Northern Province Research Articles

Transport as a key factor in developing Russian-Chinese border regions

The study presents an analysis of the current state of Sino-Russian cooperation in the field of transport and its effects on the bordering regions. Russia’s Far East and China’s North-East regions both struggle to undergo a socio-economic transformation to overcome depopulation and a peripheral position in their countries. Сross-border cooperation, first of all in the field of transportation, is viewed as a factor of growth, able to foster economic development. This article examines such aspects as the increased focus of Russian central government on the eastern regions and their integration into the expanding Asia-Pacific region, reflected in state programs for the development of the Far East, as well as PRC’s intentions to revitalize old industrial North-East and construct both continental route to Central Asia Europe (as part of the Road and Belt Initiative) and maritime route to other Pacific countries and to provide more efficient connection between northern and southern provinces. Conclusions about the necessity of elaborating efficient strategies and scheduled fulfillment of the projects are presented, as these prove to be the key elements to avoid losing mutual interest in cooperation between the neighboring countries and to bring crucial changes to the bordering regions of the two countries.

The Lost Devotions to the Santo Niño in Northern Philippines (Abulug and Bangui)

The devotion to the Santo Niño or Holy Child enjoys great popularity all over the Philippines, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao. However, it is not particularly noticeable in the northern provinces of the country. Curiously, the documents presented here show that there were strong Santo Niño devotions in the northernmost towns of the Ilocos and Cagayan provinces, specifically Bangui (Ilocos Norte) and Abulug (Cagayan), at least in the first half of the eighteenth century. There are very little traces of these devotions at present in the mentioned towns.

Изображение святых жен в составе композиций с образом Богоматери Знамение

Despite the fact that female saints were not the subject of particular scientific interest, one can found the vast array of the icons of the Our Lady of the Sign flanked by the female saints' representation, especially in the Novgorodian and Pskovian art culture. Due to their names semantic (St. Paraskeva — Crucifixion and St. Anastasia — Resurrection), female saints were not only patronesses of Christian faith as well as patronesses of certain activities or the most popular saints in medieval Novgorod, Pskov and the Northern provinces of Novgorod, but they also represented complicated allusions to Gospel events, Christ and Theotokos. Previously, the researchers believed, that the female saints were just patronesses of particular activity, however they were also symbols of Gospel events. In accordance with the iconographic analysis, the images of the female saints in juxtaposition with the other saints and especially with Our Lady of the Sign image emphasized certain aspects of veneration of Theotokos and Christ.

The Impact of Climate change on Water Resources in Northern Sri Lanka: Stakeholder Perspectives

Climate change is a global phenomenon affecting the entire planet, including Sri Lanka. The Northern Province of Sri Lanka is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially regarding water resources. Public awareness of climate change and its impact on water resources is crucial for sustainable water management practices in the study area. In this context, this study attempted to analyze public perception of the climate change impact on the water resources of Northern Sri Lanka. There are different groups of water users in the study area. They were stratified as agriculture water users, industrial water users, fishing water users and domestic and drinking water users. Accordingly, a questionnaire survey was conducted using a stratified sampling method to identify consumer perceptions, and the collected data were analyzed using the SPSS tool. 87% of the consumers believe that climate change has a significant impact on water resources, and 50% of the people expressed vulnerability of the agriculture sector to the climate change impact on water resources. Water scarcity during the yala season became a crucial threat to paddy cultivation in the study area. Other kind of water users such as industrial water users, fishing water users and drinking and domestic water users face difficulties in obtaining water resources for their needs during the SWMS and FIMS. Furthermore, drinking and domestic water users mentioned that they face water quality issues especially during July, August and September. During the southwest monsoon season, water users face difficulties in obtaining water for their domestic needs due to water scarcity. Majority of the water users know about climate change, but many of them don’t know how climate change affects their water sources. Water suppliers should implement special projects regarding climate change impacts on water resources in the study area. This will lead the water users to use water efficiently and protect the water sources sustainably.

Zambian indigenous chicken genetic resources: phenotypic characteristics and their production systems among small-scale farmers.

Indigenous chickens are very important to households for income and protein. However, their performance is usually poor, especially under small-scale farmer management, despite their potential to perform better. The performance of these chickens can be improved by selective breeding. However, for this to be a success, there is a need to understand the phenotypic and production characteristics of these chickens fully. Hence, this study aimed to characterize the phenotypes of these chickens and their production system among small-scale farmers. A structured questionnaire was administered to 177 small-scale farmers. A total of 538 chickens whose mean weight was 1.66 kg were individually phenotyped in Luapula, Muchinga, and Northern provinces of Zambia. Ownership of the indigenous chickens was dominated by females (65.37%), with most (64.31%) having attained primary education. Most housed their chickens in family houses (42.03%). All the farmers let their chickens scavenge for their feed, with 45.58% of them providing basic supplementation. Most (84.10%) farmers bought their breed stock from within their community and had a mean flock size of 12.5 chickens/household, which they mostly (78.09%) kept as free-range. The majority (77.39%) practiced culling, with low productivity being the most common reason for culling (84.45%). Only 59.01% of farmers practiced selective breeding, while 86.22% practiced uncontrolled mating. The age at first mating for cocks and hens was 6.8 months and 6.34 months, respectively, with 6.73 months being the age at first egg. It takes 15.43 days to reach a mean clutch size of 13 eggs. The hatchability and mortality at 8 weeks were 83.44% and 67.57%, respectively. All chickens were sold as live chickens, and the majority (51.59%) of the farmers sold their chickens within the community at 7.23 months. Diseases and predators were the most common challenges affecting farmers in the study area. Consultations with veterinarians, vaccinations, and deworming were uncommon while treating sick chickens mostly using ethnoveterinary medicines was common. The most common qualitative traits were brown (27.88%) and mixed (26.77%) plumage color, white skins (91.45%) and shanks (48.70%), single comb type (91.08%), red earlobe (55.76%), and orange eyes (78.07%). All linear body measurements positively and significantly correlated with the body weight averaging 1.66kgs, an indicator that selection for any of them would result in a corresponding increase in body weight. Principal Component Analysis extracted two components with 69.38% of the total variation. The diversity in phenotypes of these chickens and their production systems indicate huge potential for improvement by implementing breeding programs.

Investigation of the association between foot-and-mouth disease clinical signs and abattoir serological data in large ruminants in northern Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious and endemic disease in Lao PDR. However, surveillance is weak, and outbreaks are not routinely reported. To address this, serum samples were routinely collected from cattle and buffalo from provincial abattoirs between November 2021 and December 2022. A total of 2,663 serum samples were collected from large ruminants (n = 1,625 cattle; n = 1,038 buffalo) from 17 provinces. Samples were tested for specific antibodies directed against FMD non-structural protein (NSP) to determine the proportion of animals exposed to FMD virus. In addition to sampling from abattoirs, further independent data was collected to report clinical signs and outcomes from 94 districts in 12 northern provinces. These incident reports were recorded by district staff using a Google Form and summarised monthly in the National Animal Disease Reporting System. Information was collected on species, incident date, herd size, location and which clinical signs the animals presented. Overall, 46% of the tested animals returned a positive result using ID Screen® FMD NSP Competition ELISA. Results from serological testing were then compared with reported clinical signs from the same district. In districts reporting 'mouth problems' (regardless of other clinical signs) the median FMD seroprevalence was 49.7%, compared to 31.6% in districts not reporting mouth problems (p = 0.021). This finding suggests that reporting clinical cases of 'mouth problems' could be a potential predictor of FMD infection at a district level in cattle and buffalo in Lao PDR. Furthermore, in districts reporting 'fever', 'mouth problems', and 'nose/mouth secretions' together, the median FMD seroprevalence was 46.2%, compared to 24.4% in districts not reporting these signs (p = 0.033). In districts reporting 'mouth problems' and 'nose/mouth secretions' the median FMD seroprevalence was 49.4%, compared to 25.5% in districts not reporting these signs (p = 0.037). In districts reporting both 'fever' and 'mouth problems,' the median FMD seroprevalence was 46.4% compared to 25% in districts not reporting these signs (p = 0.017). Based on serological data generated by abattoir surveillance, this study identified clinical signs most predictive of FMD seroprevalence. These novel findings can be used to guide passive surveillance efforts in the future specifically in northern Laos and help support improved FMD surveillance more broadly in FMD endemic countries in Southeast Asia.

Insight into heavy metal chemical fractions in ash collected from municipal and industrial waste incinerators in northern Vietnam.

This investigation involved the collection of fly ash and bottom ash specimens from seven waste incinerators situated in the northern provinces of Vietnam, aimed at assessing the composition and distribution patterns of five chemical fractions of heavy metals (Pb, Cr, As, Cd Cu, and Zn) present in incinerator waste ash. The outcomes reveal that fly ash exhibited a relatively elevated concentration of industrial waste metals (25-66%) such as As, Cd, and Pb primarily in exchangeable (F1) and carbonate fractions (F2), which are mobile forms susceptible to environmental dissolution and consequential bioaccumulation posing health risks to humans. The predominant states of the metals Cr, Cu, and Zn were identified as residual, Fe-Mn oxide, and carbonate, respectively, with their relative proportions showing minimal variation. Conversely, heavy metals were predominantly present in residual residue and Fe-Mn bound form (F3) in bottom ash derived from both residential and commercial waste incineration operations. The non-carcinogenic hazard indices (HI) associated with the examined metals, ranked for both adults and children, were as follows: Pb > Cr > As > Cd > Cu > Zn. Notably, the HI values for Pb, Cr, and As exceeded the permissible threshold (HI > 1) for children. However, the risk of As, Cd, and Pb-related cancer via exposure pathways remained within acceptable limits for both age groups. Conversely, the probability of carcinogenic effects attributable to Cr surpassed the permissible threshold (>10-4), indicating significant health concerns associated with heavy metals in waste incinerators for humans, particularly children.

Wind Power Potential of Kaniga Region, Rwanda

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of wind power in Kaniga, Rwanda. Wind speed and wind direction are the most important characteristics for assessing wind energy potential of a location using suitable probability density functions. In this study, a hybrid-Weibull probability density function was used to analyze data from Kaniga station. Kaniga is located in Gicumbi District, in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Onsite hourly wind speed and wind direction data for the year 2022 were analyzed using Computer programmes. The research was conducted to reveal the wind power potential of Kaniga and other major wind stations in the country as an approach to address energy shortage problem in the country. It was found that the average annual wind speed for Kaniga, Nyarwambu, and Byumba were 4.5m/s, 3.7m/s and 4.1m/s respectively, while corresponding dominant wind directions for the stations were 3200, 1800 and 1500 respectively. The average annual wind power density of Kaniga was found to be 1,285.4W/m2, while the annual power densities for Nyarwambu and Byumba were determined as 689.4W/m2 and 805.4W/m2 respectively. The other stations in Rwanda have the average annual power densities ranging from 6.99 W/m2 to 138.2W/m2. From these findings, it is clear that Kaniga has the greatest wind power potential among all other studied wind stations in the country.

Assessment of antimicrobial drugs employed at government-operated hospitals in central and northern provinces of Iraq.

Aim: To document the clinical patterns of antibiotic prescriptions in government hospitals, where the majority of physicians possess a degree-based training. Materials and Methods: A Retrospective cross section study carried out between 1/7/2022 and April 2023 that enrolling 300 patients from governmental hospitals from different provinces of Central and northern Iraq. The research form contained 15 fields divided into three sections. The first section contains social information such as age, gender, field of work, Residence and education. The second part consists of diagnosis and lab. Finding. The third part related to antibiotic uses: Number of AB prescribed, duration of using, type of use, route of administration, AB interaction, dose administration of AB, indication of Ab, and Class of AB. Results: A total of 300 eligible patients, 165 patients (55.0%) were male and 135 (45.0%) were female, patients were <20 years ages were 117 (39.0%), 25 (8.3%) from the 20-29 years age group, 40-49 years ages were 28 (9.3%) and >50 years ages were 105 (35.0%) were which belong to the pediatric population. The 198 patients (66.0%) were used cephalosporins and 106 (53.5%) of them used alone. A 13-19% percentage of patients had used penicillin, carbapenem, anti-fungal, and aminoglycoside in combination form. Conclusions: The implementation of clinical guidelines, the provision of direct instruction, and the regular dissemination of antibiogram data have the potential to encourage a more judicious consumption of antibiotics.

Exploring Cultural and Heritage Tourism Development in Mannar: Critical Success Factors and Challenges

Cultural and Heritage Tourism (CHT) is a widespread alternative tourism sector that encompasses all aspects of travel, providing visitors with opportunities to learn about the history and lifestyles of different cultures. It significantly contributes to the economic development of developing countries in Asia. Sri Lanka also benefits economically from CHT. However, CHT activities in the Northern Province have experienced a decline due to external shocks such as the Easter Sunday Attack and the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the region's great potential to attract tourists with its culturally rich heritage sites, which have been well-known since ancient times. This study examines the critical success factors and challenges for CHT development in the Northern Province using a qualitative research method. Sixteen tourism stakeholders were selected through purposive sampling, and in-depth structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that infrastructure facilities, integration and accessibility, hospitality and treatment, biodiversity, and diversification are critical success factors contributing to CHT. Moreover, the findings identified erroneous promotional activities, lack of proper planning, and poor awareness among the natives as challenges that must be addressed comprehensively. Furthermore, the study concluded that adopting an exclusive and focused CHT strategy, involving the private sector in the promotion of CHT, and promoting unique products and resources by showcasing them are recommended for the development of the CHT industry. The findings could inform various stakeholders, including the government, policymakers, tourism stakeholders, and residents, about addressing the sustainable development of Cultural and Heritage Tourism (CHT) in the Northern Province.

Agency Banking and Accessibility to Financial Services of Commercial Banks in the Northern Province of Rwanda

This research project was on assessing the effects of agency banking on accessibility to financial services in commercial banks in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population was 555 agents under which sample size was 233 people found using the Yamae formula. The study used a stratified and simple random sampling method. Also, different research instruments of data collection were used which include: journals, articles, document analysis and questionnaires. The reliability of the study was tested by carrying out pilot research and found that Cronbach's Alpha of .831. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 21 and data was presented using tables, percentages, means, and standard deviations. To analyze the relationship between two variables, Pearson Chi-Square and Pearson correlation were used to come up with comprehensive results. It was clear from the study that strategic responses to the implementation of agency banking as a competitive strategy in enhancing customers’ access to financial services included the provision of high-quality customer service, enhancing the operational structure and improving the brand image. The study established that operational structure, brand image and financial services awareness among the rural population are positively correlated (r = 0.805) with access to financial services. Access to financial services was greatly enhanced by strategically increasing the proximity of agency banking services, increasing the number of services that could be offered through agency banking and increasing awareness among the population on financial services available at agency banking outlets. Keywords: Agency banking, Financial Services, Commercial banks, Customers, Rural population.

Hunted Wild Boars in Sardinia: Prevalence, Antimicrobial Resistance and Genomic Analysis of Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica.

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate Salmonella and Yersinia enterocolitica prevalence in wild boars hunted in Sardinia and further characterize the isolates and analyse antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns. In order to assess slaughtering hygiene, an evaluation of carcasses microbial contamination was also carried out. Between 2020 and 2022, samples were collected from 66 wild boars hunted during two hunting seasons from the area of two provinces in northern and central Sardinia (Italy). Samples collected included colon content samples, mesenteric lymph nodes samples and carcass surface samples. Salmonella and Y. enterocolitica detection was conducted on each sample; also, on carcass surface samples, total aerobic mesophilic count and Enterobacteriaceae count were evaluated. On Salmonella and Y. enterocolitica isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility was tested and whole genome sequencing was applied. Salmonella was identified in the colon content samples of 3/66 (4.5%) wild boars; isolates were S. enterica subs. salamae, S. ser. elomrane and S. enterica subs. enterica. Y. enterocolitica was detected from 20/66 (30.3%) wild boars: in 18/66 (27.3%) colon contents, in 3/66 (4.5%) mesenteric lymph nodes and in 3/49 (6.1%) carcass surface samples. In all, 24 Y. enterocolitica isolates were analysed and 20 different sequence types were detected, with the most common being ST860. Regarding AMR, no resistance was detected in Salmonella isolates, while expected resistance towards β-lactams (blaA gene) and streptogramin (vatF gene) was observed in Y. enterocolitica isolates (91.7% and 4.2%, respectively). The low presence of AMR is probably due to the low anthropic impact in the wild areas. Regarding the surface contamination of carcasses, values (mean ± standard deviation log10 CFU/cm2) were 2.46 ± 0.97 for ACC and 1.07 ± 1.18 for Enterobacteriaceae. The results of our study confirm that wild boars can serve as reservoirs and spreaders of Salmonella and Y. enterocolitica; the finding of Y. enterocolitica presence on carcass surface highlights how meat may become superficially contaminated, especially considering that contamination is linked to the conditions related to the hunting, handling and processing of game animals.

UNRAVELING COMORBIDITY PREVALENCE AND PM2.5 EXPOSURE AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND ELDERLY: A SPATIAL-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS

Abstract Objective This study describes regional differences and dynamic changes in the prevalence of comorbidities among middle-aged and elderly people with chronic diseases (PCMC) in China from 2011-2018, and explores distribution patterns and the relationship between PM2.5 and PCMC, aiming to provide data support for regional prevention and control measures for chronic disease comorbidities in China. Methods This study utilized CHARLS follow-up data for ≥45-year-old individuals from 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018 as research subjects. Missing values were filled using the random forest machine learning method. PCMC spatial clustering investigated using spatial autocorrelation methods. The relationship between macro factors and PCMC was examined using Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression, Ordinary Linear Regression, and Geographically Weighted Regression. Results PCMC in China showing a decreasing trend. Hotspots of PCMC appeared mainly in western and northern provinces, while cold spots were in southeastern coastal provinces. PM2.5 content was a risk factor for PCMC, the range of influence expanded from the southeastern coastal areas to inland areas, and the magnitude of influence decreased from the southeastern coastal areas to inland areas. Conclusion PM2.5 content, as a risk factor, should be given special attention, taking into account regional factors. In the future, policy-makers should develop stricter air pollution control policies based on different regional economic, demographic, and geographic factors, while promoting public education, increasing public transportation, and urban green coverage.

Factors Related to Caregiver Burden of Children with Chronic Respiratory Failure with Tracheostomy at Home

Introduction Chronic respiratory failure in children is a significant health problem leading to tracheostomy at home following hospital discharge. Providing long-term care for children at home becomes challenging when they require complex medical treatments, placing a burden on caregivers. Objectives 1) To describe caregiver burden of children with chronic respiratory failure with tracheostomy at home, and 2) To examine the relationships between caregiving self-efficacy, social support, coping, and caregiver burden of children with chronic respiratory failure with tracheostomy at home. Design A descriptive correlational design employing Chou’s caregiver burden as the conceptual framework Methodology Through purposive sampling with inclusion criteria, the sample included 85 caregivers of children aged three months to 15 years old with tracheostomy at home, who were receiving care at a super tertiary hospital in Bangkok metropolitan area and a tertiary hospital in a northern province of Thailand from May 2022 to January 2023. The instruments used for data collection comprised the following: the personal information of caregiver and children questionnaire, the caregiver burden questionnaire, the caregiving self-efficacy questionnaire, the social support questionnaire, and the coping questionnaire. These instruments revealed content validity indices of .86, .97, .92 and .97, respectively and internal consistency reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of .90, .95, .95 and .92, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product-moment correlation. Results The overall caregiver burden score averaged at a moderate level (M = 2.57, SD = 0.10). Furthermore, caregivers perceived a moderate level of burden across all subscales, including physical, emotional, social, and financial burdens (M = 2.51, 2.42, 3.00 and 3.00, with SD = 0.98, 1.01, 1.15 and 1.15, respectively). Social support was at a high level (M =2.83, SD = 0.07) and revealed a significant negative correlation with caregiver burden (r = -.292, p = .007). Caregiving self-efficacy was high, while coping was at a moderate level; however, there was no significant correlation between these factors and caregiver burden (r = -.182, p = .097, and r = -.139, p = .203, respectively). Recommendation The results from this study highlighted the burden experienced by caregivers of children with chronic respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy care at home, as well as the factor related to this burden. It is necessary for healthcare providers to provide targeted training programs aimed at enhancing caregivers’ knowledge and skills in home-based child care. Additionally, offering informational and emotional support, along with providing necessary medical equipment, should be considered to alleviate caregiver burden.

Segment Anything Model (SAM) Assisted Remote Sensing Supervision for Mariculture—Using Liaoning Province, China as an Example

Obtaining spatial distribution information on mariculture in a low-cost, fast, and efficient manner is crucial for the sustainable development and regulatory planning of coastal zones and mariculture industries. This study, based on the Segment Anything Model (SAM) and high-resolution remote sensing imagery, rapidly extracted mariculture areas in Liaoning Province, a typical northern province in China with significant mariculture activity. Additionally, it explored the actual marine ownership data to investigate the marine use status of Liaoning Province’s mariculture. The total area of mariculture we extracted in Liaoning Province is 1052.89 km2. Among this, the area of cage mariculture is 27.1 km2, while raft mariculture covers 1025.79 km2. Through field investigations, it was determined that in the western part of Liaodong Bay, cage mariculture predominantly involves sea cucumbers. In the southern end of Dalian, the raft mariculture focuses on cultivating kelp. On the other hand, around the islands in the eastern region, the primary crop in raft mariculture is scallops, showing a significant geographical differentiation pattern. In the planned mariculture areas within Liaoning Province’s waters, the proportion of actual development and utilization is 11.2%, while the proportion approved for actual mariculture is 90.2%. This indicates a suspicion that 9.8% of mariculture is possibly in violation of sea occupation rights, which could be due to the untimely updating of marine ownership data. Based on SAM, efficient and accurate extraction of cage mariculture can be achieved. However, the extraction performance for raft mariculture is challenging and remains unsatisfactory. Manual interpretation is still required for satisfactory results in this context.

Microfungi associated with dying Euphorbia mauritanica in South Africa and their relative pathogenicity.

Euphorbia mauritanica is a succulent shrub that is indigenous to South Africa and widely distributed throughout the country. Dying plants have been observed in their natural habitat in the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa in recent years. Stems displaying lesions were collected and the emerging cultures were identified based on ITS, LSU, ACT, RPB2, TEF1 and/or TUB2 sequence data. Four filamentous fungi were consistently observed and isolated. One was identified as Alanphillipsia (Ala.) aloes, and the other three were new to science and are described here as Cytospora euphorbiicola sp. nov., Nothomicrosphaeropsis namakwaensis sp. nov. and Austrophoma (Aus.) euphorbiae gen. et sp. nov. These new species and Ala. aloes were the most commonly encountered, and their pathogenicity was tested on E. mauritanica plants in a greenhouse trial. All four species gave rise to lesions that were significantly larger than those associated with the controls, but they were not significantly different to each other. Although the lesions associated with the inoculations were well-developed, they did not give rise to plant death, suggesting that they are not responsible for the large-scale die-off of E. mauritanica in the field. The primary cause of the death of E. mauritanica in the studied area remains unknown and could be due to environmental factors such as has been found with the die-off of Euphorbia ingens in South Africa. Citation: Marincowitz S, Pham NQ, Wingfield BD, Roets F, Wingfield MJ (2023). Microfungi associated with dying Euphorbia mauritanica in South Africa and their relative pathogenicity. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 12: 59-71. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.12.04.

Child stunting prevalence determination at sector level in Rwanda using small area estimation

BackgroundStunting among children under 5 years of age remains a worldwide concern, with 148.1 million (22.3%) stunted in 2022. The recent 2019/2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (RDHS) revealed that the prevalence of stunting in Rwanda among under five children was 33.5%. In Rwanda, there is no sufficient evidence on stunting status to guide prioritized interventions at the sector level, the lowest administrative unit for implementing development initiatives. This study aimed to provide reliable estimates of stunting prevalence in Rwanda at the sector level.MethodsIn this article, Small Area Estimation (SAE) techniques were used to provide sector level estimates of stunting prevalence in children under five in Rwanda. By plugging in relevant significant covariates in the generalized linear mixed model, model-based estimates are produced for all sectors with their corresponding Mean Square Error (MSE).ResultsThe findings showed that, overall, 40 out of 416 sectors had met the national target of having a stunting rate less than or equal to 19%, while 194 sectors were far from meeting this target, having a stunting rate higher than the national prevalence of 33.5% in the year 2020. The majority of the sectors with stunting prevalence that were higher than the national average of 33.5% were found in the Northern Province with 68 sectors out of 89 and in Western Province with 64 sectors out of 96. In contrast, the prevalence of stunting was lower in the City of Kigali where 14 out of 35 sectors had a stunting rate between 0 and 19%, and all sectors were below the national average. This study showed a substantial connection between stunting and factors such as household size, place of residence, the gender of the household head, and access to improved toilet facilities and clean water.ConclusionThe results of this study may guide and support informed policy decisions and promote localised and targeted interventions in Rwanda’s most severely affected sectors with a high stunting prevalence in Rwanda.

Energy efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plants in China based on multiregional input–output analysis and data envelopment analysis

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a pivotal role in natural water recycling and safeguarding the water security of approximately 42% of the world's population, yet they confront challenges posed by escalating energy consumption and regional energy constraints. In this study, we developed an evaluation framework that integrated regional energy scarcity with the operation conditions of WWTPs to quantify their energy efficiencies by applying multiregional input–output (MRIO) analysis and data envelopment analysis (DEA). A case study using this framework was conducted on 3776 WWTPs in 30 provinces in China. The results showed that the average scarcity-based energy efficiency level of WWTPs in China was low, of which those in northern provinces were higher compared to southeastern provinces. Furthermore, only 24 WWTPs in China attained the highest efficiency levels, while the rest had different degrees of input redundancy, indicating an energy-saving potential of 9.05 × 109 kWh. This paper enables the development of optimal efficiency strategies for WWTPs in different provinces considering the potential energy scarcity risks caused by trading activities.

Factors Affecting the Decision of Orange and Grapefruit Farmers’ Conversion to Organic Farming: The Case of Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam

Conversion from conventional agriculture production to organic farming methods has become a positive trend in Tuyen Quang, a mountainous northern province in Viet Nam. In the recent years, the local authorities and many households have shown many efforts to convert the production area of oranges and grapefruits into organic farming. Although, the results have not met the expectation, the local government still encourages farmers follow organic production because of its benefits. The study used descriptive statistical methods and conducted interviews with 120 organic and 120 conventional production households. By using logistic regression model, this study pointed out positive factors affecting famers’ organic conversion decision that includes oranges and grapefruits cultivation size, profits from oranges and grapefruits, organic production technical training. Some recommendations are proposed to promote the transition from conventional production to organic agriculture are increasing awareness training on organic agriculture for farmers, planning of organic production areas, enhancing trade promotion and market connection activities in order to increase the consumption of organic products.

Regional structural setting of late-orogenic IOCG mineralization along the northern Nautanen deformation zone, Norrbotten, Sweden

The northern Norrbotten ore province in Sweden is one of the most mineralized areas in Europe. Iron, gold and/or copper deposits occur as iron oxide-apatite-style mineralization (IOA, Kiruna-type) as well as iron oxide-copper–gold (IOCG) style. Regardless of mineralization style, most deposits appear to be spatially controlled by a set of crustal-scale Palaeoproterozoic shear zones which share similar structural characteristics and deformation histories.Reappraisal of regional geological and geophysical data, coupled with structural mapping, suggests crustal-scale shear zones form continuous c. N-S-trending zones extending from the Skellefte district in the south into the northern Norrbotten ore province. One example from Norrbotten is a zone that extends SSW from Karesuando in the north towards Svappavaara. While this structure has traditionally been inferred to continue SW towards Arjeplog (i.e. the Karesuando – Arjeplog Deformation Zone; KADZ), we favour its deflection SSE into the Nautanen-Aitik trend, making it a continuous, IOCG-bearing, crustal-scale deformation zone. Similar shear zone geometries can be observed in analogous zones to the west. Most of these crustal scale structures record at least two time-separated deformation events of regional significance. IOA and IOCG deposits form in different tectonic environments, separated in time and overprinting each other.