High Level Of Impact Research Articles

Bearing the brunt: an exploration of the mental health and wellbeing of dental practice managers and receptionists in UK dental workplaces

AbstractAim This study aimed to explore the mental health and wellbeing of dental practice managers and receptionists in the UK and inform opportunities for further study into this crucially important yet under-researched occupational group.Methods Dental practice managers and receptionists were invited to participate in an online questionnaire collecting quantitative and qualitative data on current levels of burnout, depressed mood, experienced trauma and preparedness to provide quality care in dental teams in the UK. Quantitative data were analysed to provide descriptive frequencies, and means and standard deviations were calculated for each scale. Qualitative data were collected via a free-text box and analysed using thematic analysis.Results In total, 130 questionnaire responses were received from dental practice managers and receptionists, of which 13 included a free-text response. Staff reported high levels of negative psychosocial impact, including depressive symptomology, burnout and trauma. Increasing pressures on staff, challenging relationships with patients and colleagues, and lack of recognition were identified as key stressors in UK dental workplaces.Discussion The findings suggest that the current pressures of the dental workplace are having a detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of dental practice managers and receptionists in the UK. Failure to address the issues identified is likely to have an impact on the ability of this crucial workforce to deliver high-quality care.

Pre-school and primary teachers in the process of detecting child maltreatment in Andalusia (Spain) / El profesorado de Infantil y Primaria en el proceso de detección del maltrato infantil en Andalucía (España)

This study analyses teachers’ knowledge about child maltreatment in the family and explores their professional background in dealing with this problem. 227 pre-school and primary teachers from Andalusia (Spain) participated in the study. The majority of the teachers had never reported a case of child maltreatment during their professional background. These situations were experienced by the teachers with high levels of emotional impact, and both they and their schools showed high levels of involvement in cases identified. Three teacher profiles were identified, the group of trained teachers being the most capable of identifying more complex signs of child maltreatment, followed by those with more years of seniority. The process of detection and reporting of child maltreatment in the school setting is complex, and a wide range of elements need to be analysed conjointly.

Does the Sustainability of the Country Differentiate the ESG of Companies and How It Affects the Relationship between ESG and Firm Value? Evidence from the European Union

Theoretical background: The paper draws on two relevant theories – stakeholder theory and institutional theory. Non-financial information on how the operations of a company impact its surroundings in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) areas is more and more important in terms of firm value and according to stakeholders theory positive relationship between these two is expected. However, although the research on the relationship between company ESG performance (ESGP) and firm value origins since the beginning of the 1970s, the authors document no conclusive results. Above is theorised to be conditioned by the role of institutions as they reflect a rational purpose that guides behaviours of entities toward certain ends. Purpose of the article: Two aims were set in the study. First, to examine the impact of the sustainability level of the European Union (EU) Member States in the years 2012–2021 on ESGP of non-financial sectors stock companies. The second aim of the paper was to assess the country sustainability level as the factor differentiating the nature and the strength of ESGP impact on firm value of non-financial sectors stock companies listed on the regulated financial markets of EU Member States in the years 2012–2021. Research methods: For the purpose of achieving set goals the study utilised two econometric models. Models were estimated using Panel Least Squares (PLS) regression with Fixed Effects (FE). Tobin’s Q proxied firm value, ESG scoring from Refinitiv proxied company ESGP. Global Sustainability Competitiveness Index (GSCI) from Solability was used as the measure of country sustainability. Company financial and ESG data was sourced from Refinitiv EIKON, while country data was accessed from Solability, Eurostat, Human Development Index and Transparency International. Main findings: Countries of both low and high sustainability level impact company ESGP positively. However, almost twice as big influence of highly sustainable countries was noted for low ones. Research results documented ESG to impact firm value positively. An increase in ESG score of a company from the country with low sustainability level decreased its firm value and the opposite was noted in case of companies of countries with high sustainability level. Investors tend to value positively companies with good ESGP and strong nation-level institutions in the field of sustainability and to punish (i.e. with a lower valuation) firms from countries of poor sustainability, even if these entities reached unexceptionally good ESGP.

Quantifying Trunk Impact Dynamics and Workload with Inertial Sensors in Goalball Players.

The aim of this study was to quantify trunk impact dynamics in goalball players using inertial sensors and evaluate the goalball players' workloads, focusing on changes between the first and second halves of a match to enhance understanding of the demands experienced throughout the game. Utilizing inertial technology, trunk impacts during goalball gameplay were analyzed to provide a holistic insight into how these impacts influence athletes' dynamic stress loads, which refers to the physical demands placed on the body during dynamic movements. Six goalball players were recruited to wear an accelerometer during a whole goalball game to quantify trunk impacts. The results showed a higher number of total impacts and a higher number of impacts at higher levels during the first half, compared to a higher percentage of impacts at a low impact level in the second half. These results suggest that the intensity of gameplay is related to the number of impacts sustained, with players experiencing significantly more impacts, particularly at very low, low, and very high impact levels, in the first half compared to the second half. This decline in impacts aligns with the reduction in game intensity as the match progressed, as indicated by a lower heart rate and a trend towards a lower dynamic stress load in the second half. Future research could explore targeted training interventions aimed at optimizing workload and performance in goalball players.

QEYSSat 2.0 - White Paper on Satellite-based Quantum Communication Missions in Canada

We present the white paper developed during the QEYSSat 2.0 study, which was undertaken between June 2021 and March 2022. The study objective was to establish a technology road-map for a Canada-wide quantum network enabled by satellites. We survey the state-of-art in quantum communication technologies, identify the main applications and architectures, review the technical readiness levels and technology bottlenecks and identify a future mission scenario. We report the findings of a dedicated one-day workshop that included Canadian stakeholders from government, industry and academia to gather inputs and insights for the applications and technical road-map. We also provide an overview of the Quantum EncrYption and Science Satellite (QEYSSat) mission expected to launch in 2024-2025 and its anticipated outcomes. One of the main outcomes of this study is that developing the main elements for a Canada-wide quantum internet will have the highest level of impact, which includes Canada-wide entanglement distribution and teleportation. We present and analyze a possible future mission ('QEYSSat 2.0') that would enable a long range quantum teleportation across Canada as an important step towards this vision.

Holocene vegetation change at Grosssee, eastern Swiss Alps: effects of climate and human impact

AbstractPollen, spores, and microscopic charcoal from the sediments of Grosssee (1,619 m a.s.l.), a small lake in the lower subalpine vegetation zone of the Glarus Alps, Switzerland, were analysed to reconstruct vegetation patterns and land use over the past ca. 12,300 calibrated 14C years bp (cal bp). Pollen data revealed an open landscape covered with grasses and herbs such as Artemisia during the Late Glacial Period. The catchment was likely initially afforested with Betula and Pinus cembra or Pinus sylvestris during the Early Holocene. Thermophilous taxa such as Ulmus, Tilia, and Alnus glutinosa-type expanded from ca. 11,000–9,200 cal bp, and mesophyllic Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica followed, and expanded beginning from ca. 8,000–7,600 cal bp. Interestingly, Alnus viridis (synonym: A. alnobetula) expanded about 2,000 years earlier than at comparable sites in the northern Swiss Alps. Its expansion was profound and persistent, and percentages > 15% were already achieved by ca. 7,000 cal bp. Local erosion events that followed are well explained by vegetation changes and inferred human land use activities at Grosssee. In particular, this led to a more open landscape, and land uses (e.g. grazing) intensified from the Mid- to Late Holocene. Indicators of environmental disturbance including persistently high levels of A. viridis, monolete fern spores, and microscopic charcoal were pronounced after ca. 4,000 cal bp. At that time, high influxes of spores from coprophilous fungi and the consistent presence of cultural indicators (Cerealia-type, Plantago lanceolata) indicate increased grazing and high levels of human impact. Land use and grazing activities seemed to have been particularly pronounced and to have promoted diversity in the vegetation over the past 1,000 years.

Mindfulness and academic procrastination among Chinese adolescents: a moderated mediation model.

While previous studies have linked mindfulness to reduced academic procrastination, the mechanisms involved remain under-explored. This study deepens the understanding by investigating how learning vigor mediates the mindfulness and procrastination relationship, and how harsh parenting influences this mediation. This study, adopting a positivist research approach, utilized a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 800 students at three middle schools in Henan Province, China, through cluster random sampling. This approach yielded 800 questionnaires. The participants sequentially completed four questionnaires: the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student, the Aitken Procrastination Inventory, and the Harsh Parenting Questionnaire. After removing 67 invalid questionnaires due to incomplete responses and patterned answers, a total of 733 valid questionnaires were obtained, with 53.3% girls and an average age of 13.12 years (SD = 1.01), leading to an effectiveness rate of 91.63%. Upon data collection, SPSS 26.0 software was used for correlation analysis, mediation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis to assess the relationships between variables. (1) Mindfulness negatively predicts academic procrastination; (2) Learning vigor serves as a mediator in the relationship between mindfulness and academic procrastination; and (3) Harsh parenting moderates the relationship between mindfulness and learning vigor. Specifically, the positive impact of mindfulness on learning vigor is more pronounced in individuals experiencing lower levels of harsh parenting compared to those with higher levels. This study reveals that mindfulness significantly protects against academic procrastination in adolescents, with 52.27% of this effect mediated by increased learning vigor. Additionally, it shows that high levels of harsh parenting weaken mindfulness's positive impact on learning vigor, tempering its overall protective influence on procrastination. These insights, which apply Trait Activation Theory to educational psychology, not only deepen our understanding of the dynamics between mindfulness and procrastination but also have important implications for addressing academic procrastination in Chinese adolescents.

Protecting labor rights: Contract design and coordination between brand firms and suppliers

This paper explores the design of a contract aimed at coordinating brand firms and their suppliers to collectively protect the suppliers’ labor rights. It finds that a unilateral cost-sharing contract can incentivize suppliers to protect labor rights, while improving the profits of both brand firms and their suppliers. However, such a contract fails to coordinate the supply chain because of an insufficient incentive for both involved parties. Two improved contracts of this contract can coordinate brands firms and their suppliers to improve their efforts to protect labor rights under certain conditions while failing to achieve coordination. Accordingly, this research proposes a bilateral cost- and revenue-sharing contract. The results indicate that with an appropriate revenue-sharing proportion, this contract effectively encourages brand firms and their suppliers to participate in protecting labor rights and coordinate the supply chain. In addition, an increase in the proportion of prosocial consumers incentivizes brand firms and their suppliers to improve labor rights. Nonetheless, consumers’ excessive reliance on brand goodwill to evaluate the total supply chain efforts to protect labor rights will reduce their efforts. Finally, as the impact of labor rights protection efforts on reference prices increases, it can stimulate brand companies and suppliers to increase investment in improving labor rights. At this high impact level, the reference price in the centralized model may surpass that in the unilateral cost-sharing contract. However, if supply chain members invest little effort to protect labor rights, the increase in this impact could reduce consumers’ reference price.

Evaluation of potentially toxic metals in tailings from Busia gold mine fields of eastern Uganda

Busia Gold mines in eastern Uganda generate significant wastes that contribute to environmental and health challenges in the region. This study assessed the extent of 9 potentially toxic metals (PTMs) present in Busia gold mine tailings. The study also evaluated environmental risks for each of the PTMs, using contamination indices. The indices were: index of geo accumulation (Igeo); potential ecological risk index (RI); contamination factor (CF); pollution load index (PLI) and ecological risk factor (ERI). Tailing samples were collected at two distinct depths; surface (0–30 cm) and deep (30–60 cm) from four sites. The samples were analyzed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The Igeo results showed that As and Hg recorded extreme pollution levels (Igeo >5) in all 4 sites. The other seven PTMs in all the sites were classified between heavily polluted to unpolluted categories. CF results revealed extreme contamination for Hg at site-A and As at site-M with moderate contamination of Ni, Zn, and Co at sites-C and B. RI findings showed that all the sites recorded RI > 600, with the highest (RI = 80, 407) at site-A, followed by site-C (RI = 74, 536). All the sites had a high level of ecological impact with greater potential for environmental risks in the area. In the case of PLI, all the sites were classified as polluted sites (PLI > 1). Sites-M and C recorded the highest (PLI = 12), followed by sites-B and A, with PLIs of 11 and 9, respectively. ERI findings for all the sites showed significant Hg, As, and Cd contamination, (ERI >320). Site-A recorded the highest Hg contamination (ERI = 78, 825). Site-M recorded elevated levels of As and Cd, with ERI of 1, 323, and 399, respectively. Pb at site-M posed considerable potential ecological risk with an ERI of 108, while Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, and Cr presented low ecological risk across all sites with ERI˂ 40. There is, therefore, need to properly manage tailings in Busia gold fields to minimize ecological contamination to avoid impacts on human, animal, and plant health.

Analyzing collaboration and impact: A bibliometric review of four highly published authors' research profiles on collaborative maps.

The concept of impact beam plots (IBPs) has been introduced in academia as a means to profile individual researchers. Despite its potential, there has been a lack of comprehensive analysis that evaluates the research profiles of highly published authors through the lens of collaborative maps. This study introduces a novel approach, the rating scale for research profiles (RSRP), to create collaborative maps for prolific authors. The initial hypothesis posited that each of the research profiles would attain a grade A, necessitating empirical verification. This research employed collaborative maps to analyze the publication patterns of authors using the Web of Science database, focusing on co-authorship patterns and the impact of their scholarly work. The study relied on various bibliometric indicators, such as publication count, citation metrics, h-index, and co-authorship networks, to provide a detailed assessment of the contributions made by each author in their field. Additionally, authors' IBPs were generated and assessed alongside collaborative maps, using a grading scale ranging from A (excellent) to F (lacking any articles as first or corresponding author). The analysis confirmed that all 4 research profiles achieved a grade A, with their centroids located in the third quadrant, indicating a high level of scholarly impact. The h-indexes for the authors were found to be 38, 51, 53, and 59, respectively. Notably, Dr Tseng from Taiwan showed a distinct pattern, with a significant number of solo-authored publications in the second quadrant, in contrast to the other 3 authors who demonstrated a greater emphasis on collaboration, as evidenced by their positioning in the first quadrant. The study successfully demonstrates that RSRP and IBPs can be effectively used to analyze and profile the research output of highly published authors through collaborative maps. The research confirms the initial hypothesis that all 4 profiles would achieve a grade A, indicating an excellent level of scholarly impact and a strong presence in their respective fields. The utility of collaborative maps can be applied to bibliometric indicators in assessing the contributions and impact of scholars in the academic community.

Impact response of textile-reinforced 3D printed concrete panels

This study assessed the impact response of 3D-printed textile-reinforced concrete for structural applications of 3D concrete printed structures, where impact is a significant load case. To study the impact response, two layers of AR-glass and two layers of carbon textile-reinforced 3D-printed high-strength concrete panels were investigated experimentally under low-velocity impacts from drop weights, respectively. The effect of textile reinforcement on the impact behaviour was compared with unreinforced printed specimens. The specimens were subjected to increasing levels of impact load until the failure was observed. The effect of textile reinforcement on the impact resistance, cumulative energy absorption capacity and failure pattern of printed specimens were investigated and compared with their mould-cast counterparts. To understand the effect of textile reinforcement on the printed and mould-cast panel specimens, a quasi-static flexural test was performed to evaluate the load vs deformation behaviour. The test results from the quasi-static flexural test showed that the incorporation of textile reinforcement improved the first crack strength by about 40 % and enhanced post-peak behaviour for both printed and mould-cast specimens. Further, providing carbon textile reinforcement significantly improved the impact resistance by 75 % when compared to AR glass textile-reinforced specimens due to the higher stiffness and better strain-hardening behaviour. Moreover, the effect of textile reinforcement on enhancing the energy absorption capacity of 3D-printed specimens was more evident at higher impact velocities. The cumulative energy absorption capacity of carbon textile-reinforced specimens was observed to be 60 % higher compared to AR glass textile-reinforced specimens. During high-velocity impacts, the textile reinforcement was observed to improve damage distribution by enhancing the bridging between the interlayers. The damage condition at failure showed that AR-glass textile-reinforced printed and mould-cast specimens showed severe punching failure on the compression face and widened cracks and spalling on the tension face. However, carbon textile reinforcement enhanced the impact resistance, thus showing multiple cracks and reduced spalling on the tension face even after multiple impacts. Overall, the impact performance of 3D-printed textile-reinforced concrete panels showed high-level impact resistance.

Impact of Global Health Scholarship Programs in the Faculty of Medicine at Mbarara University of Science and Technology

In recognition of the critical role of residency programs in narrowing healthcare inequalities, Global Health scholarships were introduced at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in 2011. Since then, at least 154 postgraduate students in priority programs have benefited. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey to examine how the scholarships and beneficiaries have impacted MUST and the community. Fifty (50) beneficiaries, representing 32.5%, responded, of whom 36 (72%) were alumni. Most respondents were males (n = 30; 60%) pursing Master of Medicine (n = 29; 58%) or Master of Nursing Science (n = 20; 40%) programs. The scholarship schemes included First Mile (n = 29; 58%), Kayanja (n = 12; 24%), Paiko (n = 5; 10%) and Seed (n = 4; 8%). The majority of the scholarships supported both tuition and research fees (n = 41; 82%), the rest being partial. Career advancement was undertaken by eight (16%) of the scholars in the form of fellowships (n = 3; 6%), other masters (n = 3; 6%) and PhDs (n = 3; 6%), with some students having attained a combination of these. All scholars belonged to at least one health professional association. Over 88% (n = 32) of the alumni and 28% (n = 4) of the students were employed. The majority of those employed were in the public sector (n = 24; 66.7%), mainly the health sector (n = 18; 50%), academia (n = 14; 38.9) or both (n = 4; 11.1%). There was a high impact on health care provision, undergraduate training and research carried out by the scholars both during training and post-graduation. High levels of career satisfaction, scholarship impact and academic program relevance were reported. The findings provide insights on how low-fund specialty scholarships can have a far-reaching impact on local training, health care and research in low- and middle-income countries.

Structured expert judgement approach of the health impact of various chemicals and classes of chemicals.

Chemical contamination and pollution are an ongoing threat to human health and the environment. The concern over the consequences of chemical exposures at the global level continues to grow. Because resources are constrained, there is a need to prioritize interventions focused on the greatest health impact. Data, especially related to chemical exposures, are rarely available for most substances of concern, and alternate methods to evaluate their impact are needed. A Structured Expert Judgment (Research Outreach, 2021) process was performed to provide plausible estimates of health impacts for 16 commonly found pollutants: asbestos, arsenic, benzene, chromium, cadmium, dioxins, fluoride, highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), lead, mercury, polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAs), phthalates, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and brominated flame retardants (BRFs). This process, undertaken by sector experts, weighed individual estimations of the probable global health scale health impacts of each pollutant using objective estimates of the expert opinions' statistical accuracy and informativeness. The foremost substances, in terms of mean projected annual total deaths, were lead, asbestos, arsenic, and HHPs. Lead surpasses the others by a large margin, with an estimated median value of 1.7 million deaths annually. The three other substances averaged between 136,000 and 274,000 deaths per year. Of the 12 other chemicals evaluated, none reached an estimated annual death count exceeding 100,000. These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing available resources on reducing and remediating the impacts of these key pollutants. Based on the evidence available, experts concluded some of the more notorious chemical pollutants, such as PCBs and dioxin, do not result in high levels of human health impact from a global scale perspective. However, the chemical toxicity of some compounds released in recent decades, such as Endocrine Disrupters and PFAs, cannot be ignored, even if current impacts are limited. Moreover, the impact of some chemicals may be disproportionately large in some geographic areas. Continued research and monitoring are essential; and a preventative approach is needed for chemicals. These results, and potential similar analyses of other chemicals, are provided as inputs to ongoing discussions about priority setting for global chemicals and pollution management. Furthermore, we suggest that this SEJ process be repeated periodically as new information becomes available.

The impact of family-genetic risk scores on social functioning in individuals affected with six major psychiatric and substance use disorders in a Swedish National Sample.

To examine whether the level of genetic risk in psychiatric disorders impacts the social functioning of affected individuals, we examine the relationship between genetic risk factors for major depression (MD), anxiety disorders (AD), bipolar disorder (BD), non-affective psychosis (NAP), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and drug use disorder (DUD) in disordered individuals and five adverse social outcomes: unemployment, residence in areas of social deprivation, social welfare, early retirement, and divorce. We examine all cases with registration for these disorders from 1995 to 2015 in individuals born in Sweden. Genetic risk was assessed by the family genetic risk score (FGRS) and statistical estimates by Cox proportional hazard models. High genetic risk was significantly and modestly associated with poorer social outcomes in 23 of 30 analyses. Overall, genetic risk for MD, AD, AUD, and DUD impacted social functioning more strongly in affected individuals than did genetic risk for BD and NAP. Social welfare had the strongest associations with genetic risk, and residence in areas of high deprivation had the weakest. In individuals suffering from psychiatric and substance use disorders, high levels of genetic risk impact not only clinical features but also diverse measures of social functioning.

Psychological Impact of Campus Football Training among Teenagers: Basis for Training Design

Student undergoing football training are exposed to stress. The lack of baseline information on assessing the relationship between profile and psychological impact in terms of sources and symptoms of stress in China led to the conduct of this study. This quantitative research was utilized a descriptive comparative research design to assess the differences between the psychological impact of campus football training to the profile of the student-respondents . Findings of the study revealed that most of the respondents were between the ages of 17-21 and just over half of the respondents were males. Further, most of the respondents were second year students. Almost half of the student had a moderate level of the sources of stress. Overall, the sources of stress had moderate impact to the students. Majority of the students had a high level of physical and mental symptoms of stress. In general , age, sex, and year level have no significant relationship with sources of stress and the mental and physical symptoms of stress. In conclusion, age, sex, and year level does not have psychological impact in terms of sources of stress and symptoms of stress. This comes to show that no matter what the person’s age, whether young or old, whether male or female, or whether first year or second year or third year or fourth year, a person can still experience a high level of psychological impact in football training, be it the source of stress or mental and physical symptoms of stress. To address the findings of the study, a football training design was created.

Exploring the effect of online learners’ academic self-concepts on student engagement

The present study intends to evaluate the degree to which online university students’ academic self-perceptions predict variations in student engagement. The relational screening method was employed in this research. Data were collected from a total of 653 university students, 113 male and 539 female. The Student Engagement Scale (SES) and the Matovu Academic Self-concept Scale (ASCS) were utilised. Stepwise regression data analyses were conducted. Based on the results that the study yielded, it was observed that ASC had a high level of impact on student engagement, the levels of which varied across different factors of engagement. Academic effort and academic confidence variables accounted for 44% of the variance in behavioural engagement and showed a high positive relationship, while accounting for 33% of cognitive engagement with a moderate level of positive relationship. However, only academic effort was found to have a relationship with affective engagement, which was at a moderate level, accounting for 17% of the variance. Academic effort is relation with all student engagement factors. However, while academic confidence is only relation with behavioural and cognitive engagement, it is not relation with affective engagement. As a result, positively influencing student engagement in online learning environments will lead to positive changes in students' academic self-concept.

An Examination of Diverse Facets Related to the Creation of Medicine Exchange Platform

Abstract: This review paper evaluates the effectiveness of MedHelp, a medicine exchange platform designed to address medication scarcity by facilitating the exchange of surplus medications among individuals. Through a comprehensive examination of MedHelp features, user feedback, and regulatory compliance, the study finds that MedHelp effectively increases medication accessibility, reduces waste, and improves health outcomes within the community. Despite facing challenges such as regulatory constraints and technical issues, MedHelp demonstrates high levels of user satisfaction and positive impact on health outcomes. Future directions for MedHelp include integration with healthcare providers, expansion to new geographical regions, and enhancement of security and privacy features. Overall, MedHelp plays a crucial role in addressing medication scarcity and promoting healthcare equity, highlighting the importance of ongoing efforts to maximize its impact and reach

Random mutations induced by a sub-sterilizing dose of gamma ray on Aedes albopictus male pupae and transmission to progeny

The application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to mosquito control is based on the systematic release of large numbers of adult males that have been previously sterilized by irradiation. Ionizing radiation doses inducing full sterility also cause somatic damages that reduce the capacity of the treated males to compete with wild males. The optimal dose inducing high levels of male sterility and minimal impact on competitiveness can be assessed by establishing a dose-response curve. Sub-sterile males are, to a variable degree, still fertile and might be able to transmit to the progeny and following generation(s) sub-lethal random mutations resulting from irradiation. To investigate this, we treated Ae. albopictus male pupae with a sub-sterilizing (2–4 % of egg hatching) dose of gamma rays and explored expressed mutated genes in treated males and their progeny using RNA-seq. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were called using two independent pipelines. Only SNPs common to both pipelines (less than 5 % of the total SNPs predicted) were considered reliable and were annotated to genes. Over 600 genes with mutations likely induced by irradiation were found in the treated Ae. albopictus males. A part of the genes found mutated in irradiated males were also found in (and therefore probably passed on to) males of the F1 and F2 progeny, indicating that genetic variations induced by irradiation may be transmitted along generations. The mutated genes in irradiated males did not seem to significantly affect biological processes, except in one case (i.e., oxidative phosphorylation). Only in four cases (i.e., oxidative phosphorylation, UDP-glucose metabolic process, proton transmembrane transport and riboflavin metabolism) we found biological processes to be significantly affected by mutated genes that were likely transmitted to the male progeny. Our results suggest that random mutations induced by a sub-sterilizing dose of gamma ray in Ae. albopictus male pupae and transmitted to the male progeny of the irradiated mosquitoes do not affect biological processes potentially harmful, from a public-health point of view.

Mapping socio-environmental vulnerability to assess rural migration in Ghana

Rural communities in Ghana, dependent on agriculture and lacking resources and infrastructure, are highly vulnerable to climate and environmental change. Internal migration is often considered as a strategy to mitigate local livelihood constraints. Understanding the challenges of rural communities requires knowledge of local conditions. As only few studies have mapped vulnerable areas in the context of migration in Ghana at a spatially explicit and nationwide level, this study provides a geodata-based examination of how rural areas in Ghana are vulnerable to multiple, co-occurring socio-economic and environmental factors influencing migration. A multifactorial and expert-based weighted overlay analysis was applied, integrating diverse data sources including climate, remote sensing, and recent census data from Ghana. Bivariate maps visualize vulnerable areas where a high impact of the factors coincides with a high rural population density. High levels of factor impact are observed in the northern regions and coastal areas of Ghana. Relatively low impact is found in more central parts of the country. The results align with current net migration rates, confirming the applicability of our method for assessing rural internal migration. This method enhances the understanding of migration dynamics in Ghana and emphasizes the role of spatial data in migration studies.

HEAVY METALS ASSESSMENT AND ASSOCIATED POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK OF BUILDING SEDIMENT DEPOSITION IN OKPARE CREEK, NIGERIA

Heavy metals concentrations in sediments may pose significant threats to human health and well-being of the general ecosystem. Therefore, it's crucial to conduct a thoughtful assessment of sediment characteristics with regards to heavy metal concentration as a raw material for building in the studied area. Twenty sediment samples were collected (five each fromlocalities) and analysed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The highest concentrations of Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, V, Fe and Ni were 6.33, 2.65, 0.45, 1,201, 0.38, 0.00, 1026.39 and 0.65 mg/kg respectively in each of the four localities. The results exceeded both recommended limit and other scientist report of similar environment. Also, the health risk impacts computed were all higher than limits. These high values may be attributed tothe nature of the area geological formation, application of fertilizer to the farmlands and petroleum exploration and production activities. Cd stood out as the main culprit for potential ecological risks. The average contamination level, as indicated by I-geo values ranging from 0.28 to 0.79 mg/kg, raisedconcerns, especially at locality 1. Across the board, I-geo values remained generally low (< 2). Cd and Pb, with an I-geo value of about 1, significantly impacted sediment pollution. Average EF values were from 0.02 to 5.76 which revealed that human activities heavily influenced the sediment, marking them as significantly enriched with observed heavy metals. In particular, Cd played a major role in the sediment's enrichment, indicating a high level of environmental impact.