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Exploring the science and data foundation for Federal public lands decisions
Public lands provide diverse resources, values, and services worldwide. Laws and policies typically require consideration of science in public lands decisions, and resource managers are committed to science-informed decision-making. However, it can be challenging for managers to use, and document the use of, science and data in their decisions. To better understand science and data use in Federal public lands decisions in the United States, we assessed the number, type, and age of documents cited in 70 Environmental Assessments (EAs) completed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado from 2015–2019. We focused on the BLM, as they manage the largest area of public lands in the United States. We selected Colorado as our study area, as actions proposed on BLM lands in Colorado are representative of those across the nation. Fifty percent of citations were categorized as science and 23% as data. EAs contained an average of 17 citations (range 0–111), with documents analyzing effects of oil and gas development and recreation actions including the highest and lowest mean number of citations (41 and 6, respectively). Of individual resource analysis sections within EAs, 24% contained ≥1 science citation and 21% contained ≥1 data citation. Journal articles were the most cited type of document (26% of citations) followed by non-BLM inventories (13%). Forty-seven percent of citations were relatively recent (2010 or later); the oldest citation was from 1927. Commonly analyzed resources with the highest mean number of citations were socioeconomics, mineral resources, and noise. Fourteen of 33 commonly analyzed resources included <1 citation on average. Actions and resources with no or few citations represent opportunities for strengthening the transparent use of science and data in public lands decision-making.
Anti-colorectal cancer activity of constructed oleogels based on encapsulated bioactive canola extract in lecithin for edible semisolid applications
Abstract Globally, colorectal cancer ranks second in women and third in men. Hydrophilic anticancer agents have limited use in lipid systems due to their weak solubility. Therefore, this study aimed to develop oleogels based on pumpkin seed oil (R1) and hydrophilic bioactive canola extract (BCE or R2) that were extracted from canola meal by-products. BCE was effectively dispersed in oleogels through the encapsulation of BCE with various concentrations (0.08, 0.2, and 0.4%) in soy lecithin to form BCE gelling agents. Four formulations (F1 as plain, F2-F4 with different concentrations of BCE) were produced using two gelators (BCE gelling agent and beeswax). The oxidative stability, microstructure, FTIR, antioxidant activity, and time-dependent experiment were investigated. The cytotoxicity against colorectal HCT116 and Caco-2 cancer cell lines in vitro was evaluated. The anti-apoptotic PI3k and COX-2 protein expressions were also assessed. The peroxide, p-anisidine, and total oxidation values of F4 were 7.85, 26.66, and 42.35, respectively, during 60 days at 60 ± 2 °C. The antioxidant activity values of F4 were 74.40% for DPPH, 54.28% for ABTS, and 5.77 mg/g for FRAP. F4 demonstrated the highest significant cytotoxic effects on cancerous cells, particularly in the Caco-2 cells with 1.40- and 1.41-fold increases compared to R2 and the positive control doxorubicin, respectively. PI3k and COX-2 expression levels were down-regulated while iNOS activity was up-regulated in both cells, with very high down-regulation recorded for F4 in Caco-2 cells. This study developed a method for producing stable lipid products loaded with hydrophilic antioxidants that may be used as an anti-colorectal platform.
Family correlates of behavioral problems among adolescents in Rwanda
Background Globally, 20% of adolescents exhibit behavioral problems. Behavioral problems are associated with individual and environmental factors. However, little is known about the contribution of the nuclear family to the development of behavioral problems in adolescents from sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to explore family-based correlates influencing behavioral problems among adolescents in Rwanda. Methods With an institutional-based cross-sectional study design, a convenience sample of 158 participants {107 males and 51 females; Mean age (M) = 16.96, Standard Deviation (SD) = 1.86; age ranging from 13 to 23 years} was selected in secondary schools in the Nyarugenge district. Participants filled out Behavioral Problems Scale (BPS), Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS), University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA Loneliness Scale), Multidimensionality of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS), Multidimensional Neglectful Behavior Scale (MNBS), and Paediatric Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (PQ-LES-Q) to record pertinent scores. Socio-demographic information was also collected. SPSS version 24 was used for statistical analysis. Results Females exhibited more behavioral problems than males. Child and adolescent trauma (β = 0.705, t = 8.21, p < .001) and neglect (β = 0.147 t = 2.15, p < .05) were two significant family correlates in our sample. Poor quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction, loneliness, and poor parental perceived social support were not identified as family-based factors that influence behavioral problems in our sample. Conclusions Results highlighted the importance of implementing family and community-based interventions to sustain family well-being, change parenting behaviors, and help children and adolescents adopt positive behaviors.
BO-CLAHE enhancing neonatal chest X-ray image quality for improved lesion classification
Abstract In the case of neonates, especially low birth weight preterm and high-risk infants, portable X-rays are frequently used. However, the image quality of portable X-rays is significantly lower compared to standard adult or pediatric X-rays, leading to considerable challenges in identifying abnormalities. Although attempts have been made to introduce deep learning to address these image quality issues, the poor quality of the images themselves hinders the training of deep learning models, further emphasizing the need for image enhancement. Additionally, since neonates have a high cell division rate and are highly sensitive to radiation, increasing radiation exposure to improve image quality is not a viable solution. Therefore, it is crucial to enhance image quality through preprocessing before training deep learning models. While various image enhancement methods have been proposed, Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) has been recognized as an effective technique for contrast-based image improvement. However, despite extensive research, the process of setting CLAHE’s hyperparameters still relies on a brute force, manual approach, making it inefficient. To address this issue, we propose a method called Bayesian Optimization CLAHE(BO-CLAHE), which leverages Bayesian optimization to automatically select the optimal hyperparameters for X-ray images used in diagnosing lung diseases in preterm and high-risk neonates. The images enhanced by BO-CLAHE demonstrated superior performance across several classification models, with particularly notable improvements in diagnosing Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN). This approach not only reduces radiation exposure but also contributes to the development of AI-based diagnostic tools, playing a crucial role in the early diagnosis and treatment of preterm and high-risk neonates.
Digital assessment of walking ability: Validity and reliability of the automated figure-of-eight walk test in older adults
Background The Figure-of-Eight Walk Test (F8WT) can assess straight- and curved-path walking ability, but the validity and reliability of automated measurement of the F8WT using digital device has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to verify the validity (method comparison) and test-retest reliability of the automated FW8T (aFW8T) using a digital device based on image analysis by comparing the results of the aF8WT with those of the manual F8WT (mF8WT). Methods Community-dwelling older adults underwent the mF8WT performed by a physiotherapist and the aF8WT using the Digital Senior Fitness Test system. To verify the test-retest reliability, the aF8WT was administered again to a randomly selected group of participants one week after the baseline test. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used to verify the degree of agreement between the results of and correlation between the mF8WT and aF8WT, respectively. The 95% confidence interval (CI) of the limits of agreement (LoA) was obtained using Bland–Altman analysis. Results The analysis included 83 participants (mean age 71.6 ± 4.7 years). The participants’ mF8WT and aF8WT results were 29.1 ± 4.9 and 29.8 ± 4.9 seconds, respectively. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a very strong correlation between the mF8WT and aF8WT results with r = 0.91 (p < 0.001), and the ICC between the mF8WT and aF8WT results was 0.95 (0.91–0.97), showing excellent agreement. The 95% CI of the LoA was ˗0.7 (˗4.8 to 3.3) seconds in the Bland–Altman analysis. In an analysis of the test-retest reliability of the aF8WT, participants’ aF8WT results were 30.9 ± 4.7 seconds (baseline) and 29.6 ± 4.9 seconds (retest), with an ICC of 0.94 (0.81–0.98, p < 0.001), indicating excellent reliability. Conclusion Automated measurement of the F8WT using a digital device showed excellent validity and reliability. The aF8WT can be used to assess and monitor the walking ability of community-dwelling older adults.
Potassium KCa3.1 channel overexpression deteriorates functionality and availability of channels at the outer cellular membrane
Quantitative research on aesthetic value of the world heritage karst based on UGC data: A case study of Huangguoshu Scenic Area
The World Natural Heritage is a rare and irreplaceable natural landscape recognized by all mankind, with outstanding significance and universal value. Among them, the World Heritage Karst sites(WHKs) holds an important position due to its special natural beauty and aesthetic value. In the field of landscape evaluation, interdisciplinary and interdisciplinary cooperation using different methods has always been a research focus. However, there is still a gap in the evaluation of natural landscape aesthetic value based on UGC(User Generated Content) data and deep learning models. This article is based on a public perspective, using social media UGC data, crawling images and texts as data sources, and combining SegFormer deep learning models, ArcGIS spatial analysis, natural Language Processing Technology (NLP) and other methods to conduct quantitative research on aesthetic value. Research has found that: (1) Huangguoshu Scenic Area has an excellent natural environment, and landscape elements with high naturalness (vegetation, water) are more attractive to tourists, with diverse landscape combinations; (2) There is no complete positive correlation between tourist sentiment bias, landscape diversity, and vegetation coverage. Emphasis is placed on the aesthetic perception path from bottom to top, from the surface to the inside. The comprehensive emotional value is 14.35, and the emotional values are all positively distributed. The distribution density and extreme value of positive emotions are greater than those of negative emotions; (3) The emotional bias of tourists is directly related to visual sensitivity, showing a synchronous trend of change. The visual sensitivity of the Great Waterfall and Dishuitan areas is relatively high, mostly at I-II level sensitivity. This method enhances the data source channel, which is conducive to obtaining the correct tourist evaluation orientation. In traditional subjective landscape evaluation, rational parameter indicators are added to reduce the probability of error, provide data support for its natural beauty description, break through the time and space limitations of aesthetic evaluation, and provide scientific reference for quantifying the aesthetic value of other heritage sites.
Associations between depression and nature-based recreation: A cross-sectional study of adults in the United States, Spain, and Brazil
Abstract Cumulating evidence suggests that nature-based interventions may alleviate depression, but the association between engagement in nature-based activities and specific depressive symptoms remains unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate how Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) symptom criteria relate to engagement in nature-based recreation (any nature-based activities, forest-based activities, gardening, nature-based adventure activities) among American (n = 606), Spanish (n = 438), and Brazilian (n = 448) adults (≥ 18 years old). People who reported engaging in any nature-based activities at least once per month reported experiencing all nine symptom criteria for MDD (e.g., anhedonia, feeling depressed or hopeless, sleep problems, trouble concentrating, and suicidal ideation) at lower rates than those who did not participate in nature-based recreation as frequently. Results were relatively consistent across countries and types of nature-based activities, suggesting that many forms of nature-based recreation are negatively correlated with the nine symptom criteria for MDD. The associations tended to be weaker overall among Spanish respondents. Nature-based recreation appeared to have a stronger inverse relationship with suicidal ideation than with other depressive symptoms. The cross-sectional design of this study limits the causal interpretation of the observed associations. If future experimental studies confirm our findings, practitioners across different countries can consider recommending participation in nature-based recreation to alleviate their clients’ MDD symptoms.
The role of iron deficiency and factors associated with anemia during pregnancy in Southeastern Tigray, Ethiopia, 2020
Background Pregnant women are more likely to experience anemia due to their increased need for nutrients, and anemia has been associated with unfavorable maternal-fetal outcomes. In Ethiopia, anemia rates are increasing despite efforts to reduce them. Besides, the extent to which iron deficiency contributes to anemia in this population is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the role of iron deficiency and factors associated with anemia during pregnancy in the southeastern zone of Tigray, Ethiopia. Method A facility-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 pregnant women who attended four health facilities in the southeastern zone of Tigray region from January to June 2020. The study utilized a semi-structured, pretested questionnaire to collect data. The data were entered into Epi data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Candidate variables with a p-value ≤ 0.25 in the bivariate logistic regression were considered to the final model of multivariate logistic regression analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of ≤ 0.05 were used to declare statistical significance for the factors associated with anemia. Results A total of 311 mothers had completed the survey with a response rate of 98.1%. The overall magnitude of anemia was 55(17.7%). Out of the anemic pregnant women, 30(54.5%) were due to iron deficiency. Third-trimester pregnancy (AOR = 4.9; 95% CI:1.49, 15.98), interpregnancy gap of ≤ 2 years (AOR = 7.7; 95% CI: 2.71, 21.64), coffee/tea intake immediately after meal (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.02, 8.92), low diet diversity score (AOR = 4.2; 95% CI: 1.02,17.57), not taking iron-folic acid supplementation (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.05, 6.70), and Mid upper arm circumference value of < 23cm (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.16, 6.47) were independent factors associated with anemia. Conclusion Based on the findings, anemia is a mild public health concern in the study areas. Additionally, over 50% of the anemia cases were attributed to iron deficiency anemia. Nutritional counseling on food diversification, especially the consumption of iron-rich foods, and delaying the drinking of coffee/tea after a meal, as well as iron-folic acid supplementation, are needed to reduce anemia in the study area.
PAM-adjacent DNA flexibility tunes CRISPR-Cas12a off-target binding
Quantifying the impacts of volume-based procurement policy on spatial accessibility of antidepressants via generic substitution: A four-city cohort study using drug sales data
Objective To assess the spatial accessibility and inequality of antidepressants and its correlation with VBP (Volume-based procurement) policy using procurement data from four representative Chinese cities between 2018 and 2020. Methods The least-cost-path algorithm was employed to calculate travel time from each population point to the nearest medical institution. Gini coefficient and Theil index were utilized to measure accessibility and inequality. OLS (Ordinary Least Squares) and mediation analysis were used to investigate potential statistical relationships. Results Under the influence of the VBP policy, we observed varying degrees of growth in the procurement volumes of two antidepressants across different cities (Escitalopram: Beijing 30.3%, Shanghai 26.2%, Ningbo 37.4%, Harbin 25.7%; Paroxetine: Beijing 28.2%, Shanghai 1.2%, Ningbo 50.2%, Harbin 590.5%). The increase in the procurement volumes of antidepressants across cities was primarily driven by generic drugs (Escitalopram: Beijing 159.8%, Shanghai 75.0%, Ningbo 146.4%, Harbin 146.3%; Paroxetine: Beijing 67.3%, Shanghai 4.9%, Ningbo 58.0%, Harbin 15,758.3%). In the results on spatial inequality, we observed annual improvements across all cities, with more pronounced progress in economically underdeveloped regions (Escitalopram: Gini in Harbin decreased by 10.6%; Paroxetine: Gini in Harbin decreased by 32.6%). In Beijing, the substitution of generic escitalopram was found to be a partial mediating factor in the improvement of spatial inequality (ACME = -0.00, p-value = 0.01; ADE = -0.00, p-value = 0.02). In Harbin, the substitution of generic paroxetine was identified as a complete mediating factor for spatial inequality (ACME = -0.04, p-value = 0.01; ADE = 0.01, p-value = 0.14). Conclusions This study found that the spatial accessibility and inequality of antidepressant medications gradually improved under the influence of the VBP policy. These improvements can be partially attributed to the substitution of generic drugs.
Enhancing yield and nutrient dynamics of rice through long term fertilization with slag-based and commercial gypsum in Southern India
Characterizing pre-discharge interventions to reduce length of stay for older adults: A scoping review
Background Hospital pre-discharge interventions are becoming one of the leading strategies to promote early discharge. For older adult patients, it remains unclear what these interventions are and how they affect discharge outcomes. Objective This scoping review categorizes pre-discharge interventions promoting early acute care hospital discharging or total hospital length of stay reductions among older adults, synthesizes contextual factors (e.g., cost, staffing) driving implementation, and assesses the perceived intervention’s impact. Design The review followed the five states of the Arksey and O’Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR extension. The PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched from 1983 to 2020 for pre-discharge interventions designed or adapted to discharge older adults earlier in their stay from acute care hospitals. Potentially relevant articles were screened against eligibility criteria. Findings were extracted and collated in data charting forms followed by brief thematic analyses. Results The search yielded 5,455 articles of which 91 articles were included. Eight pre-discharge intervention categories were identified: clinical management, diagnostic/risk assessment tools, staffing enhancements, drug administration, length of stay protocols, nutrition planning, and communication improvements. Leading motivations for intervention implementation included the nationwide drive to reduce care costs and hospitals’ need to increase hospital profitability, improve quality of care, or optimize resource utilization. Discharge outcomes reported included hospitalization costs, readmission rates, mortality rates, resource utilization rates and costs, and length of stay. Mixed results were found regarding the effectiveness of early discharge interventions on discharge outcomes based on expressed author sentiment. Conclusions The drive for pre-discharge interventions that reduce older adult hospital stays and associated costs continues to stem primarily from economic and governmental policies. Follow-up studies may be required to emphasize patient perspectives and care trajectories to avoid unintentional costly and health-deteriorating consequences.
Two-mode light in optomechanical cavity with squeezed vacuum reservoir
Impact of federal funding for graduate medical education on residency program size: Evidence from the Affordable Care Act
Primary care and rural physician shortages are a present and growing concern to policy makers. We assessed three Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions that changed the maximum number of residents teaching hospitals could be reimbursed for, an element of graduate medical education (GME) funding known as the resident cap. The results show that an increase in a hospital’s resident cap of one slot under one of these ACA provisions in 2010 is associated with an increase in residency program size of approximately one full-time equivalent resident. We find important heterogeneity in the magnitude of the association between resident cap changes and program growth across ACA provisions, as well as in whether these associations are driven by changes in primary or non-primary care program growth. These results suggest that targeted changes to GME funding may be an effective tool in helping address physician shortages.
Hemodynamic effects of stenosis with varying severity in different segments of the carotid artery using computational fluid dynamics
Increasing rice yield with low ammonia volatilization by combined application of controlled-release blended fertilizer and densification
Controlled-release blended fertilizer (CRBF) and densification can increase rice yield and nitrogen (N) efficiency. However, the effects of CRBF combined with densification on rice yield, N absorption, economic benefits of fertilization, and ammonia volatilization loss remain unclear. A 2-year field experiment was conducted using five treatments: no N (control, CK), conventional N application (farmer’s fertilization practice, FFP), optimal N application (OPT), single basal application of CRBF (CRBF), and CRBF combined with densification (CRFDP). Moreover, rice yield, N absorption and use efficiency, economic benefit, and ammonia volatilization loss were evaluated. CRBF and CRFDP significantly increased rice dry matter, N use efficiency by 11.6%–30.5% and 90.2%–160.0%, finally increased the yield by 33.3% and 26.1% in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Compared with FFP, CRFDP with 16.7% reduction of N input significantly increased yield by 33.3% and 26.1% and economic benefit by 46.9% and 38.3% in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Compared with CRBF, CRFDP increased the total yield by 2.7% and 15.2%, economic benefit by 3.5% and 7.6%, and N absorption efficiency by 10% and 8.3% in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Compared with FFP, CRFDP reduced ammonia volatilization intensity by 62.5% and 60.8%, cumulative ammonia volatilization loss by 46.3% and 50.3% and also lowered NH4+-N of surface water by 69.0%–93.8% and 57.8%–89.7% in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The combination of CRBF and densification could improve the rice yield, economic benefit, and N use efficiency and reduce ammonia volatilization. These results might provide data and theoretical support for the high yield of rice and a new environmentally friendly and resource-efficient model of rice cultivation.
Nutrition regulates reproductive senescence and terminal investment across the reproductive cycle of a long-lived mammal
Modelling the impact of behavioural interventions during pandemics: A systematic review
Background Many studies examined the impact of behavioural interventions on COVID-19 outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to gain insight into transmission models, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We included peer-reviewed studies published in English until December 31, 2022, focusing on human subjects, modelling, and examining behavioural interventions during COVID-19 using real data across diverse geographical regions. Methods We searched seven databases. We used descriptive analysis, network analysis for textual synthesis, and regression analysis to identify the relationship between the basic reproduction number R 0 and various characteristics. From 30, 114 articles gathered, 15, 781 met the inclusion criteria. After deduplication, 7, 616 articles remained. The titles and abstracts screening reduced these to 1, 764 articles. Full-text screening reduced this to 270, and risk-of-bias assessment narrowed it to 245 articles. We employed combined criteria for risk of bias assessment, incorporating domains from ROBINS-I and principles for modeling. Results Primary outcomes focused on R 0 , COVID-19 cases, and transmission rates. The average R 0 was 3.184. The vast majority of studies (90.3%) used compartmental models, particularly SEIR models. Social distancing, mask-wearing, and lockdowns were frequently analyzed interventions. Early and strict implementation of these interventions significantly reduced transmission rates. Risk of bias assessment revealed that 62.6% of studies were of low risk, 24.1% moderate, and 9.3% high risks. Common issues included transparency, attrition bias, and confounding factors. Conclusions This comprehensive review highlights the importance of behavioural interventions in reducing COVID-19 transmission and areas for improving future research transparency and robustness. Our risk of bias criteria offers an important framework for future systematic reviews in modeling studies of interventions. We recommend that future studies enhance transparency in reporting and address common biases such as attrition and confounding.