High Class Research Articles

Simulating the methodological bias in the ATLS classification of hypovolemic shock: a critical reappraisal of the base deficit renaissance

BackgroundThe Advanced Trauma Life Support classification (ATLS) of hypovolemic shock is a widely used teaching and treatment reference in emergency medicine, but oversimplifies clinical reality. A decade ago, a landmark study compared vital parameters to base deficit (BD) in trauma patients. The investigators concluded that BD had higher accuracy to detect the need for early blood product administration. BD was subsequently introduced in the ATLS shock classification and has since been widely accepted as a laboratory standard for hypovolemia. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a methodological bias may have inadvertently contributed to the study’s results and interpretation.MethodsIn the current study, we replicate the original study by simulating a cohort of trauma patients with randomly generated data and applying the same methodological strategies. First, a predefined correlation between all predictor variables (vital parameters and BD) and outcome variable (transfusion) was set at 0.55. Then, in accordance with the methods of the original study we created a composite of ATLS parameters (highest class amongst heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and Glasgow Coma Scale) and compared it with BD for resulting transfusion quantity. Given the preset correlations between predictors and outcome, no predictor should exhibit a stronger association unless influenced by methodological bias.ResultsApplying the original imbalanced grouping and composite allocation strategies caused a systematic overestimation of shock class for traditional ATLS parameters, favoring the association between BD and transfusion. This effect persisted when the correlation between BD and transfusion was set substantially worse (rho = 0.3) than the correlation between ATLS parameters and transfusion (rho = 0.8).ConclusionsIn this fully reproducible simulation, we confirm the inadvertent presence of methodological bias. It is physiologically reasonable to include a metabolic parameter to classify hypovolemic shock, but more evidence is needed to support widespread and preferred use of BD.

Teachers and Students’ Awareness of Re-Entry of Mother-Students Policy in Public Secondary Schools in Dodoma City, Tanzania

This study investigates the awareness levels among teachers and students regarding the re-entry policy for mother-students in public secondary schools in Dodoma City, Tanzania. The study employed a descriptive research design. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 10 of these 35 schools, ensuring a diverse representation from different areas within the city. The selected schools' population included 11,329 students and 512 teachers, from whom a sample of 489 students and 104 teachers was drawn. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test. Based on the findings, the study concludes that gender and students’ education level determine the awareness of re-entry policies. Those students in higher classes had greater exposure to the policies than those in lower classes. Therefore, educational mobility expands individuals' access to policy discussion, calling for specific interventions among females and lower classes. The study suggests that professional development programs must increase teachers’ understanding of the re-entry policies, especially for female teachers. The school curriculums should introduce an extensive advocacy program for lower-level classes and girls. A fair outreach must be undertaken so that students, regardless of their socio-economic background, can know about reentry policies.

Implementation of the Naive Bayes Method in Looker Studio for data on the achievement of Great IDN in IDN Akhwat School

The IDN Hebat program is an important tool for schools to track and analyze student achievement data. However, with the targeted activities in the IDN program, challenges arise in managing and measuring achievement data efficiently. The research aims to develop a Web Cloud-based data management system for IDN Hisbat achievements at IDN Akhwat School by utilizing Google Looker Studio and the Naive Bayes Algorithm. The data source used in this study is by applying a classification dataset obtained from student achievement information data in the Great IDN Program. The results of this analysis show that the highest accuracy of teaching achievement fell on the status of exceeding the target with a percentage of 89%, and the highest class that placed the status above the target was class 9A with an average percentage of 35%. In addition, the results from this analysis can help coordinators and schools in planning more effective and strategic programs in the future. Overall, this study provides important benefits in improving the quality of teaching and student coaching, as well as supporting data-driven decision-making. This study is expected to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of managing student achievement, while also supporting the attainment of optimal educational goals for each student to achieve extraordinary results.

Konsep Media Pembelajaran Menyimak di Kelas Tinggi

Listening learning media in higher classes is an intermediary tool that makes it easier for students to focus on understanding learning material. This research aims to determine the concept of listening learning media in high school. This research method uses qualitative methods based on literature study. Literature study is a method that collects various sources to be used as references. The results of this research show that there are still many students who are less serious about understanding the learning material. Therefore, listening learning media is very important to use in the learning process. Because, using listening learning media can make it easier for students to focus on understanding the meaning of the learning they are listening to and can make learning more interesting and not boring.

Upgrading in ride-sourcing markets with multi-class services

Most ride-sourcing platforms, exemplified by industry leaders like Uber, Lyft, and Didi, provide a range of ride services tailored to the diverse preferences of their passengers. Passengers, driven by their distinct priorities, may opt for high-class (HC) ride services, such as Luxury rides, if they value service quality, while those more cost-conscious may gravitate toward low-class (LC) ride services, including basic solo and shared rides. However, this market fragmentation can manifest as an excess of HC vehicles idly cruising the streets, while an insufficient number of LC vehicles struggle to meet passenger demand for LC services. To mitigate this issue, upgrading strategy is proposed where some LC vehicle requests are elevated to HC ride services without incurring additional charges. This study embarks on an initial exploration of the impacts of upgrading within the ride-sourcing system. We develop a mathematical model to depict the equilibrium conditions and analyze the collective influence of operational strategies, encompassing upgrading, spatial pricing, and vehicle repositioning, on system performances. Our research identifies scenarios in which the platform should employ these strategies to balance supply and demand and curb superfluous idle vehicle movements, supported by both theoretical and numerical analyses. The results offer operational insights that guide platform decisions, allowing them to adapt their strategies effectively in response to various supply–demand dynamics.

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus in hemodialysis patients: trends in dialysis centers of Northern Pakistan

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, especially those on hemodialysis, are at increased risk of developing hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Guidelines suggest that all patients with CKD should be vaccinated against HBV, but these guidelines are usually not followed. We conducted this study to know the status of vaccination against HBV in CKD patients on regular hemodialysis. Methods This observational descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Medicine, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Teaching Hospital, Poonch Medical College Rawalakot , and POF Teaching Hospital, Wah Medical College Wah Cantt, from March to July 2019. Patients reporting to the dialysis center of both hospitals on regular dialysis were included in the study. Patient information (HBV vaccination status, age, gender, education, socioeconomic status, duration of CKD and duration of dialysis) were collected on a specially designed questionnaire. The statistical analysis of data was done in SPSS for Windows, version 20. Results A total 149 patients were included in the study, 63.1% were male and 36.9% were female. Out of these 24.2% were uneducated, 33.6% had 1–10 years school education, 38.2% had 10–14 years education, and 4% had more than 14 years education. About 35% patients were from low socioeconomic class, 54% from middle and 11% from higher class. Only 45.6% (n=68) of patients were vaccinated and 54.4% (n=81) were not vaccinated against HBV. Vaccination status was significantly associated with education (p=0.004) and socioeconomic status (p=0.008). Conclusion The HBV status of patients on regular hemodialysis is not satisfactory at the two centers observed. It is associated with education and socioeconomic status of the patient.

Konsep Evaluasi Pembelajaran pada Keterampilan Membaca di Kelas Tinggi

The ability to read is a basic skill that is very important in students' lives, both in academic contexts and in everyday life. Thus, evaluation of reading learning is very important in improving students' reading skills, supporting students' academic achievement, and providing a strong foundation for future learning. The method used in this research is literature review or literature review. The results of the research are: (1) Evaluation of reading learning in higher classes is an assessment process carried out by teachers to measure students' reading abilities at the upper secondary or secondary school level. (2) the types of learning evaluation are divided into 2, namely formative and summative evaluations, (3) the purpose of reading learning evaluation is to ensure that students develop the necessary reading skills and that reading teaching is effective.

More early bleeds associated with high baseline direct oral anticoagulant levels in atrial fibrillation: the MAS study

AbstractTreatment with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is effective and safe. However, bleeding complications still occur. Whether DOAC level measurement may further improve treatment efficacy and safety is still an open issue. In the "Measure and See" study, venous blood was collected 15-30 days after DOAC initiation in patients with AF who were then followed up for 1 year to record the occurrence of major and clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. DOAC plasma levels were measured in 1 laboratory, and results were kept blind to patients and treating doctors. Trough DOAC levels were assessed in 1657 patients (957 [57.7%] and 700 patients treated with standard and low-dose, respectively). Fifty bleeding events were recorded during 1606 years of follow-up (3.11% pt/yrs). Fifteen bleeding events (4.97% pt/yrs) occurred in patients with C-trough standardized values in the highest activity class (>0.50), whereas 35 events (2.69% pt/yrs) occurred in those with values in the 2 lower classes (≤0.50, P = .0401). Increasing DOAC levels and low-dose DOAC use were associated with increased bleeding risk in the first 3 months of treatment. Overall, 19% of patients receiving low doses had standardized values in the highest class. More bleeding occurred in patients on low (4.3% pt/yrs) vs standard (2.2% pt/yrs; P = .0160) dose DOAC. Early measurement of DOAC levels in patients with AF identified many individuals with high levels despite the low doses use and had more bleeding risk during the first 3 months of treatment. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT03803579.

On the Number of Customer Classes in a Single-Period Inventory System

A common practice in inventory systems with several customers requiring differentiated service levels is to group them into two or three classes, where a customer class is a group of customers with the same preset service level in terms of product availability. However, there is no evidence that grouping customers into two or three classes is optimal in terms of the ordering policy parameters. This paper studies the effect of the number of customer classes on the inventory level of a single-period inventory system with stochastic demand and individual service-level requirements from multiple customer classes. Using a Sample Average Approximation approach, we formulate computationally tractable multi-class service level models, under responsive and anticipative priority policies in cases of shortage, as mixed integer linear problems (MIPs). The effect of the number of classes on the inventory level is determined using a round-up aggregation scheme; i.e., given a sufficiently large initial number of classes, it is reduced by adding the lower service level classes to the next higher class. We analytically characterize the optimal inventory level under responsive and anticipative priority policies as a function of the initial number of classes and the number of classes grouped based on the round-up aggregation scheme. Under a responsive priority policy, we show that there is an optimal number of classes, while under an anticipative priority policy, the optimal number of classes is equal to the initial number of classes. The effect of free-riders resulting from the round-up aggregation scheme on the optimal inventory level is studied through numerical experiments.

Assessing the Dynamics Leading to the Decline in Enrolment of Grade 10 Accounting Learners in Selected Secondary Schools in the Mthatha Education District of South Africa

The purpose of this research was to assess the dynamics leading to the decline in enrolment of grade 10 Accounting learners in selected secondary schools in the Mthatha Education District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The case study research design was employed as this research focused only on grade 10 learners in secondary schools in Mthatha. The qualitative approach was adopted. The purposive sampling technique was used to select six grade 10 learners from six participating secondary schools. The face-to-face interviews were used to gather data from sampled six grade 10 Accounting learners. The Constructivist Theoretical Framework was adopted. The thematic approach was employed to analyse the collected data. It emerged that learners dropped interest in studying Accounting because they lack therein to have sufficient and relevant content knowledge resulting from incompletion of the syllabus and few basic Accounting concepts in Economic Management Sciences (EMS) subject. It was recommended that EMS teachers should complete the syllabus and add some Accounting concepts in their annual teaching plans (ATPs) to familiarise themselves with and enhance the learners’ desire to enrol in their higher classes. It was also recommended that Accounting teachers should adopt user-friendly teaching pedagogics as well as professionalism that could inspire and empower learners to master the subject content. Lastly, the curriculum planners should re-visit the EMS syllabus to ensure that it prepares the learners for Accounting in higher grades. The findings will be of benefit to all secondary schools in South Africa experiencing the decline in enrolment of learners in their subjects. Keywords: Accounting, Annual teaching plans, Decline enrolment, Economic and Management Sciences, Enrolment of learners, Secondary schools.

Tobacco Use Status of Medical Faculty Students and Evaluation of Affecting Factors.

The aim of the study is to determine the tobacco use status of first and fifth grade students studying at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine in the 2022-2023 academic year and to evaluate the factors affecting tobacco use. MATERIAL ANDMETHODS:The data of the cross-sectional study were obtained by sending a form prepared in electronic environment to the students after a brief information was given in the unit/classroom where they did their internship, and the students responded on their mobile phones. In research, 539 of 790 students answered the form. The prevalance of tobacco use was 34.1% (first: 29.8%, fifth: 40.8%) (female: 26.7%, male: 40.4%). According to multivariate analysis, tobacco use in first grades increases 1.8 times (95% CI: 1.1-3.3) if the general health perception is moderate/poor, 2.9 times (95% CI: 1.2-6.8) to be exposed to insistence of friends for tobacco use, 2.4 times (95% CI: 1.3-4.3) for at least one of the family members to use tobacco, 29.7 times (95% CI: 3.9-224.1) for at least one of the close friends to use tobacco, and 3.9 times (95% CI: 2.2-7.1) not to think that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco; in fifth grade, tobacco use by at least one of the close friends increases 9.6 times (95% CI: 2.1-43.6), and not thinking that physicians should set an example for the society by not using tobacco increases 4.9 times (95% CI: 2.7-9.2). In research, it is seen that tobacco use is common among medical faculty students, and the prevalance of use increases as they get higher classes.

Acceleration and Enrichment for Gifted Students – From the Perspective of Swedish Principals

This study identified and discussed principals' perceptions of acceleration and enrichment for gifted students. These areas have proven significant for the teaching of the gifted. The research questions included questions about perceptions of giftedness and how principals organize to allow gifted students to develop and learn based on their conditions and needs. The empirical material consisted of open questions where the informants freely could describe their knowledge and perceptions about gifted students and their education. The principals' mission statement formed the theoretical basis for analysis. The method used was content analysis. Previous research has shown that acceleration and enrichment are significant for teaching and learning for gifted students. It is therefore of importance that principals, responsible for the activities of the schools they are responsible for, are aware of these and enable the teachers to work with acceleration and enrichment based on the different needs of the gifted students. The results showed that the principals in the study believed that (a) acceleration should primarily take place in the gifted students' age-appropriate class, (b) second by studying subjects or courses with higher classes, (c) third, that the teachers enable enrichment for gifted students in their age-appropriate class, (d) fourth, grade skipping is complicated and should be avoided. Keywords: acceleration, differentiation, enrichment, gifted students, inclusion, principals

Multiparametric quantification and visualization of liver fat using ultrasound

ObjectivesSeveral ultrasound measures have shown promise for assessment of steatosis compared to traditional B-scan, however clinicians may be required to integrate information across the parameters. Here, we propose an integrated multiparametric approach, enabling simple clinical assessment of key information from combined ultrasound parameters. MethodsWe have measured 13 parameters related to ultrasound and shear wave elastography. These were measured in 30 human subjects under a study of liver fat. The 13 individual measures are assessed for their predictive value using independent magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) measurements as a reference standard. In addition, a comprehensive and fine-grain analysis is made of all possible combinations of sub-sets of these parameters to determine if any subset can be efficiently combined to predict fat fraction. ResultsWe found that as few as four key parameters related to ultrasound propagation are sufficient to generate a linear multiparametric parameter with a correlation against MRI-PDFF values of greater than 0.93. This optimal combination was found to have a classification area under the curve (AUC) approaching 1.0 when applying a threshold for separating steatosis grade zero from higher classes. Furthermore, a strategy is developed for applying local estimates of fat content as a color overlay to produce a visual impression of the extent and distribution of fat within the liver. ConclusionIn principle, this approach can be applied to most clinical ultrasound systems to provide the clinician and patient with a rapid and inexpensive estimate of liver fat content.

Woody Species Composition, Structure, and Status of Regeneration in Pugnido Forest, Gambella Region, Western Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is a biodiversity hotspot area with a high concentration of plant species that play countless roles in ecosystem resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change. However, forest resources are degrading at an alarming rate due to different anthropogenic factors. Pugnido Forest, which is among Ethiopia's greatest woodland sections, also faced a similar challenge. Thus, this study was intended to assess the composition, structure, and regeneration status of woody plant species in Pugnido Forest, West Ethiopia. Eighty main plots sized 20 × 20 m were sampled systematically on six east-west-oriented line transects, which are parallel to each other and 500 m apart. At the four corners and the center of the main plots, five subplots sized 2 m × 2 m were laid to collect seedling and sapling information. Individual woody species were identified and then recorded per plot. The forest structure and regeneration status data were recorded and analyzed using structural parameters. Communities were identified via cluster analysis. A comparison of diversity and composition among communities was made using the Shannon-Wiener diversity and Sorensen's similarity coefficients, respectively. A total of 106 woody species included in 40 families were documented. Fabaceae stands first in the species-rich family (23.6%), and Moraceae stands second (8.5%). Overall Shannon-Wiener diversity and evenness of species were 4.41 and 0.93, respectively. Four communities were generated from cluster analysis. Sorensen's similarity value among communities ranged from 42% to 59%. The forest's density and basal area were 5298.8 stems·ha-1 and 82.5 m2·ha-1, respectively. The trend in frequency and density classes showed a decreasing number of species towards higher classes. Diameter at breast height (DBH), height, and basal area analyses revealed a normal J-shaped pattern. Several species had a smaller importance value index (IVI) value. Density ratios of juveniles to adult plants indicated good regeneration status. Species with small IVI values and few or no seedlings require conservation priority. Top priority must be given to conserving species with low IVI values and few or no seedlings.

Prevention starts here: effectiveness of substance abuse prevention module among adolescent students in Bengaluru- a quasi experimental study.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured educational module on substance abuse prevention program among adolescents in enhancing their knowledge against substance abuse. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 120 students (mean age: 14.3±1.03 years, 59.2% boys) from two English medium schools. Participants were exposed to a structured module on substance abuse over a month. The study assessed changes in knowledge through pretest and post-test evaluations. Statistical analyses examined improvements in scores and the relationship between class of study and post-test knowledge scores. The intervention significantly improved students' knowledge about substance abuse (p<0.001) across all measured domains, genders, and classes, with the exception of the 7th class. A positive correlation was found between the class of study and post-test scores (Rs=0.288, p<0.001), indicating that higher classes were associated with greater improvements in knowledge. These findings suggest that the training effectively increased awareness and understanding of substance abuse among participants. The substance abuse prevention program successfully enhanced adolescents' knowledge and equipped them with resilience and coping strategies, thus reducing their vulnerability to peer pressure and substance abuse. Despite the lack of significant improvement in the 7th class, the overall positive outcomes underscore the importance of implementing such educational interventions to foster healthy development and well-being among students. Further research is encouraged to explore the specific barriers to effectiveness in younger classes and to refine program content accordingly.

Health inequity assessment in Brazil: is EQ-5D-3L sensible enough to detect differences among distinct socioeconomic groups?

BackgroundMultidimensional health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments, such as the EQ-5D, are increasingly used to assess inequalities in health. However, it is necessary to explore the ability of these instruments to capture differences between population groups, especially in low/middle-income countries. This study aimed to investigate whether the EQ-5D-3L instrument can detect differences in HRQOL between groups of different socioeconomic status (SES) in Brazil.MethodsData collection occurred during the Brazilian EQ-5D-3L valuation study and included respondents aged 18 to 64 years enrolled in urban areas. SES was aggregated into three categories: “higher” (A and B), “intermediate” (C) and “lower” (D and E). EQ-5D-3L index was calculated considering the Brazilian value set. A mixed-effects regression model was estimated with random effects on individuals and marginal effects on SES, sex, and educational attainment. Odds ratios for the chance of reporting problems for each EQ-5D dimension were estimated by logistic regression.ResultsA total of 9,148 respondents were included in the study. Mean age was 37.80 ± 13.13 years, 47.4% were men and the majority was ranked as classes B or C (38.4% and 50.7%, respectively). Participants in lower SES classes reported increasingly poorer health compared to individuals in higher classes. The mean EQ-5D-3L index decreased as SES deteriorates being significantly higher for classes A and B (0.874 ± 0.14) compared to class C (0.842 ± 0.15) and classes D and E (0.804 ± 0.17) (p < 0.001). The same was observed for the mean EQ-VAS scores (84.0 ± 13.8 in classes A and B, 81.0 ± 17 in class C and 78.3 ± 18.7 in class C [p < 0.001]). The multivariate analysis confirmed that SES is an independent factor that effects EQ-5D-3L index measures. Participants in intermediate and lower SES classes have a statistically significant lower EQ-5D-3L index compared to participants in classes A and B, regardless of age, sex, and educational attainment.ConclusionIn a Brazilian population sample, the EQ-5D-3L instrument was able to detect important differences between groups with distinct socioeconomic statuses (SES). The EQ-5D-3L is useful for exploring inequities in health.

Exploring the Influence of Slope Gradient on Tree Species Richness and Forest Structure

Slope gradient is a critical environment factor influencing the abundance, distribution and diversity of vegetation. The objective of this study was to exploring the influence of slope gradient on tree species richness and forest structure in Kpatawee forest, Liberia. Tree diameter was measured at breast height for species more than 5 cm in diameter and over 3 m in height. Tree species diversity was analyzed using Shannon diversity index (Hˈ). Basal area (BA) which is the cross-sectional area of tree stems was measured through the diameter at breast height that is 1.3 m above ground level. Results showed that a total of 26 tree species were identified from the total sampling area (0.36 ha). The three richest families: Moraceae, Rutaceae and Euphorbiaceae appear to be well represented in the Kpatawee forest. These families become outnumbered in the herbaceous except for the Rutaceae family, which is ranked second. This is mainly due to their adaptation potential to wider agro-ecologies. Tree species richness was higher in the lower altitude. High species abundance was recorded in the lower altitude followed by the middle and upper. The lowest Shannon diversity index value (H' = 1.85) and the highest value (H' = 2.28) were recorded in the upper, and the lower altitudes, respectively. Despite their values, the biodiversity did not vary greatly from altitude to altitude. Diameter class distribution showed that more species were in the lower diameter classes and decreased gradually towards the higher classes. It is recommended that further studies on the entire Kpatawee forest is needed to fully understand the species richness in the forest.

Association of physical functional activity impairment with severity of sarcopenic obesity: findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

We aim to clarify the relationship between low skeletal muscle mass and varying levels of adiposity and to identify the types of physical function impairments associated with sarcopenic obesity (SO). This study examined cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. The data included age, gender, DXA-assessed body composition, and physical functional activity with performing daily tasks by questionnaire. We subdivided the data by body composition into a non-SO group and a SO group (ASMI 0–49.99% and FMI of 50–100%), after which the SO data were subdivided into three classes. A higher class indicated higher adiposity and lower muscle mass. The physical function impairment of the two groups was compared. Our study examined 7161 individuals, of which 4907 did not have SO and 2254 had SO, and their data were further divided into three classes (i.e., class I, 826 individuals; class II, 1300 individuals; and class III, 128 individuals). Significant differences in demographics and DXA parameters were identified between the non-SO and SO groups (P < 0.001); the individuals with SO were older, included more women, and exhibited high adiposity and less lean muscle mass. The individuals with class III SO exhibited greater differences and reported more difficulty in performing daily activities. The individuals with class III SO exhibited the most severe physical function impairment. Our study highlights the considerable difficulties encountered by individuals with SO in performing daily activities. Given this finding, customized rehabilitation strategies should be implemented to improve the quality of life of individuals with SO.

Biodiversity and Structural Analysis of Woody Plant Species of Home Gardens in Basona Worana District, North Shoa Zone of Central Ethiopia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biodiversity and structure of woody plants of HGs in the Basona Worana district (BWD). For this, six kebeles and 138 HGs from three agroecologies of BWD were selected using various sampling techniques. The plot size used per HG was 400 m2. Diversity and important value indices (IVIs) were computed. For their structural analysis, the diameter at breast height (DBH) and height were also measured for trees and shrubs fulfilling the standards (diameters at breast height (DBH) ≥2.5 cm and height >2 m). Thus, a total of 42 woody species belonging to 37 genera and 26 families were identified. Fabaceae was the most abundant family, followed by Euphorbiaceae. Trees were the dominant habit. The richness in Kola HGs (33) was higher than Dega (14) and Woinadega (19) HGs, with an overall mean richness of 4.14 per HG of BWD. The Shannon, Simpson, and evenness indices for HGs in the district were 1.05, 0.55, and 0.75, respectively, showing their moderate diversity with even distribution. The Sorenson's similarity of HGs between Dega and Woinadega, Kola and Dega, and Kola and Woinadega were 40%, 28%, and 32%, respectively. The multiple site similarities of woody species among three ecological zones (36%) were still <50%, showing no similarity. The overall DBH and height classes' patterns of the woody species individuals abruptly decreased towards their highest classes. Similar DBH and height classes' patterns of woody species individuals were also observed in Kola and Woinadega agroecologies, indicating their selective tree cutting. The mean values of DBH, height, basal, and crown areas of the woody species in the district were ∼14 cm, ∼6 m, ∼29 m2·ha-1, and 5 m2, respectively. Based on IVI, most of the HGs were dominated by Eucalyptus globules (93.35), followed by Eucalyptus camaldulensis (45.04), Rhamnus prinoides (22.4), and Cupressus lusitanica (22.33). Hence, actions should be taken to promote the diversity and managing of HGs' woody species of BWD.

NeuralFlood: An AI-Driven Flood Susceptibility Index

Flood events have the potential to impact every aspect of life, economic loss and casualties can quickly be coupled with damages to agricultural land, infrastructure, and water quality. Creating flood susceptibility maps is an effective manner that equips communities with valuable information to help them prepare for and cope with the impacts of potential floods. Flood indexing and forecasting are nonetheless complex because multiple external parameters influence flooding. Accordingly, this study explores the potential of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including clustering and neural networks, to develop a flooding susceptibility index (namely, NeuralFlood) that considers multiple factors that are not generally considered otherwise. By comparing four different sub-indices, we aim to create a comprehensive index that captures unique characteristics not found in existing methods. The use of clustering algorithms, model tuning, and multiple neural layers produced insightful outcomes for county-level data. Overall, the four sub-indices’ models yielded accurate results for lower classes (accuracy of 0.87), but higher classes had reduced true positive rates (overall average accuracy of 0.68 for all classes). Our findings aid decision-makers in effectively allocating resources and identifying high-risk areas for mitigation.