Physical Damage Research Articles

Item analysis on the quality of life scale for anxiety disorders QLICD-AD(V2.0) based on classical test theory and item response theory

BackgroundAnxiety disorders can cause serious physical and psychological damage, so many anxiety scales have been developed internationally to measure anxiety disorders, but due to the cultural differences and cultural dependence of quality of life between Chinese and Western cultures, it is difficult to reflect the main characteristics of Chinese patients. Therefore, we developed a scale suitable for Chinese patients with anxiety disorders: the Anxiety Disorders Scale of the Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases (QLICD-AD), hoping to achieve satisfactory QOL assessments for anxiety disorders.ObjectivesItems from the Anxiety Disorders Scale of the Quality of Life in Chronic Disease Instrument QLICD-AD system were analyzed using CTT and IRT to lay the groundwork for further refinement of the scale to accurately measure anxiety disorders.Methods120 patients with anxiety disorder were assessed using the QLICD-AD (V2.0). Descriptive statistics, variability method, correlation coefficient method, factor analysis and Cronbach’s coefficient of CTT, and graded response model (GRM) of item response theory were used to analyze the items of the scale.ResultCTT analysis showed that the standard deviation of each item was between 0.928 and 1.466; Pearson correlation coefficients of item-to-domain were generally greater than 0.5 and also greater than that of item-to-other domain; the Cronbach ‘s of the total scale was 0.931, α of each domain was between 0.706 and 0.865. IRT analysis showed that the discrimination was between 1.14 and 1.44. The difficulty parameter of all items increased with the increase of grade. But some items (GPH6,GPH8,GPS3,GSO2-GSO4,AD2,AD5) difficulty parameters were less than 4 or greater than 4. The average of information amount was between 0.022 and 0.910.ConclusionBased on CTT and IRT analysis, most items of the QLICD-AD (V2.0) scale have good performance and good differentiation, but a few items still need further revision. Suggests that the QLICD-AD (V2.0) appears to be a valid measure of anxiety disorders. It may effectively improve the diagnosticity of anxiety disorders, but due to the limitations of the current sample, further validation is needed in a broader population extrapolation trial.

Prediction of the severity of child abuse using nationwide survey data from Child Guidance Centers in Japan: focus on infancy and preschool age

IntroductionThe present study conducted a secondary data analysis of a comprehensive survey from Child Guidance Centers in Japan to identify factors that are associated with child abuse severity in infancy (0–3 years, 1,868 cases) and preschool age (4–6 years, 1,529 cases). A predictive model for abuse severity was developed.MethodsThe data originated from a nationwide survey that was conducted in April 2013, consisting of details of abuse cases, including child characteristics, abuser attributes, and family situation. Abuse severity was assessed on a five-level scale (suspected, mild, moderate, severe, and life-threatening) that was converted into a binary outcome. Logistic regression analysis was used to create a predictive model using two-thirds of the data, which was validated with the remaining third of the data.Results and discussionAs a result, in infancy, risks of severity increased with younger age of the abused child, physical abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, and the involvement of Child Guidance Centers or hospitals in detection. The abuser's mental problems and cumulative child damage contributed to severity. For preschool age, similar factors applied, with additional risks that included abuse overlap and guardian separation. Cumulative abuser issues and child physical damage impacted severity. Validation yielded moderate prediction accuracy (areas under the curve: 0.703 and 0.714).

Agromet Advisories to Mitigate the Effects of Aberrant Weather in Himachal Pradesh

Weather is a pivotal factor in agricultural production, influencing crop growth, disease and pest occurrences, water and fertilizer needs, and the effectiveness of cultural and preventive measures. Extreme weather events can cause physiological stress, physical damage, soil erosion, and crop quality degradation. In India, agriculture's vulnerability to adverse weather is a significant concern, with natural disasters like floods, droughts, and cyclones leading to crop failure, food insecurity, and economic impacts. To mitigate these challenges, Agrometeorological Advisory Services (AAS) play a crucial role in providing farmers with weather-based advisories to manage agricultural risks. The Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service (IAAS), run by the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), offers district-level weather forecasts and agromet advisories to support farmers in adapting to weather fluctuations. These advisories cover various weather-related risks, including cold injury and frost, high temperatures, wind damage, hailstorms, and floods. Sample advisories suggest measures like irrigation for frost protection, mulching to reduce heat stress, and shelter belts to mitigate wind damage. Effective dissemination of advisories involves communication through electronic media, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Agriculture Science Centres), and Kisan (Farmer) Call Centres. Thrust areas for enhancing AAS include improved scientific understanding, advanced monitoring and prediction of severe weather events, satellite-based communication technologies, and real-time forecasting. By integrating these strategies, farmers can better prepare for extreme weather and mitigate its impact on agriculture.

A novel approach detection for IIoT attacks via artificial intelligence

A novel approach detection for IIoT attacks via artificial intelligence

Global joint position regulation of a class of torque-driven robot manipulators within actuators prescribed safe operating torque–speed area

This paper addresses the joint position regulation of a class of n degrees of freedom torque-driven robot manipulators under a novel practical motivated control objective: Simultaneous Regulation & Prescribed Safe Operating Area (SR&PSOA). More specifically, torque–speed characteristic safe limit functions associated to each actuator are taking into account to ensure that besides of global joint positioning, the requested torque control inputs to robot actuators remain inside user prescribed safe operating torque–speed areas, so avoiding thermal and physical actuator damages. A static smooth nonlinear controller is proposed to achieve global position regulation under prescribed speed-depending bound torque input. Numerical simulations and experimental results are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller.

Light- and heat-induced shape deformation polyurethane actuators that combine self-healing capabilities

Materials commonly experience physical damage during regular usage, and the implementation of self-healing materials can effectively repair this damage, thereby prolonging the lifespan of the materials. We have successfully synthesized a polyurethane material, S-PU, by introducing azobenzene and reversible disulfide bonds through co-polymerization. The S-PU film not only exhibits light-induced bending, heat-induced recovery ability, but also good self-healing properties. The disulfide bonds in S-PU accelerate the dynamic exchange as the polymer chains flow under heated conditions, enabling self-repairing without affecting the mechanical properties of the material. S-PU is a self-repairing material that can repair damage in a variety of ways. By combining dual-stimulus response characteristics with self-healing properties, this work provides a new idea for self-healing materials and opens more directions for the practical application of the material.

How an unprecedented wildfire shaped tree hollow occurrence and abundance—implications for arboreal fauna

BackgroundTree hollows are an important habitat resource used by arboreal fauna for nesting and denning. Hollows form when trees mature and are exposed to decay and physical damage. In the absence of excavating fauna, hollow formation can take up to 200 years in Australian temperate Eucalyptus forests, making tree hollows a critical but slow forming habitat feature. The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires due to climate change has led to increased concern about the landscape-scale loss of nesting space for arboreal fauna, including endangered species such as the folivorous southern greater glider (Petauroides volans). To understand patterns of nesting resource availability, we assessed drivers of hollow occurrence in southeastern Australian mixed-species Eucalyptus forests and quantified the effects of an unprecedented large-scale wildfire, the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires, on hollow occurrence and abundance.ResultsTree size and shape, as well as site productivity and topography, were important predictors for hollow occurrence both before and after the fires. The occurrence of the southern greater glider was strongly dependent on high proportions of hollow-bearing trees. While high fire severities had a negative impact on southern greater glider occurrence, the number of hollow-dependent arboreal species was not affected. While the wildfires significantly reduced hollow abundance, we did not find significant effects on hollow occurrence. Fires altered the relationship between tree size and hollow occurrence expressed as a change in the probability of hollow occurrence, with a higher likelihood at smaller tree sizes after the fires.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that post-fire nesting space may be reduced at the tree-scale, while at the stand-scale, hollow-bearing trees persist as biological legacies. These persisting trees can support the recovery of hollow-dependent arboreal fauna, such as the endangered southern greater glider by providing denning and nesting space. Hollow-bearing trees that survived the fires have the potential to form new hollows faster compared to undisturbed mature trees.

Impact of marine debris on coral reef ecosystem of Palk Bay, Indian Ocean

Abstract Coral reef ecosystems are highly sensitive to pollution from marine debris, especially if the regions are noted for tourism and fishing. Palk Bay on the south east coast of India is a famous tourist and fishing region, where the marine debris accumulation poses a great threat to the coastal ecosystem. In this study during 2018–2020, the marine debris distribution and their interactions with coral reefs of Palk Bay were monitored from five stations. Derelict fishing gears (DFGs), including ropes (51 ± 2%) and fishing lines (43 ± 2.5%), were the dominant debris forms recorded. Among the reef‐forming corals, Acropora sp. colonies experienced maximum physical injury and mortality from DFG entanglement. Plastic materials and anchors caused considerable physical damage and tissue loss in Porites sp, without any mortality. Manual debris removal as a potential debris management method was assessed by regularly removing the accumulated debris from the test reef locations of all five stations, whereas the control reef locations were left undisturbed. Test reef locations showed a significant increase in live coral cover and coral recruit density in 2020, against that in 2018, compared with the control locations. Continuous accumulation and interaction of marine debris with the coral colonies of control reef locations resulted in significant reduction of live coral cover and coral recruit density at the control reef locations. This study illustrates the impact of unsustainable fishing and other anthropogenic activities such as tourism and waste disposal on coral reef ecosystems like Palk Bay. The findings of this study demonstrates that manual removal of debris is an important strategy for marine debris management in coral reef ecosystem. Considering the importance of coral reefs in the livelihood of the coastal communities, it is important to tackle the marine debris issue through regular debris removal with stakeholder participation, awareness campaigns and strict legal and management measures.

Fragility assessment for process pipelines in flood events through physically-based hazard response analysis

Natech events triggered by floods have occurred frequently, resulting in physical damage to process equipment and subsequent releases of hazardous substances, threatening the operational safety of the process industry. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct flood fragility assessments on typical process equipment, such as storage tanks and process pipelines. Compared to storage tank, there are relatively few flood risk analysis methods applicable to process pipelines, and there is a lack of dedicated fragility models to quantify the probability of pipeline damage in flood hazard scenarios. Thus, this paper develops a process pipeline fragility model to support the quantitative risk assessment (QRA) of flood-induced Natech events more comprehensively. This model simultaneously considers the structural physical damage caused by internal pressure and external load in the pipeline and establishes the limit state equation (LSE) corresponding to the failure mode. On this basis, parametric fragility functions are trained using Monte Carlo simulations and logistic regression. A pipeline case is used to test the proposed fragility functions, and the results show that the fitted parameterized fragility model can sensitively capture changes in the failure probability curve caused by hazard intensity and pipeline characteristics changes. The proposed pipeline fragility model is applied to a composite area of pipelines and storage tanks, accurately assessing the failure probability of different types of pipelines in flood scenarios.

Grinding-stimulated Fluorescence Enhancement in Carbon nanoparticles/poly(vinyl chloride) Composite

The physical damage of engineering materials is challenging to perceive, particularly when they occur to only a slight extent. While mechanical responsive fluorescence materials have received increasing attention, to present the location of damage to engineering is still difficult to achieve. Mechanical responsive engineering materials are therefore highly desired. Herein, a type of composites comprised of carbon nanoparticles (CNP) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was prepared via a heating incubation process. Notably, we found that these composites were in a metastable state and exhibited a grinding-stimulated fluorescence enhancement performance. After grinding stimulation, a bright orange-yellow color emission appeared and the fluorescence intensity of the composites was enhanced to 75 times that of the original one. It was noted that grinding had no effect on the fluorescence of CNP alone. The fluorescence enhancement may be due to the change in the surface environment of CNP, as grinding facilitates the entry of CNP into PVC. In addition, fluorescence enhancement was also observed in tightening experiments using commercialized PVC films, demonstrating the abrasive-stimulated fluorescence enhancement properties of this CNP/PVC. Such remarkable mechanical response property and interesting combination between CNP and PVC will provide avenue to promote the development of smart engineering materials and have considerable potentials in external force response and structure damage surveying.

Abdominal Injuries Detection

Abstract: Abdominal trauma refers to physical injuries or damage to the abdominal region, which includes the area between the casket and pelvis. This can involve colorful structures within the tummy, similar as the organs (e.g., liver, spleen, bowel, kidney, and extravasation). Traumatic injury affects individualities across all age groups and stands as one of the primary causes of mortality encyclopedically. The World Health Organization reports that nearly 5 million individualities succumb to traumatic injuries annually. The main ideal of an abdominal injuries’ discovery design is to ameliorate the early and accurate identification of abdominal injuries performing from trauma. This design generally involves the development and perpetration of colorful tools, ways, and protocols to achieve the objects like perfecting the delicacy of CT for detecting abdominal trauma and prognosticate the probability of specific traumatic injuries to abdominal organs. Diagnosing abdominal trauma clinically through physical examination, patient symptoms, or laboratory tests can frequently be grueling. thus, timely opinion using medical imaging plays a pivotal part in patient care. Our design will identify whether the case is suffering from abdominal trauma or not and help the cases by informing when immediate surgery is needed. Abdominal trauma discovery generally involves analysis of CT images to prognosticate the probability of specific traumatic injuries to abdominal organs, similar as the bowel, extravasation (generally refers to bleeding from blood vessel), liver.

DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF A LOCALLY- DESIGNED PEANUT DIGGER

Manual peanut digging in the Philippines is still a practice due to the unavailability of low-cost mechanical diggers adaptable to local field conditions. Hence, the peanut digger design and evaluation were developed. The design involves benchmarking local field practices, ANSYS analysis of the digger blade, and CAD drawing. It is designed to dig, lift, convey, and drop the peanut stalk in a windrow. Its main parts are the main frame, digger blade, belt stalk conveyor, power transmission system, and hitching system. The pulling force and power requirement for the peanut digger is 1,387.48 N and 2.0 hp, respectively. The performance measures are the belt stalk conveyor speed levels at 205 rpm, 410 rpm, and 615 rpm, replicated three (3) times with three (3) plots per replication. They revealed an actual field capacity, digging efficiency, and mechanical physical damage of 0.025 ha/h, 95.31%, and 0.56%, respectively. Investing in the machine is economically viable with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.09, a break-even point (BEP) of 5.33 ha/yr, and a payback period of 1.60 years. This implies that digging operations wider than 5.33 ha/yr start profit generation for farmers.

Application of a Custom Two-Piece Zirconia Device for Multidimensional Ridge Augmentation in a Trauma Patient: A Case Report

Application of a Custom Two-Piece Zirconia Device for Multidimensional Ridge Augmentation in a Trauma Patient: A Case Report

Effects of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) on Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of Grapevine against Salt Stress

Salinity, one of the most significant abiotic stress factors restricting plant production, causes the destruction of agricultural lands and reduces productivity. In recent years, the utilization of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) applications, which have important effects in terms of avoiding and providing tolerance to factors by impacting the physiology and metabolism of the plants, has been on the agenda. In this research, the impacts of foliar treatments of different levels of 5-ALA (0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mM) on morphological and physiological traits of 41 B American grapevine rootstocks under salinity stress (NaCl solution starting with 25 mM and reaching 150 mM concentration) were investigated. Salinity stress caused significant decreases in growth parameters, chlorophyll content, RWC and stomatal conductance, and significant increases in leaf temperature, proline and MDA content, physical damage and membrane damage degree. Under salinity stress, 0.9 mM 5-ALA treatments resulted in significant increases in shoot length (14.67 cm), root length (34.50 cm), leaf thickness (0.23 µm) leaf area (31.37 cm2), leaf number (8.67 pieces), chlorophyll content (21.83 SPAD), RWC (80.20%), proline content (0.19 μmol.g-1) and stomatal conductance (78.05 mmol.m-2.s-1); and significant decreases in physical damage degree (1.00 scale degree), membrane injury degree (15.46%) and MDA content (28.20 nmol.g-1) compared to non-ALA treatments. According to the results of this study, 5-ALA can be recommended as an alternative application to provide salinity tolerance in plants in order to reduce the damage caused by salinity stress in agricultural lands.

Potential causal factors of “heart-shaped cladode” malformations in cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller)

The prevalence and severity of pests and diseases are factors that limit productivity and quality in commercial cactus pear plantations in Mexico. Recently, in several cactus pear producing regions the appearance of diverse symptoms associated with “heart-shaped cladodes” has been registered. This disease is characterized by the loss of apical dominance of vegetative shoots leading to abnormal cladode growth. Besides the aesthetic damage, vegetative and floral buds disappear in the zone of invagination, thus reducing productivity. Because to date the causal agent is unknown, this study was conducted to analyze three possible agents, damage by insects, physical damage and phytoplasmas that could possibly cause the symptomatology of “heart-shaped cladode”, aiming to constitute a base line for future studies. The study was conducted under semi-controlled conditions and in the field, using Opuntia ficus-indica cv. Villanueva plants and cladodes. To rule out causal agents that occur naturally in cactus pear productive systems, the following characteristics were analyzed: detected presence of Diabrotica undecimpunctata, simulation of physical damage by puncturing 4- and 13-day-old shoots with a needle, and detection of phytoplasmas with PCR and RFLP. The results of the study showed that, although it feeds on shoots, D. undecimpunctata does not cause the symptoms. The puncture with a needle on the apical part promoted the presence of symptoms. The PCR and RFLP analyses detected the presence of phytoplasmas on both symptomatic and asymptomatic shoots. For this reason, it was not possible to conclude that phytoplasmas are the causal agents of heart-shaped cladode.

Climate Change and Cholera: A Review Exploring the Association Between Storm Severity and Global Human Vibrio spp. Incidence.

Current global meteorological evidence suggests that climate change is a direct contributor to the increased severity of weather events, such as hurricanes and typhoons, putting billions of people at increased risk of physical harm, property damage, and destructive flooding. When flood water becomes stagnant, communities are more susceptible to a multitude of infectious diseases, ranging from mosquito-borne parasites to bacterial infections. In the case of Vibrio spp., a bacterial pathogen class with an infamous history of waterborne illness, recent data has demonstrated the ability for salt water, fresh water, and brackish water replication, creating ideal conditions for spread after a tropical cyclone. Vibrio spp. infections, specifically species V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. cholerae, have shown significant upticks in the number of global cases, with some species increasing in incidence by more than 8-fold in the last 40 years. These outbreaks are contained mainly in areas susceptible to large-scale storm events and primarily occur during or immediately following the conclusion of local storm seasons, suggesting a potential correlation between the presence of tropical weather events and increases in the number of human Vibrio infections. In this review, we present a compilation of sources from tropical cyclone-susceptible areas, including the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, containing evidence demonstrating that recent outbreaks of Vibrio spp. are correlated with an increase in the severity of storms. Many of the included studies used modeling to forecast future trends of vibriosis and, therefore, directly link the effects of climate change with detrimental impacts to human global health.

Incorporation of hydroxyapatite and cerium oxide nanoparticle scaffold as an antibacterial filler matrix for biomedical applications.

Managing bone healing is essential for preventing problems such as non-union, bacterial infection, structural instability, psychological, and physical damage in patients. The need to use antibiotics less often has prompted researchers to look at possible substitutes, such as nanoparticles. In this investigation, we choose to employ cerium oxide nanoparticles due to their unique antibacterial properties based on redox reactions. The cerium oxide-hydroxyapatite composite was synthesized, calcined, and ball-milled to create a fine CeO2-HA powder. Luffa cylindrica sponge was used to prepare the scaffold, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the structural and morphological features. Rapid upregulation of osteogenesis marker genes confirmed that CeO2-HA nanoparticles in the scaffolds promoted osteoblast cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. The cell viability test was conducted by MTT assay. When the CeO2-HA composite was cultured with S. aureus, it showed signs of having more antibacterial efficacy than pure HA.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles mediate bacterial toxicity in Mueller-Hinton Broth via Zn2.

As antibiotic resistance increases and antibiotic development dwindles, new antimicrobial agents are needed. Recent advances in nanoscale engineering have increased interest in metal oxide nanoparticles, particularly zinc oxide nanoparticles, as antimicrobial agents. Zinc oxide nanoparticles are promising due to their broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and low production cost. Despite many studies demonstrating the effectiveness of zinc oxide nanoparticles, the antibacterial mechanism is still unknown. Previous work has implicated the role of reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide, physical damage of the cell envelope, and/or release of toxic Zn2+ ions as possible mechanisms of action. To evaluate the role of these proposed methods, we assessed the susceptibility of S. aureus mutant strains, ΔkatA and ΔmprF, to zinc oxide nanoparticles of approximately 50 nm in size. These assays demonstrated that hydrogen peroxide and electrostatic interactions are not crucial for mediating zinc oxide nanoparticle toxicity. Instead, we found that Zn2+ accumulates in Mueller-Hinton Broth over time and that removal of Zn2+ through chelation reverses this toxicity. Furthermore, we found that the physical separation of zinc oxide nanoparticles and bacterial cells using a semi-permeable membrane still allows for growth inhibition. We concluded that soluble Zn2+ is the primary mechanism by which zinc oxide nanoparticles mediate toxicity in Mueller-Hinton Broth. Future work investigating how factors such as particle morphology (e.g., size, polarity, surface defects) and media contribute to Zn2+ dissolution could allow for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles that possess chemical and morphological properties best suited for antibacterial efficacy.

Inclusion of Antifungal and Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains in Edible Alginate Coating as a Promising Strategy to Produce Probiotic Table Grapes and Exploit Biocontrol Activity

The use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for the probiotic enrichment of minimally processed fruit is a well-established practice in the literature. In addition, several LAB demonstrated a strain-specific ability to control harmful microorganisms and decay agents, improving shelf life, maintaining quality, and promoting the safety of fruits and vegetables. Edible coatings can help modulate the phenomena of gas exchange and water loss by fruits, representing protection from physical damage and spoilage phenomena linked to oxidation and the development of undesired microorganisms. At the same time, the coating can represent an innovative delivery matrix for the LAB strains of potential interest to improve safety and quality in the postharvest management of fruits. In this work, five Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains, previously characterised for their probiotic and antifungal activity, were incorporated into a sodium alginate coating to develop edible probiotic coatings with antifungal properties for table grapes cv. Italia. The bacterial transfer and their survival were evaluated by comparing coated and uncoated table grapes during 14 days of cold storage at 4 °C. The alginate edible coating increased the number of viable cells transferred to the surface of the berries from about 5 to more than 7 Log CFU/g, with a crucial impact on the potential functional attributes of the final product. The ability of the functionalised coatings to counteract the decay development was evaluated on table grape berries artificially contaminated with Aspergillus niger CECT 2805. A significant reduction in lesion diameter was observed in the alginate coating with L. plantarum 11-A, with a reduction from 15.40 ± 1.14 mm of uncoated berries to 8.40 ± 1.14 mm of berries coated with L. plantarum 11-A. The lesion diameter reduction was also accompanied by a reduction in the symptoms of infection, such as browning around the wound. These results suggest the application of selected strains of L. plantarum as promising bio-resources to enhance the overall value of ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, particularly in combination with edible coating as a carrier matrix. While a strain-dependent effect was not detected with respect to the improvement in the number of cells in the edible coating, a variability depending on the biotype used was detected for the properties linked to biocontrol, suggesting that the inclusion in edible packaging may represent an innovative criterion in the selection of lactobacilli to be applied postharvest.

Physical durability and insecticidal activity of long-lasting insecticidal nets in Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil

Vector control is one of the principal strategies used for reducing malaria transmission. Long-lasting insecticidal bed nets (LLINs) are a key tool used to protect populations at risk of malaria, since they provide both physical and chemical barriers to prevent human-vector contact. This study aimed to assess the physical durability and insecticidal efficacy of LLINs distributed in Cruzeiro do Sul (CZS), Brazil, after 4 years of use. A total of 3000 LLINs (PermaNet 2.0) were distributed in high malaria risk areas of CZS in 2007. After 4 years of use, 27 ‘rectangular’ LLINs and 28 ‘conical’ LLINs were randomly selected for analysis. The evaluation of physical integrity was based on counting the number of holes and measuring their size and location on the nets. Insecticidal efficacy was evaluated by cone bioassays, and the amount of residual insecticide remaining on the surface of the LLINs was estimated using a colorimetric method. After 4 years of use, physical damage was highly prevalent on the rectangular LLINs, with a total of 473 holes detected across the 27 nets. The upper portion of the side panels sustained the greatest damage in rectangular LLINs. The overall mosquito mortality by cone bioassay was < 80% in 25/27 rectangular LLINs, with panel A (at the end of the rectangular bednet) presenting the highest mortality (54%). The overall mean insecticide concentration was 0.5 µg/sample, with the bednet roof containing the highest average concentration (0.61 µg/sample). On the conical LLINs, 547 holes were detected, with the bottom areas sustaining the greatest damage. The cone bioassay mortality was < 80% in 26/28 of the conical LLINs. The mean insecticide concentration was 0.3 µg/sample. After 4 years of use, the insecticidal efficacy of the LLINs was diminished to below acceptable thresholds.