Landing Strategy Research Articles

Dynamic balance control in healthy young women during stair descent: a plantar pressure-based study

BackgroundWomen are more likely to fall or even die when the ladder falls, which seriously affects the quality of daily life. It is necessary to better understand the plantar mechanism of the ladder falls and put forward reasonable suggestions.MethodTwenty healthy young women volunteered to participate in the experiment. The study used the F-scan plantar pressure to explore the difference in the plantar pressure in the dominance of the leading foot across four step descent height conditions. The landing strategy employed was recorded during the experiment. The Center of Pressure (COP), along with its medial-lateral (ML) and anterior-posterior (AP) adjustment velocities, and the VCOP, RCOP-ML, and RCOP-AP were analyzed.ResultWith an increase in the step height, significant enhancements were observed in the VCOP-ML (p < 0.001), VCOP-AP (p < 0.001), RCOP-ML (p < 0.001), and RCOP-AP (p < 0.001) during landing. There was no significant difference in the kinematic parameters of plantar pressure during stair descent, regardless of whether the dominant foot or non-dominant foot was the leading foot.ConclusionThis study found that among young women, an increase in step height during descent significantly affected the plantar pressure and led to greater COP adjustment in the directions of ML and AP, increasing the risk of injury. At a step height of 5 cm, the first choice of the landing strategy for female subjects began to change from the hindfoot to the forefoot. Although there were no significant differences in plantar pressure data and landing strategies between subjects using the dominant side and nondominant side as the forefoot, the dominant side forefoot exhibited better postural balance control than the nondominant side forefoot.

Disaster Risk Management and Emergency Response Legislations and Strategies Awareness in Tanzania: A Case of Dar Es Salaam City

This study evaluated major cities’ compliance and awareness to the disaster management and emergency response legislations and strategies in Tanzania with a focus on Dar es salaam city that have experienced persistent undesirable disasters and emergencies that arise from both natural and manmade. The study also focused at actions and programs embarked by the Dar es Salaam City Governments (Ilala, Temeke, Ubungo and Kinondoni) to implement the established disaster and emergency response legislations and strategies in dealing with the challenges identified and their way forward. The outcome of this research was contemplated to significantly assist individuals, community, the local government and other interested parties in dealing with disasters and emergencies, and enhance understanding and compliance and awareness to the disaster management and emergency response legislations and strategies urban and rural dwellers with disaster-resilient. This study deployed descriptive research design and survey to gather information about the research problem under the study. The survey provided quantitative account of views of sampled population and their attitudes, and provided chance to test correlation among population variables of the population samples in which 105 respondents were conveniently selected for this study. The study found that the majority of the population are aware the about the disasters that are likely to occur in their localities and their associated impacts both health and economic impacts, but however they are not satisfied with the strategies implemented by the government to deal with them. The study revealed that, the public officials responsible for emergency response and disaster management in Dar es Salaam are aware about the legislations and plans in dealing with disasters and emergency response but the compliance to them are below average due to various factors like resources constraints, insufficient personnel, low involvement of community, insufficient institutional coordination between emergency responders, insufficient infrastructures that affect response time to emergencies, inadequate urban land use planning and strategies and political influenced decision making. The study proposed that the government have to review and follow up implementation of developed urban land use plans base on disaster risk assessment and management reports, to intensify and provide public awareness campaigns on disaster risk management and emergency response strategies, capacity building to government officials and emergency responders on new urban development technologies and enhance their knowledge and competencies, and to review and establish a coordinated emergency response plans in major cities and establishment of early warning systems with coordinated communication systems among responders.

Identifying Optimal Variables to Predict Soil Organic Carbon in Sandy, Saline, and Black Soil Regions: Remote Sensing, Terrain, or Climate Factors?

Environmental variables have a substantial effect on the reliability of soil organic carbon (SOC) mapping. However, it is still challenging to identify which environmental variables are effective in cropland SOC prediction in sandy, saline, and black soil regions. To address this issue, we used the principal component analysis (PCA) method for the feature selection of bands, spectral indexes, and terrain factors for each region. Based on the selection feature, we used global RF and local RF for SOC prediction for these three regions. Our results indicated that (1) climate factors, particularly mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, were the most effective predictors in SOC mapping across sandy, saline, and black soil regions, as indicated by their significant contribution to RF model performance (R2 > 0.63); (2) followed by climate factors, the Transformed Vegetation Index (TVI) was consistently identified as the most influential variable for SOC prediction among spectral indexes in all three regions; (3) a local regression method based on RF models showed good performance compared to a global model; (4) desertification and salinization were the main reasons for the spatial differences in AH and DM&LD, respectively. The SOC of HL in black soil regions was consistent with the climate change trend because of the latitude difference. This study provides valuable information for constructing a more precise soil prediction strategy for cultivated land in sandy, saline, and black soil regions.

An Analysis of Land Use Conflicts and Strategies in the Harbin–Changchun Urban Agglomeration Based on the Production–Ecological–Living Space Theory and Patch-Generating Land Use Simulation

In recent years, rapid economic development, increasing human activities, and global climate change have led to escalating demands for land across production, residential, and ecological domains. This surge has heightened land use conflicts, significantly impacting sustainable land utilization and regional sustainable development. Drawing upon the “Production–Ecological–Living Space” (PELS) theory, this study employs a Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to project the PELS of the Harbin–Changchun Urban Agglomeration (HCUA) under four scenarios for 2030. Introducing the concepts of absolute and relative conflicts in land use, this study utilizes a spatial comprehensive conflict index (SCCI) model to assess the progression of absolute conflicts from 2000 to 2020 and across various scenarios for 2030, while a remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) model is utilized to evaluate the evolution of relative conflicts from 2000 to 2020. The results indicate the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020 and different scenarios in 2030, the PELS of the HCUA is dominated by forest ecological space (E1) and agricultural production space (P1), with no substantial alterations in the overall spatial distribution of the PELS. (2) Absolute and relative conflicts between 2000 and 2020 are mainly concentrated in the plains of the western regions, characterized by conflicts arising from the encroachment of living space on production space; however, absolute conflicts have declined annually, accompanied by a notable enhancement in ecological quality. (3) The spatial pattern of absolute conflicts in 2030 exhibits minimal variation, illustrating higher values in the western regions compared to the eastern parts, with living space surpassing ecological space and plains showing higher conflict values than mountains. Notably, the economic development (ED) scenario exhibits the most intense conflicts, with areas of high conflict prevailing, whereas the sustainable development goals (SDGs) scenario depicts enhancements in absolute conflicts while maintaining equilibrium between economic and ecological development requirements. This research offers valuable insights into mitigating land use conflicts in the HCUA, provides a new perspective for studying changes in land use conflicts, and serves as a scientific reference for sustainable land utilization and regional sustainable development.

Asymmetry During Landing Impacts Following Jumps With Aerial Rotation in Collegiate Men's Basketball Players.

Harry, JR, Park, S, Stewart, M, Hite, M, Simms, A, Larsen, M, and Bishop, C. Asymmetry during landing impacts following jumps with aerial rotation in collegiate men's basketball players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This project explored whether (a) landing performances and (b) impact force asymmetries were different during countermovement jump (CMJ) landings with leftward versus rightward aerial rotation in 19 collegiate men's basketball players. Replicated single-subject analyses were performed to identify differences that were both statistically significant and important for each individual. Countermovement jump landing performance and loading, attenuation, and control phase durations were compared, while interlimb vertical ground reaction forces (GRF) were compared during each phase of CMJ landings with leftward and rightward rotations, respectively, using the model statistic and coefficient of variation techniques. The model statistic provided random chance probability (α = 0.05). The coefficient of variation provided whether differences exceeded the largest amount of variation from each limb or rotation direction. The bilateral asymmetry index (BAI; difference between dominant and nondominant limbs divided by the sum of the 2 limbs) was also calculated. Statistically significant (model statistic results) and important (coefficient of variation results) differences in landing performance were detected between rotation conditions in 4 subjects. Most subjects did not display significant and important asymmetries for the changes of vertical GRF during any phase of CMJ landings with leftward or rightward rotations. Large amounts of intra-individual variation seem to be an influential factor for these results, as basketball players seem to have unrefined landing strategies that could require targeted training. Because the BAI values reached as high as ± 531% without coinciding with significant and important asymmetry, researchers and practitioners may need to reevaluate the way in which asymmetry indices are interpreted.

A079: Effects of Reduced Plantar Cutaneous Sensation on Landing Strategies in People with Chronic Ankle Instability

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether reduced plantar cutaneous sensation could alter the movement strategies of the lower extremities in people with chronic ankle instability (CAI) during single leg drop landing. METHODS: Fourteen adults with CAI were recruited (female: 6, age: 22.03±1.73 years, height: 1.72±0.11 m, body weight: 71.53±15.49 kg) in this study. Participants placed their bare foot on shaved ice for 10 minutes to reduce plantar cutaneous sensation sensitivity. The plantar skin sensation on the fifth metatarsal was measured with a set of Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. The higher values indicated lower sensitivity and higher thresholds. The participants executed three single-leg drop landings from a 20-cm platform both before (pre-) and after (post-) ice immersion. The moment of landing was determined using a 20 N threshold in vertical ground reaction force. These indicators, including angle, angular velocity, range of motion (ROM) and net torque at the ankle, knee and hip, were measured using a motion capture system at 100Hz and a force plate at 1000Hz. Kinematic and kinetic indicators were filtered with low-pass filters at 10 and 50Hz, respectively. Joint torque was standardized using body weight. A paired-sample t-test was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Plantar cutaneous sensation threshold (pre: 3.07±0.38 gauge, post: 4.12±0.28 gauge, p < 0.001) significantly increased after ice immersion. Peak internal rotation angle at the ankle (pre: 11.14±3.44, post: 10.16±3.67, p = 0.018), ankle ROM (pre: 16.63±3.90, post: 15.19±3.27, p = 0.011) and ankle angular velocity (pre: 353.50±110.94/s, post: 324.60±116.25/s, p = 0.033) were significantly decreased. Furthermore, peak adduction torques at the knee (pre: 0.13±0.27 Nm/kg, post: 0.34±0.33 Nm/kg, p = 0.02) and hip (pre: 0.06±0.05 Nm/kg, post: 0.30±0.25 Nm/kg, p < 0.001) were significantly increased, while hip internal rotation torque (pre: 0.72±0.20 Nm/kg, post: 0.55±0.17 Nm/kg, p < 0.001) significantly decreased after acute ice immersion. CONCLUSION: Acute reduction in plantar cutaneous sensation induced by ice immersion primarily affected the internal rotation kinematics at the ankle and altered movement strategies of proximal segments at the knee and hip in the frontal plane. These adaptive changes highlighted the importance of sensory input in maintaining postural control during single leg drop landing in people with CAI.

Land and forest fire control strategy through inter-organizational network in efforts to implement disaster management in Riau province, Indonesia

Abstract In addition to harming ecosystems that provide clean air and water, forest and land fires have an effect on human health. The foundation of the network theory is the interconnection of actors. To be effective and efficient, land and forest fire control organizations that involve numerous government agencies or organizations at the national, province, district, sub-district, and village levels need an organizational structure that functions harmoniously and cohesively. This study aims to execute disaster management in Riau Province by analyzing and describing methods for preventing land and forest fires through inter-organizational networks. This study was conducted in the province of Riau, specifically in the Rokan Hilir Regency. The approach is qualitative. Primary and secondary sources of data are needed for this investigation. People who are thought to be knowledgeable about the use of inter-organizational networks in the management of land and forest fires in Rokan Hilir Regency serve as the study’s unit of analysis. The study’s findings include improving organizational structure strategy, coordinating programs across companies, and planning and operations for managing land and forest fires. The study’s recommendations include drafting regional legislation, offering technical assistance for managing land fires and forests, and altering the organizational structure of the Land and Forest Emergency Alert Post Team in Riau Province.

FallFitness exercise program provided using the train-the-trainer approach for community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundFalls and fall-related injuries remain a global challenge and threat to the health of older adults. Specific strength and balance exercises are effective in preventing falls among community-dwelling older adults. Nevertheless, provision of evidence-based fall prevention interventions to a broad population represents a healthcare challenge, indicating that new models for promoting exercise among community-dwelling older adults need to be addressed. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effects of a peer-led group-based exercise intervention provided using the train-the-trainer approach and targeting physical performance, activity level, handgrip strength, quality of life, fall-related self-efficacy, fear of falling, and falling techniques compared with a control group at 8-week follow-up.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial (RCT) included trainers and participants who were recruited from four collaborating regional organizations for retired persons. The intervention was planned to be provided in five municipalities in Sweden, depending on the location of the registered trainers.Eligible participants included adults aged ≥ 60 years who could walk independently and understand written and oral information in Swedish. The FallFitness multicomponent exercise program delivered weekly strength, balance, and falling techniques over eight weeks. It was evaluated using the train-the-trainer approach. Fourteen older adults were eligible for trainer education, and 101 participants were randomly allocated for the FallFitness exercise (n = 50) or a control group (n = 51).ResultsAfter 8 weeks of peer-led training, the short multicomponent exercise program significantly improved the physical activity levels (p = 0.036) and backward and sideways falling techniques (p < 0.001) compared to those in the control group. Fear of falling significantly decreased in the exercise group (p = 0.009). Other outcomes in this study showed to be non-significant.ConclusionsThe multicomponent exercise program provided in eight sessions using the train-the-trainer approach may be effective in promoting physical activity and the learning of motor skills and safe landing strategies. Furthermore, the FallFitness exercise program may reduce the fear of falling and may be both time- and cost-effective.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06265480 (20240208).

A bio-inspired looming detection for stable landing in unmanned aerial vehicles**This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation ofchina, grant number 62206065, and the Bagui Scholar Program of Guangxi.

Flying insects, such as flies and bees, have evolved the capability to rely solely on visual cues for smooth and secure landings on various surfaces. In the process of carrying out tasks, micro unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may encounter various emergencies, and it is necessary to land safely in complex and unpredictable ground environments, especially when altitude information is not accurately obtained, which undoubtedly poses a significant challenge. Our study draws on the remarkable response mechanism of the Lobula Giant Movement Detector to looming scenarios to develop a novel UAV landing strategy. The proposed strategy does not require distance estimation, making it particularly suitable for payload-constrained micro aerial vehicles. Through a series of experiments, this strategy has proven to effectively achieve stable and high-performance landings in unknown and complex environments using only a monocular camera. Furthermore, a novel mechanism to trigger the final landing phase has been introduced, further ensuring the safe and stable touchdown of the drone.

Options for future European reusable booster stages: evaluation and comparison of VTHL and VTVL return methods

In the past, the majority of system studies on reusable space transportation performed within Europe focused on concepts relying on lift-generating wings for recovery. Recently, vertically landing concepts similar to those deployed successfully by SpaceX have moved to the center of technical attention. Both recovery and landing strategies have their pros and cons and it is not obvious what would be a sound choice for Europe. Therefore, the German Aerospace Center DLR initiated a parametric system study, named ENTRAIN, that evaluates the impact of different return options on the launcher design on a technical level: the vertical take-off, vertical landing method (VTVL) as used by SpaceX compared to the vertical take-off, horizontal landing (VTHL) method as used for the Space Shuttle. Within this study, launchers were designed using different propellant combinations, staging velocities and engine cycles. The designed launchers are evaluated in this paper regarding performance, technical difficulties, operational aspects, size, mass and complexity.

Prediction and Evaluation of Industrial Land Intensive Use: Adding Policy Impact to System Dynamics Model

Nowadays, urban development prioritizes improving quality over mere quantitative expansion, which requires a shift in land use from previous extensive use patterns to a more refined and efficient intensive use pattern. The intensive use of industrial land (IUIL) is a resource-utilization strategy for industrial land that aims at maximizing the dual growth of ecological and economic benefits by minimizing resource consumption and factor costs. In this research, IUIL is deconstructed into four aspects: input intensity, utilization intensity, economic benefits, and environmental benefits. Grounded in a qualitative analysis of the interconnected casual feedback among the various factors influencing IUIL, a system dynamics model with 36 indicators for IUIL evaluation and prediction is constructed. Policy impacts on IUIL from the supply side, utilization side, and supervision side are analyzed and embedded for a scenario simulation based on the theory of the entire life cycle of land use. The simulation shows its efficiency in reporting the variation tendency of industrial land use with varied policy impact strength. The results reveal a dynamic understanding of the evolving patterns of land intensification and present different characteristics of IUIL. This study further proposes policy recommendations to provide experience and references for the authorities to promote high-quality urbanization development in practice.

Autonomous Landing Strategy for Micro-UAV with Mirrored Field-of-View Expansion.

Positioning and autonomous landing are key technologies for implementing autonomous flight missions across various fields in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems. This research proposes a visual positioning method based on mirrored field-of-view expansion, providing a visual-based autonomous landing strategy for quadrotor micro-UAVs (MAVs). The forward-facing camera of the MAV obtains a top view through a view transformation lens while retaining the original forward view. Subsequently, the MAV camera captures the ground landing markers in real-time, and the pose of the MAV camera relative to the landing marker is obtained through a virtual-real image conversion technique and the R-PnP pose estimation algorithm. Then, using a camera-IMU external parameter calibration method, the pose transformation relationship between the UAV camera and the MAV body IMU is determined, thereby obtaining the position of the landing marker's center point relative to the MAV's body coordinate system. Finally, the ground station sends guidance commands to the UAV based on the position information to execute the autonomous landing task. The indoor and outdoor landing experiments with the DJI Tello MAV demonstrate that the proposed forward-facing camera mirrored field-of-view expansion method and landing marker detection and guidance algorithm successfully enable autonomous landing with an average accuracy of 0.06 m. The results show that this strategy meets the high-precision landing requirements of MAVs.

Dynamic collaborative truck-drone delivery with en-route synchronization and random requests

Coordinated truck and drone delivery is gaining popularity in logistics as it can greatly reduce operation costs. However, existing studies on related operations management problems typically ignore the following important features: (i) the random appearance of requests, which require operators to dynamically respond to the requests; and (ii) the decisions of optimal launch and retrieval locations for trucks and drones instead of fixed to customer locations, which can significantly impact the overall time costs. To tackle these challenges, this study investigates the dynamic collaborative truck-drone routing problem with randomly arriving requests and synchronization on routes. We model the problem as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) and solve the MDP via a reinforcement learning (RL) approach. The proposed RL approach determines: (i) whether each request should be serviced upon arrival, (ii) which truck or drone should be assigned for the request, and (iii) the optimal en-route take-off and landing positions for paired trucks and drones. We further employ a framework of decentralized learning and centralized dispatching in RL to increase performance. Numerical experiments are conducted to assess the proposed solution approach on instances generated based on both the Solomon dataset and real-world operational data of a logistics operator in Singapore over several benchmark algorithms under various battery endurance levels of drones and distinct transportation scenarios including node-based dynamic collaborative truck-drone routing problem, dynamic non-collaborative truck and drone routing problem, and dynamic vehicle routing problem. The results show that our RL solution outperforms the benchmark algorithm in total profit by an average of 28.03 %, and our en-route takeoff and landing scenario outperforms the benchmark scenarios in total profit by an average of 8.43 % in multi-day instances. Additionally, compared to the traditional node-based landing scenario, employing our en-route takeoff and landing strategy can save 0.9 h/(drone*day) of waiting time on average.

Tree Frogs Alter Their Behavioral Strategies While Landing On Vertical Perches.

As an arboreal animal, tree frogs face diverse challenges when landing on perches, including variations in substrate shape, diameter, flexibility, and angular distribution, with potentially significant consequences for failed landings. Research on tree frog landing behavior on perches, especially concerning landing on vertical substrates, remains limited. This study investigated the landing strategies (forelimb, abdomen, and hindlimb) of tree frogs on vertical perches, considering perch diameter. Although all three strategies were observed across perches of different diameters, their frequencies differed. Forelimb landing was most common across all perch diameters, with its frequency increasing with perch diameter, while abdomen and hindlimb landing strategies were more prevalent on smaller diameter perches. During the process from take-off to landing, the body axis underwent some deviation owing to the asymmetric movement of the left and right limbs; however, these deviations did not significantly differ among landing strategies. Additionally, different landing strategies led to variations in the landing forces, with abdominal landings generating significantly higher impact forces than the other two strategies. These findings provide insights into the biomechanics and biological adaptations of tree frogs when landing on challenging substrates, such as leaves or branches.

Strategi Perang antara Belanda Melawan Invasi Jepang di Palembang dan Dampaknya terhadap Lingkungan

The purpose of this study explains the Japanese attack strategy and Dutch defense and its impact on the environment in Palembang. The method used is the historical method by utilizing primary sources such as memoirs of historical actors, contemporaneous newspapers, as well as secondary sources such as books and scientific articles. This research also uses geography with an environmental perspective. The results show that Japan implemented a combined land, sea and air strategy with paratroopers as the main force to capture Palembang. Meanwhile, the Dutch focused on protecting airfields and oil refineries with scorched earth tactics if pressed. Environmental impacts of the conflict included air pollution from oil refinery fires and pollution of the Musi River by oil spills and war waste. The novelty of this research lies in the study of the environmental aspects of Japanese military operations in Palembang that have not been widely discussed before. This research provides a new perspective on the impact of war on the environment in a historical context.

Effects of attentional focus strategies in drop landing biomechanics of individuals with unilateral functional ankle instability.

Functional Ankle Instability (FAI) is a pervasive condition that can emerge following inadequate management of lateral ankle sprains. It is hallmarked by chronic joint instability and a subsequent deterioration in physical performance. The modulation of motor patterns through attentional focus is a well-established concept in the realm of motor learning and performance optimization. However, the precise manner in which attentional focus can rehabilitate or refine movement patterns in individuals with FAI remains to be fully elucidated. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of attentional focus strategies on the biomechanics of single-leg drop landing movements among individuals with FAI. Eighteen males with unilateral FAI were recruited. Kinematic and kinetic data were collected using an infrared three-dimensional motion capture system and force plates. Participants performed single-leg drop landing tasks under no focus (baseline), internal focus (IF), and external focus (EF) conditions. Biomechanical characteristics, including joint angles, ground reaction forces, and leg stiffness, were assessed. A 2 × 3 [side (unstable and stable) × focus (baseline, IF, and EF)] Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM-ANOVA) analyzed the effects of attentional focus on biomechanical variables in individuals with FAI. No significant interaction effects were observed in this study. At peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), the knee flexion angle was significantly influenced by attentional focus, with a markedly greater angle under EF compared to IF (p < 0.001). Additionally, at peak vGRF, the ankle joint plantarflexion angle was significantly smaller with EF than with IF (p < 0.001). Significant main effects of focus were found for peak vGRF and the time to reach peak vGRF, with higher peak vGRF values observed under baseline and IF conditions compared to EF (p < 0.001). Participants reached peak vGRF more quickly under IF (p < 0.001). Leg Stiffness (kleg) was significantly higher under IF compared to EF (p = 0.001). IF enhances joint stability in FAI, whereas EF promotes a conservative landing strategy with increased knee flexion, dispersing impact and minimizing joint stress. Integrating these strategies into FAI rehabilitation programs can optimize lower limb biomechanics and reduce the risk of reinjury.

Evaluating plantar biomechanics while descending a single step with different heights.

This study aims to investigate the plantar biomechanics of healthy young males as they descend a single transition step from varying heights. Thirty healthy young males participated the experiment using the F-scan insole plantar pressure system in which participants made single transition steps descent from four step heights (5, 15, 25, and 35cm), leading with their dominant or non-dominant foot. Plantar pressure data were collected for 5s during the period between landing touchdown and standing on the ground. Landing at each step height was repeated three times, with a five-minute rest between different height trials. At 5cm and 15cm steps, participants demonstrated a rearfoot landing strategy on both sides. However, forefoot contact was observed at heights of 25cm and 35cm. Parameters related to center of plantar pressure (COP) of the leading foot were significantly larger compared to the trailing foot (P < 0.001), increased with higher step heights. Vertical ground reaction forces for the biped, leading and trailing feet decreased with increasing step height (all P < 0.05). The leading foot had a higher proportion of overall and forefoot loads, and a lower proportion of rearfoot load compared to the trailing foot (P < 0.001). The overall load on the dominant side was lower than that on the non-dominant side for both the leading and trailing feet (P < 0.001). For the trailing foot, forefoot load on the dominant side was lower than that on the non-dominant side, however, the opposite result appeared in rearfoot load (P < 0.001). Upon the leading foot landing, forefoot load exceeded the rearfoot load for the dominant (P < 0.001) and non-dominant sides (P < 0.001). Upon the trailing foot landing, forefoot load was lower than the rearfoot load for the dominant (P < 0.001) and non-dominant sides (P = 0.019). When the characteristics of biomechanical stability are compromised by step height, landing foot, and footedness factors - due to altered foot landing strategies, changing COP, or uneven force distribution - ability to control motion efficiently and respond adaptively to the forces experienced during movement is challenged, increasing the likelihood of loss of dynamic balance, with a consequent increased risk of ankle sprains and falls.

Contribution of ankle motion pattern during landing to reduce the knee-related injury risk

BackgroundSingle-leg landing (SL) is an essential technique in sports such as basketball, soccer, and volleyball, which is often associated with a high risk of knee-related injury. The ankle motion pattern plays a crucial role in absorbing the load shocks during SL, but the effect on the knee joint is not yet clear. This work aims to explore the effects of different ankle plantarflexion angles during SL on the risk of knee-related injury. MethodsThirty healthy male subjects were recruited to perform SL biomechanics tests, and one standard subject was selected to develop the finite element model of foot-ankle-knee integration. The joint impact force was used to evaluate the impact loads on the knee at various landing angles. The internal load forces (musculoskeletal modeling) and stress (finite element analysis) around the knee joint were simulated and calculated to evaluate the risk of knee-related injury during SL. To more realistically revert and simulate the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury mechanics, we developed a knee musculoskeletal model that reverts the ACL ligament to a nonlinear short-term viscoelastic mechanical mechanism (strain rate-dependent) generated by the dense connective tissue as a function of strain. ResultsAs the ankle plantarflexion angle increased during landing, both the peak knee vertical impact force (p = 0.001) and ACL force (p = 0.001) decreased significantly. The maximum von Mises stress of ACL, meniscus, and femoral cartilage decreased as the ankle plantarflexion angle increased. The overall range of variation in ACL stress was small and was mainly distributed in the femoral and tibial attachment regions, as well as in the mid-lateral region. ConclusionThe current findings revealed that the use of larger ankle plantarflexion angles during landing may be an effective solution to reduce knee impact load and the risk of rupture of the medial femoral attachment area in the ACL. The findings of this study have the potential to offer novel perspectives in the optimized application of landing strategies, thus giving crucial theoretical backing for decreasing the risk of knee-related injury.

Landscape fragmentation and regularity lead to decreased carbon stocks in basins: Evidence from century-scale research

Landscapes evolution have significantly altered the Earth's energy balance and biogeochemical cycles, thereby exacerbating climate change. This, in turn, affects surface characteristics and the provision of ecosystem services, especially carbon storage. While recent centuries have witnessed unprecedented landscape changes, limited long-term studies have offered insights into the comparison between present-day features and historical conditions. This study utilized historical reconstruction data and remote sensing imagery to assess landscape evolution and its consequences for carbon stocks over 300 years. Employing multiple regression and random forest models were selected to quantify the influence of key landscape metrics on carbon stocks in the Dongting Lake basin, allowing for a thorough analysis across different sub-basins and land types. The results revealed that intensified human disturbances led to increased landscape fragmentation (+82%), regularity (+56%), and diversity (+37%) within the basin. Moreover, carbon stocks decreased from 4.13 Gt to 3.66 Gt, representing an 11.4% loss, with soil carbon stock experiencing the most considerable reduction (0.24 Gt, 51%). These changes in carbon stock metrics corresponded to shifts in landscape patterns, both undergoing significant transitions at the turn of the 21st century. Meanwhile, fragmentation and regularity played a vital role in explaining carbon stock changes, as their increase contributes to greater carbon losses. Likewise, an increase in landscape diversity correlated with decreased carbon stocks, challenging the prevailing notion that enhanced diversity promotes carbon stocks. The influence of landscape patterns on carbon stocks varies notably across distinct land types. An increase in the dominance of farmland and built-up land led to decreased carbon stocks, while the opposite holds true for forestland. Similarly, a decrease in regularity for farmland, forestland, and built-up land benefits carbon storage, while grassland demonstrates the opposite trend. These findings offer insights for countries and regions in the early stages of development or approaching development, suggesting improvements in land use practices and strategies to address climate change. This involves offsetting land-based carbon emissions through changes in landscape spatial configuration.

Barriers to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices in Mutare District, 2022

Background: Sanitation and hygiene are extremely important for survival, development and health. Inadequate sanitation expose people to water, sanitation and hygiene related diseases. Mutare district has been increasingly recording unsatisfactory bacteriological tests from the first quarter of 2019 to the first quarter of 2023 and water-borne infections have been increasing. We evaluated the WASH program in Mutare district. Methods: We conducted a program evaluation using logical framework approach. Twenty-one health facilities were sampled and 63 participants recruited. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to assess healthcare worker (HCW) knowledge and review of environmental records was done. Resources required for the health facilities WASH programs were assessed using a checklist. Frequencies, means and proportions were generated. Results: The median years of service of HCW was 9 years. The district lacked land and water pollution control strategies and consumables for water bacteriological testing. Aquatabs were in limited supply. Some of the visited health facilities (6/21) poorly segregated waste, although all the HCW were mentored on WASH activities. Conclusion: Inadequate water test kits and other resources compromises the performance of the WASH program. Segregation of waste appropriately reduces the risk of infection and injuries among the waste handlers.