The Scientific World Journal最新文献

The rise in urban temperature has several impacts on the urban population. It manifests in water consumption, quality, and availability; energy consumption; greenhouse gas emissions; ecological disturbances; and human health. Studies have been conducted on the severity of the impact of surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) on these variables at different scales in different parts of the world. The majority of the studies in Ethiopia considered the effect of per capita income on per capita water and energy consumption, disregarding the effect of temperature. However, this study tried to investigate the impact of SUHII on these utilities. It tested to see future trends in consumption in line with future SUHII patterns from 2024 to 2040. The present impacts were investigated using the path model and the future trends in consumption with autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The models' efficiency was checked using the sum of square error (SSE), mean square error (MSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), and archaic information criterion corrected (AICC), respectively. The best ARIMA models for SUHII, water, and electricity consumption were (3, 1, 1), (2, 1, 2), and (1, 1, 2) with AICC values of 13.72, -5.44, and 17.67, respectively. The result of the path model analysis buttressed that SUHII has a more significant impact on water (2.378 m³/1°C/annum) than electricity (1.616 kW/1°C/annum). The ARIMA model confirmed an increase in future water and electricity consumption. These results suggest that urban planners should consider the effects of SUHII on water and energy demand when they evaluate growth strategies and use incentives to encourage efficiency and sustainability.

Quarry waste is a fine rock aggregate produced as a by-product of the rock-crushing process in quarries which is environmentally hazardous when poorly disposed. This paper presents the results of a study carried out to explore the feasibility of recycling basaltic quarry waste (BQW) with waste high-density polyethylene (HDPE) into sustainable construction materials. Recycled HDPE/BQW formulations were melt-mixed in a single-screw extruder and then transfer-moulded into experimental samples. No significant chemical transformations were detected by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analyses showed an improvement in the thermal stability of HDPE with the addition of BQW. Scanning electron microscopy imaging revealed generally poor adhesion between the two phases. Both tensile and impact strength initially increased but decreased at higher filler loading. However, stiffness, compressive strength, compressive modulus, density, and hardness improved with filler content for all particle sizes. The increase in water absorption with increasing filler content was not significant. This study demonstrates that BQW is a suitable filler for HDPE and the resulting material may be used to make roofing tiles and paving blocks.

Background: The relationship between smoking and human health is a well-researched and continuously evolving field. The impact of smoking on semen quality, and consequently on male fertility, has also been explored, though most studies have primarily focused on cigarette smoking rather than hookah smoking. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate and compare the effects of hookah and cigarette smoking on semen parameters in a sample of Jordanian males. Methods: A total of 558 participants were prospectively recruited, including 300 cigarette smokers, 95 hookah smokers, and 163 nonsmokers (control). Semen analysis was performed approximately 1 h after ejaculation following the World Health Organization guidelines (2021). Results: Interestingly, semen volume was significantly decreased in hookah smokers (p = 0.0097) but not in cigarette smokers when compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in semen volume, progressive sperm motility, total motility, sperm count, sperm morphology (p = 0.2714, p = 0.8752, p = 0.6671, p = 8614, and p = 0.9261, respectively), and sperm vitality between hookah and cigarette smokers. Furthermore, except for semen volume, these semen parameters were not statistically different in both tested groups when compared to the control group. Conclusions: Hookah smokers demonstrated lower semen volume compared to the control group. Additionally, no significant differences were found in sperm count, percentage of sperm motility, normal forms of sperm, and sperm vitality between hookah and cigarette smokers or between these groups and the control group.

Sandalwood is one of the exotic species of Nepal. Among all, Sandalwood (Santalum album) is found cultivated in a private land by local farmers. Sandalwood oil is used in perfumes, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and pharmaceuticals. The research was carried out to assess the growth performance of Sandalwood in particular soil condition in the Pyuthan district of Nepal. Four villages of Swargadwari municipality, Ward No. 3 of the Pyuthan district where large numbers of Sandalwood plants have been planted by local households on their private land, were selected. The objective of the study was to document the growth performance of sandalwood in terms of mean annual volume increment. Data collection was carried out through primary and secondary data sources. Primary data were collected through the diameter and height measurement of the Sandalwood tree by using a diameter tape, Abney's level, and a linear tape. As supportive data source, secondary data were collected from different journal articles, yearly publications of the Division Forest Office, Pyuthan, Department of Forest and Soil Conservation, and Ministry of Forest and Environment. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results were presented in the form of a map, table, and bar graph. The highest mean annual height increment was 0.51 m/year at the age of 10 years; similarly, the lowest mean annual height increment was 0.44 m/year at the age of 16 years. The highest mean annual diameter increment was 1.009 at the age of 15 years; similarly, the lowest mean annual diameter increment was 0.97 m/year at the age of years. The highest mean annual volume increment was 0.004 m³/year at the age of 15 years, and the lowest mean annual volume increment was 0.001 m³/year at the age of 9 years. The result shows a gradual increase in the mean annual volume increment with age from the age of 9-15 years, and it shows a slight reduction at the age of 16 years as compared to that of 15 years.

Despite the fact that there is a large number of biogas plants built in Ethiopia, their contribution in reducing energy expenditure and increasing income has not been fully examined. Therefore, this study examined the impacts of biogas technology adoption on rural household energy expenditure in South Ethiopia. Data were collected from 246 sample households, 123 biogas adopters, and 123 nonadopters. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select sample households. For data analysis, propensity score matching and binary logistic regression models were used. The logistic regression results showed that access to credit (p ≤ 0.01), access to electronic media (p ≤ 0.05), and farm size influenced the adoption of biogas technology positively and significantly (p ≤ 0.05), whereas distance to water sources influenced negatively and significantly (p ≤ 0.05). The average treatment of the treated unveil that biogas technology adoption reduced household annual energy expenditure, and enhanced household annual income by reducing money spent on fuel purchases. Therefore, the deployment of biogas technology improves rural households' energy supply and increases their annual income. To promote biogas technology adoption and increase rural energy security and income, government energy offices, policymakers, and development partners should capitalize on variables influencing biogas technology uptake.

Introduction: Child welfare clinics (CWCs) provide a platform for health practitioners to communicate with caregivers and provide growth monitoring, childhood immunization, health education, and other health promotion services. This study described factors influencing caregivers' attendance at CWC in the Godokpe Community in Ho. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study that used questionnaires for data collection among 403 caregivers having children under 5 years. The respondents were selected using convenience sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 to generate descriptive statistics and to test associations between independent variables and CWC attendance. A p value ≤ 0.05 was statistically significant. Results: The findings indicated that 80.4% of the caregivers had a high level of knowledge about CWC. The factors that influenced continued CWC attendance were encouragement by nurses (94.3%), the nurses being empathetic (93.8%), nurses showing a positive attitude toward caregivers (91.8%), the perception that attending CWC is an ideal childcare process (91.6%), having less waiting time (90.8%), having knowledge on child care practices (90.6%), having an appropriate timing for CWC services (90.1%), perception that there is the provision of adequate care for sick children at CWC (89.8%), perception that CWC is a needful care practice for children (82.4%), and acknowledging CWC as a requirement stated in the child welfare card (82.1%). Also, caregivers (79.0%) attended CWC sessions regularly. The adjusted odds ratio showed that caregivers without formal education (AOR = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.02-0.37, p value = 0.001), having primary education (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.37, p value < 0.001), and having secondary education (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-0.91, p value = 0.036) predicted CWC attendance compared to those with tertiary education. Experience at CWC (AOR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.20-5.81, p value = 0.021) and having children between 0 and 11 months (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI: 1.50-6.89, p value = 0.003) predicted CWC attendance. Conclusion: We identified various factors (sociodemographic and knowledge/perception) influencing CWC attendance. Healthcare providers must institute interventions targeting parents having lower education status and having children older than 11 months for continued CWC attendance even after the completion of routine immunizations. This may include continued home visits to provide CWC care to children less than 5 years old.

Walking instability increases the risk of falls and compromises mobility safety. This study aimed to explore the impact of various percentages of preferred walking speed (PWS)-specifically, 40%, 55%, 70%, 85%, 100%, 115%, 130%, and 145%-along with age-related changes, on walking stability during treadmill walking. Kinematic marker data from all walking speed trials were pooled for analysis, involving a total of 26 participants (13 young adults aged 24.7 ± 2.4 years and 13 older adults aged 60.8 ± 6.4 years). These pooled data were then decomposed into various movement components (i.e., movement strategies), known as principal movements (PMs), using principal component analysis (PCA). These PMs, which resemble the phases of a gait cycle, collectively contribute to the accomplishment of the walking task. The participant-specific largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE) was employed to assess the local dynamic stability of individual PMs, with lower LyE values indicating higher stability, thereby allowing for the examination of walking speed and age effects. The main findings revealed that only the effects of altered walking speeds were observed; specifically, the LyE value for the midstance phase (PM₃) at 100% of PWS was significantly lower than at 40% of PWS (p=0.001), and there was a trend indicating that the LyE value at 100% of PWS was also lower than at 140% of PWS (p=0.027). These results suggest that PWS enhances the stability of the mid-stance-phase movement component of the gait cycle more than the slower and faster walking speeds during treadmill walking.

Orthognathic surgery entails a high risk of blood ingestion, which causes postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Throat packs are placed to combat this problem. However, the efficacy of throat packs in reducing blood ingestion and PONV is debatable. We aimed to review the existing literature and pool the estimates of the quality of gastric contents, PONV, and throat pain associated with and without the use of throat packs among patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. Globally recognized databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science) were searched to identify relevant studies, and 2 randomized controlled trials comprising 84 participants were included. A qualitative analysis of the gastric contents showed that throat packs are not practical barriers against the ingestion of blood during orthognathic surgery. The meta-analysis revealed that placement of throat packs during orthognathic surgery did not reduce the incidence of PONV (p value = 1) and caused higher postoperative throat pain (p value = 0.02). Thus, the current review provides no evidence in favor of throat packs during orthognathic surgery. The role of throat packs in preventing blood ingestion is questionable due to a limited number of studies. They play no significant role in preventing PONV and increase postoperative throat pain.

Objectives: Multiple surgical approaches exist to access the infraorbital region to treat fractures. As with facial approaches, the onus is on good esthetics at the end of the procedure. Access is either through transcutaneous or transconjunctival approaches. In this study, we compared two transcutaneous approaches, the infraorbital and subciliary approaches, to assess functional and esthetic outcomes. Materials and Methods: This was a comparative analytical study of 22 patients over 18 months with zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures, indicated for open reduction and fixation of infraorbital margin. Patients were randomized into subciliary and infraorbital groups, assessed for intraoperative parameters of time, accessibility, and technique sensitivity and evaluated for postoperative esthetic outcomes of edema, scarring, and any complications such as denting ectropion or scleral show at the end of 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Results: The intraoperative time was three times greater in the subciliary incision group. The accessibility to the fracture site is excellent in the infraorbital approach, although it was also adequate in the subciliary approach. Regarding the esthetic outcomes, denting, scleral show, and ectropion parameters were observed more in the initial postoperative period in the subciliary group and more scar visibility for the same period in the infraorbital group. However, no significant esthetic differences were present between the two approaches at the end of 6 months. Conclusions: The infraorbital approach has low esthetic and functional complications of scleral show and ectropion with relatively good esthetics and ease of performing for infraorbital and orbital floor fractures.

Objectives: This study evaluated the effects of laser-assisted irrigation, conventional syringe irrigation (CSI), and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) for elimination of intracanal medicaments on push-out bond strength (PBS) of NeoMTA2 to root dentin. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 150 extracted single-rooted mandibular premolars were decoronated and standardized with a certain root length. The canals were instrumented to simulate immature roots and randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n = 45) using either triple antibiotic paste (TAP), double antibiotic paste (DAP), or calcium hydroxide (CH) as intracanal medicament and one no-medicament control group (n = 15). After 28 days, the experimental groups were randomly divided into three subgroups (n = 15) according to the irrigation method using either erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser shockwave-enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming (SWEEPS), CSI, or PUI. A dentinal ring was then obtained from the coronal part of each root, and its lumen was densely filled with NeoMTA2. After 1 week, the PBS was measured using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey and Dunnett tests (alpha = 0.05). Results: The interaction effect of the irrigation technique and medicament type on PBS was significant (p < 0.05). The PBS in all groups was significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.01) except in CH-SWEEPS (p = 0.741). In the experimental groups, the PBS of the SWEEPS subgroup was significantly higher than other subgroups (p < 0.001). The PBS of PUI was higher than CSI in CH and TAP groups (p < 0.001). The PBS of CH was significantly higher than TAP in CSI, and DAP and TAP in PUI and SWEEPS groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In this in vitro study, regardless of the irrigation method, higher PBS of NeoMTA2 to root dentin was achieved in CH groups compared to TAP. A higher PBS was also achieved when SWEEPS and PUI methods were used to eliminate CH in comparison to TAP and DAP.