Large Decline Research Articles

Optimality and water conservation under non-system and system tank commands of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract Indian agriculture relies on irrigation. India's net irrigated area has tripled in 60 years, although tank-irrigated regions suffered a large decline. This study examines the potential for improving tank irrigation performance through linear programming by developing individual optimal plans for two different tank irrigation systems (non-system and system tank) in the Chittoor and Srikakulam districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. The optimal plans under non-system tanks allocated less land under paddy while improving groundnut areas to optimally reorganize resources among head, middle, and tail ends. Net returns were maximized to ₹ 2.63, ₹ 2.52, and ₹ 1.92 lakhs. The system tank optimal plans advised less water-intensive crops like pulses and sesame over sugarcane with maximized net returns of ₹ 5.35, ₹ 2.61, and ₹ 1.71 lakhs. Both physical (kg/m3) and economic water productivity (₹/m3) were highest among optimal crop mix under non-system and system tank command farms. Participatory water management, adoption of less water-intensive crops, and promotion of pressurized technologies were highly recommended in the study area and similar agro-climatic conditions

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on COPD Patient Mortality: A Nationwide Study in France.

Objectives: We investigated the mortality patterns of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in France relative to a control population, comparing year 2020 to pre-pandemic years 2017-2019. Methods: COPD patient and sex, age and residence matched control cohorts were created from the French National Health Data System. Survival was analyzed using Cox regressions and standardized rates. Results: All-cause mortality increased in 2020 compared to 2019 in the COPD population (+4%), but to a lesser extent than in the control population (+10%). Non-COVID-19 mortality decreased to a greater extent in COPD patients (-5%) than in the controls (-2%). Death rate from COVID-19 was twice as high in the COPD population relative to the control population (547 vs. 279 per 100,000 person-years). Conclusion: The direct impact of the pandemic in terms of deaths from COVID-19 was much greater in the COPD population than in the control population. However, the larger decline in non-COVID-19 mortality in COPD patients could reflect a specific protective effect of the containment measures on this population, counterbalancing the direct impact they had been experiencing.

Burden of Stomach Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Disability-Adjusted Life Years, and Risk Factors in 204 Countries, 1990-2019: An Examination of Global Burden of Disease 2019.

Stomach cancer is a global health problem and is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide. This study investigates the spatial and temporal patterns of stomach cancer burden in 204 countries in the last three decades. The estimates of stomach cancer burden and itsrisk factors were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study, covering the years 1990 to 2019, across 204 countries within 21 world regions. GBD employs the cause-of-death ensemble modeling framework to calculate disease-specific mortality estimates. Estimated average percent change (EAPC) of absolute counts (incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)) and age-standardized rates (age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDALR)) was calculated in the regions to illustrate the relative changes between 1990 and 2019. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze global trends of stomach cancer burdenin the last three decades. Incidence of stomach cancer globally increased from 883,396 cases in 1990 to 1.3 million cases in 2019andnumber of deathsdue to stomach cancer rose from 788,317 in 1990 to 957,185 in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, the global ASIR decreased from 22.4 per 100,000 to 15.6 per 100,000, the ASMR decreased from 20.5 per 100,000 to 11.9 per 100,000and the ASDALRdeclined from 493.4 per 100,000 to 290.6per 100,000. Trend analysis using joinpoint regression revealed the slowest rise in incident cases and largest decline in ASIR between 2004 and 2016. In 2019, East Asia had the highest number of incident cases, totaling 626,489, followed by high-income Asia-Pacific (128,168) and South Asia (99,399). The ASIR was thehighest in East Asia (30.2/100,000)followed by high-income Asia-Pacific (28.2/100,000) and Andean Latin America (22.4/100,000), while high-income North America had the lowest ASIR at 6.1/100,000. In terms of absolute counts, the top three countries in 2019 were China, India, and Japantogether accounting for 61.5% of global incident cases, 58.6% of deaths, and DALYs. Mongolia had the highest ASIR (43.7 per 100,000), followed by Bolivia (34.0 per 100,000) and China (30.6 per 100,000) in 2019, while the lowest ASIR was 3.3 per 100,000 in Malawi. Globally, for both sexes combined, 7.8% of stomach cancer DALYs were associated with a diet high in sodium and 17.2% were linked to smoking. Among males, 24.0% of stomach cancerDALYs were attributable to smoking, compared to only 4.3% in females in 2019. Significant progress has been made globally in the fight against stomach cancer, with the ASIR decreasing by 30.3% and the ASMR by 41.2% between 1990 and 2019. To further reduce the burden of stomach cancer, it is essential to address factors such as Helicobacter pylori prevalence, obesity, and smoking. Additionally, improvements in early detection, socioeconomic development (including better public sanitation, hygiene, and drinking water), and dietary habits are imperative.

Analyzing emergency call volume, call durations, and unanswered calls during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to 2019: An observational study of routine data from seven bavarian dispatch centres

BackgroundThe spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding implementation of measures such as stay-at-home orders and curfews had a major impact on health systems, including emergency medical services. This study examined the effect of the pandemic on call volumes, duration of calls and unanswered calls to the emergency number 112. MethodFor this retrospective, descriptive study, 986,650 calls to seven emergency dispatch centres in Bavaria between January 01, 2019 and May 31, 2021 were analysed. The absolute number of calls and calls per 100,000 inhabitants as well as the number of unanswered calls are reported. The Mann‒Whitney U test was used to compare mean call durations between 2019 and 2020/2021 during several periods. ResultsCall volume declined during the pandemic, especially during periods with strict lockdown restrictions. The largest decline (−12.9 %) occurred during the first lockdown. The largest reduction in the number of emergency calls overall (−25.3 %) occurred on weekends during the second lockdown. Emergency call duration increased, with the largest increase (+13 s) occurring during the “light” lockdown. The number of unanswered calls remained at a similar level as before the pandemic. ConclusionThis study showed that the studied Bavarian dispatch centres experienced lower call volumes and longer call durations during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic (up to May 2021). Longer call durations could be the result of additional questions to identify potentially infectious patients. The fact that the number of unanswered calls hardly changed may indicate that the dispatch centres were not overwhelmed during the study period.

Preference of dhurrin‐free sorghum by ewes

AbstractSorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a resilient forage crop due to its drought tolerance and adaptation to low‐N environments. Sorghum produces a cyanogenic glucoside called dhurrin. The breakdown of dhurrin leads to the release of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which can cause cyanide toxicity in livestock. Dhurrin‐free sorghum lines have been developed through chemical mutagenesis by mutagenizing the gene for the first enzyme, CYP79A1, in the biosynthetic pathway. The CYP79A1 mutation was bred into sorghum lines to create a dhurrin‐free experimental hybrid. Grazing preference of ewes was assessed when allocated to the dhurrin‐free hybrid and three commercial hybrids. Near isogenic lines (NIL), contrasting in dhurrin production, were also compared for grazing preference. Forage mass was measured before and after grazing to determine the amount of forage mass grazed by the ewes. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was flown to quantify changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over time for each hybrid. The nutritive values of the hybrids were also evaluated. The dhurrin‐free hybrid was grazed 19% and 13% more (p‐value ≤ 0.05) in comparison to the commercial hybrids for the second and third grazing cycles in 2019 and 2020. The NIL Tx623 bmr6 CYP79A1, was grazed 20% more than Tx623 bmr6 in two grazing cycles in 2020. Remote sensing data showed a similar pattern with the dhurrin‐free hybrid having the largest decline in NDVI for three grazing cycles in 2019. Nutritive value of the dhurrin‐free hybrid was similar to the two hybrids with the brown midrib (bmr) trait.

Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering and Renal Function in Ischemic Stroke Patients: Secondary Analysis of the ENCHANTED Trial

Introduction: Renal failure is a major safety concern of intensive systolic blood pressure (SBP) lowering. We aimed to determine the effect of this treatment on early change in renal function in participants of the international Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke Study (ENCHANTED). Methods: Post hoc analysis of the ENCHANTED BP-arm in which thrombolyzed patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) were randomized to intensive (target 130–140 mm Hg within 1 h) or guideline-recommended (target ∆eGFR = 24 h – baseline eGFR), analyzed using linear regression with adjustment for clinical variables. Key SBP parameters were attained (mean), variability (standard deviation), and magnitude of reduction within 24 h. Results: Of 2,151 participants (mean age 66.9 years; 38% female) included with the available baseline eGFR, there were significant differences in attained 144.3 ± 10.2 versus 149.8 ± 12.0 [Δ5.5 mm Hg]; p p p ∆eGFR (adjusted mean difference −1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] −3.14 to −0.94; p = 0.29) between the intensive and guideline groups, respectively. The neutral effect on ∆eGFR was consistent in patients with different baseline eGFR stages and in sensitivity analysis after multiple imputations for missing follow-up eGFR. SBP variability was significantly associated with decreasing ∆eGFR (per 5 mm Hg increase by category: adjusted mean difference −1.35, 95% CI: −2.43 to −0.28; p for trend = 0.01). Conclusion: Intensive SBP lowering with a target of 130–140 mm Hg had no impact on early renal function in thrombolyzed AIS patients. Wide SBP variability was associated with a larger decline in eGFR.

Study identifies key factors influencing giving and volunteerism

The report, “Understanding generosity: A look at what influences volunteering and giving in the United States,” follows up on data showing that in 2021, the formal volunteer rate—the percentage of adults who do unpaid work through or for an organization—saw its largest decline since the U.S. government began collecting data on volunteering. Meanwhile, 2022 logged a rare decline in the amount donated to charity, when adjusted for inflation.

Evaluating the effects of the 2017 National Health Insurance coverage expansion on amenable mortality and its disparities between areas in South Korea using Bayesian structural time-series models

To improve the low coverage rate of the National Health Insurance (NHI), South Korea implemented the NHI coverage expansion plan in 2017 to cover medically essential non-covered services and reduce copayment rates. This study aimed to estimate the effects of the 2017 NHI coverage expansion on amenable mortality and its disparities between areas in South Korea under a controlled interrupted time-series design using Bayesian structural time-series models. Age-standardized amenable mortality rates and rate differences (RDs) and rate ratios (RRs) between areas for amenable mortality were calculated monthly between July 2012 and December 2021 and used as the response series. The non-equivalent control series were monthly non-avoidable mortality rates and their regional disparities. After the coverage expansion, amenable mortality rates decreased for both males (−8.8%, 95% credible interval [CrI] −13.4% to −3.9%) and females (−8.3%, 95% CrI −13.4% to −2.4%), with the largest decline in the non-Seoul-Capital metropolitan area (−11.6%, 95% CrI −16.5% to −6.3%) rather than the Seoul Capital Area (−7.5%, 95% CrI −11.9% to −2.5%) and a non-significant reduction in the non-Seoul-Capital non-metropolitan area in females. RDs and RRs between areas for amenable mortality decreased non-significantly (−16.2%, 95% CrI −31.3% to 2.6% for RD and −1.2%, 95% CrI −3.7% to 1.5% for RR), except for a significant decrease in RD in males (−21.8%, 95% CrI −38.0% to −1.5%), and decreased less in females than in males. The coverage expansion was generally effective in reducing amenable mortality rates by area, but had limited effects in closing amenable mortality disparities between areas, favoring males and the non-Seoul-Capital metropolitan area. These results implied that additional measures are necessary to improve access to quality health care for females and underserved areas to enhance the effectiveness of the coverage expansion.

Genetic structure of California's elk: a legacy of extirpations, reintroductions, population expansions, and admixture

AbstractCalifornia, USA, is home to 3 subspecies of North American elk (Cervus canadensis): Roosevelt (C. c. roosevelti), Rocky Mountain (C. c. nelsoni), and tule (C. c. nannodes). Effective management requires a baseline understanding of each subspecies' range, admixture zones, and geographic patterns of genetic diversity. To address these questions, we genotyped 1,271 individual elk from California (n = 1,204) and reference populations of Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt elk from Nevada (n = 32) and Oregon (n = 35), USA. Using 19 polymorphic microsatellite loci, we detected admixture between Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk at a contact zone in northern California, and between Roosevelt and tule elk in north‐coastal California and central‐coastal California. We identified a genetically distinct population of Roosevelt elk in northwestern California, likely reflecting the remnant population that survived a large demographic decline from overhunting during the 1800s. Tule elk exhibited lower levels of heterozygosity (0.44 ± 0.03 [SD]) and allelic richness (2.9 ± 0.2) than Rocky Mountain (0.58 ± 0.05, 4.9 ± 0.4, respectively) and Roosevelt (0.50 ± 0.06, 4.4 ± 0.6, respectively) elk. Among tule elk populations, heterozygosity varied, with the lowest heterozygosity (0.23 ± 0.05) corresponding to the oldest enclosed herd used over the past century as a source of translocations. Among tule elk populations, genetic structure revealed several cases of successful and unsuccessful reintroduction or augmentation attempts. Results provide an essential baseline for future monitoring and decisions about harvest management, translocations to preserve genetic diversity, and landscape‐level conservation planning to maintain, enhance, or obstruct connectivity of elk populations. Genome‐wide sequencing and analyses are needed to quantify inbreeding absolutely and assess genetic load and the age of admixture where subspecies currently exchange genes.

Митне регулювання в Україні у довоєнний та воєнний періоди

The purpose of the study is to theoretically substantiate customs regulation, identify shortcomings in its functioning in the prewar and wartime periods, develop appropriate practical recommendations, search for alternatives to meet the demand for imported goods and services, as well as restore the customs and financial security of the country with the condition of ensuring global partnership in terms of implementing the seventeenth Sustainable Development Goal «Partnership for Sustainable Development». It is determined that customs regulation is a subsystem of the State regulation of foreign economic activity, which defines and controls the process of movement of goods and services across the customs border. An analysis of current trends, dynamics of customs security and its components in the plane of effective customs regulation and ensuring the customs interests of the country is carried out. The key indicators that determine the level of customs burden on the country’s economy have been calculated and analyzed. There is a negative trend in such indicators as: provision of customs payments to the revenues of the State budget of the country, provision of customs payments of tax revenues, fulfillment of planned indicators for customs payments. The significance of customs payments in the revenues and tax revenues of the State budget is irrefutable. A comparative analysis of the both prewar and wartime structure of customs payments is carried out. The dynamics of the volume of taxed imports and the tax burden on them in Ukraine during 2018–2023 are studied. The key trends of the studied indicators are declining. The largest decline is observed during the pandemic in 2020 and at the beginning of the ongoing war in 2022. The partnership relations between the State and business entities in the context of the issue of customs regulation through the introduction of a system of preferential taxation of imports during the wartime period are studied. A systematization of normative legal acts of 2022, which fixed preferential conditions for business entities, is carried out. The problems of customs regulation of the prewar period, which significantly affected its efficiency and functional capacity in the wartime period, are identified. Measures for further leveling of these problems with the aim of European integration are proposed.

Depression influences fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease amongst other factors: a structural modelling approach.

Fatigue is common in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is associated with IBD activity, sleep disturbance, anxiety and depression. The relative contribution of these factors to fatigue is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fatigue and these factors through a novel approach using structural equation modelling. Online questionnaire circulated via three tertiary IBD centres and Crohn's Colitis Australia. Fatigue was assessed using the Functional assessment of chronic illness measurement system fatigue subscale. Validated measures of sleep, anxiety, depression and IBD activity were included. Following correlation analyses, a structural equation model was developed for the outcome of the fatigue score. Direct and indirect effects were calculated. There were 630 complete responses to the online questionnaire. The median age of respondents was 41 with the majority female and over half (52%) on biologic medication. Structural equation models for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis demonstrated a good fit. In Crohn's disease, the relationship between IBD activity and fatigue was mostly mediated indirectly through the influence of IBD activity on sleep, anxiety and primarily depression. Sleep quality mediated the influence of IBD activity and the indirect effects of depression on fatigue, but not anxiety. Unlike in Crohn's disease, the direct influence of IBD activity on fatigue in ulcerative colitis was non-negligible, although remained of lesser magnitude than the indirect effect of IBD activity on fatigue. Depression was the primary indirect mediator of the influence of IBD activity on fatigue in ulcerative colitis. In Crohn's disease, IBD activity leads to fatigue through its influence on sleep quality and mental health. The data suggest treatment of clinically significant depression, in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, may result in the largest decline in fatigue score compared to other variables. Treatment algorithms for fatigue should consider depression a priority.

The spatial structure of domestic tourist trips of Polish residents in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

In Poland in 2020, the number of domestic tourist trips decreased by over one fi ft h (more for short-term than long-term trips), which was probably related to the Covid-19 pandemic. This large decline in the number of domestic tourist trips was not associated with significant changes in their spatial structure. The recovery in domestic tourist trips in 2022 also did not affect their spatial structure, which continues to be mainly determined by the distribution of tourist attractions in the country. The analysis at the voivodeship level showed no preference were observed during the Covid-19 pandemic for domestic trips to voivodeships with a lower level of urbanization (i.e. voivodeships with a greater share of rural areas, less frequently visited so far - generally with lower tourist values). The spatial structure of the recovery in domestic tourism turned out to be sensitive to the level of Covid-19 deaths, which slowed it down. In 2022, the recovery in domestic tourist traffi c was somewhat influenced by the war in neighboring Ukraine, which had a significant slowing effect in the eastern voivodeships of Poland.

LONGITUDINAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVING WELL IN PEOPLE WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEMENTIA

Abstract Understanding the factors associated with quality of life can help us become more effective in optimizing the potential for people with mild-to-moderate dementia to ‘live well’. Identifying individuals at risk of declining quality of life could help to target support more appropriately. We used longitudinal data from 1749 individuals with mild-to-moderate dementia participating in the IDEAL cohort. Assessments took place on entry and at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 months. Using mixed effects modelling we examined change in quality of life, as measured by QoL-AD, since time of diagnosis, and looked at time-invariant and time-varying measures and their association with decline in quality of life at 6 years. Mean quality of scores life were stable over our six year follow up period. However, we were able to identify some individuals whose quality of life declined by varying amounts over this period. A larger decline was associated with being male and older, and those with a decline in quality of life had worsening cognitive function and increasing depression in the years following diagnosis. Our results show that quality of life does not decline for most people following a diagnosis of dementia. However, for those that did decline we were able to identify key factors associated with this decline. This model allows us to investigate further factors that may influence living well in people with dementia, and identify, at diagnosis, those most ‘at risk’ of decline and identify potential remediating factors that could inform potential intervention to mitigate this decline.

World unemployment problem and the unemployment rate forecasting with ARIMA model

In a rapidly changing global economic landscape, the level of unemployment remains one of the most important indicators of economic health, social stability and political dynamics. Due to the complexity and diversity of the unemployment problem, there are still some shortcomings and controversies in the existing research. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore and predict unemployment in depth. This study mainly explores the history, current situation and influencing factors of unemployment statistics in depth, so as to make corresponding predictions and analyses. The research methods include literature review and R for relevant statistics and prediction. According to the forecast results, the world unemployment problem is still relatively serious, and the unemployment rate of the world population will remain relatively high in the coming years. However, due to the existence of various force majeure factors, the future unemployment rate may still show a relatively large increase or decline. This study demonstrated the applicability of the ARIMA model in predicting the values of this variable. These models do a good job of capturing patterns and trends, and the predicted values are reliable. At the same time, this study breaks through the traditional thinking, explores the causes of unemployment from multiple angles and analyzes the future social situation, which also has certain implications for further exploring the unemployment problem.

Evaluating the impact of the Storegga tsunami on Mesolithic communities in Northumberland

ABSTRACTThe Holocene Storegga tsunami, 8120–8175 cal a bp, resulted in run‐up heights of up to 3–6 m around mainland UK and coincided with a suggested large population decline in the coastally focused Mesolithic population in Northern Britain. At Howick, Northumberland, the site of a Mesolithic settlement, a nearby sediment deposit may be of tsunamigenic origin, but this is uncertain. Here, a numerical model was used to simulate the Storegga tsunami in Northumberland. Two scenarios of relative sea‐level change, and a third incorporating high tide, were simulated with mortality estimated within the intertidal zone for the Mesolithic sites in the region. The results showed that only with the addition of high tide could the sediment deposit site have been inundated by the tsunami. At Howick, mortality estimates varied but were up to 100% within the resource‐rich intertidal zone. The tsunami inundated a large area and would have led to the loss of key resources such as hazelnuts prior to the winter months. These combined effects would have probably been replicated throughout coastal settlements in Northern Britain, possibly leading to the contemporary population decline estimated to have occurred at this time.

Directions for rationalisation of the public finance system in the event of the covid-19 crisis

ObjectivesPublic financial management is of the most global and complex nature. At this level, decisions are made that determine everything related to the collection and spending of public funds. However, we must be aware that at this level there are the greatest political entanglements, which are subject to transformation and are inextricably accompanied by changes in government teams and cooperating party coalitions. This causes general recommendations to be formulated on how to manage public funds. Discussions are held in the government or parliament forum focused on finding ways to reduce expenses. Another direction of political debates leads to a turn towards public revenues. This is expressed, for example, by striving to reduce the tax burden. The attention is therefore focused on two sides of the financial economy, i.e. on the processes of collecting and spending public funds.Material and methodsInduction was used as the main research method. It involves drawing general conclusions or establishing regularities based on the analysis of empirically identified phenomena and processes.ResultsMaintaining the stability of public finances may turn out to be one of the greatest challenges of Polish economic policy in the next few years.ConclusionsThe rate of fiscalism in Poland is lower than the average in the EU. Public revenues in Poland are characterized by a high share of social security contributions. The ratio of tax and contribution income to the potential tax base in Poland is relatively low in the case of consumption and comparable to other EU countries in the case of work. Between 2004 and 2014, the share of spending on social transfers in GDP in Poland decreased by 1.8 points. percent. which was the largest decline among all EU countries.

Symmetrical recovery time course between impedance and intramyocardial temperature after bipolar radiofrequency ablation; Role of impedance monitoring to estimate temperature rise

IntroductionDuring radiofrequency (RF) ablation, impedance monitoring has been used to avoid steam-pop caused by excessive intramyocardial temperature (IMT) rise. However, it is uncertain why the impedance decline is related to steam-pop and whether the impedance decline is correlated to IMT. MethodsTwenty-one bipolar ablations (40 W, 30-g contact, 120 s) were attempted for seven perfused porcine myocardium. Immediately after ablation, a temperature electrode was inserted into the mid-myocardial portion, and the recovery process of impedance and its correlation to IMT were assessed. ResultsTransmural lesion was created in all 21 applications but steam-pop occurred in 5/21 applications with large impedance decline. In the 16 applications without steam-pop, impedance and IMT soon after ablation were 97.2 ± 4.0 Ω and 66.1 ± 4.8 °C, respectively. Reasonably high linear correlation was demonstrated between the maximum IMT after ablation and impedance differences before and after ablation. Recovery processes of the decreased impedance and the elevated IMT fit well to each equation of the single exponential decay function and showed symmetric shapes with no statistical difference of time constant (100.1 ± 34.5 s in impedance vs. 108.7 ± 27.3 s in IMT) and half-time of recovery (144.5 ± 49.8 s in impedance vs. 156.9 ± 39.4 s in IMT). Recovered impedance after ablation (104.8 ± 3.9 Ω) was 5.1 ± 2.0 Ω smaller than that before ablation (109.9 ± 2.7 Ω), suggesting several factors other than IMT rise participate in impedance decline in RF ablation. ConclusionsRecovery of impedance and IMT after ablation well correlated, which supports the usefulness of impedance monitoring for safe RF ablation.

The impact of physical activity changes on exercise capacity and health-related quality of life in young patients with CHD: a 3-year follow-up study.

This study examined the relationship between changes in physical activity and their impact on exercise capacity and health-related quality of life over a 3-year span in patients with CHD. We evaluated 99 young patients with CHD, aged 13-18 years at the outset. Physical activity, health-related quality of life, and exercise capacity were assessed via questionnaires and peak oxygen uptake measurements at baseline and after 3 years; changes in measures were estimated between the two time points and categorised into quartiles. Participants were stratified according to achieved (active) or not-achieved (inactive) recommended levels of physical activity (≥150 minutes/week) at both time points. Despite increases in physical activity, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life over 3 years, the changes were not statistically significant (all p > 0.05). However, a positive association was found between physical activity changes and exercise capacity (ß = 0.250, p = 0.040) and health-related quality of life improvements (ß = 0.380, p < 0.001). Those with the most pronounced physical activity increase showed notable exercise capacity (p < 0.001) and health-related quality of life increases (p < 0.001) compared with patients with the largest decline in physical activity. The active-inactive category demonstrated a notable decline in exercise capacity compared to the active-active group, while the inactive-active group showed health-related quality of life improvements. Over 3 years, increased physical activity was consistently linked to increases in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life in patients with CHD, highlighting the potential of physical activity augmentation as an intervention strategy.

Deforestation and Judicial intervention in India

Judiciary in India has played a vigorous role in addressing the concern of deforestation in India. Supreme Court’s ruling is an important step in helping to reduce the rate of deforestation in India, and to protect the forests that remain.&#x0D; The concepts of industrialization, urbanization and globalization have negatively prejudiced the natural assets like water, woods, air, etc. Since these resources are essential to human growth, there is an urgent need to protect and use them in a sustainable way. Indeed, forests are a crucial component of our natural ecology. They contribute to preserving ecological equilibrium. They protect the tribal populace, protect gene pools, and shelter wild animals. A successful governance model must strike a balance between development and conservation.&#x0D; Through court rulings, administrative decisions, and legislative measures, India has ensured the preservation of her forests. Though a lot of legislative measures have been made for the maintenance of forests in India, but the input of the judiciary in this regard is beyond compare. Finding means for the Indian government to encourage the preservation of the country's woods is crucial for both the future of the forests and the stability of India. Indian woods may decline as a result of the country's expanding population and associated demands for resources and consumption. Any large decline would result in increasing resource scarcity, which would put more pressure on the government.

The effect of baseline and longitudinal cognitive reserve on memory ageing in middle and older age adults over a 12‐year period

AbstractBackground‘Cognitive reserve’ (CR) refers to a model of active protection against cognitive decline conferred by the adaptability of one’s cognitive processes. Research on life‐course accumulation of reserve and impact of factors like gender is limited. We examined long‐term effects of CR on episodic memory in two population‐based cohorts.MethodsParticipants consists of two cohorts from the PATH Through Life project with 12 years (4 waves) of follow‐up, with had an average of 14.6 and 13.9 years of education. The mid‐life cohort (MA) was aged 40‐44 at baseline (mean age 42.6, 52.7% self‐reported female;47.3% male, 0% other gender, N = 2513) and the older cohort (OA) was aged 60‐64 at baseline (mean age 62.5, 48.1% female, 49.9% male, 0% other gender, N = 2403). A baseline composite CR measure included education, occupational complexity, and cognitive and social engagement measured by the RIASEC scales. Episodic memory (Immediate and delayed recall) was assessed with a 16‐word list. Multilevel models adjusting for baseline age, self‐reported gender, race, APOE and non‐English speaking background; evaluated the effect of both baseline and longitudinal change in CR on the longitudinal change in episodic memory.ResultsOn average, women performed better than men on the episodic memory tasks. Compared with participants in the top tertile of CR, those middle and lowest tertiles had larger decline in episodic memory in both MA and OA. Interactions with APOE were not significant, but among those with medium (model derived beta weights 95% CI: 0.35 (0.01‐0.69)) and high (0.48(0.07‐0.90)) CR, women showed less decline than men. Each component of CR (education, occupational complexity, and RIASEC) was protective against decline in immediate and delayed recall. Increase in RIASEC score over time was protective (MA (0.05, (0.04‐0.07); OA 0.13, (0.11‐0.16)) with a larger effect seen in OA.ConclusionThe current study demonstrated protective effects against cognitive decline for all types of CR measured in both middle and older‐age groups. Increases in CR over time were also protective. The benefits of CR were highest for older women who comprise the age and gender group at most risk of Alzheimer’s disease, indicating the need for CR interventions.