environmental variables in relation to daily growth of YoY largehead hairtail; the first six most important environmental variables were subsequently analyzed using generalized additive models for their specific associations with daily growth of YoY largehead hairtail. Results show that sea surface temperature (SST), sea bottom temperature (SBT), temperature difference (TD) between surface and bottom water, and mixed layer depth (MLD) are the most important variables for daily growth of almost all month cohorts. In addition, the consistent interactive effects of water temperature (SST and SBT) and MLD suggest that daily growth of YoY largehead hairtail is influenced by the interactive effects of water temperature and nutrient supplies. This study highlights the importance of understanding the reproductive process and early growth of largehead hairtail in relation to environmental variables, which has important implications for the sustainable management and utilization of largehead hairtail in the over-exploited China Seas.

Association of burnout syndrome and global self-esteem among Polish nurses.

IntroductionThe development of burnout syndrome is conditioned by demographic variables, personality-related variables, ways of coping with difficulties and organizational/professional factors. Burnout is a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion and fatigue that may occur in people working with other people in certain ways. Understanding the role of global self-esteem and sociodemographic and work environment-related variables in the development of burnout syndrome in Polish nurses was the aim of this study.Material and methodsThe study included 1,806 nurses working in 23 hospitals in north-eastern Poland. The average age was 44.7 ±7.96 years. The questionnaire was of a proprietary design. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory Scale and the Rosenberg SES scale were used.ResultsWith regard to contact with patients, symptoms of burnout were present in 28.2% of respondents. Furthermore, 27% of respondents showed work-related burnout and personal burnout was indicated in 21% of them. Almost half of the respondents (46.6%) evaluated their self-esteem at an average level. The obtained results of the regression analysis indicated that global self-esteem was a predictor of professional burnout in nurses. Global self-esteem has important consequences in many aspects of the mental condition. It was found that global self-esteem is a key factor influencing personal burnout symptoms, and its modification may be used as a preventive measure.ConclusionsDeveloping personal resources and deriving benefits from them may be important in the prevention of burnout syndrome. This study indicated the need to carry out preventive measures in the workplace to protect nurses from burnout.