GPS Coordinates Research Articles

Accessibility and Spatial Distribution of health care facilities in Kware, Sokoto State, Nigeria

The study examine Accessibility and Spatial Distribution of health care facilities in Kware Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with the objective to identify and map the distribution of healthcare facilities and determine the spatial accessibility of healthcare facilities in the study area. The data used for the study include Administrative map of the area, GPS coordinates of the healthcare facilities as the primary data, while GIS software and Microsoft Excel were used in analyzing the data. Quantitative techniques was applied using purposive sampling for this study. The result showed that there are thirty six health care facilities in the study area; 94.4% were primary health care (PHC) while 2.8% are secondary health care (SHC) and tertiary health care (THC).The distribution showed that Tsaki and Tunga wards had the highest percentage (13.8%) of HCFs. The Nearest Neighbor Analysis (NNA) showed critical value of (0.723620) at 0.469 significance level indicating the distribution pattern of HCFs in the study area to be random. The 4km Euclidean buffer has series of overlapping buffer on the HCFs in the LGA, leaving three settlements out of reach. The study concluded that the wards in the study area have fairly physical access to HCFs. The study therefore recommends that new facilities should be provided to improve access to HCFs in the study area.

Occurrence of Pestalotiopsis sp. on Ornamental Plants Camellia japonica L. in Romanian Public Gardens

Camellias are evergreen shrubs native to the eastern and southern regions of Asia. In Romania, camellias are popular ornamental plants grown in pots. Pestalotiopsis species have a worldwide distribution and are pathogenic to a wide range of hosts. They also represent an important group of endophytes capable of producing a variety of bioactive secondary metabolites. This paper reports the occurrence of grey blight and twig or branch dieback caused by Pestalotiopsis sp. on Camellia japonica L. grown in pots and used in the landscaping of a public garden located in Iasi city, Romania (GPS coordinates: 47°09′24.0″ N 27°35′15.6″ E). Pestalotiopsis species were identified based on morphological characteristics and Sanger sequencing. Genomic analysis of the fungal isolate coded P_CJ_24, obtained from living plants, was based on ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region amplification using the LSU primers. This first report of Pestalotiopsis species infection of ornamental plants in Romania suggests that new plant pathogens can be introduced in new environmental conditions through plant pods and their incidence increases with the widespread of plant material among gardens.

Improve customer service quality, reduce operating expenses, and improve energy sales by the K-MEANS method and path optimization algorithms

Managing consumer expectations was essential to maintaining customer satisfaction throughout the electricity contract. However, the service provided to customers was based on the location of electrical meters. In the absence of addressing in rural areas, it was too difficult to ensure a comprehensive survey of electrical meter indexes and intervene in time for troubleshooting. The method adopted was the choice of a site with a significant number of meters and energy transformers and the geolocation of electrical installations by a GPS that allowed the assignment of a universal address to electrical installations and facilitated the location of facilities for maintenance and emergency response. The study of optimization algorithms has directed the choice toward the algorithm of the nearest neighbor that remains fast and aims to other algorithms whose number of iterations can be exponential (n! iterations) but less exact. The integration of route optimization algorithms has improved the reactivity of technicians, reduced operational costs, and ensured accurate reading of indexes and transparent billing. The study presents a specific case in Morocco, where route optimization based on GPS coordinates of électric meters in reading indexes has significantly improved efficiency and customer satisfaction. In addition, the K-Means method was used to determine the centroids and clusters that represent respectively the transformation stations and the groups of electrical meters. These groupings allow the calculation of energy sales by transformer station to increase them by reducing energy losses

Correction of systematic image misalignment in direct georeferencing of UAV multispectral imagery

ABSTRACT Mosaicking of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) imagery over featureless water bodies has been known to be challenging, and poses a significant impediment to water monitoring applications. Techniques such as Structure-from-motion typically fail under such conditions due to the lack of distinctive features in the scene, and direct georeferencing is currently the only practical solution, albeit lower georeferencing accuracy is expected. However, hardware issues, particularly the typical time delay between the GPS unit and the image capture, can lead to systematic image misalignment and further reducing the accuracy. The systematic image misalignment arises as the recording of the geographical coordinates by the GPS unit may not precisely correspond to the exact moment of image exposure, and the image exposure may not always occur at the mid-exposure time. Hardware solutions can mitigate this issue but require technical expertise and resources. Alternatively, software solutions can address the problem without necessitating any hardware modifications. This study introduces an open-source solution for the correction of the systematic image alignment by accounting for the time delay and distance discrepancy between the measurements of the GPS coordinates and the image capture. The method was validated with field UAV surveys conducted in this study under various flight configurations (different flight altitudes and overlap ratios), and effective image alignment was obtained using the proposed open-source solution which reduced the georeferencing error by around 67.7%. Specifically, a georeferencing error of RMSE = 1.409 m and σ = 0.6356 m was achieved without the use of any ground control points (GCPs). Finally, as demonstrated in this study, low flight altitudes (e.g. 15 m) should be discouraged for such conditions as georeferencing errors could amplify due to the limited accuracy of the GPS, resulting in visual artefacts.

Spatial distribution of Q fever in sheep and goats of selective villages of Punjab Province, Pakistan

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the geographical distribution of Q fever in sheep and goats in different areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Three hundred blood samples of small ruminants including sheep and goats were collected from 60 villages of three districts (Okara, Kasur, and Pakpattan) of Punjab Province Pakistan and tested for the detection of anti-Coxiella burnetii antibodies using a commercial Indirect ELISA kit. Data related to sampling location, host species, gender, age, and GPS coordinates were collected for spatial analysis. A surface plot was created using inverse distance weight (IDW) by interpolation of the Aeronautical Reconnaissance Coverage Geographic Information system (Arc GIS). The district Kasur (14%) and the tehsil Chunian (24%) had the most prominent Q fever prevalence in both species. No ovine males were seropositive but 19.2% of male goats were seropositive. No samples of sheep younger than 1 year were found seropositive. Gender in sheep and age in goats have to be considered as significant risk factors based on multiple logistic regression analysis. Based on spatial analysis, seropositivity for C. burnetii antibodies was more likely observed in villages of tehsil Kasur, Pattoki, Okara, Depalpur, and Renala Khurd in the case of goats while in case of sheep villages of tehsil Chunian, Renala Khurd and Pakpattan. The main outcome of this study is that Q fever-specific antibodies of C. burnetii are prevalent in the goat and sheep populations of the study area and we have identified potential risk zones. The findings of this study can be used for the control of Q fever in small ruminants of the study area to minimize the risk of this zoonosis in other animals and the associated human population.

Wildlife trade at the interface between deeply-rooted animal-based traditional medicine and unregulated harvesting of wild animals in West Africa

Local trade remains a data poor component of wildlife crime that must be better understood for more effective combat against the illegal wildlife trade. We assessed the distribution of wildlife markets, diversity of species traded and the extent of the trade chain through spatial analysis of wildlife sale sites and semi-structured interviews with 75 vendors in the 10 largest traditional medicine markets of Benin. GPS coordinates of wildlife markets were used to map their geographic distribution and assess their spatial patterns. We used a generalized linear model to determine the drivers underlying the spatial patterns of wildlife markets. A circular layout was designed to delineate the geographic extent of wildlife trade in terms of supplying sources. We found that wildlife was traded at 121 sale sites in Benin, highly dominated by traditional medicine markets (106 sites). The spatial analysis of markets exhibited an aggregative distribution pattern, and the type of market, the number of stalls in the markets and the municipality status influence significantly the spatial temporality of market distribution. Wildlife trade for traditional medicine affected 268, 96 and 61 bird, mammal and reptile species, respectively, and included species of both high national and global conservation concern. We also found that the national wildlife trade in Benin was supplied from 80% (12/15) West African Economic and Monetary countries, and all the Economic Community of West African States (except Guinea-Bissau) in violation of national laws, CITES, and regional commitments to combat wildlife trafficking (e.g., the West African Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Crime). Our study in Benin is a big step to revealing trade throughout in West Africa. It provides much needed information on wildlife trade structure and driving forces that could help to inform decision-making for better trade regulation and for effective wildlife law enforcement in West Africa. Other studies should do the same to help paint a more complete picture of wildlife trade in West Africa.

UAV-Based 3D-Calibration of Thermal Cameras for Bat Flight Monitoring in Large Outdoor Environments

The calibration of 3D cameras is one of the key challenges to successfully measure the nightly 3D flight tracks of bats with thermal cameras. This is relevant around wind turbines to investigate the impact wind farms have on their species. Existing 3D-calibration methods solve the problem of unknown camera position and orientation by using a reference object of known coordinates. While these methods work well for small monitoring volumes, the size of the reference objects (e.g., checkerboard patterns) limits the distance between the two cameras and therefore leads to increased calibration errors when used in large outdoor environments. To address this limitation, we propose a calibration method for tracking flying animals with thermal cameras based on UAV GPS tracks. The tracks can be scaled to the required monitoring volume and accommodate large distances between cameras, which is essential for low-resolution thermal camera setups. We tested our method at two wind farms, conducting 19 manual calibration flights with a consumer UAV, distributing GPS points from 30 to 260 m from the camera system. Using two thermal cameras with a resolution of 640 × 480 pixels and an inter-axial distance of 15 m, we achieved median 3D errors between 0.9 and 3.8 m across different flights. Our method offers the advantage of directly providing GPS coordinates and requires only two UAV flights for cross-validation of the 3D errors.

Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Hotspots in Oliver Reginald Tambo District Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

The global push to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) as a public health threat is increasingly urgent, particularly in high-burden areas like the Oliver Reginald Tambo District Municipality, South Africa. Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) poses a significant challenge to TB control efforts and is a leading cause of TB-related deaths. This study aimed to assess DR-TB transmission patterns and predict future cases using geospatial and predictive modeling techniques. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted across five decentralized DR-TB facilities in the O.R. Tambo District Municipality from January 2018 to December 2020. Data were obtained from Statistics South Africa, and patient GPS coordinates were used to identify clusters of DR-TB cases via DBSCAN clustering. Hotspot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi) was performed, and two predictive models (Linear Regression and Random Forest) were developed to estimate future DR-TB cases. Analyses were conducted using Python 3.8 and R 4.1.1, with significance set at p < 0.05. A total of 456 patients with DR-TB were enrolled, with 56.1% males and 43.9% females. The mean age was 37.5 (±14.9) years. The incidence of DR-TB was 11.89 cases per 100,000 population, with males being disproportionately affected. Key risk factors included poverty, lack of education, and occupational exposure. The DR-TB types included RR-TB (60%), MDR-TB (30%), Pre-XDR-TB (5%), XDR-TB (3%), and INHR-TB (2%). Spatial analysis revealed significant clustering in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. A major cluster was identified, along with a distinct outlier. The analyses of DR-TB case trends using historical data (2018-2021) and projections (2022-2026) from Linear Regression and Random Forest models reveal historical data with a sharp decline in DR-TB case, from 186 in 2018 to 15 in 2021, highlighting substantial progress. The Linear Regression model predicts a continued decline to zero cases by 2026, with an R2 = 0.865, a mean squared error (MSE) of 507.175, and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 18.65. Conversely, the Random Forest model forecasts stabilization to around 30-50 cases annually after 2021, achieving an R2 = 0.882, an MSE of 443.226, and an MAE of 19.03. These models underscore the importance of adaptive strategies to sustain progress and avoid plateauing in DR-TB reduction efforts. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions in vulnerable populations to curb DR-TB transmission and improve treatment outcomes.

Geospatial analysis of first, second, and third level hospitals in a surgical network in the low and middle income countries

Introduction Distance from a healthcare facility is a barrier in access to surgery. Methodologies to evaluate the population covered by a hospital are time consuming and costly. The aim of this study was to analyse the population density around hospitals to pragmatically evaluate their access while comparing differences between hospital types. Methods This analysis was conducted in the hospitals that participated in an international cohort study on inguinal hernia patients (HIPPO study). Hospitals located in low and middle income countries were eligible for inclusion and were classified as first-referral, secondary, tertiary level hospitals. For each hospital, location and GPS coordinates were reported in maps. The population density within a 5km, 40km and 80km radius was calculated. The medians and interquartile range of the population densities were calculated in two stages: considering each hospital and considering the number of patients recruited. Results This analysis included 326 hospitals: 38 first-referral, 84 secondary and 204 tertiary level hospitals. For the 5km distance, the population density increased from first referral to tertiary hospitals (median of population density 1776, 3439 and 6979, respectively). In 40km and 80km radius, the same trend was observed (351, 300 and 888 for 40km and 294, 197 and 462 for 80km). When adjusting and weighting the patients recruited for the study, the differences became more evident. Discussion This analysis showed that in less densely populated areas first-referral hospitals predominate. The methods described can be used in other studies to evaluate the population that can be covered by different healthcare facilities.

A Fuzzy Logic Approach to Enhance GPS Accuracy for Blood Cooler Box Tracking

An innovative technological development, the position tracking system uses latitude and longitude coordinates to determine the GPS's location. The covid-19 pandemic has caused the demand for cool box delivery for convalescent blood plasma to increase significantly. The obstacle in the field is the hospital's position and patient rooms far from the reach convalescent donors, so they require a cool box for delivery. The problem is tracking the cool box accurately and precisely so that it can be monitored by the hospital properly. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the accuracy of the GPS position in the cool box by using fuzzy logic algorithms The Ublox NEO-6M is one GPS module that can be utilized for navigation. This module uses UART connection using the NMEA 0183 protocol and has an accuracy level of around 2.5 meters to 10 meters. In this research, validation of the accuracy of the GPS coordinate position was carried out on a Blood Cool Box device which was designed using the fuzzy logic method. The Sugeno method fuzzy logic algorithm is used to validate the accuracy of GPS coordinate positions based on latitude and longitude obtained from the GPS sensor module. The test results show a Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) value of 21.66% which can be concluded that the Sugeno fuzzy logic method algorithm has forecasting model capabilities that are suitable for use as a validation method for testing GPS position coordinates.

A cross-sectional geospatial analysis of access to cesarean delivery in Uganda by facility functionality

Introduction: There is minimal data on spatial access to surgical maternal care in Uganda. We aimed to determine geospatial access to facilities performing cesarean delivery in Uganda at differing facility functional levels. Methods: We defined three levels of facility functionality: level 1 – functional by designation, i.e., health system level; level 2 – performed at least one cesarean delivery in the past year; and level 3 – performed at least 20 cesarean deliveries in the past year. We mapped facilities in ArcGIS Pro using GPS coordinates, calculated Manhattan distances, and using transportation network data, identified the area indicating 30-minute, 1-hour, and 2-hour geographic walking and driving access to facilities. The population estimate raster was overlain with drive time analysis areas to calculate the total population catchment within each travel time. Results: Of 6937 total facilities, 339 (4.9%) met level 1 functionality, 287 (4.1%) met level 2 functionality, and 241 (3.5%) met level 3 functionality. The percentages of women within 30-minute, 1-hour, and 2-hour walking times from level 1 facilities were 9.7%, 19.8%, and 34.8%, respectively. These percentages decreased to 9.2%, 19%, and 33% for level 2 functionality and 8.1%, 17.4%, and 30.5% for level 3 functionality, respectively. Access varied regionally, with the poorest access in the Northern region (20% within 2 hours walking) compared to the Central region (55.2% within 2 hours walking). Conclusion: We demonstrate a substantial proportion of the Ugandan population does not have timely access to cesarean delivery, with substantial subnational variation. This inequity in access to surgical obstetric care is vital information that can assist policymakers in achieving universal maternal health access.

Fault Detection in Transmission Line

Abstract: This project focuses on the design and implementation of an advanced fault detection system for overhead transmission lines, utilizing key components such as the ESP 8266 microcontroller, current sensors, a GPS module, and IoT integration. The system is capable of detecting and classifying four major fault types: single line to ground (L-G), line to line (LL), double line to ground (L-L-G), and three-phase faults (L-L-LG). By placing current sensors at the transmission line's sending end, the system identifies faults and accurately determines their location through GPS coordinates .Simulations using protect us software were conducted to verify the system’s performance prior to building a hardware prototype. Upon fault detection, the system provides alerts via an LCD display and a buzzer, while real-time fault data is transmitted to an Android app and web server through the arduino IoT cloud. Testing confirmed the system’s precision in fault identification and location tracking, ensuring timely notifications for control room and remote device operators. This successful implementation highlights the system's potential for improving safety and efficiency in power transmission networks. the project lays the groundwork for further exploration into advanced fault detection and real-time monitoring solutions in electrical engineering.

The Impact of Portuguese Community Pharmacies on Influenza Vaccination Accessibility and Coverage

Abstract Background Vaccination reduces influenza infections. Non-adherence often stems from external barriers like distance to vaccination sites. To counteract the projected coverage decrease for 2023/24, Portugal’s Government expanded free Influenza vaccination to those ≥ 60 and to community pharmacies (CP), enhancing proximity and availability. This study aimed to assess the impact of CP inclusion on the distance to vaccination sites and on Influenza vaccine coverage in the 2023/24 campaign. Methods Analytical study, evaluating the average distance (km) from population to the nearest vaccination site per municipality using GPS coordinates from National Health Service (NHS) sites and CP. The Global Human Settlement resident population grid was derived from Eurostat 2011 Census, Corine Land Cover Refined 2006 and European Settlement Map 2016. Scenarios with and without CP were compared. The difference (%) in distances between 2022/23 (NHS sites) and 2023/24 (NHS sites and CP) and the coverage for the top and bottom 10% of municipalities with the highest and lowest distance reductions were calculated. Results In the 2023/24 Influenza vaccination campaign, 844 NHS sites and 2487 CP participated. Excluding CP, the average distance to the nearest NHS site was 2.4 km, decreasing to 1.2 km with CP inclusion (-50.5%). As of March 31, 2024, influenza vaccine coverage for those aged ≥65 was 72.1%, decreasing 0.1 percentage points (pp) compared to 2022/23 (72.2%). For the top 10% municipalities with the highest distance reduction (up to 66.5%), coverage increased by 1.3 pp compared to 2022/23. Conversely, the bottom 10% (reduction under 10.3%) experienced a decrease of 4.5 pp. Conclusions The inclusion of pharmacies has effectively reduced access barriers, filled geographical gaps, and improved proximity to vaccination. This strategy appears to have a positive impact on influenza vaccination coverage, particularly amid growing hesitancy, with potential for broader public health strategies. Key messages • The inclusion of community pharmacies in the 2023/24 Influenza vaccination campaign reduced the average distance to the nearest vaccination site by 50.5%, from 2.4 km to 1.2 km. • In 2023/24, for the top 10% municipalities with the highest distance reduction (up to 66.5%), coverage increased 1.3 pp compared to 2022/23.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Existing Preventive Fire-Fighting Measures in the City of Douala, Cameroon, to Improve Decision-Making and Public Safety

The storage of hydrocarbons in urban areas poses significant risks to local populations, including the potential for fire, explosion, groundwater contamination, and air pollution. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of current fire prevention and suppression strategies in the city of Douala. The study will be approached by first identifying, geolocating, and characterizing urban firefighting equipment. Subsequently, a proposal will be put forth for a response system to safeguard the city in the event of a catastrophic fire at a service station. In order to achieve this objective, the current regulatory framework governing the location of FH facilities was subjected to a thorough examination. Subsequently, pivotal compliance factors were identified, operationalized, and an audit checklist was formulated. A safety questionnaire was utilized to assess the equipment within service stations. GPS technology was employed to record the GPS coordinates of the FHs. GIS10.3.1 software was utilized to evaluate the BI distribution model. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS20.0 software, which revealed that the 142 BIs studied were essentially randomly distributed across the following neighborhoods. The results of the election yielded the following results: Bonamoussadi 27 (19%), Bonandjo 19 (13%), Bali 02 (1%), Deido 09 (6%), Akwa Nord 03 (2%), Bonamoussadi 18 (12%), Makepe 18 (12%), and B. The remaining 5% is distributed among the following: Assa, Bepanda, Cité-Sic, Ndogbong, Cité des Palmiers, Bonaberi, and New-Bell. Of the 142 FH identified, 30 (21.12%) lack water, and 4 (2.81%) have a flow rate of less than 30 m³/h with a dynamic pressure of less than 1 bar. Seventeen (11.97%) are inaccessible; 79 (55.63%) are operational; five (3.52%) are challenging to operate; and seven (4.92%) are situated within a private enclosure. The response time of the fire department is inadequate for all stations situated more than 3 km from their base in Ngondi-Douala. Only 17 (11.52%) of the stations are situated at distances of less than 5.83 km, which is conducive to efficient intervention. In contrast, 134 (88.74%) of the stations are located at distances of 5.83 km or more from the fire department base, which is not conducive to efficient intervention. The results indicate that the BIs are situated at considerable distances from the stations. Notably, the Total Laquitinie station is the sole city station with a FH located at its entrance. The database developed in this study could serve as a valuable resource for policymakers to inform appropriate action.

Dear Malaria: Deer Have Malaria! Prevalence ofPlasmodium odocoilei Infection in White-tailed deer in Pennsylvania

Abstract Background To combat antimalarial treatment resistance, better understanding of malaria pathogenesis is needed, but existing animal model have various limitations. Notably, prevailing murine models require laboratory infection of non-natural host species. In 2016, the parasite Plasmodium odocoilei was identified in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). This was the first non-human mammalian malaria parasite identified in North America, representing a novel naturally occurring model system that allows for integrated examination of host, vector, and systems parasite biology. In addition, sickle hemoglobinopathy is exceptionally common among white-tailed deer, occurring in up to 60% of apparently healthy animals. In humans, the prevalence of sickle hemoglobinopathy in individuals with ancestry from malaria-endemic regions is due to the protective effects of sickle trait against severe malaria. Thus, the white-tailed deer-P. odocoilei system represents the only known naturally occurring model of the association between malaria parasite biology and sickle cell disease. Pennsylvania white-tailed deer have not previously been surveyed for infection. In this study, we determined P. odocoilei prevalence in a sample of 170 Pennsylvania white-tailed deer. Methods We amplified the CytB gene of P. odocoilei by nested PCR from DNA extracted from homogenized white-tailed deer tongue tissue obtained from the PennVet Wildlife Futures Program. We confirmed samples screening positive on gel electrophoresis via unprimed sequencing (Plasmidsaurus, USA) and NCBI-BLAST analysis. Results We estimate the prevalence of P. odocoilei infection in Pennsylvania white-tailed deer to be 0.6% (1 of 170 samples). Sequencing of the positive sample revealed a 621-bp sequence with close sequence identity to previous North American isolates of P. odocoilei (query cover 91-100%, percent identity 99.34-100.00%). Biobank metadata showed the positive sample originated from a roadkilled yearling male picked up at GPS coordinates (40.8423, -79.0409) on August 15, 2022. Conclusion P. odocoilei is endemic to Pennsylvania white-tailed deer. Our future directions include screening of additional samples, determination of host hemoglobin allele frequencies, detailed parasite genetic studies, and entomologic studies to elucidate vector biology. In addition, granular sample metadata collected by the PennVet Wildlife Futures Program will allow us to analyze the effects of geographic, demographic, and temporal variables on epidemiology. In sum, our survey data empowers future Pennsylvania-based studies to take advantage of the only known naturally occurring animal model of sickling and its association with protozoan infection.

GPS observables in Newtonian spacetime or why we do not need ‘physical’ coordinate systems

Some authors have defended the claim that one needs to be able to define ‘physical coordinate systems’ and ‘observables’ in order to make sense of general relativity. Moreover, in Rovelli (Physical Review D,65(4), 044017 2002), Rovelli proposes a way of implementing these ideas by making use of a system of satellites that allows defining a set of ‘physical coordinates’, the GPS coordinates. In this article I oppose these views in four ways. First, I defend an alternative way of understanding general relativity which implies that we have a perfectly fine interpretation of the models of the theory even in the absence of ‘physical coordinate systems’. Second, I analyze and challenge the motivations behind the ‘observable’ view. Third, I analyze Rovelli’s proposal and I conclude that it does not allow extracting any physical information from our models that wasn’t available before. Fourth, I draw an analogy between general relativistic spacetimes and Newtonian spacetimes, which allows me to argue that as ‘physical observables’ are not needed in Newtonian spacetime, then neither are they in general relativity. In this sense, I conclude that the ‘observable’ view of general relativity is unmotivated.

Археологічні дослідження та проблема охорони пам’яток археології (на прикладі стоянок кам’яного віку Одеської області)

The paper investigates different aspects of the problem of localization of Stone Age sites in the vicinity of Chervonoznamenka village (Ivanovka district of Odessa region). The sites were discovered in 1960-s by V.I. Kraskovskyi. In total, V.I. Kraskovskyi opened six sites in this region (Katarzhyno, Tsybulivka, Tsybulivka І-ІV). According to V.I Kraskovskyi, the sites are located on small promontories of the right bank of the Malyi Kuialnyk River, about 2 km from the village Znamyanka. In this place, the river is blocked by a dam, as a result of which a rather large reservoir was formed. In 2007-2010, the author conducted research in this region. However, it turned out to be quite difficult to localize the locations of the sites discovered by V.I. Kraskovskyi. The problem was that in the 50 years since V.I. Kraskovskyi’s research, the area had become overgrown with trees and bushes. In addition, a railroad was laid here in the 60s. As a result, considerable excavation work was carried out. Thus, all the Stone Age sites that were discovered as a result of the 2007-2010 surveys were given new names (Katarzhyno 1-5). During these years, the author conducted excavations in a small area at the Katarzhyno 1 and Katarzhyno 2 sites. As a result of the research, flint products and fragments of pottery were found at the sites. This made it possible to date the sites to the Neolithic era. An additional survey of the region was conducted in 2020. At that time, it was found that trees and shrubs had grown even more. In this regard, it was not possible to establish GPS coordinates of the sites. Therefore, the locations of the campsites were recorded on Google maps. However, a mistake was made when registering these sites in the databases. And now, in all documents it is stated that these sites are located on the cape, which is formed as a result of the confluence of the Malyi and Serednii Kuialnyk rivers. And no one will correct documentation with errors that have been approved by many authorities. This leads to the loss of various, including unique, archaeological complexes for science and society. Key words: North-Western Black Sea region, Stone Age, settlement/site, protection of cultural heritage.

Effects of Agricultural Land Use on Desert Soil Classification in Holy Karbala Governorate

This study was conducted to evaluate physical, chemical, and morphological features to classify soils at the subgroup level. The research area, located west of Karbala, consists of three locations, each comprising pedons in both cultivated and uncultivated lands. GPS coordinates were recorded, and morphological descriptions of pedon horizons were made in accordance with the American Soil Survey Manual. This study investigates the effect of agricultural land use on the classification of desert soils in the Holy Karbala Governorate. The results revealed that the dry climate caused diversity in the morphological features of the soils, mainly in horizon type, thickness, and arrangement. Agricultural usage had an impact on diagnostic horizons, particularly the gypsic horizon, and features such as soil color, structure, organic matter, carbonate minerals, gypsum, and root distribution. However, there was no substantial impact on soil texture development, and soils did not show a consistent pattern of soil separation distribution with depth, indicating weak pedogenic processes. The most common texture classes were loamy sand, sandy loam, and sand, with sand contents ranged from 902.08 to 574.12 g kg. Soil bulk density differed from 1.67 to 1.30 Mg m³, with lower values in farmed areas. Chemical properties were influenced, with soil pH ranging from 8.36 to 7.54, electrical conductivity (EC) from 5.46 to 2.03 dS m, cation exchange capacity (CEC) from 15.25 to 2.05 meq.100g, organic matter from 43.51 to 1.18 g kg, carbonate minerals from 461.18 to 174.06 g kg, and calcium sulfate from 182 to 21 g kg. The soils were classed as Aridisols because they were found in a dry desert with an Aridic moisture regime. The presence of distinctive saline layers such as Calcic and Gypsic was discovered, resulting in the classification of cultivated soils as Typic Haplocalcids and uncultivated lands as Typic Calcigypsids.

Disentangling social, environmental, and zoonotic transmission pathways of a gastrointestinal protozoan (Blastocystis spp.) in northeast Madagascar.

Understanding disease transmission is a fundamental challenge in ecology. We used transmission potential networks to investigate whether a gastrointestinal protozoan (Blastocystis spp.) is spread through social, environmental, and/or zoonotic pathways in rural northeast Madagascar. We obtained survey data, household GPS coordinates, and fecal samples from 804 participants. Surveys inquired about social contacts, agricultural activity, and sociodemographic characteristics. Fecal samples were screened for Blastocystis using DNA metabarcoding. We also tested 133 domesticated animals for Blastocystis. We used network autocorrelation models and permutation tests (network k-test) to determine whether networks reflecting different transmission pathways predicted infection. We identified six distinct Blastocystis subtypes among study participants and their domesticated animals. Among the 804 human participants, 74% (n = 598) were positive for at least one Blastocystis subtype. Close proximity to infected households was the most informative predictor of infection with any subtype (model averaged OR [95% CI]: 1.56 [1.33-1.82]), and spending free time with infected participants was not an informative predictor of infection (model averaged OR [95% CI]: 0.95 [0.82-1.10]). No human participant was infected with the same subtype as the domesticated animals they owned. Our findings suggest that Blastocystis is most likely spread through environmental pathways within villages, rather than through social or animal contact. The most likely mechanisms involve fecal contamination of the environment by infected individuals or shared food and water sources. These findings shed new light on human-pathogen ecology and mechanisms for reducing disease transmission in rural, low-income settings.

Visual Odometry in GPS-Denied Zones for Fixed-Wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Reduced Accumulative Error Based on Satellite Imagery

In this paper, we present a method for estimating GPS coordinates from visual information captured by a monocular camera mounted on a fixed-wing tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at high altitudes (up to 3000 m) in GPS-denied zones. The main challenge in visual odometry using aerial images is the computation of the scale due to irregularities in the elevation of the terrain. That is, it is not possible to accurately convert from pixels in the image to meters in space, and the error accumulates. The contribution of this work is a reduction in the accumulated error by comparing the images from the camera with satellite images without requiring the dynamic model of the vehicle. The algorithm has been tested in real-world flight experiments at altitudes above 1000 m and in missions over 17 km. It has been proven that the algorithm prevents an increase in the accumulated error.