Geographic Class Research Articles

Rehabilitation information systems: What we know and what we want

Per the definition of the World Health Organization, rehabilitation is a set of interventions designed to optimize performance and reduce disability in people with a varying range of health-related disorders in interacting with their environment. Like many other fields of the health-care realm, the application and integration of valid and reliable research are perceivably highly primitive. It is not possible to accurately measure or predict the need for rehabilitation services in general, and it is certainly difficult to do so for specific demographic or geographic classes. Service providers lack the tools to make objective policy and financial decision-making at the systemic level without accurate and reliable information management practices. To gain the capacity to transform the current guidelines of the ministry and make financial changes in the entire rehabilitation process, the rehabilitation sector needs a strong voice and a solid political base to guide the rehabilitation process therefrom. The current narrative review focuses on our knowledge of rehabilitation information systems and what we know and what we want.

Monitoring Spatio-Temporal Dynamics in the Eastern Plain Lakes of China Using Long-Term MODIS UNWI Index

Monitoring the spatio-temporal dynamics of the Eastern Plain Lake (EPL) is vital to the local environment and economy. However, due to the limitations and efficiency of traditional image formats in storing and processing large amounts of images and optimal threshold adjustments are often necessary for water/non-water separation based on traditional multi-band/spectral water indexes over large areas and in the long-term, previous studies have either been on a short period or mainly focused on water inundation dynamics of several lakes. To address these issues, a multi-dimensional dataset (MDD) storage format was used to efficiently organize more than ~7000 time series composite MODIS images. Furthermore, a universal normalized water index (UNWI) was developed based on full-spectrum information to simplify optimal threshold adjustments. Consequently, the present study analyzed the patterns of spatio-temporal water dynamic patterns and potential driving factors of inundation changes at large lakes (>5 km2) in the EPL during 2000–2020 through MDD and UNWI. In terms of annual inundation patterns, the numbers of lakes that experienced significant (p < 0.05) decreases (17 lakes) and increases (43 lakes) were highest for Class IV lakes among six geographical classes. Variation in intra-annual inundation in Classes I and II is correlated with consumption of chemical fertilizers (CCF), while precipitation accounted for the most change in lake area in Class III. This spatio-temporal analysis of lakes provides a necessary foundation for the sustainable development and continuous investigations of the EPL.

Debris flows modeling using geo-environmental factors: developing hybridized deep-learning algorithms

Although the prediction of debris flow-prone areas represents a key step towards reducing damages, modeling debris flow susceptibility is complicated. In addition, the role of debris flow causal drivers in forested mountain landscapes is still poorly understood. To gain a holistic view of the causes of debris flows in the Umyeonsan, Seoul, South Korea region, we coupled the convolutional neural network (CNN) with two evolutionary optimization algorithms – grey wolf optimization (GWO) and cuckoo optimization algorithm (COA). Applying geoinformatics to debris flow factors, debris-flow susceptibility maps were generated and their validities were assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The results reveal that three causative factors seem to contribute most to debris flows in the study area. The evolutionary optimization algorithms achieved higher goodness-of-fit and predictive power than the standalone CNN model. The goodness-of-fit and predictive skill measures of the CNN susceptibility map were 0.76 and 0.73. The values of CNN hybridized with GWO were 0.81 and 0.81 and hybridized with COA were 0.83 and 0.82. Slope degree, tree age, stream power index, geographical class, and soil drainage were the factors most affecting debris flow likelihood. The CNN-COA is the superior model and it predicted that 40.6% of the study area (i.e., 1844.96 km2) is highly and very highly susceptible to debris flows. The methodology can be applied for analysis of other region to improve risk management and guide development and land use planning.

ICP-OES analysis coupled with chemometrics for the characterization and the discrimination of high added value Italian Emmer samples

The elemental composition of 63 emmer samples produced in three different Italian territories, Monteleone di Spoleto (Umbria), Garfagnana (Tuscany) and National Park Gran Sasso-Laga (Abruzzo) were analyzed by Inductively Couples Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) combined with microwave-assisted digestion. The ICP-OES analytical method was validated to assess accuracy, precision and sensitivity. Recoveries were determined by the analysis of six genuine and six fortified emmer samples spiked at different concentrations. Recoveries (%) varied from 83 to 100% for the minor elements (Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) detected in emmer in the 1−50 μg/g concentration range (acceptable recovery range 80–110%) and from 85 to 98% for the major elements (Ca, K, Mg and P) whose concentration in emmer was within 0.2−5 mg/g (acceptable recovery range 90–107%). The observed LOD and LOQ values ranged from 0.02 to 1.03 μg/gdry and from 0.07 to 3.44 μg/gdry, respectively, indicating a high sensitivity of the method.Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was preliminarily applied to investigate the significance of the detected elements (Ba, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ca, K, Mg and P) as geographical markers. Eventually, Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was used to classify the samples according to their geographical origin. In order to validate the classification model, the 63 samples were divided into a training and a test set of 33 and 30 objects, respectively. The graphical investigation of the PLS-DA model highlighted that samples clearly group according to the geographical origin; this outcome is confirmed by the high accuracy achieved. In fact, the predictive model led to a correct classification rate of 100% for all the external samples. The investigation of the biplot and the application of the Variable Importance in Prediction (VIP) analysis indicated that all the elements except Cu contributed to the characterization of the three different geographical classes.

Chiba Prefectural High School Education Study Group Geographical Section ed.: New Geographical Class: Suggestions for a New Age of High School “Geography” (Takeuchi, H.)

Chiba Prefectural High School Education Study Group Geographical Section ed.: New Geographical Class: Suggestions for a New Age of High School “Geography” (Takeuchi, H.)

The Frequency of Anemia and Underlying Factors among Iranian Pregnant Women from Provinces with Different Maternal Mortality Rate

Anemia is a common nutritional disorder that is more prevalent in pregnant women than other population groups. This study aimed to assess the frequency of anemia and its association with health care determinants among Iranian pregnant women from provinces with different Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR). This cross-sectional survey was carried out on 2737 pregnant women referred to public health centers in Iran, 2015. The participants were randomly selected by multistage sampling from six provinces with low, moderate or high MMR. The level of hemoglobin lower than 11 g/dl were defined as anemia in first and third trimester of pregnancy. The rate of anemia in first and third trimester were respectively 8.2 and 26.7%. The most determinants of anemia among women in both first and third trimester of pregnancy were geographical classes with high MMR, no care before pregnancy, and type of house. Moreover, lower number of previous pregnancies (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.85) and adequate care during pregnancy (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.92) were protected women from anemia and high number of children (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.13 to 3.80) enhanced risk of anemia in first trimester of pregnancy. Moreover, higher body mass index had lower odds of anemia in third trimester. The rate of anemia is differed in various parts of Iran, and this disorder gets worse in third trimester of pregnancy than first. Strengthening health care programs may be a useful strategies to prevent and control anemia.

Does rural generalist focused medical school and family medicine training make a difference? Memorial University of Newfoundland outcomes.

Rural recruitment and retention of physicians is a global issue. The Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, was established as a rural-focused medical school with a social accountability mandate that aimed to meet the healthcare needs of a sparse population distributed over a large landmass as well as the needs of other rural and remote areas of Canada. This study aimed to assess whether Memorial medical degree (MD) and postgraduate (PG) programs were effective at producing physicians for their province and rural physicians for Canada compared with other Canadian medical schools. This retrospective cohort study included medical school graduates who completed their PG training between 2004 and 2013 in Canada. Practice locations of study subjects were georeferenced and assigned to three geographic classes: Large Urban; Small City/Town; and Rural. Analyses were performed at two levels. (1) Provincial level analysis compared Memorial PG graduates practicing where they received their MD and/or PG training with other medical schools who are the only medical school in their province (n=4). (2) National-level analysis compared Memorial PG graduates practicing in rural Canada with all other Canadian medical schools (n=16). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Overall, 18 766 physicians practicing in Canada completed Canadian PG training (2004-2013), and of those, 8091 (43%) completed Family Medicine (FM) training. Of all physicians completing Canadian PG training, 1254 (7%) physicians were practicing rurally and of those, 1076 were family physicians. There were 379 Memorial PG graduates and of those, 208 (55%) completed FM training and 72 (19%) were practicing rurally, and of those practicing rurally, 56 were family physicians. At the national level, the percentage of all Memorial PG graduates (19.0%) and FM PG graduates (26.9%) practicing rurally was significantly better than the national average for PG (6.4%, p<0.000) and FM (12.9%, p<0.000). Among 391 physicians practicing in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), 257 (65.7%) were Memorial PG graduates and 247 (63.2%) were Memorial MD graduates. Of the 163 FM graduates, 148 (90.8%) were Memorial FM graduates and 118 (72.4%) were Memorial MD graduates. Of the 68 in rural practice, 51 (75.0%) were Memorial PG graduates and 31 (45.6%) were Memorial MD graduates. Of the 41 FM graduates in rural practice, 39 (95.1%) were Memorial FM graduates and 22 (53.7%) were Memorial MD graduates. Two-sample proportion tests demonstrated Memorial University provided a larger proportion of its provincial physician resource supply than the other four single provincial medical schools, by medical school MD for FM (72.4% vs 44.3%, p<0.000) and for overall (63.2% vs 43.5% p<0.000), and by medical school PG for FM (90.8 % vs 72.0%, p<0.000). This study found Memorial University graduates were more likely to establish practice in rural areas compared with the national average for most program types as well as more likely to establish practice in NL compared with other single medical schools' graduates in their provinces. This study highlights the impact a comprehensive rural-focused social accountability approach can have at supplying the needs of a population both at the regional and rural national levels.

Source identification of western Oregon Douglas-fir wood cores using mass spectrometry and random forest classification.

Premise of the study:We investigated whether wood metabolite profiles from direct analysis in real time (time-of-flight) mass spectrometry (DART-TOFMS) could be used to determine the geographic origin of Douglas-fir wood cores originating from two regions in western Oregon, USA.Methods:Three annual ring mass spectra were obtained from 188 adult Douglas-fir trees, and these were analyzed using random forest models to determine whether samples could be classified to geographic origin, growth year, or growth year and geographic origin. Specific wood molecules that contributed to geographic discrimination were identified.Results:Douglas-fir mass spectra could be differentiated into two geographic classes with an accuracy between 70% and 76%. Classification models could not accurately classify sample mass spectra based on growth year. Thirty-two molecules were identified as key for classifying western Oregon Douglas-fir wood cores to geographic origin.Discussion:DART-TOFMS is capable of detecting minute but regionally informative differences in wood molecules over a small geographic scale, and these differences made it possible to predict the geographic origin of Douglas-fir wood with moderate accuracy. Studies involving DART-TOFMS, alone and in combination with other technologies, will be relevant for identifying the geographic origin of illegally harvested wood.

Research on the Using Electronic Map Software Google Earth in the Geographical Class

Based on a brief introduction of electronic map software Google Earths functions related to teaching, teaching characteristics of Google Earth (GE), "GE is more interactive, dynamic than traditional map", were discussed. And then focusing on methods how to use GE in the geographical class, search maps, production and management landmarks, map overlay, image overlay, and making geography picture courseware are presented. Finally, Application Strategies about GE in geography teaching are mentioned.

Apples, oranges, and ecoregions: on determining pattern in aquatic assemblages

Classification of waterbodies is a necessary step for aquatic biological assessment. Geographic classes, such as physiographic provinces, marine biogeographic provinces, and ecoregions are frequently used as a classification framework for conducting bioassessments. An alternative to such a priori classification of waterbodies is to let the biological data tell us, using various statistical exploratory techniques to identify classes that do not necessarily conform to geographic stratification. In assessment of new sites, it is often necessary to identify or predict which of several classes the new site may belong to. We classified benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages from streams of Wyoming, using 3 alternative methods: a priori establishment of ecoregions, adaptive modification of the ecoregions, and a posteriori clustering. Classification strengths were compared using similarity dendrograms. Clustering separated the sites better than ecoregions, but the clusters showed strong ecoregional affinities. The modified ecoregions were equal to the clusters in classification strength. We conclude that an iterative process that includes generation of hypotheses, exploratory data analysis, and evaluation and modification of hypotheses is most likely to produce robust classifications, regardless of specific analytical approaches used.

University and Educational Intelligence

CAMBRIDGE.—Dr. James Ward, whose name is well known as a physiological psychologist, was on Saturday elected to the new Professorship of Mental Philosophy and Logic. Dr. E. Barclay-Smith has been appointed Senior Demonstrator, and F. C. Kempson Junior Demonstrator in the department of Anatomy. Dr. J. N. Keynes has been appointed by the Council of the Senate to act on the joint committee for promoting legislation on secondary, education now sitting in London. Mr. Yule Oldham, University Lecturer in Geography, is this term lecturing on the geography of Central Europe, and also (in conjunction with Mr. J. E. Marr, F. R S.) on the scientific study of scenery. The geographical classes have of late been larger than in any previous year, and Mr. Oldham is steadily gaining ground for his subject in the University. Certain changes in the Historical Tripos will lead students to devote more of their time to political geography, and a new section of the higher local examination deals with the wider aspects of the science. The studentship of 100% offered by the Royal Geographical Society to members of the University attending his lectures, will be awarded at the end of the present term. Mr. W. Bateson, F. R. S., of St. John's College, is this term giving a special course of lectures on the study of variation, which he has made peculiarly his own. A Shuttleworth Scholarship of 55/. a year for three years will be awarded at Gonville and Caius College in March. The subjects are botany and comparative anatomy, and candidates must be medical students of not less than eight terms' standing.