Search results for: pseudo-panel data method

Authors: Halimatu S. Abdullahi, Ray E. Sheriff, Fatima Mahieddine

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Agriculture is essential to the continuous existence of human life as they directly depend on it for the production of food. The exponential rise in population calls for a rapid increase in food with the application of technology to reduce the laborious work and maximize production. Technology can aid/improve agriculture in several ways through pre-planning and post-harvest by the use of computer vision technology through image processing to determine the soil nutrient composition, right amount, right time, right place application of farm input resources like fertilizers, herbicides, water, weed detection, early detection of pest and diseases etc. This is precision agriculture which is thought to be solution required to achieve our goals. There has been significant improvement in the area of image processing and data processing which has being a major challenge. A database of images is collected through remote sensing, analyzed and a model is developed to determine the right treatment plans for different crop types and different regions. Features of images from vegetations need to be extracted, classified, segmented and finally fed into the model. Different techniques have been applied to the processes from the use of neural network, support vector machine, fuzzy logic approach and recently, the most effective approach generating excellent results using the deep learning approach of convolution neural network for image classifications. Deep Convolution neural network is used to determine soil nutrients required in a plantation for maximum production. The experimental results on the developed model yielded results with an average accuracy of 99.58%.

Keywords: convolution, feature extraction, image analysis, validation, precision agriculture

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Authors: D. Signore, M. Ferraiuolo, P. Caramuta, O. Petrella, C. Toscano

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The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a newly developed optical technique that is spreading in all engineering sectors because it allows the non-destructive estimation of the entire surface deformation without any contact with the component under analysis. These characteristics make the DIC very appealing in all the cases the global deformation state is to be known without using strain gages, which are the most used measuring device. The DIC is applicable to any material subjected to distortion caused by either thermal or mechanical load, allowing to obtain high-definition mapping of displacements and deformations. That is why in the civil and the transportation industry, DIC is very useful for studying the behavior of metallic materials as well as of composite materials. DIC is also used in the medical field for the characterization of the local strain field of the vascular tissues surface subjected to uniaxial tensile loading. DIC can be carried out in the two dimension mode (2D DIC) if a single camera is used or in a three dimension mode (3D DIC) if two cameras are involved. Each point of the test surface framed by the cameras can be associated with a specific pixel of the image, and the coordinates of each point are calculated knowing the relative distance between the two cameras together with their orientation. In both arrangements, when a component is subjected to a load, several images related to different deformation states can be are acquired through the cameras. A specific software analyzes the images via the mutual correlation between the reference image (obtained without any applied load) and those acquired during the deformation giving the relative displacements. In this paper, a metrological characterization of the digital image correlation is performed on aluminum and composite targets both in static and dynamic loading conditions by comparison between DIC and strain gauges measures. In the static test, interesting results have been obtained thanks to an excellent agreement between the two measuring techniques. In addition, the deformation detected by the DIC is compliant with the result of a FEM simulation. In the dynamic test, the DIC was able to follow with a good accuracy the periodic deformation of the specimen giving results coherent with the ones given by FEM simulation. In both situations, it was seen that the DIC measurement accuracy depends on several parameters such as the optical focusing, the parameters chosen to perform the mutual correlation between the images and, finally, the reference points on image to be analyzed. In the future, the influence of these parameters will be studied, and a method to increase the accuracy of the measurements will be developed in accordance with the requirements of the industries especially of the aerospace one.

Keywords: accuracy, deformation, image correlation, mechanical analysis

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Authors: Fiona Armstrong, David Gaul, Michael Barrett, Lorraine D'Arcy

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Playing is an instinctive and universal human behavior, is a child’s way of learning and an outlet for their innate need of activity. Risky play can be defined as any play that is thrilling or exciting involving the risk of injury. The benefits of risky play have been acknowledged as helping children to explore and conquer fears, develop confidence, reduce anxiety, and develop risk-management skills. Studies indicate that children learn sound judgment by assessing and confronting risks in relation to their own capabilities through exposure to carefully managed play experiences. Risky play has been associated with danger and increased risk of injury, with families focusing on risk aversion and protecting children from the risks inherent in the modern world. Despite children needing cultural, social, emotional, physical, and geographical space to play, the opportunity for children to play is diminishing. Aim: This study explores play behaviors and risky play in an Irish context by investigating parental attitudes to risky play. Methodology: This is a mixed methods study involving the State of Play survey and semi-structured interviews exploring parental attitudes to risky play. Data will be quantitatively analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM SPSS and qualitatively analyzed via thematic analysis using NVivo. Conclusion: The information gathered could advise stakeholders regarding the creation and provision of developmentally appropriate, challenging, stimulating, adaptable, accessible, and safe as necessary outdoor play areas. This research can inform parents, planners, architects, and authorities involved in creating environments for play and contribute to policy development.

Keywords: child development, parental attitudes, play opportunities, risky play

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Authors: Mohammadreza Mojtahedi

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Rapid urbanization presents multifaceted challenges, including environmental degradation and public health concerns. As the inevitability of urban sprawl continues, it becomes essential to devise strategies to alleviate its pressures on natural ecosystems and elevate socio-economic benchmarks within cities. This research investigates urban agriculture's economic contributions, emphasizing its pivotal role in food provisioning and export potential. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, field survey data was primarily collected via questionnaires. The tool's validity was affirmed by expert opinions, and its reliability secured by achieving a Cronbach's alpha score over 0.70 from 30 preliminary questionnaires. The research encompasses Neishabour's populace of 264,375, extracting a sample size of 384 via Cochran's formula. Findings reveal the significance of urban agriculture in food supply and its potential for exports, underlined by a p-value < 0.05. Neishabour's urban farming can augment the export of organic commodities, fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and foster product branding. Moreover, it supports the provision of fresh produce, bolstering dietary quality. Urban agriculture further impacts urban development metrics—enhancing environmental quality, job opportunities, income levels, and aesthetics, while promoting rainwater utilization. Popular cultivations include peaches, Damask roses, and poultry, tailored to available spaces. Structural equation modeling indicates urban agriculture's overarching influence, accounting for a 56% variance, predominantly in food sufficiency and export proficiency.

Keywords: urban agriculture, food supply, export potential, urban development, environmental health, structural equation modeling

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Authors: Alhaji M. H. Conteh, Xiangbin Yan, Issa Fofana, Brima Gegbe, Tamba I. Isaac

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Rice grain is Sierra Leone’s staple food and the nation imports over 120,000 metric tons annually due to a shortfall in its cultivation. Thus, the insufficient level of the crop's cultivation in Sierra Leone is caused by many problems and this led to the endlessly widening supply and demand for the crop within the country. Consequently, this has instigated the government to spend huge money on the importation of this grain that would have been otherwise cultivated domestically at a cheaper cost. Hence, this research attempts to explore the response of rice supply with respect to its demand in Sierra Leone within the period 1980-2010. The Nerlovian adjustment model to the Sierra Leone rice data set within the period 1980-2010 was used. The estimated trend equations revealed that time had significant effect on output, productivity (yield) and area (acreage) of rice grain within the period 1980-2010 and this occurred generally at the 1% level of significance. The results showed that, almost the entire growth in output had the tendency to increase in the area cultivated to the crop. The time trend variable that was included for government policy intervention showed an insignificant effect on all the variables considered in this research. Therefore, both the short-run and long-run price response was inelastic since all their values were less than one. From the findings above, immediate actions that will lead to productivity growth in rice cultivation are required. To achieve the above, the responsible agencies should provide extension service schemes to farmers as well as motivating them on the adoption of modern rice varieties and technology in their rice cultivation ventures.

Keywords: Nerlovian adjustment model, price elasticities, Sierra Leone, trend equations

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Authors: Marvelyn F. Carolino, Charlene R. Cunanan, Gellien Faith O. Masongsong, Berlinda A. Ofrecio

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This study delves into the language usage differences among men, women, and individuals with other gender preferences. It specifically centers on the sociolinguistic aspects within the English majors at the College of Education of Rizal Technological University-Pasig, spanning from the first-year to fourth-year levels. The researchers employed a triangulation approach for data collection, utilizing a validated self-made questionnaire, interviews, and observations. The results revealed that language usage among different genders is influenced by a combination of cultural norms, social dynamics, and technological factors. Cultural norms significantly shape how respondents use language, as they conform to expected speech patterns based on their gender. Social factors, such as peer pressure, were found to impact language usage for individuals of all genders. This influence was viewed as constructive for personal development rather than inhibiting performance or communication. In terms of technological factors, respondents strongly agreed that the time spent on social media and educational applications influenced their language use. These platforms provided opportunities to expand and enhance their vocabulary. Additionally, the study employed hypothesis testing through the z-test formula to assess the impact of demographic profiles on language usage differences among genders. The results indicated that gender, economic status, locality, and ethnicity did not show statistically significant differences in language use. This lack of significant variation in findings was attributed to the relatively homogeneous demographic profile of respondents, primarily composed of females with low-income backgrounds and Tagalog ethnicity. This demographic similarity likely minimized the diversity of responses.

Keywords: gender, language, sociolinguistics, differences

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Authors: V. V. Srinivasu, Jayashree Das

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Owing to the industrial and technological importance, transition metal (TM) doped ZnO has been widely chosen for many practical applications in electronics and optoelectronics. Besides, though still a controversial issue, the reported room temperature ferromagnetism in transition metal doped ZnO has added a feather to its excellence and importance in current semiconductor research for prospective application in Spintronics. Anticipating non controversial and improved optical and magnetic properties, we adopted co doping method to synthesise polycrystalline Mn:TM (Fe,Ni) and Mn:RE(Gd,Sm) co doped ZnO samples by solid state sintering route with compositions Zn1-x (Mn:Fe/Ni)xO and Zn1-x(Mn:Gd/Sm)xO and sintered at two different temperatures. The structure, composition and optical changes induced in ZnO due to co doping and sintering were investigated by XRD, FTIR, UV, PL and ESR studies. X-ray peak profile analysis (XPPA) and Williamson-Hall analysis carried out shows changes in the values of stress, strain, FWHM and the crystallite size in both the co doped systems. FTIR spectra also show the effect of both type of co doping on the stretching and bending bonds of ZnO compound. UV-Vis study demonstrates changes in the absorption band edge as well as the significant change in the optical band gap due to exchange interactions inside the system after co doping. PL studies reveal effect of co doping on UV and visible emission bands in the co doped systems at two different sintering temperatures, indicating the existence of defects in the form of oxygen vacancies. While the TM: TM co doped samples of ZnO exhibit ferromagnetism at room temperature, the TM: RE co doped samples show paramagnetic behaviour. The magnetic behaviours observed are supported by results from Electron Spin resonance (ESR) study; which shows sharp resonance peaks with considerable line width (∆H) and g values more than 2. Such values are usually found due to the presence of an internal field inside the system giving rise to the shift of resonance field towards the lower field. The g values in this range are assigned to the unpaired electrons trapped in oxygen vacancies. TM: TM co doped ZnO samples exhibit low field absorption peaks in their ESR spectra, which is a new interesting observation. We emphasize that the interesting observations reported in this paper may be considered for the improved futuristic applications of ZnO based materials.

Keywords: co-doping, electro spin resonance, microwave absorption, spintronics

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Authors: Maria C. Proença, Maria T. Rebelo, Marília Antunes, Maria J. Alves, Hugo Osório, Sofia Cunha, João Casaca

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Using a geographic information system (GIS), the relations between a georeferenced data set of Culex pipiens sl. mosquitoes collected in Portugal mainland during seven years (2006-2012) and meteorological and physiographic parameters such as: air relative humidity, air temperature (minima, maxima and mean daily temperatures), daily total rainfall, altitude, land use/land cover and proximity to water bodies are evaluated. Focus is on the mosquito females; the characterization of its habitat is the key for the planning of chirurgical non-aggressive prophylactic countermeasures to avoid ambient degradation. The GIS allow for the spatial determination of the zones were the mosquito mean captures has been above average; using the meteorological values at these coordinates, the limits of each parameter are identified/computed. The meteorological parameters measured at the net of weather stations all over the country are averaged by month and interpolated to produce raster maps that can be segmented according to the thresholds obtained for each parameter. The intersection of the maps obtained for each month show the evolution of the area favorable to the species through the mosquito season, which is from May to October at these latitudes. In parallel, mean and above average captures were related to the physiographic parameters. Three levels of risk could be identified for each parameter, using above average captures as an index. The results were applied to the suitability meteorological maps of each month. The Culex pipiens critical niche is delimited, reflecting the critical areas and the level of risk for transmission of the pathogens to which they are competent vectors (West Nile virus, iridoviruses, rheoviruses and parvoviruses).

Keywords: Culex pipiens, ecological niche, risk assessment, risk management

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Authors: Nkiru Nnaemezie, J. O. Okafor

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The high mortality as a result of pregnancy related illnesses is a global public health problem and a source of concern to most countries including Nigeria. This study was therefore designed to determine the Demographic Variables associated with common pregnancy related illnesses among pregnant mothers in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The design of the study was an expost-facto research design. All the folders of the pregnant mothers that were studied from 2010-2014 formed the population of the study which included 10,250 folders. Based on the content of the folders, a researcher developed pro-forma (RDP) was used for data collection. Five research questions and five hypotheses were postulated for the study. Research questions postulated were answered using simple percentage. Hypotheses stated were analyzed at 0.05 level of significance using chi-square (X²) statistics. The result among others showed that pregnant mothers within 15-29 years had the most pregnancy related illnesses than mothers on other age brackets. Pregnant mothers with 0-1 parity level experienced the most pregnancy related illnesses than mothers on other parity levels. Public servants experienced the most pregnancy related illnesses than mothers in other occupations. Married pregnant mothers experienced the most pregnancy related illnesses than single mothers. Pregnant mothers with secondary education had the most pregnancy related illnesses than mothers in other education levels. There were significant differences in the common pregnancy related illnesses among the pregnant mothers of the study in relation to the demographic variables of the study which included age, parity, occupation, marital status and educational level. Based on the findings, conclusions were drawn, and the following recommendations among others were made: there is need for health education in terms of educating those pregnant mothers during antenatal clinics; single mothers should be advised to register for antenatal early enough.

Keywords: analysis, demographic variables, pregnancy related illnesses, pregnant mothers

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Authors: Bryce Benson, Sooin Lee, Ashwin Belle

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Unrecognized or delayed identification of patient deterioration is a key cause of in-hospitals adverse events. Clinicians rely on vital signs monitoring to recognize patient deterioration. However, due to ever increasing nursing workloads and the manual effort required, vital signs tend to be measured and recorded intermittently, and inconsistently causing large gaps during patient monitoring. Additionally, during deterioration, the body’s autonomic nervous system activates compensatory mechanisms causing the vital signs to be lagging indicators of underlying hemodynamic decline. This study analyzes the predictive efficacy of the Analytic for Hemodynamic Instability (AHI) system, an automated tool that was designed to help clinicians in early identification of deteriorating patients. The lead time analysis in this retrospective observational study assesses how far in advance AHI predicted deterioration prior to the start of an episode of hemodynamic instability (HI) becoming evident through vital signs? Results indicate that of the 362 episodes of HI in this study, 308 episodes (85%) were correctly predicted by the AHI system with a median lead time of 57 minutes and an average of 4 hours (240.5 minutes). Of the 54 episodes not predicted, AHI detected 45 of them while the episode of HI was ongoing. Of the 9 undetected, 5 were not detected by AHI due to either missing or noisy input ECG data during the episode of HI. In total, AHI was able to either predict or detect 98.9% of all episodes of HI in this study. These results suggest that AHI could provide an additional ‘pair of eyes’ on patients, continuously filling the monitoring gaps and consequently giving the patient care team the ability to be far more proactive in patient monitoring and adverse event management.

Keywords: clinical deterioration prediction, decision support system, early warning system, hemodynamic status, physiologic monitoring

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Authors: Nan Wu, Peng Liu

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As a morphological element reflecting the land property rights structure, the plot pattern plays a crucial role in shaping the form and quality of the built environment. Therefore, it is one of the core control elements of urban regeneration. As China's urban development mode is shifting from growth-based development to urban regeneration, it is urgent to explore a more refined way for the planning control of the plot pattern, which further promotes the optimization of urban form and land property structure. European and American countries such as Germany and the United States began to deal with the planning control of plot patterns in urban regeneration earlier and established relatively mature methods and mechanisms. Therefore, this paper summarizes two typical scenarios of plot pattern regeneration in old cities in China: the first one is "limited scale plot pattern rezoning", which mainly deals with the regeneration scenario of tearing down the old and building the new, and the focus of its control is to establish an adaptive plot pattern rezoning methodology and mechanism; The second is "localized parcel regeneration under the existing property rights," which mainly deals with the renewal scenario of alteration and addition, and its control focuses on the establishment of control rules for individual plot regeneration. For the two typical plot pattern regeneration scenarios, Germany (Berlin) and the United States (New York) are selected as two international cases with reference significance, and the framework of plot pattern form and property rights control elements of urban regeneration is established from four latitudes, namely, the overall operation mode, form control methods, property rights control methods, and effective implementation prerequisites, so as to compare and analyze the plot pattern control methods of the two countries under different land systems and regeneration backgrounds. Among them, the German construction planning system has formed a more complete technical methodology for block-scale rezoning, and together with the overall urban design, it has created a practical example in the critical redevelopment of the inner city of Berlin. In the United States (New York), the zoning method establishes fine zoning regulations and rules for adjusting development rights based on the morphological indicators plots so as to realize effective control over the regeneration of local plots under the existing property rights pattern. On the basis of summarizing the international experience, we put forward the proposal of plot pattern and property rights control for the organic regeneration of old cities in China.

Keywords: plot pattern, urban regeneration, urban morphology, property rights, regulatory planning

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Authors: Mammar Khames, Mustapha Oumouna

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Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonoses in the world. It represents a serious threat to human health; the existence of brucellosis in Algeria dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. Its transmission to humans is through coccobacilli of the genus Brucella following direct contact with contaminated animals or indirectly through the consumption of their unpasteurized dairy products. The present investigation covers a retrospective study on human brucellosis in the district of Medea over a period from 2011 to 2021 at the level of two public health establishments. In the first place, it is at the level of the Directorate of Public Health and in the infectious department level at Medea Hospital, and at the level of the directorate of agricultural services in the third place. The results showed that during these eleven years of study, 795 cases were collected from the department of health and population, and 141 cases were collected from the infectious department of the district of Medea. A total of 56 cases of bovine brucellosis were obtained from the directorate of agricultural services of the district of Medea. Human brucellosis affects all age groups with different percentages, but the rate has been higher in the 20-44 age group, with a predominance of men. However, the geographic distribution map of the cases shows that the western part of the district was the most affected. A cohort of 141 cases was hospitalized at the infectious service level of Medea Hospital. They were 89 men and 52 women. The most common age reached is [20-44] years. The majority were of rural origin. Two serological reactions were performed for diagnosis: the buffered antigen test and Wright's serodiagnosis. Bovine brucellosis affects all age groups with different percentages, but the rate was higher in the 2-to-4-year age group, with a predominance of females. From these data, we conclude that brucellosis has a strong spread in the region studied.

Keywords: human brucellosis, serology, Medea, Algeria

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Authors: Weldegerima Gebremedhin Hagos

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Background: The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is a catastrophic emerging global health threat caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has a wide range of complications and sequels. It is devastating in developing countries, causing serious health and socioeconomic crises as a result of the increasingly overburdened healthcare system. Ethiopia reported the first case of SARS-CoV-2 on 13th March 2020, with community transmission ensuing by mid-May. The aim of this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods: Facility-based correctional study designs were used on a total of 380 study participants from March 2023 up to May 2023 in two general hospitals and one comprehensive specialized hospital in Tigray, Ethiopia. A pre-structured questionnaire was used to assess information regarding the socio-demographic, clinical data and other risk factors. A nasal swap was taken by trained health professionals, and the laboratory analysis was done by RT-PCR (quant studio 7-flex, applied biosystems) in Tigrai Health Research Institute and Mekelle University Medical Microbiology Research Laboratory. Result: The mean age of the study participants was 31 (SD+/-3.5) years, with 65% being male and 35% female. The overall seropositivity of sars-cov-2 among the study participants was 5.5%. The prevalence was higher in males (6.2%) than females which were (4.7%). Sars-cov-2 infection was significantly associated with a history of lack of vaccination (p-value 0.002). There was no significant association between seropositivity and demographic factors (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among the study participants is high. Those study participants with a previous history of vaccination have a low probability of developing COVID-19 infection. A low SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was recorded in those who frequently use masks.

Keywords: prevalence, SARS-CoV-2, infection, risk factors

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Authors: S. M. Ismail, H-H Yen, C. M. Murray, H. M. S. Davies

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A recent study reported a 33% incidence of complete sacrocaudal fusion in greyhounds compared to a 3% incidence in other dogs. In the dog, the median sacral crest is formed by the fusion of sacral spinous processes. Separation of the 1st spinous process from the median crest of the sacrum in the dog has been reported as a diagnostic tool of type one lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LTV). LTV is a congenital spinal anomaly, which includes either sacralization of the caudal lumbar part or lumbarization of the most cranial sacral segment of the spine. In this study, the absence or reduction of fusion (presence of separation) between the 1st and 2ndspinous processes of the median sacral crest has been identified in association with sacrocaudal fusion in the greyhound, without any feature of LTV. In order to provide quantitative data on the absence or reduction of fusion in the median sacral crest between the 1st and 2nd sacral spinous processes, in association with sacrocaudal fusion. 204 dog sacrums free of any pathological changes (192 greyhound, 9 beagles and 3 labradors) were grouped based on the occurrence and types of fusion and the presence, absence, or reduction in the median sacral crest between the 1st and 2nd sacral spinous processes., Sacrums were described and classified as follows: F: Complete fusion (crest is present), N: Absence (fusion is absent), and R: Short crest (fusion reduced but not absent (reduction). The incidence of sacrocaudal fusion in the 204 sacrums: 57% of the sacrums were standard (3 vertebrae) and 43% were fused (4 vertebrae). Type of sacrum had a significant (p < .05) association with the absence and reduction of fusion between the 1st and 2nd sacral spinous processes of the median sacral crest. In the 108 greyhounds with standard sacrums (3 vertebrae) the percentages of F, N and R were 45% 23% and 23% respectively, while in the 84 fused (4 vertebrae) sacrums, the percentages of F, N and R were 3%, 87% and 10% respectively and these percentages were significantly different between standard (3 vertebrae) and fused (4 vertebrae) sacrums (p < .05). This indicates that absence of spinous process fusion in the median sacral crest was found in a large percentage of the greyhounds in this study and was found to be particularly prevalent in those with sacrocaudal fusion – therefore in this breed, at least, absence of sacral spinous process fusion may be unlikely to be associated with LTV.

Keywords: greyhound, median sacral crest, sacrocaudal fusion, sacral spinous process

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Authors: Betty Chiyangwa

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This is a work in progress project focused on exploring the complexities surrounding the second generation Mozambican migrant youth’s experiences to construct their identity and develop a sense of belonging in post-apartheid, Bushbuckridge in South Africa. Established in 1884, Bushbuckridge is one of the earliest districts to accommodate Mozambicans who migrated to South Africa in the 1970s. Bushbuckridge as a destination for Mozambican migrants is crucial to their search for social freedom and space to “belong to.” The action of deliberately seeking freedom is known as an act of agency. Four major objectives govern the paper. The first objective observes how second-generation Mozambican migrant youth living in South Africa negotiate and construct their own identities. Secondly, it explores second-generation Mozambican migrant youth narratives regarding their sense of belonging in South Africa. Thirdly, the study intends to understand how social processes of identity and belonging influence second-generation Mozambican migrant youth experiences and future aspirations in South Africa. The last objective examines how Sen’s Capability approach is relevant in understanding second-generation Mozambican migrant youth identity and belonging in South Africa. This is a single case study informed by data from semi-structured interviews and narratives with youth between the ages of 18 and 34 who are born and raised in South Africa to at least one former Mozambican refugee parent living in Bushbuckridge. Drawing from Crenshaw’s Intersectionality and Sen’s Capability approaches, this study significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge on South to South migration by demonstrating how both approaches can be operationalized towards understanding complex experiences and capabilities of the disadvantaged group simultaneously. The subject of second-generation migrants is often under-researched in South African migration; thus, their perspectives have been marginalized in Social Science research.

Keywords: second-generation, Mozambican, migrant, youth, bushbuckridge

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Authors: Hashim Isam Jameel Al-Safi, P. Ranjan Sarukkalige

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Climate change is likely to impact the Australian continent by changing the trends of rainfall, increasing temperature, and affecting the accessibility of water quantity and quality. This study investigates the possible impacts of future climate change on the hydrological system of the Harvey River catchment in Western Australia by using the conceptual modelling approach (HBV mode). Daily observations of rainfall and temperature and the long-term monthly mean potential evapotranspiration, from six weather stations, were available for the period (1961-2015). The observed streamflow data at Clifton Park gauging station for 33 years (1983-2015) in line with the observed climate variables were used to run, calibrate and validate the HBV-model prior to the simulation process. The calibrated model was then forced with the downscaled future climate signals from a multi-model ensemble of fifteen GCMs of the CMIP3 model under three emission scenarios (A2, A1B and B1) to simulate the future runoff at the catchment outlet. Two periods were selected to represent the future climate conditions including the mid (2046-2065) and late (2080-2099) of the 21^st century. A control run, with the reference climate period (1981-2000), was used to represent the current climate status. The modelling outcomes show an evident reduction in the mean annual streamflow during the mid of this century particularly for the A1B scenario relative to the control run. Toward the end of the century, all scenarios show a relatively high reduction trends in the mean annual streamflow, especially the A1B scenario, compared to the control run. The decline in the mean annual streamflow ranged between 4-15% during the mid of the current century and 9-42% by the end of the century.

Keywords: climate change impact, Harvey catchment, HBV model, hydrological modelling, GCMs, LARS-WG

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Authors: Ben Hadj Hassen Sameh, Gaillard Corentin, Andrew Parker, Kristine Krug

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Perceptual decisions about sequences of sensory stimuli often show serial dependence. The behavioural choice on one trial is often affected by the choice on previous trials. We investigated whether the neuronal signals in extrastriate visual area V5/MT on preceding trials might influence choice on the current trial and thereby reveal the neuronal mechanisms of sequential choice effects. We analysed data from 30 single neurons recorded from V5/MT in three Rhesus monkeys making sequential choices about the direction of rotation of a three-dimensional cylinder. We focused exclusively on the responses of neurons that showed significant choice-related firing (mean choice probability =0.73) while the monkey viewed perceptually ambiguous stimuli. Application of a wavelet transform to the choice-related firing revealed differences in the frequency band of neuronal activity that depended on whether the previous trial resulted in a correct choice for an unambiguous stimulus that was in the neuron’s preferred direction (low alpha and high beta and gamma) or non-preferred direction (high alpha and low beta and gamma). To probe this in further detail, we applied a regularized linear decoder to predict the choice for an ambiguous trial by referencing the neuronal activity of the preceding unambiguous trial. Neuronal activity on a previous trial provided a significant prediction of the current choice (61% correc, 95%Cl~52%t), even when limiting analysis to preceding trials that were correct and rewarded. These findings provide a potential neuronal signature of sequential choice effects in the primate visual cortex.

Keywords: perception, decision making, attention, decoding, visual system

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Authors: Rosemarie P. Ongoco, Rowena S. Badua, Kristine Joy S. Simpao, Ria L. Dizon

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Food Technology (FT) has become a very powerful field in dealing with the processing of food making it available, safe, tasty and convenient. Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) has been offering FT as a major of the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, both in the Main and Orani campuses since the 1970s. With the different orientation of FT offered in state universities and colleges, whether it is skill or science-based, this study aims to assess the current FT situation in BPSU. Curriculum, faculty profile and facilities of FT in BPSU were assessed and compared to the other FT related program in three state universities in Region III; Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Pampanga Agricultural College, and Central Luzon State University. Data were gathered through structured interview, ocular inspection for the facilities and questionnaires for the teacher and students’ personal interest. Results show that BPSU’s FT program is more likely similar to the one offered in NEUST. PAC is offering a similar course but is more business and management-oriented BS Home Economics while CLSU is offering a science and technology-related course, BS Home Economics while CLSU is offering a science and technology-related course, BS Food Technology. BPSU students more intercede in cooking and baking while doing sales report, dishwashing and food packaging are the activities faculty and students are least interested. Mechanized machines in cooking and baking are also suggested by the majority of the students in BPSU. In conclusion, BPSU’s program in BS IT major in Food Technology must be improved in the aspects of curriculum, faculty profile, and facilities. It is recommended for the department to consider the curriculum, faculty profile, and facilities. It is recommended for the department to consider the curriculum of NEUST in the BS IT major in Food Technology.

Keywords: food technology, curriculum, technology, assessment

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Authors: Agne Jucyte Cicine, Vytautas Abromaitis, Zita Rasuole Gasiunaite, Mindaugas Zilius

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Pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments has become a growing concern. Various active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) residues: hormones, antibiotics, or/and psychiatric drugs, have already been discovered in different environmental compartments. Due to ineffective wastewater treatment technologies, an underestimated amount of APIs can enter the ecosystem by discharged treated wastewater. Especially, psychiatric compounds, such as carbamazepine (CBZ) and venlafaxine (VNX), persist in effluent even post-treatment. Therefore, these pharmaceuticals usually exceed safe environmental levels and pose risks to the aquatic environment, particularly, to sensitive ecosystems such as the Baltic Sea. CBZ, known for its chemical stability and long biodegradation time, accumulates in the environment, threatening aquatic life and human health through the food chain. As the use of medication rises, there is an urgent need for advanced wastewater treatment to reduce pharmaceutical contamination and meet future regulatory requirements. In this study, we tested advanced oxidation technology using ozone to remove two commonly used psychiatric drugs, carbamazepine, and venlafaxine, from biologically treated wastewater effluent. Additionally, general water quality parameters (SPM, DOC, COD) and bacterial contamination were analyzed. Three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were selected to represent varying dominant anthropogenic activities: 1) resort, 2) resort and residential, and 3) residential, industrial, and resort. Wastewater samples for the experiment were collected during the summer season after mechanical and biological treatment and ozonated for 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Pharmaceutical levels in this study exceeded the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of 500 and 90 ng L−1, for CBZ and VNX, respectively in all WWTPs, except CBZ in WWTP 1. Initial CBZ contamination was found to be lower in WWTP 1 (427.4 ng L-1), compared with WWTP 2 (1266.5 ng L-1) and 3 (119.2 ng L-1). VNX followed a similar trend with concentrations of 341.2 ng L-1, 361.4 ng L-1, and 390.0 ng L-1, respectively, for WWTPs 1, 2, and 3. It was determined that CBZ was not detected in the effluent after 5 minutes of ozonation in any of the WWTPs. Contrarily, VNX, was still detected after 5, 10, and 15 minutes of treatment with ozone, however under the limits of quantification (LOD) (<5ng L-1). Additionally, general pollution of SPM, DOC, COD, and bacterial contamination was reduced notably after 5 minutes of treatment with ozone. Although initial pharmaceutical levels exceeded PNECs, indicating ongoing environmental risks, ozonation demonstrated high efficiency in reducing pharmaceutical and general contamination in wastewater with different pollution matrices.

Keywords: Baltic Sea, ozonation, pharmaceuticals, wastewater treatment plants.

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Authors: Krenare Shabani, Kreshnike Dedushi Hoti, Serbeze Kabashi, Jeton Shatri, Arben Rroji, Mrikë Bunjaku, Leotrim Berisha, Jona Kosova, Edmond Puca, Bleriana Shabani

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Introduction: Workers in Kosovo's mining industry are subjected to hazardous working conditions and airborne particles, such as silica dust, which can cause silicosis and other severe respiratory illnesses. The purpose of this research is to assess the health impacts of such exposures, as well as the importance of imaging and functional testing in detecting pathological changes early on. Methodology: The study is prospective and cross-sectional and was carried out during the year 2024. 626 people (446 miners and 180 non-miners) were enrolled in the study. Subjects underwent spirometry and chest radiography. Data were analysed with SPSS24. Results: The average age of the participants is 48 years. Demographics and Smoking: Smoking was common among young miners. Radiological Changes: Radiographic abnormalities in the lungs were seen in 23.1% of miners and 10.6% of non-miners, including small irregular opacities and emphysematous changes. Lung Function: The FEV1/FVC ratio decreased with increased exposure time, indicating a decline in pulmonary function.Impact of Exposure Duration: Longer exposure duration was associated with a higher number of miners experiencing coughs and requiring medical consultations such as CT scans and biopsies. Conclusions: Medical imaging and functional testing are critical for early diagnosis of lung abnormalities in miners.Findings demonstrate a strong correlation between extended exposure to mine dust and the development of respiratory disorders, emphasising the importance of preventative measures and routine health monitoring.

Keywords: silicosis, miners, imaging, spirometry

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Authors: Hui-Chi Huang, Su-Ju Yang, Ching-Wei Lin, Jui-Yao Tsai, Liang-Yiang

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Background: Evidence exists that pneumonia is a frequently encountered complication after stroke which is associated with a higher rate of mortality and increased long-term disability Purpose: To determine the predictors associated with the risk of one-year disability in acute stroke. Methods: Data for this longitudinal follow-up study were extracted from a tertiary referral medical center’s stroke registry database in Northern Taipei. Eligible patients with acute stroke admitted to the hospital and completed a one-year follow up were recruited for analysis. Favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score ≤ 2. SAS version 9.2 was used for the multivariable regression analyses to examine the factors correlated with the one-year disability in stroke patients. Results: From January 2012 to December 2013, a total of 1373 (mean age: 70.49±15.4 years, 913(66.5%) males) consecutively administered acute stroke patients were recruited. Overall, the rate of one-year disability was 37.20%(404/1086) in those without post-stroke pneumonia. It increased to 82.93 %(238/287) in patients developed post-stroke pneumonia. Factors associated with increased risk of disability were age ≧ 75(OR= 4.845, p<.0001), female /gender (OR=1.568, p =.0062), previous stroke (OR= 1.868, p = <. 0001) ,dementia (OR= 2.872, p =.0047), ventilator use (OR= 4.653, p <. 0001),age ≧ 75 /pneumonia (OR=1.236, p <. 0001) , ICU admission (OR=3.314, p <.0001) , nasogastric tube insertion (OR= 4.28, p <.0001), speech therapy (OR= 1.79, p =.0142), urinary tract infection (OR= 1.865, p =.0018), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR > 60 )(OR= 0.525, p= .0029), Admission NIHSS >11 (OR= 2.101, p = .0099), Length of hospitalization > 30(d) (OR= 5.182, p <.0001). Conclusion: Older age, severe neurological deficit, complications, rehabilitation intervention, length of hospitalization >30(d), and cognitive impairment were significantly associated with Post-stroke functional impairment, especially those with post-stroke pneumonia. These findings could open new avenues in the management of stroke patients.

Keywords: stroke, risk, pneumonia, disability

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Authors: A. Miškinytė, A. Dėdelė

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Road traffic is one of the main sources of air pollution in urban areas associated with adverse effects on human health and environment. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is considered as traffic-related air pollutant, which concentrations tend to be higher near highways, along busy roads and in city centres and exceedances are mainly observed in air quality monitoring stations located close to traffic. Atmospheric dispersion models can be used to examine emissions from many various sources and to predict the concentration of pollutants emitted from these sources into the atmosphere. The study aim was to compare modelled concentrations of nitrogen dioxide using ADMS-Urban dispersion model with air quality monitoring network in cold and warm seasons in Kaunas city. Modelled average seasonal concentrations of nitrogen dioxide for 2011 year have been verified with automatic air quality monitoring data from two stations in the city. Traffic station is located near high traffic street in industrial district and background station far away from the main sources of nitrogen dioxide pollution. The modelling results showed that the highest nitrogen dioxide concentration was modelled and measured in station located near intensive traffic street, both in cold and warm seasons. Modelled and measured nitrogen dioxide concentration was respectively 25.7 and 25.2 µg/m3 in cold season and 15.5 and 17.7 µg/m3 in warm season. While the lowest modelled and measured NO2 concentration was determined in background monitoring station, respectively 12.2 and 13.3 µg/m3 in cold season and 6.1 and 7.6 µg/m3 in warm season. The difference between monitoring station located near high traffic street and background monitoring station showed that better agreement between modelled and measured NO2 concentration was observed at traffic monitoring station.

Keywords: air pollution, nitrogen dioxide, modelling, ADMS-Urban model

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Authors: Piyarat Parklug, Busaba Supawattanaobodee, Penpat Pinyowattanasilp

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The radioactive iodine thyroid uptake (RAIU) has been widely used to differentiate the cause of thyrotoxicosis and treatment. Twenty-four hours RAIU is routinely used to calculate the dose of radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy; however, 2 days protocol is required. This study aims to evaluate the modification of Penpat Pinyowattanasilp equation application by the exclusion of outlier data, 3 hours RAIU less than 20% and more than 80%, to improve prediction of 24-hour uptake. The equation is predicted 24 hours RAIU (P24RAIU) = 32.5+0.702 (3 hours RAIU). Then calculating separation first and second therapeutic doses in Graves’ disease patients. Methods; This study was a retrospective study at Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Inclusion were Graves’ disease patients who visited RAI clinic between January 2014-March 2019. We divided subjects into 2 groups according to first and second therapeutic doses. Results; Our study had a total of 151 patients. The study was done in 115 patients with first RAI dose and 36 patients with second RAI dose. The P24RAIU are highly correlated with actual 24-hour RAIU in first and second therapeutic doses (r = 0.913, 95% CI = 0.876 to 0.939 and r = 0.806, 95% CI = 0.649 to 0.897). Bland-Altman plot shows that mean differences between predictive and actual 24 hours RAI in the first dose and second dose were 2.14% (95%CI 0.83-3.46) and 1.37% (95%CI -1.41-4.14). The mean first actual and predictive therapeutic doses are 8.33 ± 4.93 and 7.38 ± 3.43 milliCuries (mCi) respectively. The mean second actual and predictive therapeutic doses are 6.51 ± 3.96 and 6.01 ± 3.11 mCi respectively. The predictive therapeutic doses are highly correlated with the actual dose in first and second therapeutic doses (r = 0.907, 95% CI = 0.868 to 0.935 and r = 0.953, 95% CI = 0.909 to 0.976). Bland-Altman plot shows that mean difference between predictive and actual P24RAIU in the first dose and second dose were less than 1 mCi (-0.94 and -0.5 mCi). This modification equation application is simply used in clinical practice especially patient with 3 hours RAIU in range of 20-80% in a Thai population. Before use, this equation for other population should be tested for the correlation.

Keywords: equation, Graves’disease, prediction, 24-hour uptake

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Samuel Asiedu-Addo, Jonathan Annan, Yarhands Dissou Arthur

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The study aims to explore the relational effect of lecturers’ personal attribute on student’s interest in statistics. In this study personal attributes of lecturers’ such as lecturer’s dynamism, communication strategies and rapport in the classroom as well as applied knowledge during lecture were examined. Here, exploratory research design was used to establish the effect of lecturer’s personal attributes on student’s interest. Data were analyzed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) using the SmartPLS 3 program. The study recruited 376 students from the faculty of technical and vocational education of the University of Education Winneba Kumasi campus, and Ghana Technology University College as well as Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology. The results revealed that personal attributes of an effective lecturer were lecturer’s dynamism, rapport, communication and applied knowledge contribute (52.9%) in explaining students interest in statistics. Our regression analysis and structural equation modeling confirm that lecturers personal attribute contribute effectively by predicting student’s interest of 52.9% and 53.7% respectively. The paper concludes that the total effect of a lecturer’s attribute on student’s interest is moderate and significant. While a lecturer’s communication and dynamism were found to contribute positively to students’ interest, they were insignificant in predicting students’ interest. We further showed that a lecturer’s personal attributes such as applied knowledge and rapport have positive and significant effect on tertiary student’s interest in statistic, whilst lecturers’ communication and dynamism do not significantly affect student interest in statistics; though positively related.

Keywords: student interest, effective teacher, personal attributes, regression and SEM

Procedia PDF Downloads 356

Authors: Sishen Wang

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Chinese rural industry development is the major task currently during rapid urbanization. Development of potentiality assessment, evaluate the overall suitability of each village for further industrial development, could offer reference for policy makers, especially considering the limited data available in Chinese rural regions. The study focuses on 157 official villages in Fuliang County and evaluates their development potentiality by their topography, transportation condition, population, income of villagers, infrastructure and environmental conditions. Land cover changes for Fuliang county and surrounding areas of each village is also investigated for reference. The final development potentiality of each village was calculated by adding different weighted scores of different categories. Besides, inverse distance weighting (IDW) images for both final score of development potentiality and each factor were made and compared to help to understand the final result. The study found that village in the southern and northern regions have higher development potentiality than villages in the eastern and western regions, mainly because of higher income of villagers, good accessibilities and a large amount of population size. In addition, the Fuliang county was divided into five regions based on final result and policy reference for the development of each region were put forward individually. In addition, three suggestions were made for better local development potentiality: Firstly, the transportation accessibility needs to be improved in the northern regions by building more public transit system there. Secondly, the environmental conditions and infrastructure conditions in the eastern region of the county need some improvement. Thirdly, some encouragement and job opportunities should beset up in the western regions to attract labor force to move in and settle down.

Keywords: development potentiality, Fuliang GIS-Based, GIS, official village

Procedia PDF Downloads 108

Authors: Pornthip Seangsanga

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Sepsis or septic shock needs urgent care because it is a cause of the high mortality rate if patients do not receive timely treatment. Songkhla Hospital does not have a clear system or clinical practice guidelines for treatment of patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, which contributes to the said problem.To compare clinical outcomes based on the protocol after using the clinical guidelines between the Emergency Room, Intensive Care Unit, and the Ward. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on the population and 50 subjects who were diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock from December 2013 to May 2014. The data were collected using a nursing care and referring record form for patients with severe sepsis or septic shock at Songkhla Hospital. The record form had been tested for its validity by three experts, and the IOC was 1.The mortality rate in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock who were moved from the ER to the ICU was significantly lower than that of those patients moved from the Ward to the ICU within 48 hours. This was because patients with severe sepsis or septic shock who were moved from the ER to the ICU received more fluid within the first six hours according to the protocol which helped patients to have adequate tissue perfusion within the first six hours, and that helped improve blood flow to the kidneys, and the patients’ urine was found to be with a higher quantity of 0.5 cc/kg/hr, than those patients who were moved from the Ward to the ICU. This study shows that patients with severe sepsis or septic shock need to be treated immediately. Using the clinical practice guidelines along with timely diagnosis and treatment based on the sepsis bundle in giving sufficient and suitable amount of fluid to help improve blood circulation and blood pressure can clearly prevent or reduce severity of complications.

Keywords: clinical practice guidelines, caring, septic shock, sepsis bundle protocol

Procedia PDF Downloads 294

Authors: Javad Mohiti-Ardekani, Shabodin Asadii, Ali Moradi

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Introduction: Curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, has been shown as an anti-diabetic agent for centuries but only in recent few years, its mechanism of action has been under investigation. Some studies showed that curcumin might exert its anti-diabetic effect via increasing glucose transporter isotype-4 (GLUT4) gene and glycoprotein contents in cells. To investigate this possibility, we investigate the effects of extract and commercial curcumin with and without insulin on GLUT4 translocation from intracellular compartments of nuclear or endoplasmic reticulum membranes (N/ER) into the cytoplasmic membrane (CM). Methods and Material: C2C12 myoblastic cell line were seeded in DMEM plus 20 % FBS and differentiated to myotubes using 2 % horse serum. After myotubes formation, 40 µmolar Extract and Commercial curcumin, with or without insulin as intervention, and as control 1 % DMSO were added for 3 h. Cells were washed and homogenized followed by ultracentrifuge fractionation, protein separation by SDS-PAGE and GLUT4 detection using semi-quantitative Western blotting. Data analysis was done by two independent samples t-test for comparison of mean ± SD of GLUT4 percent in categories. GLUT4 contents were higher in CM groups curcumin and curcumin with insulin in comparison to 1 % DMSO-treated myotubes control group. Results: As our results have shown extract and commercial curcumin induces GLUT4 translocation from intra-cell into cell surface. The results have also shown synergic effect of curcumin on translocation of GLUT4 from intra-cell into cell surface in the presence of 100 nm insulin. Discussion: We conclude that curcumin may be a choice of type-2 diabetes mellitus treatment because its extract and commercial enhances GLUT4 contents in CM where it facilitates glucose entrance into the cell. However, it is necessary to trace the signaling pathways which are activated by curcumin.

Keywords: Curcumin, insulin, Diabetes type-2, GLUT4

Procedia PDF Downloads 239

Authors: Wahab Abdul Ghafar, Tao Zhong, Baba Kalan Enamullah

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Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) are a robust lateral load resistance structure because of their high flexibility and efficient energy dissipation when subjected to seismic loads. This research investigates the seismic Performance of an innovative infill web strip (IWS-SPSW) and a typical unstiffened steel plate shear wall (USPSW). As a result, two 1:3 scale specimens of an IWS-SPSW and USPSW with a single story and a single bay were built and subjected to a cyclic lateral loading methodology. In the prototype, the beam-to-column connections were accomplished with the assistance of semi-rigid end-plate connectors. IWS-SPSW demonstrated exceptional ductility and shear load-bearing capacity during the testing process, with no cracks or other damage occurring. In addition, the IWS-SPSW could effectively dissipate energy without causing a significant amount of beam-column connection distortion. The shear load-bearing capacity of the USPSW was exceptional. However, it exhibited low ductility, severe infill plate corner ripping, and huge infill web plate cracks. The FE models were created and then confirmed using the experimental data. It has been demonstrated that the infill web strips of an SPSW system can affect the system's high Performance and total energy dissipation. In addition, a parametric analysis was carried out to evaluate the material qualities of the IWS, which can considerably improve the system's seismic performances. These properties include the steel's strength as well as its thickness.

Keywords: steel shear walls, seismic performance, failure mode, hysteresis response, nonlinear finite element analysis, parametric study.

Procedia PDF Downloads 98

Authors: Pin Yu Chen, Puay Chuan Lee, Yu Jen Loo, Ju Xia Zhang, Deborah Teo, Jack Wei Chieh Tan, Biauw Chi Ong

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Background: Synchronous communication, such as telephone calls, remains the standard communication method between nurses and other healthcare professionals in Singapore public hospitals despite advances in asynchronous technological platforms, such as instant messaging. Although miscommunication is one of the most common causes of lapses in patient care, there is a scarcity of research characterizing baseline inter-professional healthcare communications in a hospital setting due to logistic difficulties. Objective: This study aims to characterize the frequency and patterns of communication behaviours among healthcare professionals. Methods: The one-week observational study was conducted on Monday through Sunday at the nursing station of a cardiovascular medicine and cardiothoracic surgery inpatient ward at the National Heart Centre Singapore. Subjects were shadowed by two physicians for sixteen hours or consecutive morning and afternoon nursing shifts. Communications were logged and characterized by type, duration, caller, and recipient. Results: A total of 1,023 communication events involving the attempted use of the common telephones at the nursing station were logged over a period of one week, corresponding to a frequency of one event every 5.45 minutes (SD 6.98, range 0-56 minutes). Nurses initiated the highest proportion of outbound calls (38.7%) via the nursing station common phone. A total of 179 face-to-face communications (17.5%), 362 inbound calls (35.39%), 481 outbound calls (47.02%), and 1 emergency alert (0.10%) were captured. Average response time for task-oriented communications was 159 minutes (SD 387.6, range 86-231). Approximately 1 in 3 communications captured aimed to clarify patient-related information. The total duration of time spent on synchronous communication events over one week, calculated from total inbound and outbound calls, was estimated to be a total of 7 hours. Conclusion: The results of our study showed that there is a significant amount of time spent on inter-professional healthcare communications via synchronous channels. Integration of patient-related information and use of asynchronous communication channels may help to reduce the redundancy of communications and clarifications. Future studies should explore the use of asynchronous mobile platforms to address the inefficiencies observed in healthcare communications.

Keywords: healthcare communication, healthcare management, nursing, qualitative observational study

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Authors: Asharaf Abdul Salam, Ibrahim Elsegaey, Rshood Khraif, Abdullah AlMutairi, Ali Aldosari

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Arab World that comprises of 22 member states of Arab League undergoes rapid transition in demographic front - fertility, mortality and migration. A distinctive geographic region spread across West Asia and North East Africa unified by Arabic language shares common values and characteristics even though diverse in economic and political conditions. Demographic lag that characterizes Arab World is unique but the present trend of declining fertility combined with the existing relatively low mortality undergoes significant changes in its population size. The current research aimed at (i) assessing the growth of population, over a period of 3 decades, (ii) exploring the components and (iii) understanding the public health impact. Based on International Data Base (IDB) of US Census Bureau, for 3 time periods – 1992, 2002 and 2012; 21 countries of Arab World have been analyzed by dividing them into four geographic sectors namely Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), West Asia, Maghreb and Nile Valley African Horn. Population of Arab World grew widely during the past both through natural growth and migration. Immigrations pronounced especially in the resource intensive GCC nations not only from East Asian and central African countries but also from resource thrifty Arab nations. Migrations within the Arab World as well as outside of the Arab World remark an interesting demographic phenomenon that requires further research. But the transformations on public health statistics – impact of demographic change – depict a new era in the Arab World.

Keywords: demographic change, public health statistics, net migration, natural growth, geographic sectors, fertility and mortality, life expectancy

Procedia PDF Downloads 533