Physical Factors Research Articles

Role of Meaningful Social Participation and Technology Use in Mitigating Loneliness and Cognitive Decline Among Older Adults.

Community social participation aids dementia prevention and alleviates loneliness among older adults. Incorporating occupational therapy using information and communications technology (ICT) could potentially delay dementia onset and reduce loneliness. To quantify how meaningful social participation, participation frequency, ICT use, and expanded social networks influence cognitive function and loneliness among socially active older Japanese adults. Cross-sectional exploratory study using structural equation modeling. Meetings organized by older adults at seven community gathering places in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. One hundred thirteen healthy older adult cohort members. Cognitive function assessed via Mini-Cog; loneliness assessed via the condensed UCLA Loneliness Scale. The final model demonstrated excellent fit, χ2(23) = 28.291, p = .205 (root mean square error of approximation = .045, 90% confidence interval [.000, .094]; confirmatory factor index = .995; Tucker-Lewis Index = .993). ICT use directly affected social networks (β = 0.472), which directly influenced participation frequency (β = 0.324) and meaningful social participation (β = 0.381). The indirect effect of meaningful participation significantly improved cognitive function (β = 0.237). The only indirect effect of meaningful interpersonal participation was a reduction in loneliness (β = -0.235). ICT use contributes to the expansion of social networks among elderly people. Furthermore, the frequency of social participation and the meaningfulness of such participation are related to reduction in loneliness and maintenance of cognitive function. Although the frequency of social participation was not directly related to these outcomes, the results suggest that meaningful social participation may play an important role in reducing loneliness and maintaining cognitive function. Plain-Language Summary: The promotion of social participation among older people is a global phenomenon, driven by the recognition of its positive relationship with cognitive function and the alleviation of loneliness. Nevertheless, older people's social participation is constrained by a combination of physical and social factors. To address this issue, there has been a push to promote social participation based on information and communications technology (ICT). However, no specific study has been conducted on occupational therapists' perspective in capturing social participation and the use of ICT. The findings of this study show that using ICT has the potential to enhance opportunities for social interaction for older adults, thereby improving the quality and quantity of social participation. The quality of social participation was identified as the sole factor that had a positive impact on cognitive function and loneliness. This study suggests the need for occupational therapists to consider means of facilitating the use of ICTs among older adults as well as interventions that use occupational therapy theory to enhance the meaningfulness of existing social participation opportunities.

Relevant Physical Factors for Estimation of Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions from Floating Storage and Offloading

Relevant Physical Factors for Estimation of Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions from Floating Storage and Offloading

Mechanotransductive N-cadherin binding induces differentiation in human neural stem cells

The neural stem cell niche is a complex microenvironment that includes cellular factors, secreted factors, and physical factors that impact stem cell behavior and development. Cellular interactions through cadherins, cell–cell binding proteins, have implications in embryonic development and mesenchymal stem cell differentiation. However, little is known about the influence of cadherins within the neural stem cell microenvironment and their effect on human stem cell maintenance and differentiation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop synthetic substrates to examine the effect of cadherin mechanotransduction on human neural stem cells. Glass substrates were fabricated using silane, protein A, and recombinant N-cadherin; we used these substrates to examine the effect of N-cadherin binding on neural stem cell proliferation, cytoskeletal structure and morphology, Yes-associated protein-1 (YAP) translocation, and differentiation. Bound exogenous N-cadherin induced concentration-dependent increases in adherens junction formation, YAP translocation, and early expression of neurogenic differentiation markers. Strong F-actin ring structures were initiated by homophilic N-cadherin binding, eliciting neuronal differentiation of cells within 96 ​h without added soluble differentiation factors. Our findings show that active N-cadherin binding plays an important role for differentiation of human iPS-derived neural stem cells towards neurons, providing a new tool to differentiate cells in vitro.

Correlation of psychosocial factors with pain, posture, function, and disability in chronic mechanical neck pain patients: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundChronic neck pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that has an impact on the function and quality of life of an individual. Psychosocial factors along with the physical factors may have an impact on the perception of pain. Hence, the study aimed to find the correlation of psychosocial factors with pain, posture, function, and disability in chronic mechanical neck pain patients.MethodA cross-sectional study using a convenient sampling method was conducted in 55 chronic mechanical neck pain patients. The pain was assessed using numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), pain pressure threshold (PPT) using a pressure algometer, kinesiophobia using Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), pain catastrophizing using Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Posture analysis was done by various postural angle and flexicurve, cervical muscle endurance was tested using the craniocervical flexion test, cervical proprioception was measured using head repositioning accuracy test and Neck disability index was used to score disability.ResultA significant positive correlation was found between TSK and NDI (r = 0.34, p = 0.01). There is a negative correlation of PTT (right sternocleidomastoid) with Kinesiophobia (r = − 0.35, p = 0.008). There is a moderate positive correlation between posture (shoulder angle on the left side) and TSK (r = 0.3, p = 0.02).ConclusionThe study concludes that psychosocial factors not only have a significant role but are correlated to pain, posture, function, and disability in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.

Association of Ambient Air Pollution Exposure With Incident Glaucoma: 12-Year Evidence From the UK Biobank Cohort.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Despite growing concerns about air quality and its impact on ocular health, there remains a knowledge gap regarding the long-term association between air pollution and glaucoma risk. This study investigates the relationship between exposure to ambient air pollution and incidence of glaucoma. In this prospective study, we used land use regression models to estimate levels of various air pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), PM2.5 absorbance, PM2.5-10, PM10, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Incidents of glaucoma were ascertained through routinely collected hospital admission records. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between air pollution exposure and glaucoma incidence, adjusting for potential confounding sociodemographic, physical, and lifestyle factors. Data from 481,113 participants were included. Over a median follow-up of 12.8 years, 9224 incident cases of glaucoma were identified. In the maximally adjusted model, per interquartile range increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 3% greater risk of developing glaucoma (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00 to 1.06, P = 0.048). Participants in the highest quartile had a 10% increased risk of developing glaucoma compared to those in the lowest quartile (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.17, P = 0.005). Higher levels of exposure to ambient air pollutants, particularly PM2.5, are associated with an increased risk of developing glaucoma. These results highlight the potential public health impact of ambient air pollution on glaucoma risk and underscore the urgent need for further research into targeted environmental interventions in this domain.

Comparative assessment of neurotrophic proteins in vibration disease

Introduction. The problem of health impairment due to the impact of physical factors, including vibration disease (VD), retains medical and social relevance due to the significant specific gravity in the structure of occupational morbidity and high prevalence. Under vibration exposure, the acid-base equilibrium, immune status are disturbed, rheological properties and properties of the neurohumoral system, as well as functional indices of the central and peripheral nervous system change. Neurotrophins are known to play an important role in regulating the development and functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems. In this regard, research is needed to determine in VD patients the levels of neurospecific proteins, which may serve as one of the markers for tracing changes in the nervous system in workers. The aim of the study was to identify the peculiarities of changes in neurospecific proteins (BDNF, S100β, and MBP) in the serum of patients with VD of different genesis. Materials and methods. Serum concentrations of neurotrophic proteins: brain neurotrophic factor – BDNF, S100β protein and myelin basic protein (MBP) were studied by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay. Results. There was an increase in serum BDNF, S100β protein, and MBP concentrations in persons with VD due to combined exposure to local and general vibration, and an increase in MBP was observed in patients with VD due to exposure to local vibration. Limitations. The limitations of this work are small groups of employees. Conclusion. As a result of studies, it can be assumed that in VD due to exposure to combined vibration, changes are observed in the peripheral and central parts of the nervous system, and in VD due to local vibration, disorders seem to be mainly associated with the peripheral nervous system. The general pattern of the revealed disorders in the content of MBP lies in the neurodestructive processes occurring in the nerve fibers in patients with VD, regardless of genesis. Summarizing the above mentioned, the validity of studying the concentration of neurospecific proteins in vibration disease occurring with damaging processes in the nervous tissue should be recognized.

Evolution and development of the conduction system in the vertebrate heart: a role for hemodynamics and the epicardium.

Development of the heart is a very intricate and multiplex process as it involves not only the three spatial dimensions but also the fourth or time dimension. Over time, the heart of an embryo needs to adapt its function to serve the increasing complexity of differentiation and growth towards adulthood. It becomes even more perplexing by expanding time into millions of years, allocating related species in the tree of life. As the evolution of soft tissues can hardly be studied, we have to rely on comparative embryology, supported heavily by genetic and molecular approaches. These techniques provide insight into relationships, not only between species, but also between cell populations, signaling mechanisms, molecular interactions and physical factors such as hemodynamics. Heart development depends on differentiation of a mesodermal cell population that - in more derived taxa - continues in segmentation of the first and second heart field. These fields deliver not only the cardiomyocytes, forming the three-dimensionally looping cardiac tube as a basis for the chambered heart, but also the enveloping epicardium. The synchronized beating of the heart is then organized by the conduction system. In this Review, the epicardium is introduced as an important player in cardiac differentiation, including the conduction system.

Towards Sustainable Productivity of Greenhouse Vegetable Soils: Limiting Factors and Mitigation Strategies.

Greenhouse vegetable production has become increasingly important in meeting the increasing global food demand. Yet, it faces severe challenges in terms of how to maintain soil productivity from a long-term perspective. This review discusses the main soil productivity limiting factors for vegetables grown in greenhouses and identifies strategies that attempt to overcome these limitations. The main processes leading to soil degradation include physical (e.g., compaction), chemical (e.g., salinization, acidification, and nutrient imbalances), and biological factors (e.g., biodiversity reduction and pathogen buildup). These processes are often favored by intensive greenhouse cultivation. Mitigation strategies involve managing soil organic matter and mineral nutrients and adopting crop rotation. Future research should focus on precisely balancing soil nutrient supply with vegetable crop demands throughout their life cycle and using targeted organic amendments to manage specific soil properties. To ensure the successful adoption of recommended strategies, socioeconomic considerations are also necessary. Future empirical research is required to adapt socioeconomic frameworks, such as Science and Technology Backyard 2.0, from cereal production systems to greenhouse vegetable production systems. Addressing these issues will enable the productivity of greenhouse vegetable soils that meet growing vegetable demand to be sustained using limited soil resources.

CORRECTION OF THE SIGNS OF MYOFASCIAL DYSFUNCTION IN PERSONS WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF FRACTURE OF THE JAW BY MEASURES OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed physical therapy program based on the dynamics of myofascial dysfunction parameters of the neck and orofacial area in patients with the consequences of a mandibular fracture. Methods. 77 people were examined. The control group consisted of 32 people without the consequences of injuries of the maxillofacial area and burdened dental status. Group 1 consisted of 24 people who underwent rehabilitation according to the general principles of rehabilitation of patients of the dental profile. Group 2 consisted of 21 people with the consequences of a fracture of the lower jaw, who underwent rehabilitation using therapeutic exercises for the muscles of mastication, face, neck, cervical collar zone, back , shoulder girdle; a course of massage (intraoral and classical) of the masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joint, neck, cervical collar zone; thermal procedures (dry heat) on the area of the temporomandibular joint; postisometric relaxation of masticatory muscles, neck muscles; kinesiological taping of the temporomandibular joint, masticatory muscles, neck; training (education) of the patient (reception of soft food, restriction of wide opening of the mouth, elimination of dental bad habits). Rehabilitation lasted three months. Effectiveness was assessed by complaints, examination results, palpation, measurement of chin-sternum distance, "Hamburg test", manual muscle test. Results. During the re-examination, no such complaints were found in people of group 2, such as complications in swallowing, sound phenomena and pain in the temporomandibular joint, pain in the masticatory muscles, complications in nasal breathing, and pain in the neck. Complications when chewing food were found only in 28.6%, restriction of mouth opening - 28.6%, "uncomfortable" position of the jaw - 9.5%. The psycho-emotional state and sleep improved; corresponding complaints were found in 14.3% and 23.8%. The expression of visual manifestations of dysfunction decreased in both main groups with an advantage in individuals of the group. Pathological palpable changes were not detected in the temporal, masticatory, bifidus and hypoglossal muscles in individuals of group 2. Other changes were detected in a small number of individuals - in the lateral pterygoid in 14.3%, medial pterygoid in 9.5%, sternoclavicular-mammoid in 14.3%, trapezoid in 28.6%. In people of group 2, the distance between the chin and sternum when the neck was bent decreased from 4.82±0.42 cm to 2.16±0.23 cm (p<0.05). The decrease in manifestations of dysfunction in the temporomandibular joint during the "Hamburg test" was 11.9% in group 1, 38.3% in group 2, p<0.05. There was an improvement in the strength of the masticatory muscles according to manual muscle test during the movements of raising and lowering the lower jaw, its deviation and protrusion. Group 1, which underwent rehabilitation with the use of independent classes and passive use of preformed physical factors, did not demonstrate an effect on indicators of myofascial dysfunction of the neck; the achieved improvement according to the studied parameters of the orofacial zone were statistically significantly worse than the parameters of group 2. Conclusions. The obtained result is a justification for the need to apply programs of active functional physical therapy for the correction of myofascial dysfunction of the orofacial zone and the neck area in patients with injuries of the jaw.

Assessment of soil erosion risk and vulnerability in the transboundary Sio-Malaba-Malakisi watershed in Kenya and Uganda

Persistent soil erosion poses a significant threat to water quality, ecosystem viability and soil health in many regions of the world. Addressing this challenge requires a comprehensive understanding of local soil erosion rates, including the identification of vulnerable areas, to facilitate effective and integrated environmental management. In East Africa, however, many affected regions are data poor and lack measured hydrological data from which soil erosion estimates can be derived. This study used the physically based Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to estimate the annual rate of soil erosion in the transboundary Sio-Malaba-Malakisi catchment, straddling Kenya and Uganda. Soil erosion events were quantified by integrating input factors derived from physical datasets using a Geographical Information System (GIS). The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was then used to assess the importance of selected physical factors influencing the soil erosion process in order to identify regions of increasing environmental vulnerability. The results obtained indicate a wide range of soil erosion rates across the region, with an estimated mean annual rate of 250 t ha−1 yr−1 for the whole catchment. Upstream areas characterized by intensive agricultural activity had erosion rates of up to 2000 t ha−1 yr−1, while downstream areas recorded erosion rates below 600 t ha−1 yr−1. Areas with intensive agriculture, unprotected soils, and a soil loss tolerance value above 12 t ha−1 yr−1 were found to be most vulnerable. Rainfall and vegetation cover were identified as key factors influencing erosion susceptibility. Regions with soil erosion rates above 50 t ha−1 yr−1 were identified as high priority regions for targeted soil and water conservation measures. The identification of vulnerability zones, including the classification of their severity, provides an opportunity to prioritize sustainable environmental management interventions; a process that can be replicated for such affected regions elsewhere.

Rhizosheath Formation and Its Role in Plant Adaptation to Abiotic Stress

The rhizosheath, the layer of soil tightly attached to the roots, protects plants against abiotic stress and other adverse conditions by providing a bridge from the plant root system to the soil. It reduces the formation of air gaps between the root and soil and facilitates the transportation of water at the root–soil interface. It also serves as a favourable niche for plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria in the surrounding soil, which facilitate the absorption of soil water and nutrients. This review compares the difference between the rhizosheath and rhizosphere, and summarises the molecular and physiological mechanisms of rhizosheath formation, and identifying the causes of rhizosheath formation/non-formation in plants. We summarise the chemical and physical factors (root hair, soil-related factors, root exudates, and microorganisms) that determine rhizosheath formation, and focus on the important functions of the rhizosheath in plants under abiotic stress, especially in drought stress, phosphorus deficiency, aluminium stress, and salinity stress. Understanding the roles played by the rhizosheath and the mechanisms of its formation provides new perspectives for improving plant stress tolerance in the field, which will mitigate the increasing environmental stress conditions associated with on-going global climate change.

Dietary and Physical Activity Habits of Children and Adolescents before and after the Implementation of a Personalized, Intervention Program for the Management of Obesity.

Obesity in childhood and adolescence represents a major public health problem, mostly attributed to dietary and physical activity factors. We aimed to determine the dietary and physical activity habits of participants before and after the implementation of a personalized, multidisciplinary, lifestyle intervention program for the management of obesity in the context of the Horizon Research Project 'BigO: Big Data against Childhood Obesity'. Three hundred and eighty-six (n = 386) children and adolescents (mean age ± SD: 12.495 ± 1.988 years, 199 males and 187 females) participated in the study prospectively. Based on body mass index (BMI), subjects were classified as having obesity (n = 293, 75.9%) and overweight (n = 93, 24.1%) according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points. We implemented a personalized, multidisciplinary, lifestyle intervention program providing guidance on diet, sleep, and exercise, and utilized the BigO technology platform to objectively record data collected via a Smartphone and Smartwatch for each patient. Following the intervention, a statistically significant decrease was noted in the consumption of cheese, cereal with added sugar, savory snacks, pasta, and fried potatoes across both BMI categories. Also, there was an increase in daily water intake between meals among all participants (p = 0.001) and a reduction in the consumption of evening snack or dinner while watching television (p < 0.05). Boys showed a decrease in the consumption of savory snacks, fried potato products, and pasta (p < 0.05), an increase in the consumption of sugar-free breakfast cereal (p < 0.05), and drank more water between meals daily (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that a personalized, multidisciplinary, lifestyle intervention improves the dietary habits of children and adolescents.

The Effects of Acid-Modified Biochar and Biomass Power Plant Ash on the Physiochemical Properties and Bacterial Community Structure of Sandy Alkaline Soils in the Ancient Region of the Yellow River

The application of biochar can effectively enhance soil organic matter (SOM) and improve soil structure. Biomass power plant ash (BPPA) is also rich in essential nutrients for plants, with similar carbon content. Considering production cost and agricultural waste recycling, it is beneficial to apply BPPA to improve soil fertility and quality. However, it remains unclear whether its ameliorative effects surpass those of biochar in alkaline soils. In the study, we set up seven pot experiments of faba beans in sandy alkaline soils from the ancient region of the Yellow River, including the controls (CK), different amounts of acid-modified BPPA (A1, A2, A3), and the same amounts of acid-modified biochar (B1, B2, B3), to compare their effects on soil physiochemical properties and bacterial community structure. The results indicate that the application of both biochar and BPPA can improve soil physiochemical properties. At the same dosage, the biochar application outperformed BPPA treatment in terms of soil physical properties such as bulk density (BD), maximum water-holding capacity (FC), and soil capillary porosity (SP2). Conversely, BPPA treatment displayed advantages in chemical properties such as readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROOC), total nitrogen (TN), alkaline nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and electrical conductivity (EC). All the treatments enhanced the richness and diversity of bacterial communities, increasing the relative abundance of eutrophic groups such as Bacteroidota and Firmicutes while decreasing that of oligotrophic groups like Actinobacteriota. BPPA also increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, while the opposite was observed for biochar. Correlation analysis showed that the environmental factors such as soil pH, EC, TN, AK, SOM, and SP2 emerged as primary factors influencing the bacterial community structure of alkaline soils, significantly affecting their diversity and abundance. Among them, SP2 and SOM were the dominant physical and chemical factors, respectively. Overall, the application of both acid-modified BPPA and biochar can enhance the physiochemical properties of sandy alkaline soils, while the application of BPPA is superior for improving soil nutrient content and enhancing bacterial community structure. The study explores the potential mechanisms through which the application of acid-modified BPPA affects soil characteristics and microbial features, providing new insight into developing optimizing fertilization strategies for enhancing soil quality in the ancient region of the Yellow River.

An approach for constructing spatially paired pseudo repeat-sales housing price indices in China

AbstractConstructing a reliable housing price index is crucial for accurately reflecting housing price dynamics and enhancing transparency in the housing market. However, existing methods for constructing housing price indices often confront many challenges, such as omitted variable issues in the hedonic model and constrained samples used in the repeat-sales model. To address these challenges, this study identifies a spatially paired relationship between complexes and develops a Spatially Paired Pseudo Repeat-Sales model to construct the housing price index. This approach offers two significant advantages: first, it enlarges the sample size used in the repeat-sales model at least 1.8 times; second, it effectively estimates the effects of spatial dependency and physical housing factors on prices while mitigating the impacts of unobservable factors through differentiation. The findings of this paper suggest that using the spatially paired pseudo repeat-sales model can significantly improve the estimation of housing price volatility, by approximately 13%. Moreover, the constructed housing price index model demonstrates significant robustness, even when the spatial weight settings are altered. This research provides convincing evidence of improved housing market transparency for stakeholders, including governments, institutional developers, and individual investors. Additionally, the constructed model can inform other similar research in housing price index construction by providing a spatially pairing perspective on housing complexes.

Potentiation of Tumor Hallmarks by the Loss of GULO, a Vitamin C Biosynthesis Gene in Humans.

Vitamin C plays a significant role in various physiological functions. Humans depend on external sources of vitamin C due to the loss of the L-gulono-γ-lactone oxidase (GULO) gene that contributes to the synthesis of vitamin C. During the evolutionary loss of the GULO gene, physical, chemical, and biological factors were different from the present environmental settings. Besides the evolutionary genetic loss of the GULO gene, there is a gap in the insightful discussion on the potential implications of the non-functional GULO gene towards the predisposition of humans to cancer that faces hostile and carcinogenic environments. Various methods by which vitamin C modulates cellular processes related to cancer, including DNA repair, epigenetic changes, and redox balance, are discussed. Furthermore, we present experimental and clinical evidence indicating that vitamin C deficiency promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and therapy resistance, emphasizing its potential as a cancer phenotypic modulator. Therapeutic implications of restoring vitamin C levels in cancer treatment range from improving the efficacy of conventional medicines to exploiting metabolic vulnerabilities in tumors. The relevance of assessing vitamin C status in cancer patients and the basis for additional research into vitamin C supplementation as an adjuvant therapy is emphasized. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the implications associated with the functional deficiency of the GULO gene in human subjects exhibiting diverse tumor hallmarks, encompassing ECM remodeling, hypoxia, epigenetic reprogramming, oxidative stress, and drug responsiveness.

Pain in Biologic-Treated Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: The Role of Illness Perception Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We aimed to assess the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in the association of clinical, physical, and psychological factors with pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients. We included 103 RA patients (81.6% females; mean age 56.1±13.8years). Patients filled out the VAS-pain, GAD-7, PHQ-9, MFI-20, and B-IPQ. Paired sample t-tests, correlations, and multiple regression analyses were used to analyse the data. Our results showed significantly worsened pain in the data collected post-pandemic (p≤0.05). Pre-pandemic, the final regression models showed an association between functional disability (β=0.24; p≤0.05), illness perception (β=0.34; p≤0.05) and pain. In post-pandemic models, significant associations were found between fatigue (β=0.33; p≤0.01) and illness perception (β=0.36; p≤0.01) with pain. Positive illness perception was able to alleviate the associations between fatigue and depression with pain before and after the pandemic. Findings indicate that patients with RA may have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic given their vulnerability. Even though pharmacological treatment was not interrupted, post-pandemic results showed significantly higher levels of experienced pain. Therefore, in addition to biological therapy, non-pharmacological interventions, including psychological support aimed at diminishing negative illness perception, may be beneficial in reducing RA-related pain, especially when dealing with a crisis.

Has river regulation damaged the Peace-Athabasca Delta?

ABSTRACT The Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) is a complex, dynamic, and misunderstood ecosystem. This study uses landscape, ecological, climatic, hydrologic, historical, stratigraphic, and wildlife data that document how and why the PAD has changed and varied from ~1900 to 2023. The ecological, climatic, and hydrologic components of the ecosystem vary in concert. Flood-drawdown cycles influenced by physical and biological factors have driven a host of landscape changes over the past 120 years. Prior to regulation, net drying of the PAD took place over the period ~1900 to the mid-1940s. Since mid-20th century, there has been no multidecadal drying trend but rather decadal-scale wet and dry episodes. Levels of the confluent Lakes Athabasca, Claire, and Mamawi, and their adjacent restricted basins, are strongly correlated with the combined flows of the Peace, Athabasca, Fond du Lac, and Birch Rivers. River regulation has changed the seasonal distribution of flows and suppressed summer flows. There is, however, no evidence that ‘dramatic landscape change is underway, devastating local fauna’ or that river regulation has caused delta desiccation, declines in spring flooding, declines in lake levels, or declines in wildlife, waterfowl, or their habitat. The great areal extent of the PAD watershed imparts hydrologic and ecological resilience.

Multi-hazard, multidimensional disaster risk validation in selangor’s three urban districts, Malaysia

Considering the increasing impact of natural hazard-related disasters in Malaysia, understanding and evaluating integrated disaster risk must consider multi-hazard and multidimensional vulnerability at the local level, particularly in developing industrial nations like Malaysia. Therefore, this study proposes an improved methodology for conducting an integrated disaster risk assessment index (IDRI) mapping to measure disaster risk within local administrative boundaries in Malaysia. In this study, multi-hazard spatial overlapping combined two common hazards in Malaysia, which are floods and landslides. This study used multidimensional vulnerability, which encompasses six dimensions, 16 subdimensions, and 54 indicators. Researchers applied this approach in three urban districts of Selangor, Malaysia: Sepang, Kuala Langat, and Hulu Langat, which are located within the Langat River catchment and consist of 17 subdistricts. Overall, 32.9% of the total study area was found to be at risk, with 4.3% in the very high-risk area. In comparison with the latest flood events in 2021, the IDRI components were highly correlated with disaster impact. In conclusion, the contribution of this study provides a novel perspective on disaster risk assessment by addressing several types of hazards and multidimensional vulnerability, as compared to the previous methodology focusing on a single hazard and a physical vulnerability factor.

Performing magnetic resonance imaging in patients with gunshot wounds: a guide for radiologists

INTRODUCTION: The safety of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with metallic foreign bodies is an important aspect that has been the subject of many scientific papers and guidelines. The issue of MRI in patients with implanted medical devices is well researched. However, for gunshot wounds, there are no clear guidelines for practitioners, and most recommendations are to refuse to perform the study if there is the slightest doubt about its safety.OBJECTIVE: To systematize information on the safety and quality of MRI in patients with gunshot wounds and to develop practical guidelines for radiologists.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have analyzed and summarized the main domestic and foreign recommendations for ensuring safety during MRI, generally accepted classifications and mechanisms of gunshot wounds.RESULTS: A review of physical risk factors in MRI, their causes, and recommendations for their minimization is presented. The influence of metallic objects on the appearance of artefacts on MRI images is considered. The algorithm of decision making on the safety of MRI in a patient with a bullet or shotgun wound is given. Two clinical observations are presented to illustrate the application of this algorithm.CONCLUSION: Performing MRI in gunshot wounds is feasible but requires careful analysis of the risks and the importance of diagnostic information. Interviewing the patient in these situations is often uninformative, so radiography or CT are the methods of choice for detection of metallic foreign bodies. To minimize the risks of MRI, a scan protocol should be prepared in advance and the patient should be monitored after each pulse sequence.

APPLICATION FOR ANALYZING WATER QUALITY FOR TILAPIA FISH FARMING IN NET TANK

With the ability to provide food and income for the planet, fish farming and fishing, which are already widely practiced activities around the world, continue to grow across the globe. Water quality is essential for this type of activity. Controlling the chemical and physical factors of the water can ensure the success or failure of the farming. There are many ways to analyze water quality, but not all of them are simple or easy to use. The growing use of mobile devices has sought to facilitate this task, increasingly contributing to these and other activities. Aiming to support this evolution, the “Water Quality Monitor” application was modeled and developed, with the objective of providing, in a simple, easy and accessible way, relevant information on water quality scenarios for raising Nile tilapia fish in a cage-net farming environment. The application development methodology was based on the Rational Unified Process, focused on objects within programming and structured by UML diagrams. The final modeling proved capable of supporting the construction of an application to meet the expected requirements for assessing water quality, which during its use, allowed the control of chemical and physical factors of the water, ensuring the success of the creation, or indicating mitigating solutions for the corrections necessary for the process, being later validated in a case study.