Southern Province Research Articles

Temporal genomic analysis of Plasmodium falciparum reveals increased prevalence of mutations associated with delayed clearance following treatment with artemisinin-lumefantrine in Choma District, Southern Province, Zambia.

The emergence of antimalarial drug resistance is an impediment to malaria control and elimination in Africa. Analysis of temporal trends in molecular markers of resistance is critical to inform policy makers and guide malaria treatment guidelines. In a low and seasonal transmission region of southern Zambia, we successfully genotyped 85.5% (389/455) of Plasmodium falciparum samples collected between 2013-2018 from 8 spatially clustered health centres using molecular inversion probes (MIPs) targeting key drug resistance genes. Aside from one sample carrying K13 R622I, none of the isolates carried other World Health Organization-validated or candidate artemisinin partial resistance (ART-R) mutations in K13. However, 13% (CI, 9.6-17.2) of isolates had the AP2MU S160N mutation, which has been associated with delayed clearance following artemisinin combination therapy in Africa. This mutation increased in prevalence between 2015-2018 and bears a genomic signature of selection. During this time period, there was an increase in the MDR1 NFD haplotype that is associated with reduced susceptibility to lumefantrine. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine polymorphisms were near fixation. While validated ART-R mutations are rare, a mutation associated with slow parasite clearance in Africa appears to be under selection in southern Zambia.

Do rotations and intercrops matter? Opportunities for intensification and diversification of maize-based cropping systems in Zambia

ContextRealizing the double-edged goals of food security and crop diversification require knowledge of crop yield response to different agricultural practices and the extent to which such response is context dependent. This is particularly important in Southern Africa where cropping systems are dominated by maize and smallholders use few external inputs. ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the performance of cropping systems with different levels of legume diversification and intensification on maize productivity across the main agroecological zones and farming systems of Zambia, and (2) to establish the minimum land required to reach maize self-sufficiency at household level with the different cropping systems tested. MethodsSix maize-based cropping systems, comprising maize monocropping, maize-legume rotations and intercrops under ‘conventional’ tillage and conservation agriculture, were evaluated across 40 farms in contrasting agro-ecological zones and farming systems of Zambia. A household survey was conducted in the same communities hosting the on-farm trials to quantify the share of households with enough maize cultivated area to benefit from the tested cropping systems. ResultsMaize yield measured in the on-farm trials ranged, on average, between 3.6 and 5.4 t ha−1, which was greater than mean maize yields reported by farmers not hosting on-farm trials during the same growing seasons and in the same sites. Our results showed a clear positive effect of legume rotation on maize yield in Eastern province only, where cropping systems including groundnut as rotation crop yielded between 1.0 and 2.0 t ha−1 more maize than other cropping systems. Pigeon pea intercrops and Gliricidia hedgerows, crop residue management, and tillage practice had no significant effect on maize yield in any of the provinces. Finally, nearly 35, 50, and 70% of surveyed farms in Northern, Eastern, and Southern province would have enough land to achieve the same level of maize production obtained on their farm with the yields, and associated area requirements, of the maize-legume rotations tested in the on-farm trials. ConclusionLegume rotations can increase maize productivity on land abundant farms in high potential maize production areas of Southern Africa, whereas legume intercrops have benefits at cropping systems level and should be targeted to land constrained farms. SignificanceThe study contributes to better understand the niche for diversified maize-based cropping systems with legume rotations and intercrops in Southern Africa, along with their impacts on maize productivity at the field level and their land requirements at the farm level.

Geographical variation in dementia prevalence across China: a geospatial analysis

Dementia poses great health and social challenges in China. Dementia prevalence may vary across geographic areas, while comparable estimations on provincial level is lacking. This study aims to estimate dementia prevalence by provinces across China, taking into account risk factors of individual level and potential spatial correlation of provinces. In this study, 17,176 adults aged 50 years or older were included from the fourth wave of the ChinaHealth and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2018), covering 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. To improve provincial representativeness, we constructed provincial survey weights based on China 7th census (2020). The prevalence of dementia and 95% Bayesian credible intervals (BCIs) were estimated using a Bayesian conditional autoregressive (CAR) model with spatially varying coefficients of covariates. The weighted prevalence of dementia at provincial level in China in 2018 ranged from 2.62% (95%BCI: 1.70%, 3.91%) to 13.53% (95%BCI: 8.82%, 20.93%). High dementia prevalence was concentrated in North China, with a prominent high-high cluster, while provinces of low prevalence were concentrated on East and South China, characterized by a low-low cluster. Ordered by the median estimation of prevalence, the top 10% of provinces, include Xinjiang, Jilin, and Beijing. Meanwhile, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong rank among the last. The association between dementia prevalence and drinking, smoking, social isolation, physical inactivity, hearing impairment, hypertension, and diabetes exhibits provincial variation. Our study identifies a geospatial disparity in dementia prevalence and risk factor effects across China's provinces, with high-high and low-low clusters in some northern and southern provinces, respectively. The findings emphasize the need for targeted strategies, such as addressing hypertension and hearing impairment, in specific regions for more effective dementia prevention and treatment. National Science Foundation of China/the Economic and Social Research Council, UK Research and Innovation joint call: Understanding and Addressing Health and Social Challenges for Ageing in the UK and China. UK-China Health And Social Challenges Ageing Project (UKCHASCAP): present and future burden of dementia, and policy responses (grant number 72061137003, ES/T014377/1).

Protective Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Malva sylvestris Plant against the Lethality and Histopathological Damage in Experimental Envenoming of Hemiscorpius lepturus Venom in Balb/c Mice.

Hemiscorpius lepturus envenomation is a serious health problem in the southern provinces of Iran. The antiserum produced in Iran to counteract this scorpion venom is not entirely effective due to the risk of anaphylactic shock and other adverse effects. Therefore, more efficient alternatives to treat patients deserve attention, and plants are extensively good candidates to be studied. This study aimed to assess the potential of the aqueous fraction of Malva sylvestris in inhibiting the toxic effects of H. lepturus venom. Injection of sub-lethal dose of H. lepturus venom leads to severe tissue damage in vital organs including the kidney, liver, heart and intestine, after 24 hours. By injecting 80 mg of the aqueous extract of M. sylvestris into the peritoneum helped treat the damaged tissues caused by H. lepturus venom in mice. Thus, Malva sylvestris could serve as an alternative treatment for scorpion sting envenomation and may be used as a drug to neutralize relevant toxic effects in patients stung by H. lepturus.

Cross-sectional study to investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii among women attending the antenatal clinic in Namwala, Zambia

BackgroundToxoplasmosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). It has a wide host range and is capable of vertical transmission in pregnant women, which may lead...

K-Means Cluster for Grouping Regencies/Cities in South Sulawesi Province Based Human Development Index on the 2023

The grouping of districts/cities in South Sulawesi province should be carried out as a material for planning and evaluating government program objectives. The aim is to increase human development figures based on the indicators that form the HDI including Life Expectancy (UHH) at birth, Expected Years of Schooling (HLS), Average Years of Schooling (RLS). Therefore, cluster analysis was used using the K-means method, which is a type of statistical analysis. This type of research is applied research with a quantitative approach by collecting and analyzing data using the K-Means Cluster method. The data used in the determination was sourced from the South Sulawesi Provincial Central Statistics Agency in 2023. The results of grouping using K-Means clusters showed that there were 3 clusters, where cluster 1 had 23 regencies/cities in the Southern Province consisting of the Selayar Islands, Bantaeng, Jeneponto, Takalar, Sinjai, Maros, Pangkep, Barru, Bone, Soppeng, Wajo, Luwu and North Luwu with low criteria. Cluster 2 has 3 regencies/cities, namely Makassar, Pare Pare and Palopo with high criteria. Cluster 3 has 8 regencies/cities, namely Bulukumba, Gowa, Sidrap, Pinrang, Enrekang, Tana Toraja, East Luwu and North Toraja with medium criteria. The suggestion in this research is that you can use indices and other methods to group districts/cities in South Sulawesi Province.

Barriers to Learning From Crisis: A Neglected Aspect of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Tourism SMEs in Sri Lanka

The survival of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is a critical necessity due to their economic and social contributions. Organizational crises, on the other hand, pose a threat to the viability of SMEs. Thus, DRM has become increasingly important in the organizational management of SMEs. As a strategic approach to DRR in organizational context, SMEs need to practice crisis management, particularly need to learn from crises. However, the high crisis vulnerability of SMEs indicates ineffective crisis management on their part, mainly due to failure to learn from crises. Using a social constructivist approach, this phenomenological study attempts to identify the various barriers that hinder the crisis learning of SMEs. An in-depth investigation was conducted with 19 selected tourism SMEs located in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The results revealed the existence of several crisis learning barriers classified using IPA, namely personal, organizational, and industry level barriers. Among them, the organizational level barriers brought attention to the lack of internal resource integration for crisis management in tourism SMEs. These findings could assist SMEs and stakeholders to identify the corrective measures required to eliminate such learning barriers. They may also help policymakers and supporting organizations in launching their services.

Novel estimation of African swine fever transmission parameters within smallholder villages in Lao P.D.R

African Swine Fever (ASF) disease transmission parameters are crucial for making response and control decisions when faced with an outbreak, yet they are poorly quantified for smallholder and village contexts within Southeast Asia. Whilst disease-specific factors − such as latent and infectious periods − should remain reasonably consistent, host, environmental and management factors are likely to affect the rate of disease spread. These differences are investigated using Approximate Bayesian Computation with Sequential Monte-Carlo methods to provide disease parameter estimates in four naïve pig populations in villages of Lao People’s Democratic Republic. The villages represent smallholder pig farmers of the Northern province of Oudomxay and the Southern province of Savannakhet, and the model utilised field mortality data to validate the transmission parameter estimates over the course of multiple model generations. The basic reproductive number between-pigs was estimated to range from 3.08 to 7.80, whilst the latent and infectious periods were consistent with those published in the literature for similar genotypes in the region (4.72 to 6.19 days and 2.63 to 5.50 days, respectively). These findings demonstrate that smallholder village pigs interact similarly to commercial pigs, however the spread of disease may occur slightly slower than in commercial study groups. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that despite diversity across the study groups, the disease behaved in a consistent manner. This data can be used in disease control programs or for future modelling of ASF in smallholder contexts.

Based on CiteSpace Insights into Illicium verum Hook. f. Current Hotspots and Emerging Trends and China Resources Distribution.

Illicium verum Hook. f. is a globally significant spice, which is recognized in China as a food-medicine homolog and extensively utilized across the pharmaceutical, food, and spice industries. China boasts the world's leading resources of I. verum, yet its comprehensive utilization remains relatively underexplored. Through a resource survey of I. verum and the application of bibliometric visualization using CiteSpace, this study analyzed 324 papers published in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) from 1962 to 2023 and 353 core documents from China's three major databases (CNKI, Wanfang Database, and VIP Database). I. verum from Guangxi province towards various southern provinces in China, with autumn fruits exhibited superior quality and market value over their spring fruits. Literature in WOSCC emerged earlier, with a research emphasis on food science technology and pharmacology pharmacy domains. WOSCC research on I. verum could be divided into two phases: an embryonic period (1962-2001) and a growth period (2002-2023), showing an overall upward trend in publication. The three major Chinese databases contain a larger number of publications, with a focus on the food sector, which could be categorized into three stages: an embryonic period (1990-1999), a growth period (2000-2010), and a stable period (2011-2023), with an overall downward trend in publication. Both Chinese and international research hotspots converge on the medical applications of I. verum, with antioxidant bioactivity research emerging as a prevailing trend. This study delineated the resource distribution of I. verum across China and identified the research hotspots and trends both in China and internationally. The findings are beneficial for guiding researchers in swiftly establishing their research focus and furnishing decision-makers with a comprehensive reference for industry information.

Impact of rainfall on the water quality of a tropical river: based on the Nilwala River in the southern province of Sri Lanka between March and October 2019

ABSTRACT The study addresses the pressing need for an effective monitoring system to assess aquatic water quality, given the exacerbating impact of climate change on surface water bodies. Focusing on the Nilwala River, the research pursues three main objectives: comparative analysis of the Weighted Arithmetic Water Quality Index (WAWQI) values across different river locations, exploration of correlations between monthly rainfall and various physicochemical parameters at distinct sampling sites, and examination of notable disparities in the WAWQI between dry and wet months. Data collected from eight river locations from March to October 2019 revealed significant temporal variations in pH, temperature, chemical oxygen demand (COD), electrical conductivity (EC), alkalinity, chloride (Cl−), and nitrate (NO3-) content. The WAWQI increased across all sites during the drought, with only Site 4 (Wellathota) deemed suitable for drinking. Statistical analyses using an one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regressions unveiled significant relationships between rainfall and pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD), EC, and total alkalinity. The total alkalinity is the most affected parameter by the rainfall. Rainfall positively predicted BOD, COD, and NO3- concentration while negatively predicting other parameters.

Analysis of road construction waste generation in developing economies: A focus on surfacing and sub-base construction projects in Sri Lanka

The motivation for this study was to develop simplified tools to estimate material wastage during road construction projects. In developing countries, there is a lack of information about material wastage factors (MWFs) in road construction projects. The purpose of this study is to reveal the MWFs of materials used in road construction. To investigate MWFs, statistics were collected from a sample of 58 road contracts concluded in the southern province of Sri Lanka, comprising 245 road construction projects. Of the selected sample, 80% of the road projects utilized wearing course (asphalt concrete), aggregate base course (ABC), cationic slow setting emulsion 1 (CSS1) and sand. The mean MWFs were calculated only for ABC, wearing course and CSS1 as 8.69%, 5.21% and 6.8%, respectively, because the authors could only achieve acceptable precision levels for these three types of materials. The coefficient of variation (CV) for all these three types of materials ranged from 25% to 3%. Based on collected data, this study proposes equations to predict waste generation for CSS1 and wearing course. Implementing the derived equations to predict waste generation can aid in efficient planning and help construction companies to move towards more sustainable practices.

Epidemiological data of primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency in southern province of seville

Epidemiological data of primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency in southern province of seville

Research on the allocation scheme of carbon emission allowances for China's provincial power grids

The power industry is the industry with the highest carbon emissions in China, and the rational allocation of carbon quotas for the power industry is the key to the rational allocation of carbon quotas in China, while the transfer of carbon emissions generated by inter-provincial power trading makes it difficult to calculate the carbon emission quotas for power. The article calculates the comprehensive power carbon quota for each province based on the principles of equity(PEQ) and the principles of efficiency(PEF). The results of the study prove the following points. (1) There are significant differences in the carbon emission factors calculated for electricity generation and consumption in each province. (2) The western provinces with abundant electricity resources deliver electricity to the eastern and southern provinces to ensure their economic development, so the western provinces with higher inflows of electricity carbon emissions bear the carbon emission pressure of the eastern and southern provinces. (3) The provincial electricity carbon quota calculated by the principle of comprehensiveness(PC) takes into account social equity and economic efficiency, and the calculation results are more reasonable. This study achieves balanced regional development by reasonably allocating provincial electricity carbon quotas.

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING IN MATA SECTOR, A RURAL AREA OF RWANDA

Objective: In rural sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure (BP) is rather limited. This report provides information about a BP screening in Mata Sector, a rural region in Southern Province of Rwanda. Design and method: Community-based, house-to-house screening was performed between February and July 2020 on more than 7,000 inhabitants. The screening was conducted by a local team composed by 20 community health care workers, five community health care supervisors, and one nurse with hypertension surveillance training. BP and heart rate were recorded after 5 minutes of resting using a validated automated oscillometric OMRON M6 IT-HEM-7322-E monitor with Intelli Wrap Cuff (HEM-FL31-E) technology. The mean of the second and third value was retained. Results: BP was normal (<140/90 mm Hg) in 6,340 (88%) and elevated in 863 (12%) individuals with 95% of unawareness. Grade 1 (140–159/90–99 mm Hg) hypertensive BP readings were detected in 697 (81%), grade 2 (160-179/100-109 mm Hg) in 134 (16%), and grade 3 (more or equal to 180/more or equal to 110 mm Hg) in 32 (3.7%) participants. The prevalence of hypertensive readings was significantly age-dependent. Additionally, a slightly greater proportion of participants with high BP (14% versus 11%) had a body mass index (BMI) more or equal to 25.0 kg/m2. Also resting heart rate was higher in individuals with high BP (82 versus 77 beats/min). Conclusions: Although individuals identified with occasionally elevated BP values need further confirmatory measurements to establish the diagnosis of hypertension, these data suggest that high BP represents a noteworthy and preventable reason of concern within sub-Saharan Africa

Prevalence of tuberculosis at livingstone central hospital: A retrospective cross sectional study in southern province zambia

Prevalence of tuberculosis at livingstone central hospital: A retrospective cross sectional study in southern province zambia

Changes in crop mix and the effects on agricultural carbon emissions in China

ABSTRACT Changes in crop mix significantly affect the carbon emissions from cropping systems, thus underscoring their importance in achieving sustainable agriculture development. This article aims to offer new insights into the relationship between crop mix changes and carbon emissions from cropping systems. Based on provincial statistical data on crop production, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of crop mix and the subsequent effect on the carbon emissions from cropping systems in China from 2005 to 2020. The crop-mix type identification rules, emission-factor approach, and grey incidence analysis were applied. The results showed clear changes in crop mix and obvious transitions from grain crops to cash crops in southern provinces. Among crops, the abundance of maize, vegetables, and melons increased remarkably. Besides, the carbon emission intensity (CI) from cropping systems generally showed an upward trend in most provinces, with a spatial pattern of gradual decrease from southeast to northwest. The changes in CI were most closely correlated with rice, maize, vegetables, and melon, with coefficients of 0.808, 0.773, 0.814, and 0.792, respectively. Additionally, the growth of maize and vegetables ratios played a significant role in the CI increases in most provinces. To optimize crop cultivation and mitigate carbon emissions, possible strategies including rational crop production layout, land transfer, and clean production technologies were proposed.

Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics of 2022 Pakistan Severe Flood Event Based on Multi-Source Satellite Gravity Observations

In the summer of 2022, Pakistan experienced a severe flood event that brought great destruction to the local people and ecosystem. However, there is no comprehensive study on the process, spread and causes of this flood. Therefore, we combined multiple satellite gravity data, meteorological data, hydrological data, and satellite remote sensing data to conduct a thorough investigation and study of this flood. The results show that a 20-year time series of the terrestrial water storage change based multiple gravity data has the high accuracy and reliability, which is used for detecting the flood. The flood propagated through meteorological system (three months), agricultural system (six months) and terrestrial ecosystems (five months), respectively, and the two southern provinces (Balochistan and Sindh) are the most affected by the flood, whose flood severity is 6.955 and 9.557, respectively. The center of the severe flood is located at the border region between the above two province. The severe flood is attributed primarily to the global extreme climate events (La Niña and negative Indian Ocean Dipole events) that altered the transport path of water vapor in the Indian Ocean, causing large amounts of water vapor to converge over Pakistan, resulting in heavy precipitation, and secondarily to the melting of extensive glacier in the mountainous of northern Pakistan as a result of the high temperature in March-May 2022. The above results contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of the impact of extreme climate events on the regional climate, and provide some references for the study of severe floods.

A coupled PSR-based framework for holistic modeling and flood resilience assessment: A case study of the 2022 flood events in five southern provinces of China

In the context of global climate change, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events has led to increasingly severe disaster situations. Traditional disaster management approaches are inadequate for addressing these challenges; thus, the concept of resilience has gradually been integrated into disaster management strategies. This study addresses this gap by developing a semi-quantitative evaluation framework for flood resilience on a large, regional scale. This framework combines the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model with a dynamic representation of flood resilience processes, incorporating pre-disaster resistance, during-disaster absorption, and post-disaster recovery. A comprehensive regional flood resilience index system (RFRI) is constructed to provide a holistic assessment of flood resilience throughout the disaster cycle. This study quantified flood resilience and utilized Geographic Information System spatial analysis to evaluate the spatial patterns of flood resilience at the municipal level. The evaluation framework was applied to a real flood disaster that affected five southern provinces of China in 2022. The results indicate that: (1) The overall flood resilience levels in the five southern provinces were relatively low, with only 6% of the units having a Flood Resilience Index (FRI) exceeding 0.6; and (2) in terms of pre-disaster resistance, 74% of municipalities in the five southern provinces of China exhibited a moderate or higher level of resilience. However, the overall performance of these provinces is relatively poor in terms of absorption during disasters and post-disaster recovery; (3) The development of flood resilience systems in the five provinces was severely imbalanced, with only two municipal-level cities having an FRI above 0.8, both of which are located in Guangdong Province. The evaluation framework established in this study enables rapid and accurate quantitative assessment of flood resilience at the municipal level. It aids in identifying deficiencies in the flood resilience systems of various regions, thereby strengthening efforts to build flood resilience.

Low Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium vivax Circumsporozoite Surface Protein in Clinical Isolates from Southern Thailand.

The genetic diversity within the circumsporozoite surface protein (PvCSP) of Plasmodium vivax, the predominant malaria species in Thailand, is primarily observed in the northwestern region along the Thailand-Myanmar border. However, as P. vivax cases shift to southern provinces, particularly Yala Province near the Thailand-Malaysia border, PvCSP diversity remains understudied. Between 2018 and 2020, 89 P. vivax isolates were collected in Yala Province, a significant malaria hotspot. Employing polymerase chain reaction amplification, restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and DNA sequencing, the gene encoding PvCSP (Pvcsp) was analyzed. All Yala P. vivax isolates belonged to the VK210 type, distinct from strains in the western region near the Myanmar border. The central repeat region of Pvcsp revealed two common peptide repeat motifs-GDRADGQPA and GDRAAGQPA-across all southern isolates. Sequence analysis identified two subtypes, with S1 more prevalent (92%) than S2 (8%). This study underscores the limited diversity of VK210 variants of P. vivax populations in southern Thailand. These baseline findings facilitate monitoring for potential new parasite variants, aiding in the future control and management of P. vivax in the region.

Blood pressure screening in Mata Sector, a rural area of Rwanda.

In rural sub-Saharan Africa, knowledge of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure (BP) is rather limited. This report provides information about a BP screening in Mata Sector, a rural region in Southern Province of Rwanda. Community-based, house-to-house screening was performed between February and July 2020 on more than 7000 inhabitants. The screening was conducted by a local team composed by 20 community health care workers, five community health care supervisors, and one nurse with hypertension surveillance training. BP and heart rate were recorded after 5 min of resting, using a validated automated oscillometric OMRON M6 IT-HEM-7322-E monitor with Intelli Wrap Cuff (HEM-FL31-E) technology. The mean of the second and third value was retained. BP was normal (<140/90 mm Hg) in 6340 (88%) and elevated in 863 (12%) participants with 95% of unawareness. Grade 1 (140-159/90-99 mm Hg) hypertensive BP readings were detected in 697 (81%), grade 2 (160-179/100-109 mm Hg) in 134 (16%), and grade 3 (≥180/≥110 mm Hg) in 32 (3.7%) individuals. The prevalence of hypertensive readings was significantly age-dependent. Additionally, a slightly greater proportion of participants with high BP (14% versus 11%) had a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. Also resting heart rate was higher in individuals with high BP (82 versus 77 beats/min). Although individuals identified with occasionally elevated BP values need further confirmatory measurements to establish the diagnosis of hypertension, these data suggest that high BP represents a noteworthy and preventable reason of concern within sub-Saharan Africa.