bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perception of Environmental Spillovers Across Scale in Climate Change Adaptation Planning: The Case of Small-Scale Farmers’ Irrigation Strategies, Kenya
Authors: Elijah Volenzo Tom , Odiyo John O.
Published: December 2019

The failure to acknowledge and account for environmental externalities or spillovers in climate change adaptation policy, advocacy, and programming spaces exacerbate the risk of ecological degradation, and more so, the degradation of land. The use of unsuitable water sources for irrigation may increase salinisation risks. However, few if any policy assessments and research efforts have been directed at investigating how farmer perceptions mediate spillovers from the ubiquitous irrigation adaptation strategy. In this study, the cognitive failure and/or bias construct is examined and proposed as an analytical lens in research, policy, and learning and the convergence of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation discourses. A cross-sectional survey design and multistage stratified sampling were used to collect data from 69 households. To elicit the environmental impacts of irrigation practices, topsoil and subsoils from irrigated and non-irrigated sites were sampled and analysed using AAS (atomic absorption spectrophotometer). A generalised linear logistic weight estimation procedure was used to analyse the perception of risks while an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse changes in exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). The findings from small-scale farmers in Machakos and Kakamega counties, Kenya, suggest multifaceted biases and failures about the existence and importance of externalities in adaptation planning discourses. Among other dimensions, a cognitive failure which encompasses fragmented approaches among institutions for use and management of resources, inadequate policy. and information support, as well as the poor integration of actors in adaptation planning accounts for adaptation failure. The failures in such human–environment system interactions have the potential to exacerbate the existing vulnerability of farmer production systems in the long run. The findings further suggest that in absence of risk message information dissemination, education level, farming experience, and information accumulation, as integral elements to human capital, do not seem to have a significant effect on behaviour concerning the mitigation of environmental spillovers. Implicitly, reversing the inherent adaptation failures calls for system approaches that enhance coordinated adaptation planning, prioritise the proactive mitigation of slow-onset disaster risks, and broadens decision support systems such as risk information dissemination integration, into the existing adaptation policy discourses and practice.
Probing Trace Elements in Human Tissues with Synchrotron Radiation
Authors: Gherase Mihai R. , Fleming David E. B.
Published: December 2019

For the past several decades, synchrotron radiation has been extensively used to measure the spatial distribution and chemical affinity of elements found in trace concentrations (<few µg/g) in animal and human tissues. Intense and highly focused (lateral size of several micrometers) X-ray beams combined with small steps of photon energy tuning (2–3 eV) of synchrotron radiation allowed X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques to nondestructively and simultaneously detect trace elements as well as identify their chemical affinity and speciation in situ, respectively. Although limited by measurement time and radiation damage to the tissue, these techniques are commonly used to obtain two-dimensional and three-dimensional maps of several elements at synchrotron facilities around the world. The spatial distribution and chemistry of the trace elements obtained is then correlated to the targeted anatomical structures and to the biological functions (normal or pathological). For example, synchrotron-based in vitro studies of various human tissues showed significant differences between the normal and pathological distributions of metallic trace elements such as iron, zinc, copper, and lead in relation to human diseases ranging from Parkinson’s disease and cancer to osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Current research effort is aimed at not only measuring the abnormal elemental distributions associated with various diseases, but also indicate or discover possible biological mechanisms that could explain such observations. While a number of studies confirmed and strengthened previous knowledge, others revealed or suggested new possible roles of trace elements or provided a more accurate spatial distribution in relation to the underlying histology. This area of research is at the intersection of several current fundamental and applied scientific inquiries such as metabolomics, medicine, biochemistry, toxicology, food science, health physics, and environmental and public health.
Setup of Quantitative PCR for Oral Neisseria spp. Evaluation in Celiac Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Esposito Maria Valeria , Nardelli Carmela , Granata Ilaria , Pagliuca Chiara , D’Argenio Valeria , Russo Ilaria , Guarracino Mario Rosario , Salvatore Paola , Del Vecchio Blanco Giovanna , Ciacci Carolina , Sacchetti Lucia
Published: December 2019

Coeliac disease (CD) is a multifactorial autoimmune disorder and gut dysbiosis contributes to its pathogenesis. We previously profiled by 16S rRNA sequencing duodenal and oropharyngeal microbiomes in active CD (a-CD), gluten-free diet (GFD) patients, and controls (CO) and found significantly higher levels of Neisseria spp., with pro-inflammatory activities, in a-CD patients than in the other two groups. In this study, we developed a fast and simple qPCR-based method to evaluate the abundance of the oral Neisseria spp. and the diagnostic performances of the test in CD diagnosis. The Neisseria spp. abundances detected by quantitative PCR (qPCR) were: CO = 0.14, GFD = 0.15, a-CD = 2.08, showing a similar trend to those previously measured by next generation sequencing (NGS). In particular, Neisseria spp. values obtained by both methods were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in a-CD than in the other two groups GFD and CO—the latter almost overlapping. We calculated by ROC curve analysis the threshold of 1.12 ng/μL of Neisseria spp. to discriminate between CO+GFD and a-CD patients with 100% and 96.7% of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, respectively. In conclusion, our data, if confirmed in other cohorts, suggest the q-PCR evaluation of oral Neisseria spp. could be a fast and simple method to assess CD-associated dysbiosis for diagnostic purposes.
Correlation of s-IgA and IL-6 Salivary with Caries Disease and Oral Hygiene Parameters in Children
Authors: Lo Giudice Giuseppe , Nicita Fabiana , Militi Angela , Bertino Rossella , Matarese Marco , Currò Monica , Damiano Carmelo Salpietro , Mannucci Carmen , Calapai Gioacchino
Published: December 2019

This study evaluates salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in saliva of children and its correlation to tooth decay severity. Fifty-nine patients were divided into two groups: caries free (A group) and caries active (B group). B group was investigated according to Mount and Monse indices. Mean salivary IgA rate between two groups (A 16.7 ± 4.5 mg/dL vs. B 21.8 ± 12.9 mg/dL) was not significant, while IL-6 rate (A 19.02 ± 5.3 pg/mL vs. B 30.2 ± 11.8 pg/mL) was statistically different. This study revealed that salivary IL-6 levels were significantly higher in children with active caries when compared with the caries-free group, while the s-IgA rate showed no significant differences between the two groups.
Application of Theory of Quantum Instruments to Psychology: Combination of Question Order Effect with Response Replicability Effect
Authors: Ozawa Masanao , Khrennikov Andrei
Published: December 2019

Recently, quantum formalism started to be actively used outside of quantum physics: in psychology, decision-making, economics, finances, and social science. Human psychological behavior is characterized by a few basic effects; one of them is the question order effect (QOE). This effect was successfully modeled (Busemeyer–Wang) by representing questions A and B by Hermitian observables and mental-state transformations (back action of answering) by orthogonal projectors. However, then it was demonstrated that such representation cannot be combined with another psychological effect, known as the response replicability effect (RRE). Later, this no-go result was generalized to representation of questions and state transformations by quantum instruments of the atomic type. In light of these results, the possibility of using quantum formalism in psychology was questioned. In this paper, we show that, nevertheless, the combination of the QOE and RRE can be modeled within quantum formalism, in the framework of theory of non-atomic quantum instruments.
Regime Type, Issue Type and Economic Sanctions: The Role of Domestic Players
Authors: Onder Mehmet
Published: December 2019

This analysis highlights the significant role that domestic actors play in determining the outcomes of economic sanctions. It models the behavior of the main opposition party during an economic sanction episode, and introduces two commonly used variables when considering the effectiveness of economic sanctions—regime type and issue type—from a different perspective. Using Bayesian probabilities and a two-stage game-theoretic approach, the analysis finds that states are more likely to impose economic sanctions related to security issues rather than to nonsecurity issues. The tendency to impose sanctions to coerce action on security-related issues is higher when opposition parties in the sanctioning state object to the sanctions. The findings demonstrate that sanctions are more effective when they are supported by the opposition in sender states, as well as target states. Consistent with the literature, this analysis finds that sanctions are more effective when they are targeted against democracies. The game results indicate that sanctions are more successful when they relate to security issues. This paper supplies policymakers with a simple criterion for economic sanctions successs comprised of the support of the opposition within the sender state, that the issue should be of high stakes, and there is support for the economic sanctions from a viable opposition within the target state.
Makerspaces in First-Year Engineering Education
Authors: Taheri Pooya , Robbins Philip , Maalej Sirine
Published: December 2019

Langara College, as one of the leading undergraduate institutions in the province of British Columbia (BC), offers the “Applied Science for Engineering” two-year diploma program as well as the “Engineering Transfer” two-semester certificate program. Three project-based courses are offered as part of the two-year diploma program in Applied Science (APSC) and Computer Science (CPSC) departments: “APSC 1010—Engineering and Technology in Society”, “CPSC 1090—Engineering Graphics”, and “CPSC 1490—Applications of Microcontrollers”, with CPSC 1090 and CPSC 1490 also part of the Engineering Transfer curriculum. Although the goals, scopes, objectives, and evaluation criteria of these courses are different, the main component of all three courses is a group-based technical project. Engineering students have access to Langara College’s Makerspace for the hands-on component of their project. Makerspaces expand experiential learning opportunities and allows students to gain a skillset outside the traditional classroom. This paper begins with a detailed review of the maker movement and the impact of makerspace in higher education. Different forms of makerspace and the benefits of incorporating them on first-year students’ creativity, sense of community, self-confidence, and entrepreneurial skills are discussed. This paper introduces Langara’s engineering program and its project-based design courses. Langara’s interdisciplinary makerspace, its goals and objectives, equipment, and some sample projects are introduced in this paper in detail. We then explain how the group-project component of APSC 1010, CPSC 1090, and CPSC 1490 are managed and how using makerspace improves students’ performance in such projects. In conclusion, the paper describes the evaluation of learning outcomes via an anonymous student survey.
Effects of Equivalent-Oxide-Thickness and Fin-Width Scaling on In0.53Ga0.47As Tri-Gate Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect-Transistors with Al2O3/HfO2 for Low-Power Logic Applications
Authors: Kim Tae-Woo
Published: December 2019

We created tri-gate sub-100 nm In0.53Ga0.47As metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) with a bi-layer Al2O3/HfO2 gate stack and investigated the scaling effects on equivalent-oxide-thickness (EOT) and fin-width (Wfin) at gate lengths of sub-100 nm. For Lg = 60 nm In0.53Ga0.47As tri-gate MOSFETs, EOT and Wfin scaling were effective for improving electrostatic immunities such as subthreshold swing and drain-induced-barrier-lowering. Reliability characterization for In0.53Ga0.47As Tri-Gate MOSFETs using constant-voltage-stress (CVS) at 300K demonstrates slightly worse VT degradation compared to planar InGaAs MOSFET with the same gate stack and EOT. This is due to the effects of both of the etched fin’s sidewall interfaces.
An Efficient and Provably Secure Certificateless Blind Signature Scheme for Flying Ad-Hoc Network Based on Multi-Access Edge Computing
Authors: Khan Muhammad Asghar , Qureshi Ijaz Mansoor , Ullah Insaf , Khan Suleman , Khanzada Fahimullah , Noor Fazal
Published: December 2019

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), when interconnected in a multi-hop ad-hoc fashion, or as a flying ad-hoc network (FANET), can efficiently accomplish mission-critical tasks. However, UAVs usually suffer from the issues of shorter lifespan and limited computational resources. Therefore, the existing security approaches, being fragile, are not capable of countering the attacks, whether known or unknown. Such a security lapse can result in a debilitated FANET system. In order to cope up with such attacks, various efficient signature schemes have been proposed. Unfortunately, none of the solutions work effectively because of incurred computational and communication costs. We aimed to resolve such issues by proposing a blind signature scheme in a certificateless setting. The scheme does not require public-key certificates, nor does it suffer from the key escrow problem. Moreover, the data that are aggregated from the platform that monitors the UAVs might be too huge to be processed by the same UAVs engaged in the monitoring task. Due to being latency-sensitive, it demands high computational capability. Luckily, the envisioned fifth generation (5G) mobile communication introduces multi-access edge computing (MEC) in its architecture. MEC, when incorporated in a UAV environment, in our proposed model, divides the workload between UAVs and the on-board microcomputer. Thus, our proposed model extends FANET to the 5G mobile network and enables a secure communication between UAVs and the base station (BS).
Energy Harvesting Maximizing for Millimeter-Wave Massive MIMO-NOMA
Authors: Li Shufeng , Wan Zelin , Jin Libiao , Du Jianhe
Published: December 2019

Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (MIMO-NOMA) is considered a promising multiple access technology in fifth generation (5G) networks, which can improve system capacity and spectral efficiency. In this paper, we proposed two methods of user grouping and proposed a dynamic power allocation solution for MIMO-NOMA system. Then we proposed an algorithm to maximize energy harvest for MIMO-NOMA system by integrating Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer (SWIPT), known as maximizing energy harvesting. Specifically, we added a power splitter at the receiver and found the optimal power splitting factor for each user. The harvested power of the user is maximized under the premise of satisfying the minimum communication rate. The simulation results show that the proposed method is effective.
Semi-Autonomous Coordinate Configuration Technology of Base Stations in Indoor Positioning System Based on UWB
Authors: Yang Xiaofei , Wang Jun , Ye Hui , Li Jianzhen
Published: December 2019

In the global positioning system (GPS) denied environment, an indoor positioning system based on ultra-wide band (UWB) technology has been utilized for target location and navigation. It can provide a more accurate positioning measurement than those based on received signal strength (RSS). Although promising, it suffers from some shortcomings that base stations should be preinstalled to obtain reference coordinate information, just as navigation satellites in the GPS system. In order to improve the positioning accuracy, a large number of base stations should be preinstalled and assigned coordinates in the large-scale network. However, the coordinate setup process of the base stations is cumbersome, time consuming, and laborious. For a class of linear network topology, a semi-autonomous coordinate configuration technology of base stations is designed, which refers to three conceptions of segmentation, virtual triangle, and bidirectional calculation. It consists of two stages in every segment: Forward and backward. In the forward stage, it utilizes the manual coordinate setup method to deal with the foremost two base stations, and then the remaining base stations autonomously calculate their coordinates by building the virtual triangle train. In the backward stage, the reverse operation is performed, but the foremost two base stations of the next segment should be used as the head. In the last segment, the last two base stations should be used as the head. Integrating forward and backward data, the base stations could improve their location accuracy. It is shown that our algorithm is feasible and practical in simulation results and can dramatically reduce the system configuration time. In addition, the error and maximum base station number for one segment caused by our algorithm are discussed theoretically.
Transmit Antenna Selection Schemes for NOMA with Randomly Moving Interferers in Interference-Limited Environment
Authors: Do Dinh-Thuan , Nguyen Thanh-Luan , Lee Byung Moo
Published: December 2019

In this paper, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is studied at downlink under impact of surrounding interference. This study benefits the practical NOMA system since spatially random interference is adopted. More specifically, we consider the antenna selection strategy applied at the base station and compare the performance of two users. By applying a stochastic geometry-based model, homogeneous Poisson point process (PPP) is employed to consider the spatial topology of interference which is located near to users, and such a model is extremely suitable for practical consideration. We first consider outage probability and then ergodic capacity is examined as main metrics to recommend such model in practice. According to the considered antenna section scheme of the base station, we compare these schemes related to selected antenna serving each user. To confirm exactness of derived expressions, we perform Monte Carlo simulations to verify the analytical results.
Positioning Using IRIDIUM Satellite Signals of Opportunity in Weak Signal Environment
Authors: Tan Zizhong , Qin Honglei , Cong Li , Zhao Chao
Published: December 2019

In order to get rid of the dependence of the navigation and positioning system on the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), radio, television, satellite, and other signals of opportunity (SOPs) can be used to achieve receiver positioning. The space-based SOPs based on satellites offer better coverage and availability than ground-based SOPs. Based on the related research of Iridium SOPs positioning in the open environment, this paper mainly focuses on the occluded environment and studies the Iridium SOPs positioning technique in weak signal environment. A new quadratic square accumulating instantaneous Doppler estimation algorithm (QSA-IDE) is proposed after analysing the orbit and signal characteristics of the Iridium satellite. The new method can improve the ability of the Iridium weak signal Doppler estimation. The theoretical analysis and positioning results based on real signal data show that the positioning based on Iridium SOPs can be realized in a weak signal environment. The research broadens the applicable environment of the Iridium SOPs positioning, thereby improving the availability and continuity of its positioning.
CRM PFC Converter with New Valley Detection Method for Improving Power System Quality
Authors: Cho Kwang-Seung , Lee Byoung-Kuk , Kim Jong-Soo
Published: December 2019

High efficiency and the power factor of power converters, are very important factors which can improve power system quality. In particular, research on improving low efficiency and the power factor at light-load conditions is essential. A boost power factor correction (PFC) is most commonly used in home appliances, with several operations being at light-loads; the critical conduction mode (CRM) control, fixed ON-time control, and valley detection technique are mainly applied to PFC control. However, these control schemes have the following problems: (1) low efficiency, due to sudden increase in switching frequency at light-loads; and (2) low power factor, due to switching ON-time limitation. This paper presents a new valley detection method that can actively extend the fixed ON-time to overcome these problems. Furthermore, a new valley point detection circuit and an ON-time extension signal generation circuit are proposed and described in detail. The superiority of the proposed method is demonstrated via comparison with two existing CRM PFC control methods, namely fixed ON-time (conventional#1) and existing valley detection (conventional#2) methods. Experimental results at 20% load demonstrate that the proposed method shows an efficiency improvement of 2.1%, compared with the fixed ON-time strategy; and a power factor improvement of 34.9%, compared with the existing valley detection strategy.
A Cost-Efficient Software Based Router and Traffic Generator for Simulation and Testing of IP Network
Authors: Jun Su , Przystupa Krzysztof , Beshley Mykola , Kochan Orest , Beshley Halyna , Klymash Mykhailo , Wang Jinfei , Pieniak Daniel
Published: December 2019

The development was carried out using the Qt5.2 integrated development environment, which uses the programming language C++. The main advantage of this environment is that the code written in it can be compiled to different platforms (for example, Windows, Linux, Mac OS). A software router based on a modular architecture has been developed. It uses the socket technology, which allows forming a program-oriented packet network with any topology, including full-coupled topology. A network traffic generator to test the developed software router has been designed. We proposed a scheme to measure the packet processing time of a router using a specialized packet-capture network interface cards (NIC 1 and NIC 2) and a novel traffic generator installed on PC. Based on an experimental test bed we confirmed that our software router provides a cost-efficient alternative to the expensive, special hardware router CISCO 2801.
Bacterial Community Changes Associated with Land Use Type in the Forest Montane Region of Northeast China
Authors: Wu Shi-Jun , Deng Jiao-Jiao , Yin You , Qin Sheng-Jin , Zhu Wen-Xu , Zhou Yong-Bin , Wang Bing , Ruan Honghua , Jin Long
Published: December 2019

Soil microorganisms play a vital role in the biogeochemical cycle, whereas land use change is one of the primary factors that affects the biodiversity and functionality of terrestrial ecosystems. The composition and diversity of bacterial communities (by high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene) were evaluated in the soils of the Montane Region of Northeast China, across different land use types, e.g., natural secondary forest (Quercus mongolica, QM), shrubland (SL), coniferous plantation (Larix gmelinii, LG, and Pinus koraiensis, PK), and agricultural land (Zea mays, ZM). Significant differences in the chemical characteristics and bacterial communities in soils under different land uses were observed in this study. Soil resident TC (total carbon) and TN (total nitrogen) were much higher in secondary natural forest soils, than in coniferous plantation and agricultural soils. Compared with forest and shrubland soils, soil bacterial OTUs, the Chao1 index, and the ACE index were the lowest in the ZM. There were high proportions of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Saccharibacteria, and Nitrospirae in agricultural and forest soils, which accounted for over 90% of the reads in each sample. We found that the dominant group in the forest and shrubland soils was Proteobacteria, while the most dominant group in the ZM was Actinobacteria. The results of both heatmap and principal component analyses displayed groups according to land use types, which indicated that the bacterial communities in the areas under study were significantly influenced by long term differently managed land use. Furthermore, redundancy and Pearson correlation analyses revealed that the bacterial communities were primarily regulated by soil characteristics. This suggested that altered land use patterns initiated changes in the chemical properties of the soils, which affected the composition of microbial communities in this area. This provides a scientific basis for the evolutionary mechanism of soil quality, as well as the rational development and utilization of land resources.
Identification of Exogenous Nitric Oxide-Responsive miRNAs from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under Drought Stress by High-Throughput Sequencing
Authors: Zhao Yaodong , Ma Wenjing , Wei Xiaohong , Long Yu , Zhao Ying , Su Meifei , Luo Qiaojuan
Published: December 2019

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a high quality leguminous forage. Drought stress is one of the main factors that restrict the development of the alfalfa industry. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of alfalfa plants treated with CK (normal water), PEG (polyethylene glycol-6000; drought stress), and PEG + SNP (sodium nitroprusside; nitric oxide (NO) sprayed externally under drought stress). We identified 90 known miRNAs belonging to 46 families and predicted 177 new miRNAs. Real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to validate high-throughput expression analysis data. A total of 32 (14 known miRNAs and 18 new miRNAs) and 55 (24 known miRNAs and 31 new miRNAs) differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in PEG and PEG + SNP samples. This suggested that exogenous NO can induce more new miRNAs. The differentially expressed miRNA maturation sequences in the two treatment groups were targeted by 86 and 157 potential target genes, separately. The function of target genes was annotated by gene ontology (GO) enrichment and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis. The expression profiles of nine selected miRNAs and their target genes verified that their expression patterns were opposite. This study has documented that analysis of miRNA under PEG and PEG + SNP conditions provides important insights into the improvement of drought resistance of alfalfa by exogenous NO at the molecular level. This has important scientific value and practical significance for the improvement of plant drought resistance by exogenous NO.
Genetic Analysis of QTL for Resistance to Maize Lethal Necrosis in Multiple Mapping Populations
Authors: Awata Luka A. O. , Beyene Yoseph , Gowda Manje , L. M. Suresh , Jumbo McDonald B. , Tongoona Pangirayi , Danquah Eric , Ifie Beatrice E. , Marchelo-Dragga Philip W. , Olsen Michael , Ogugo Veronica , Mugo Stephen , Prasanna Boddupalli M.
Published: December 2019

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) occurs when maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) co-infect maize plant. Yield loss of up to 100% can be experienced under severe infections. Identification and validation of genomic regions and their flanking markers can facilitate marker assisted breeding for resistance to MLN. To understand the status of previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL)in diverse genetic background, F3 progenies derived from seven bi-parental populations were genotyped using 500 selected kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) SNPs. The F3 progenies were evaluated under artificial MLN inoculation for three seasons. Phenotypic analyses revealed significant variability (P ≤ 0.01) among genotypes for responses to MLN infections, with high heritability estimates (0.62 to 0.82) for MLN disease severity and AUDPC values. Linkage mapping and joint linkage association mapping revealed at least seven major QTL (qMLN3_130 and qMLN3_142, qMLN5_190 and qMLN5_202, qMLN6_85 and qMLN6_157 qMLN8_10 and qMLN9_142) spread across the 7-biparetal populations, for resistance to MLN infections and were consistent with those reported previously. The seven QTL appeared to be stable across genetic backgrounds and across environments. Therefore, these QTL could be useful for marker assisted breeding for resistance to MLN.
Using Petrogeochemical Modeling to Understand the Relationship between Paleozoic Magmatism in the Kola Region and Its Precambrian History
Authors: Kozlov Nikolay E. , Sorokhtin Nikolay O. , Martynov Eugeny V.
Published: December 2019

The Kola region hosts numerous Paleozoic massifs of ultrabasic alkaline rocks and carbonatites with deposits of commercially valuable metals, such as iron, tantalum, niobium, and rare earth elements. These magmatic complexes are characterized by high contents of alkaline elements at generally low contents of SiO2 and/or Al2O3. In this study, we examined the precursors to the formation of the unique Paleozoic alkaline province through studying the early Precambrian stages in the evolution of the Kola collision area, from where these unique features probably originated. We mathematically modeled the changes in the chemical composition of these rocks. The obtained data can be used for metallogenic forecasting, which indicated a number of Precambrian objects in the region, namely, the Lapland Granulite Belt of the Kola region and granulite belts in Eurasia. The mathematical modeling performed during this research depicted a linear trend that defined the style of the changes in the chemical composition at the transition from the metaultrabasic-basic rocks of the Lapland granulite belt to the group of belts in Eurasia. These differences are statistically significant with respect to the obtained trend (chemical composition projected on the trend), mainly manifested as increased SiO2 and Al2O3 contents with a decreasing total alkalis content, which is opposite to the indicated trends of the changing chemical composition in the Paleozoic alkaline rock units of the Kola region. We concluded that one of the reasons for the unique composition of the Paleozoic magmatism products could be a specific feature of the earlier Neoarchean stages of the tectonic-magmatic activity in the northeastern Baltic Shield, which implies a close relationship between later geological events and the early Precambrian history, at least in the study area.
Uncertainty Assessment of Ice Discharge Using GPR-Derived Ice Thickness from Gourdon Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Lippl Stefan , Blindow Norbert , Fürst Johannes J. , Marinsek Sebastián , Seehaus Thorsten C. , Braun Matthias H.
Published: December 2019

Ice cliffs within a glacier represent a challenge for the continuity equations used in many glacier models by interrupting the validity of input parameters. In the case of Gourdon Glacier on James Ross Island, Antarctica, a ∼300–500 m high, almost vertical cliff, separates the outlet glacier from its main accumulation area on the plateau of the island. In 2017 and 2018 we conducted ice thickness measurements during two airborne ground penetrating radar campaigns in order to evaluate differences to older measurements from the 1990s. The observed differences are mostly smaller than the estimated error bars. In comparison to the in situ data, the published “consensus ice thickness estimate” strongly overestimates the ice thickness at the outlet. We analyse three different interpolation and ice thickness reconstruction methods. One approach additionally includes the mass input from the plateau. Differences between the interpolation methods have a minor impact on the ice discharge estimation if the used flux gates are in areas with a good coverage of in situ measurements. A much stronger influence was observed by uncertainties in the glacier velocities derived from remote sensing, especially in the direction of the velocity vector in proximity to the ice cliff. We conclude that the amount of in situ measurements should be increased for specific glacier types in order to detect biases in modeled ice thickness and ice discharge estimations.
Multi-Scale Hydrologic Sensitivity to Climatic and Anthropogenic Changes in Northern Morocco
Authors: Milewski Adam , Seyoum Wondwosen M. , Elkadiri Racha , Durham Michael
Published: December 2019

Natural and human-induced impacts on water resources across the globe continue to negatively impact water resources. Characterizing the hydrologic sensitivity to climatic and anthropogenic changes is problematic given the lack of monitoring networks and global-scale model uncertainties. This study presents an integrated methodology combining satellite remote sensing (e.g., GRACE, TRMM), hydrologic modeling (e.g., SWAT), and climate projections (IPCC AR5), to evaluate the impact of climatic and man-made changes on groundwater and surface water resources. The approach was carried out on two scales: regional (Morocco) and watershed (Souss Basin, Morocco) to capture the recent climatic changes in precipitation and total water storage, examine current and projected impacts on total water resources (surface and groundwater), and investigate the link between climate change and groundwater resources. Simulated (1979–2014) potential renewable groundwater resources obtained from SWAT are ~4.3 × 108 m3/yr. GRACE data (2002–2016) indicates a decline in total water storage anomaly of ~0.019m/yr., while precipitation remains relatively constant through the same time period (2002–2016), suggesting human interactions as the major underlying cause of depleting groundwater reserves. Results highlight the need for further conservation of diminishing groundwater resources and a more complete understanding of the links and impacts of climate change on groundwater resources.
Validation of Health Education Material for Youth: A Step to Ensure Implementation Fidelity in Community-Based Interventions
Authors: Sharma Shantanu , Akhtar Faiyaz , Singh Rajesh Kumar , Mehra Sunil
Published: December 2019

Health education materials such as flipbooks enhance learning and deliver key messages in a captivating mode. Validation of such materials is crucial to ensuring implementation fidelity. We conducted a study to achieve two objectives: (a) to develop two flipbooks, one each for adolescents and young married women (YMW); (b) to validate the flipbooks using five parameters, namely, content validity, construct validity, concurrent validity, relevance, and face validity. The study was a part of a community-based peer-led intervention on health, nutrition, and hygiene. The content validity and relevance were assessed by interviewing outreach workers (ORWs, n = 42) using self-administered five-point Likert scale-based tools. A pre- and post-intervention assessment of knowledge among adolescents (n = 100) and YMW (n = 50) across six out of 13 intervention sites was done to evaluate the construct validity. The two flipbooks contained 12 structured sessions with five key messages per session, in addition to illustrations, discussion points, and theme-based stories at the end of each session. The content and relevancy indices were ranked above 80% by ORW. There was a statistically significant increase in the knowledge scores of adolescents (p < 0.001) and YMW (p < 0.001) post intervention. The validation process helps in assessing the relevance and appropriateness of the education content for greater acceptance and responsiveness by the users.
Age and Sex Differences in the Use of Emergency Telephone Consultation Services in Saitama, Japan: A Population-Based Observational Study
Authors: Nakamura Akihisa , Manabe Toshie , Teraura Hiroyuki , Kotani Kazuhiko
Published: December 2019

The frequency of use of emergency telephone consultation (ETC) services, which is a telephone triage system in Japan, was explored to determine age- and sex-related trends on symptoms/events among Japanese adults. Data were obtained from records of the initial year of ETC services in Saitama Prefecture (from October 2014 to September 2015). Residents who used the ETC services were divided into four age groups (20–39, 40–64, 65–74, and ≥75 years old). The number of calls per 1000 persons (call rate, CR) was compared between the groups. The annual CR for the top 10 symptoms/events were assessed. The annual CR was 2.6/1000 persons. The annual CR was significantly higher for women (2.9) than for men (2.3) (p < 0.05). ETC use was the highest in the 20–39 age group for both sexes (3.3 and 4.4 in men and women, respectively). All groups had fever, abdominal pain, and nausea/vomiting in common. In older adults, the frequency of events such as bruises and head injury was high. Women and younger adults tended to use ETC services. There were similarities and differences in symptoms/events among the groups, which should be recognized by call centers to help foster call center staff.
How Health Communication via Tik Tok Makes a Difference: A Content Analysis of Tik Tok Accounts Run by Chinese Provincial Health Committees
Authors: Zhu Chengyan , Xu Xiaolin , Zhang Wei , Chen Jianmin , Evans Richard
Published: December 2019

During the last two decades, social media has immersed itself into all facets of our personal and professional lives. The healthcare sector is no exception, with public health departments now capitalizing on the benefits that social media offers when delivering healthcare education and communication with citizens. Provincial Health Committees (PHCs) in China have begun to adopt the micro-video sharing platform, Tik Tok, to engage with local residents and communicate health-related information. This study investigates the status quo of official Tik Tok accounts managed by PHCs in mainland China. In total, 31 PHC accounts were analyzed during August 2019, while the top 100 most liked micro-videos were examined using content analysis. Coding included three major aspects: Quantified Impact, Video Content, and Video Form. 45.2% (n = 14) of PHCs had official Tik Tok accounts. A limited number of accounts (n = 2) were yet to upload a micro-video, while most (n = 9) had uploaded their first micro-video during 2019. For the top 100 most liked micro-videos, a sharp difference was observed in terms of number of Likes, Comments and Reposts. Videos containing cartoons or documentary-style content were most frequently watched by citizens. Similarly, content that promoted professional health or provided knowledge of diseases was frequently viewed. Content containing original music, formal mandarin language, subtitles, and which lasted less than 60 s, were most frequently followed. It is considered a missed opportunity that most PHCs struggle to take advantage of the Tik Tok platform, especially given its growing popularity and daily increase in account creation.
“There’s Not Really Much Consideration Given to the Effect of the Climate on NCDs”—Exploration of Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Professionals on a Climate Change-NCD Connection in Barbados
Authors: Springer Roxanne A. , Elliott Susan J.
Published: December 2019

Despite widespread awareness of the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the growing threat of climate change, little research has explored future health outcomes that will occur at the intersection of these challenges. Ten Barbadian health professionals were interviewed to assess their knowledge of health risks of climate change as it relates to NCDs in Barbados as a case study of a small island state at risk. There is widespread concern among health professionals about the current and future prevalence of non-communicable diseases among Barbadians. There is less concern about the future burden of NCDs in the context of a changing climate, largely because of a lack of knowledge among the majority of the health experts interviewed. Those knowledgeable about potential connections noted the difficulty that climate change would pose to the prevention and management of NCDs, given the impacts of climate stressors to food security, the built environment, and physiological and psychosocial health impacts. Lack of awareness among health professionals of the risk climate change poses to NCD prevalence and impact is reflective of the country’s health priorities that fail to recognize the risk of climate change. We recommend efforts to disseminate information about climate change to stakeholders in the health sector to increase awareness.
Dispersion Characteristics of Hazardous Gas and Exposure Risk Assessment in a Multiroom Building Environment
Authors: Liu Xiaoping , Peng Zhen , Liu Xianghua , Zhou Rui
Published: December 2019

The leakage of hazardous chemicals during storage and transport processes is a kind of commonly occurring accident that can pose a serious threat to people’s lives and property. This paper aims to investigate the airflow and dispersion characteristics of hazardous gas around a multiroom building, and evaluate the corresponding exposure risks. The effects on indoor air quality (IAQ) when polluted air enters a room under different indoor and external conditions were examined by using a computational fluid dynamics technique. First, the numerical model established herein was verified by the available wind-tunnel experimental data, and acceptable agreement was found between the predicted and measured velocities. Subsequently, the effects of different natural ventilation paths, wall porosities and outdoor pollutant source characteristics on the airflow and contaminant distribution were evaluated. The study not only reveals the airflow pattern and concentration distribution in indoor spaces under different natural ventilation conditions but also quantitatively analyzes the relationship between the probability of death and the corresponding source strength under the circumstance of pollutant leakage near a building. The results can be useful for the prevention and control of hazardous chemical gas leakages and provide some guidance on evacuation after an accidental or routine leakage.
Case-Crossover Method with a Short Time-Window
Authors: Szyszkowicz Mieczysław
Published: December 2019

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown associations between short-term ambient air pollution exposure and various health problems. The time-stratified case-crossover design is a popular technique for estimating these associations. In the standard approach, the case-crossover model is realized by using a conditional logistic regression on data that are interpreted as a set of cases (i.e., individual health events) and controls. In statistical calculations, for each case record, three or four corresponding control records are considered. Here, the case-crossover model is realized as a conditional Poisson regression on counts with stratum indicators. Such an approach enables the reduction of the number of data records that are used in the numerical calculations. In this presentation, the method used analyzes daily counts on the shortest possible time-window, which is composed of two consecutive days. The proposed technique is positively tested on four challenging simulated datasets, for which classical time-series methods fail. The methodology presented here also suggests that the length of exposure (i.e., size of the time-window) may be associated with the severity of health conditions.
A Study of Frailty, Mortality, and Health Depreciation Factors in Older Adults
Authors: Lin Jwu-Rong , Kao Erin Hui-Chuan , Weng Shuo-Chun , Rouyer Ellen
Published: December 2019

This study used 23 factors (eight interval variables and 15 dummy variables) as proxies for health depreciation. We used 1248 older adults from the Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology of Taichung Veterans General Hospital (Taiwan) to examine the association among frailty, health depreciation, and mortality in older adults. This study found that a significant positive correlation existed between frailty and mortality in older adults. Further, we applied a recursive bivariate probit model to examine the association between health depreciation factors, frailty, and mortality. Our results showed that health depreciation factors, such as Charlson’s comorbidity index, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, significantly increased older adults’ frailty; in contrast, albumin and mini nutritional assessment significantly decreased older adults’ frailty. Through the frailty regression, we confirmed not only that health depreciation factors significantly influenced mortality, but also that creatinine, myocardial infarction, and malignant tumors could directly and significantly increase older adults’ mortality.
Simple Prediction of Metabolic Equivalents of Daily Activities Using Heart Rate Monitor without Calibration of Individuals
Authors: Caballero Yuko , Ando Takafumi J. , Nakae Satoshi , Usui Chiyoko , Aoyama Tomoko , Nakanishi Motofumi , Nagayoshi Sho , Fujiwara Yoko , Tanaka Shigeho
Published: December 2019

Background: Heart rate (HR) during physical activity is strongly affected by the level of physical fitness. Therefore, to assess the effects of fitness, we developed predictive equations to estimate the metabolic equivalent (MET) of daily activities, which includes low intensity activities, by % HR reserve (%HRR), resting HR, and multiple physical characteristics. Methods: Forty volunteers between the ages of 21 and 55 performed 20 types of daily activities while recording HR and sampling expired gas to evaluate METs values. Multiple regression analysis was performed to develop prediction models of METs with seven potential predictors, such as %HRR, resting HR, and sex. The contributing parameters were selected based on the brute force method. Additionally, leave-one-out method was performed to validate the prediction models. Results: %HRR, resting HR, sex, and height were selected as the independent variables. %HRR showed the highest contribution in the model, while the other variables exhibited small variances. METs were estimated within a 17.3% difference for each activity, with large differences in document arrangement while sitting (+17%), ascending stairs (−8%), and descending stairs (+8%). Conclusions: The results showed that %HRR is a strong predictor for estimating the METs of daily activities. Resting HR and other variables were mild contributors. (201 words)