The Scientific World Journal最新文献

Background: This study is aimed at raising awareness about home accidents among grandparents caring for their grandchildren and reducing the risk of accidents and premature death in children under five through structured first aid training. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 76 older adults from a daycare center in Shiraz, Iran, were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group participated in eight sessions of first aid training. Pre- and postintervention assessments included PMT-based questionnaires and practical first aid skill tests. Data were analyzed using SPSS and JAMOVI. Results: Significant improvements were observed in the intervention group compared to the control group in terms of first aid knowledge (p < 0.001), home accident prevention (p < 0.001), and practical first aid skills (p < 0.001). Effect size analyses (Cohen's d > 0.80) further supported the substantial impact of the intervention across all measured domains. Conclusions: First aid training based on protection motivation theory significantly enhanced older adults' preparedness in preventing and managing home accidents involving their grandchildren. These findings underscore the importance of integrating first aid education into geriatric caregiving programs. Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials number: IRCT20180514039648N6.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/572726.].

Cannabis vaping involves the vaporization of cannabis vape (CV) liquid via a vape pen made of metallic and nonmetallic parts. Recently, various metal contaminants that originate from cannabis, as well as the vape liquid packaging device, were reported in CV liquids and aerosols. Heavy metal exposure from CVs is associated with various health afflictions and should be regulated. This scoping review intends to investigate the literature on heavy metal releases from CVs and their impact on health. This review was conducted according to the PRISMA-ScR scoping review guidelines. Initial search in electronic databases such as Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science yielded nine studies published until February 2024. The metals released from CVs, the variables influencing their leaching, and any documented adverse health impacts were recorded. Findings revealed that the structural elements of the CVs leached metals such as nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co), cadmium (Cd), and copper (Cu), which were transported into the aerosol as tiny particles. Several factors, including the structural integrity of the device components, device age, operating temperature, vape liquid pH, and viscosity cutting agents in the vape liquid, caused metal dissolution. Even though none of the studies evaluated the direct health impact of these metals, they proposed that they may affect multiple body organs, specifically the lungs, where they were associated with electronic vaping device use-associated lung injury (EVALI). These metals might expedite the transformation of vitamin E acetate into ketenes, which are associated with EVALI. We can conclude that heavy metals beyond the regulatory guidelines are released from CVs and have negative health consequences. Further research is required to improve the CV design elements to lower the metal leaching. Additionally, disclosing the CV packaging contents to consumers is essential to prevent possible health risks.

This study focused on urban noise pollution in the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Ghana, examining its implications for public health and quality of life. Five submetropolitan areas: Subin, Bantama, Manhyia North, Manhyia South and Nhyiaeso were selected to represent different neighbourhood types: commercial, residential and mixed-use zones. Ambient noise levels were monitored using a JD-801A sound level meter. Generally, the noise level ranged between 51.86 and 82.87 dB. Manhyia South recorded the highest average noise, ranging from 58.65 to 82.87 dB, and Nhyiaeso recorded the lowest, ranging from 51.86 to 74.83 dB. Commercial areas had the highest noise levels due to overcrowded areas, traders and purchasers, deafening noise from public address systems, and overwhelming honking from vehicles. The study also revealed average noise levels across all five submetros significantly exceeded the WHO 2018 Environmental Noise Guidelines, posing a potential health threat, including cardiovascular diseases, sleep disruption and cognitive impairment. The findings emphasised the urgent need for regulatory enforcement, spatial noise planning and community-based noise mitigation strategies under the oversight of the EPA Ghana.

Understanding the composition, abundance, and habitat associations of mammalian species is crucial for their effective conservation and habitat management. The study was aimed at filling the knowledge gaps regarding mammalian diversity and distribution in the Yegof National Forest Priority Area and its surrounding habitats. Accordingly, we assessed the species composition, abundance, and habitat association of mammals in the study area from July 2021 to April 2022. Based on plant physiognomy, the study area was categorized into five habitat types: natural forest, wooded grassland, plantation, bushland, and open grassland. A total of 13 mammalian species were recorded through line transect surveys. The order Primate was the most abundant taxonomic group accounting for 68.9% of the total mammals recorded. Among the recorded species, Papio anubis was the most numerous, accounting for 32.77% of the total, followed by Chlorocebus aethiops (19.95%) and Theropithecus gelada (16.15%). The abundance of mammals varied significantly across different habitats. During the dry and wet seasons, 57.7% and 42.3% were recorded, respectively. A statistically significant seasonal difference in abundance was observed. More than half (56%) of the species recorded were common to all five habitat types. The highest species similarity index (SI = 0.95) was observed between natural forest and wooded grassland. The study reveals considerable mammalian diversity in the study area, accompanied by notable variations in abundance across different habitats and seasons. However, the study area faces conservation challenges, including deforestation, illegal hunting, and human-wildlife conflict, which threaten population sustainability. Addressing these threats is essential to ensure the long-term survival of mammal species.

In MANETs, the congestion-adaptive routing protocol (CRP) enhances data delivery by dynamically adjusting routes based on real-time congestion, unlike traditional protocols that lack congestion adaptability. The present paper discusses the CRP proposed protocols for evaluating the E2E delay, PDR, overhead, and energy consumption across various data rates (1-40) and communication times (0-900 ms) using the ns-3 simulator. The obtained results were compared with the DSR, TORA, OLSR, and AODV protocols. Results indicate that CRP delivers superior performance to DSR, TORA, OLSR, and AODV in congestion-aware conditions. The optimal improvements in the CRP protocol are observed for an E2E delay of 85% and a PDR of 53.84%. In the case of routing overhead and energy consumption, the performance of the CRP protocol has been reduced by 20.68% and 23.07%, respectively, compared to the DSR and AODV protocols.

Land use change is one of the major factors affecting soil degradation. Growing population pressure has increased land use change with more negative effects on soil carbon storage and overall soil properties. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of land use changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and selected soil physicochemical properties in Gobu Sayyo, Western Ethiopia. Soil samples were collected from three adjacent land uses, that is, forest land, grazing land, and cultivated land, at 0-20 and 20-40 cm soil depths. A total of 36 composite soil samples were collected, and the major soil properties and SOC storage of the area were analyzed and computed based on their standard procedures. SOC stock was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (43.09-81.86 t ha^-1) in forest land and was significantly lower (38.08-43.09 t ha^-1) in cultivated land at the top 20 cm. SOC stock decreased with depth in all land uses. Changes in land use and soil depth affected the physical and chemical properties of soil. The physical soil property such as bulk density (BD) was higher (1.62 g cm^-3) in the cultivated land, whereas the lowest (1.08 g cm^-3) was recorded in the forest at 0-20 cm depth. Comparatively, the moisture content was higher (25.89%) under forest land at the depth of 20-40 cm and was lower (11.22%) under cultivated land. The chemical soil properties like exchangeable Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and K⁺ were higher in forest lands. Organic carbon, available phosphorus (AvP), total nitrogen (TN), exchangeable calcium (ex.Ca²⁺), exchangeable magnesium (ex.Mg²⁺), exchangeable potassium (ex.K⁺), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were lower under cultivated lands. pH increased with depth and was higher under forest land and lower under cultivated land. Soils of the study area are in general acidic to slightly acid, with pH values ranging from 4.6 to 6.02. The pH, SOC, TN, AvP, and CEC were higher under forest land compared to cultivated and grazing lands. It can be concluded that SOC stocks and the physical and chemical properties were affected by land use change and depth. Therefore, reducing the intensity of cultivation, adopting integrated soil fertility management, and maintaining forest land must be practiced to save the soil of the area from degradation.

This study investigated the socioeconomic determinants of fruit tree adoption amongst smallholder farmers in Budaka District, Eastern Uganda. Specific objectives included describing the characteristics of fruit tree gardens, mapping their spatial distribution, and analysing socioeconomic factors influencing adoption. This study is one of the first empirical studies in agroforestry to relate socioeconomic factors in Eastern Uganda to the spatial distribution of fruit trees. The study employed a combined approach incorporating GIS-based spatial mapping and socioeconomic analysis. A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 276 randomly selected farmers, key informants, and focus groups. GIS was used to visualise the spatial patterns and descriptive statistics, and chi-square tests were applied to identify differences between adopters and nonadopters. Results indicated that fruit farming is predominantly undertaken by males aged 40 and above. Fruit tree distribution is concentrated in the north and northwest, grown on small holdings averaging 0.5 acres with 10-40 trees. Chi-square tests confirmed significant differences in age, labour type, farm size, and income between adopters and nonadopters, whilst there were no significant differences in gender, family size, and access to credit. Policy interventions should expand youth- and gender-inclusive extension services that support climate resilience and sustainable fruit tree farming, and address land tenure limitations to increase adoption.

Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known for their potent antibacterial properties, making them suitable for wound healing applications. Aims: This study focuses on formulating AgNPs into dermal patch films (DPFs), leveraging the adhesive properties of the film for the effective delivery of active ingredients. Methods: AgNPs were synthesized through a green synthesis method using Plantago major L. Leaf extract as a bioreductant. Five distinct formulations, ranging from AgNP concentration of 0% (control), 0.005%, 0.01%, 0.05%, and 0.10%, were optimized and denoted as Formulas 1-5 (F1-F5), respectively. The films were fabricated by solvent casting method employing a manual film applicator. A variety of evaluations were then performed on the films, including assessments of their physical and chemical characteristics. These characteristics included organoleptic properties, film thickness, folding endurance, surface pH, loss on drying (LOD), crystallinity, the interaction between active ingredients and excipients, the morphological characteristics of the films, and a wound healing study. Results: All formulations resulted in smooth and transparent films. Favorable outcomes were observed in film thickness and surface pH measurements. Formulations F1-F4 demonstrated exceptional folding endurance (> 200 times). This is also affirmed by a reduction in the -OH peak in the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis showed that F1-F4 had adopted an amorphous structure, while F5 retained crystalline AgNPs. The drying process revealed that F5 exhibited the lowest moisture loss. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging displayed distinct morphologies among the five formulations. F4 and F5 exhibited the highest percentage of wound healing. Conclusion: The formulation of AgNPs synthesized through a green synthesis method, utilizing Plantago major L. leaf extract as a bioreductant, has demonstrated significant improvements in the physical characteristics, particularly in Formulations F1-F4. Notably, F4 exhibited the highest wound healing efficacy. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that F4 (AgNPs 0.05%) represents the most promising DPF formulation for enhanced wound healing applications.

Currently, significant attention is being paid to the study of the mechanisms underlying the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), especially factors related to humoral immunity, apoptosis, and sphingolipid metabolism processes. These factors play a key role in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration during both the acute and chronic stages of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα) in plasma, homogenates of the brain and spinal cord, serum circulating immune complexes (CICs), the apoptosis marker APO-1/Fas, and the content of glycosphingolipids during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and its treatment. The therapeutic agent used in this study was Cronassial, which contains mono-, di-, and trisialylated gangliosides. Our results indicate the significant role of elevated proinflammatory cytokine levels in the pathogenesis of EAE, which initiate the activation of the sphingomyelin cycle and subsequently trigger apoptosis processes. During the study, we observed an increased concentration of APO-1/Fas. Administration of the ganglioside-containing drug in vivo led to the normalization of the levels of the studied factors, demonstrating a neuroprotective effect. According to our findings, this drug regulates the metabolism of glycosphingolipids and the humoral immune factors that were studied.