Search Results (6,522)

Satellite monitoring of agricultural crops plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and in the sustainable management of agricultural resources, particularly in regions dominated by rainfed farming, such as the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan. Many satellite monitoring tasks rely on remote identification of different types of cultivated crops. In developing the proposed method, we accounted for the temporal characteristics of crop growth and development in various climatic zones of rainfed agriculture, analyzed the dynamics of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) together with ground-based data, and identified effective time periods and patterns for successful crop recognition. This study aims to develop and comparatively assess two methods for the automatic identification of cultivated crops in rainfed zones using Sentinel-2 satellite data for the years 2018 and 2022. The first method is based on detailed classification of pre-digitized field boundaries, providing high accuracy in satellite-based mapping. The second method represents a fully automated approach applied to large rainfed areas, emphasizing operational efficiency and scalability. The results obtained from both methods were validated against official national statistics, ground-based field surveys, and farm-level data. The findings indicate that the field-boundary-based method delivers significantly higher accuracy (average accuracy of 91.1%). While the automated rainfed-zone approach demonstrates lower accuracy (78%), it still produces acceptable results for large-scale monitoring, confirming its suitability for rapid assessment of sown areas. This research highlights the trade-off between the accuracy achieved through detailed field boundary digitization and the efficiency provided by an automated, scalable approach, offering valuable tools for agricultural production management. Full article

Methane concentration anomalies during coal mining operations are identified as important factors triggering major safety accidents. This study aimed to address the key issues of insufficient adaptability of existing detection methods in dynamic and complex underground environments and limited characterization capabilities for non-uniform sampling data. Specifically, an intelligent diagnostic model was proposed by integrating the improved Dung Beetle Optimization Algorithm (SGDBO) with Transformer-SVM. A dual-path feature fusion architecture was innovatively constructed. First, the original sequence length of samples was unified by interpolation algorithms to adapt to deep learning model inputs. Meanwhile, statistical features of samples (such as kurtosis and differential standard deviation) were extracted to deeply characterize local mutation characteristics. Then, the Transformer network was utilized to automatically capture the temporal dependencies of concentration time series. Additionally, the output features were concatenated with manual statistical features and input into the LSSVM classifier to form a complementary enhancement diagnostic mechanism. Sine chaotic mapping initialization and a golden sine search mechanism were integrated into DBO. Subsequently, the SGDBO algorithm was employed to optimize the hyperparameters of the Transformer-LSSVM hybrid model, breaking through the bottleneck of traditional parameter optimization falling into local optima. Experiments reveal that this model can significantly improve the classification accuracy and robustness of anomaly curve discrimination. Furthermore, core technical support can be provided to construct coal mine safety monitoring systems, demonstrating critical practical value for ensuring national energy security production. Full article

As the urbanization and industrialization processes in developing countries continue to advance, environmental issues caused by carbon dioxide emissions (CDEs) have become a significant research topic in the field of sustainable development. However, existing research has primarily focused on macro and meso scales such as global, national, and urban levels, and due to limitations in data precision, in-depth exploration of spatial heterogeneity within cities remains insufficient. To address this, this study utilizes China high-resolution emission gridded data (CHRED) to establish a theoretical analytical framework for spatial zoning of urban carbon emissions. The main innovations of this study are as follows: first, a stepwise analysis method matching carbon emissions with spatial patterns was designed based on CHRED data; second, by establishing a “ring-layer and direction” model, the study systematically revealed the spatial differentiation characteristics of carbon emissions within cities. Empirical research using Shenzhen as a case study shows that the city’s CDE intensity (CDEI) is generally at a medium-to-low level, but exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity, with Nanshan District and Kuiyong District forming two major high-emission core areas. Further analysis reveals that during the processes of urbanization and industrialization, population density, nighttime light intensity index, and the proportion of construction land are the key drivers influencing the spatial pattern of carbon emissions. This study provides scientific basis and decision-making references for optimizing urban spatial layout to achieve the “dual carbon” goals. Full article

An adult female Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), introduced with another subject in the National Park of Gran Paradiso (Aosta Valley Region, Italy), was found dead. The necropsy found a mass involving mainly the gallbladder walls with other multicentric masses in the liver and pancreas. In addition to these, through the histological examination, other nodules were detected in the pancreas, with structure similar to gallbladder neoplasm. Histopathology diagnosed it as neoplasia composed of epithelioid cells, forming lobules of tubules and pseudoacini, with a very low mitotic count, discrete cellular pleomorphism, and prominent fibrous stroma. Neoplastic cells demonstrated positive immunoreactivity for cytokeratin and negative immunoreactivity for S100. Gross and histologic lesions and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with a primary gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) of metastatic type. GBC is a rare neoplasm in both humans and animals, sometimes associated with cholelithiasis and cholecystitis, with few reports in the veterinary literature especially in cattle, pigs, dogs and cats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of GBC in a Eurasian otter. Full article

Context: It has been claimed that recently, in England, the places with the greatest amount of housing built were the places that least needed them. This is an accusation that has echoes in a number of countries around the globe. The lack of construction leads to greater unaffordability and a lower level of economic activity than could have been achieved if labour, particularly those with high human capital, was not so constrained as to where they could afford to live. The recent National Planning Policy Framework for England imposes mandatory targets on housing planning authorities. As such, the following question is raised: will the targets result in additional residential homes being located in places of greater need than the prevailing pattern? Research Questions: The paper sets out to consider the spatial mismatch between housing additions and national benefit in terms of unaffordability and productivity. Specifically, do the concentrations of high and/or low rates of the prevailing rates of additional dwellings and the target rates of adding dwellings correspond with the clusters of high and/or low unaffordability and productivity? A further question considered is: does the spatial distribution of additional dwellings match the clusters of population growth? Method: The values of the variables are transformed at the first stage into Anselin’s LISA categories. LISA maps can reveal unusually high spatial concentrations of values, or clusters. The second stage entails comparing sets of the transformed data for agreement of the classifications. An agreement coefficient is provided by Fleiss’s kappa. Data: The data used is of additional dwellings, the total number of dwellings, population estimates, gross value added per hour worked (productivity data), and house price–earnings ratios. The period of study covers the eight years prior to 2020 and the two years after, omitting 2020 itself due to the unusual impact on economic activity. All the data is at local authority district level. Findings: The hot and cold spots of additional dwellings do not correspond those of house price–earnings ratios or productivity. However, population growth hot spots show moderate agreement with those of where additional dwellings are concentrated. This is in line with findings from elsewhere, suggesting that population follows housing supply. Concentrations of districts with relatively high targets per unit of existing stocks are found correspond (agree strongly) with clusters of house price–earnings ratios. Links between productivity and housing are much weaker. Conclusions: The strong link between targets and affordability suggests that if the targets are met, the claim that the places that build the most housing are the places that least need them can be challenged. That said, house-price–earnings ratios present a view of unaffordability that will favour greater building in the countryside rather than cities outside of London, which runs against concentrating new housing in urban areas consistent with fostering clusters/agglomerations implicit in the new modern industrial strategy. Full article

Despite global initiatives to combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, such activities continue unabated. As a response, states are encouraged to join the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA) as a countermeasure. Despite these efforts, it is suspected that many IUU fishing activities involve non-party or unknown vessels that evade international sanctions. This study aims to propose technical and institutional improvement measures in light of these challenges. First, using available IUU vessel lists, we conducted independent-sample comparisons and paired-sample comparisons to analyze the characteristics of IUU vessels. As key solutions, we propose the formation of a global collaborative body to facilitate an integrated information chain, the implementation of advanced technologies for systematic operations, strategies to encourage PSMA accession by non-parties, market investigations, and enhanced national inspection and organizational capabilities. Furthermore, this study seeks to strengthen global deterrence of IUU fishing activities by proposing a phased international cooperation framework to enhance the feasibility of integrating the PSMA, Global Record (GR), Global Information Exchange System (GIES), and Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) systems. These strategies are expected to contribute positively to the transparent governance, sustainable management of fishery resources, and safety officers and vessels. Full article

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect that requires early surgical correction. However, in developing countries, many patients undergo delayed treatment due to limited healthcare resources. This study aims to identify risk factors for postoperative complications in humanitarian patients undergoing late Tetralogy of Fallot repair, defined as surgery performed after 12 months of age. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 115 humanitarian paediatric patients with a median age of 1444 days (approximately 4 years) who underwent complete Tetralogy of Fallot correction. In this humanitarian programme, patients from developing nations underwent surgical repair at our tertiary referral centre in a high-resource country. Postoperative complications were monitored within the first 30 days after surgery. Two multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyse pre/perioperative (Model 1) and postoperative (Model 2) risk factors for complications. Results: Complications occurred in 24.3% of patients. No deaths were recorded. In Model 1, smaller pulmonary valve annulus (OR = 0.066; p < 0.01) and the use of right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit (OR = 13.252; p < 0.01) were significantly associated with a higher risk of complications. In Model 2, prolonged invasive ventilation time (OR = 1.068; p < 0.01) and extended hospitalisation time (OR = 1.093; p = 0.04) were significantly associated with complications. Conclusions: Late surgical correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in humanitarian paediatric patients can be performed with low mortality but carries a significant risk of postoperative complications. The predictive models provide useful tools for proactive clinical monitoring, personalised management, and optimisation of hospital resources. Full article

This study presents the first comprehensive investigation establishing the relationship between color consistency and luminous efficacy of radiation (LER) in phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (LEDs), introducing novel selection criteria for energy-efficient applications. A systematic analysis of LED sources with nominal correlated color temperature (CCT) values of 3000 K and 4000 K across color-rendering index (CRI Ra) thresholds (≥60 and ≥80) was conducted, evaluating spectral power distributions (SPD) and chromaticities relative to 3-step, 5-step color-consistency circles, and 7-step American National Standards Institute (ANSI) quadrangles. Novel findings reveal a previously uncharacterized strong positive correlation between color consistency and luminous efficacy across all analyzed LED sources. LEDs with chromaticities within 3-step color-consistency circles consistently demonstrated superior LER values compared to 5-step boundaries, while sources outside established circles showed significantly inferior energy performance despite meeting nominal CCT requirements. The research establishes that tighter color-consistency tolerances directly correlate with enhanced luminous efficacy, revealing an intrinsic relationship between color quality and energy performance. These breakthrough findings introduce a paradigm shift in LED selection methodology, providing lighting professionals with evidence-based criteria that simultaneously optimize color consistency and energy efficiency, enabling more sustainable lighting solutions through integrated quality–performance assessment. Full article

Objective: We aimed to quantify multiple sclerosis (MS)-related work productivity and to illustrate the longitudinal trends for relapses, disease progression, and utilization of health care resources in a nationally representative cohort of working North Americans living with MS. Background: The North American Registry for Care and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (NARCRMS) is a multicentered physician-reported registry which prospectively collects clinical information including imaging data over a long period of time from people with MS from sites across the U.S. and Canada. The Health Economics Outcomes Research (HEOR) Advisory Group has also incorporated Health-Related Productivity and Health Resource Utilization questionnaires, which collect information about health care economics of people with MS and its effects on daily life. Design/Methods: This is a prospective observational study utilizing data from NARCRMS. Socio-demographic, clinical, and health economic outcome data were collected through previously validated and structured questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to calculate the relative odds of symptom impact, with a generalized logit link for number of relapses. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios for time to first relapse. Results: Six hundred and eighty-two (682) people with MS were enrolled in NARCRMS and had completed the HEOR questionnaires at the time of the analysis. Among the participants, 61% were employed full-time and 11% were employed part time. Fatigue was the leading symptom reported to impact both work and household chores. Among the employed participants, 13% reported having missed work with a median of 6.8 (IQR: 3.0–9.0) missed hours due to MS symptoms (absenteeism), while 35% reported MS having impacted their work output (presenteeism). The odds of higher disease severity (EDSS 2.0–6.5 vs. 0.0–1.5) were 2.29 (95% CI = 1.08, 4.88; p = 0.011) times higher for participants who identified reduction of work output. Fatigue was the most identified symptom attributed to work output reduction. Among all participants, 33% reported having missed planned household work with a median of 3.0 (IQR: 2.0–5.0) hours. The odds of higher disease severity were 2.49 (95% CI = 1.37, 4.53; p = 0.006) times higher for participants who identified reduction in household work output, and 1.70 (CI = 1.27, 2.49; p = 0.006) times higher for those whose fatigue affected housework output as compared to other symptoms. Conclusions: A preliminary review of the first 682 patients showed that people with MS had reduced work and housework productivity even at an early disease state. Multiple sclerosis (MS) can significantly impair individuals’ ability to function fully at work and at home, with fatigue overwhelmingly identified as the primary contributing factor. The economic value of finding an effective treatment for MS-related fatigue is substantial, underscoring the importance of these findings for policy development, priority setting, and the strategic allocation of healthcare resources for this chronic and disabling condition. Full article

Background: Breast cancer is a major health concern in Poland, with significant incidence and mortality rates despite national screening programs. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate critical aspects of breast cancer management, focusing on waiting times, treatment coordination, cancer characteristics, diagnostic testing, and staging. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 587 medical records of breast cancer patients (585 female, 2 male) collected between March 2023 and June 2024 through a data donation model. Data included tumor characteristics (histological type, grade, stage, biological subtype, receptor status, Ki-67), diagnostic and genetic tests, and timelines of key events in the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways. Results: Although referral to first oncology consult (18 days) and MDT referral/admission to treatment (10 days) met NFZ guidelines, diagnosis to surgery (94 days) and diagnosis to drug treatment (109 days) were significantly delayed. No records showed oncology coordinator assignment or educational material provision. Clinically, invasive carcinoma NST (77%) and early-stage (IA/IIA, 61%) were prevalent, with Luminal B (HER2-negative) being the most common biological subtype. BRCA1/2 testing was common, but Oncotype DX was not. For 314 HR+ HER2- patients, stage IA (44%) was most common, with no BRCA1/2 mutations found. Conclusion: Breast cancer care in the Łódź voivodeship falls short of national guidelines due to long waiting times and poor care coordination, a problem worsened by incomplete data. Improving record-keeping and speeding up diagnostic and treatment pathways are crucial for better breast cancer management in Poland. While patient data donation can help analyze real clinical pathways, data completeness, and consistency remain challenges. Full article

Free-living amoebae (FLAs) are widely present in the environment and may be pathogenic for animals and humans. Studies on the prevalence of FLAs in European soils are few in number. This study aimed to molecularly identify the species and genotypes of FLAs occurring in soil from Southern Poland. Forty soil samples were collected in June 2024 in the Babiogórski National Park. Amoebae cultures and a thermal-tolerance test were conducted, and all strains grew at 37 °C. Five PCR protocols were applied for the amplification of FLA SSU rRNA fragments. The following FLAs, including potentially pathogenic ones, were detected: Acanthamoeba T4 and T13 genotypes in 79.1% of positive samples, Naegleria gruberi and Naegleria galeacystis in 25%, Vermamoeba vermiformis in 12.5%, and Paravahlkampfia sp. and Ptolemeba bulliensis in 8.3%. Species and genotype identification were determined by sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis. This study reports, for the first time, the isolation of N. galeacystis from soil and N. gruberi and V. vermiformis from soil collected in Europe. The used primer sets have different usefulness for Naegleria species identification and their phylogenetic analysis. The primers applied in this study may not reveal the full diversity of amoebae in soil; therefore, it is necessary to design new primers for this purpose. Full article

Objective: Investigate patient characteristics, treatments used, treatment response, and factors associated with outcomes when managing SE in a pediatric population admitted to the emergency department (ED). Methods: This retrospective observational study included pediatric patients (age ≤ 18 years) with SE admitted to the ED at King Khalid University Hospital between 2015 and 2023. SE and refractory SE (RSE) were diagnosed according to the American Epilepsy Society (AES) definitions. The data included demographics, home medications, treatment sequences, medication dosing, and clinical outcomes. To assess appropriateness, the administered doses were compared with the AES standards for pediatric patients. Results: The study included 487 episodes of SE. The mean patient age was 6.1 ± 4.1 years, and most patients were males (57.3%) with a history of epilepsy (74.1%). Benzodiazepines (BDZs) were administered first in 83.0% of cases, with a 10.9% success rate, whereas anti-seizure medications (ASMs) were administered first in 17.0% of cases, with a 66.3% success rate (p < 0.0001). Surprisingly, medications administered at appropriate doses during the first round were significantly less effective compared to those that were underdosed (18.2% vs. 28.4%; p = 0.0222), mainly because of poor response to BDZs. Younger patients and those who received BDZs on their first medication round had higher hospital admission rates. Conclusions: ASMs were more effective than BDZs in managing pediatric patients with SE, regardless of the dosing precision. These findings point toward the adoption of personalized treatment strategies and may warrant early initiation of ASMs. National multicenter studies are needed to define a standardized pediatric SE protocol. Full article

Background: There are very few reviews on how children’s food allergy is managed across various educational settings, and none have considered psychological support in addition to child safety. This scoping review aimed to understand interventions to manage food allergy, addressing children’s safety and psychological support in childcare centres, preschools, and schools. Methods: Following the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and applying the PCC (population, concept, and context) mnemonic, a search was conducted via Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), ERIC (ProQuest), PsychInfo (EBSCOhost), Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest). Furthermore, two supplementary searches were conducted: first, backward citation tracking of all publications included in this review; and second, a search of seven peak allergy organisation websites, including Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and the World Allergy Organization. Findings: Eighteen publications were included from 6812 records retrieved from the databases. Most publications were from the United States of America (61%), representing food allergy management mainly in schools (39%), followed by preschools (22%), childcare centres (17%), and mixed settings (11%). All the interventions focused on child physical safety, largely neglecting psychosocial support for children or their families, and only four publications reported the use of control groups to test intervention benefits (22%). Furthermore, safety-focused interventions were centred on building educator or staff knowledge of food allergy and their skills, confidence, and self-efficacy to manage it (72%); these were found to be highly effective. Most interventions were aimed at adults, and none considered children. Interpretation: The findings suggest a need for more research on food allergy management involving child-focused, developmentally appropriate approaches, especially in childcare and preschool settings. There is also a need for research on psychological support, particularly that which involves control groups and encompasses different nations. Full article

Purpose: This study aimed to develop and validate a new machine learning (ML)-based screening tool for a two-step prediction of the need for and type of nutritional therapy (enteral, parenteral, or combined) using Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and other demographic parameters from the Optimal Nutrition Care for All (ONCA) national cohort data. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 191,028 patients, with data on age, gender, body mass index (BMI), NRS-2002 score, presence of cancer, and hospital unit type. In the first step, classification models estimated whether patients required nutritional therapy, while the second step predicted the type of therapy. The dataset was divided into 60% training, 20% validation, and 20% test sets. Random Forest (RF), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), deep learning (DL), Elastic Net (EN), and Naive Bayes (NB) algorithms were used for classification. Performance was evaluated using AUC, accuracy, balanced accuracy, MCC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and F₁-score. Results: Of the patients, 54.6% were male, 9.2% had cancer, and 49.9% were hospitalized in internal medicine units. According to NRS-2002, 11.6% were at risk of malnutrition (≥3 points). The DL algorithm performed best in both classification steps. The top three variables for determining the need for nutritional therapy were severe illness, reduced dietary intake in the last week, and mild impaired nutritional status (AUC = 0.933). For determining the type of nutritional therapy, the most important variables were severe illness, severely impaired nutritional status, and ICU admission (AUC = 0.741). Adding gender, cancer status, and ward type to NRS-2002 improved AUC by 0.6% and 3.27% for steps 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusions: Incorporating gender, cancer status, and ward type into the widely used and validated NRS-2002 led to the development of a new scale that accurately classifies nutritional therapy type. This ML-enhanced model has the potential to be integrated into clinical workflows as a decision support system to guide nutritional therapy, although further external validation with larger multinational cohorts is needed. Full article

Introduction: The organization of mental health care is undergoing a transformation from an institutionalized model to a community-centered model. Due to the critical specialist workforce shortage, insufficient funding, and the large number of children in crisis, its implementation presents a challenge. The aim of this study is to analyze the current situation regarding access to system-based care under contracts with the National Health Fund in various provinces in Poland. Materials and Methods: Based on an analysis of data, resources available to patients were assessed—specifically, information was obtained from the National Health Fund website entitled “NFZ Treatment Waiting Times.” From this, the waiting times for appointments in child and adolescent mental health care facilities, the availability of mental health care facilities under contracts with the National Health Fund in Poland, legal acts, and data from the Central Statistical Office were extracted. Then, an analysis of the current accessibility to child and adolescent mental health services was conducted. The inclusion criteria for data sources were as follows: accessibility—the data had to be openly available to researchers without restrictions; credibility—the data had to be verified by individual health care facilities; usefulness—the data had to accurately reflect the actual availability of services and the needs within the child and adolescent psychiatric care system. Results: There are significant differences and deviations from the average number of facilities and waiting times when comparing the 16 provinces. Notably, some of the analyzed facilities are already operating within the framework of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centers, where the mean waiting period for inpatient care is 105 days, the mean waiting period for day-care units is 61 days, and the mean waiting period for outpatient clinics is 257 days. The number of facilities is increasing under the reform, with new level I reference centers being opened, which ensures prevention and early support is provided by a pedagogue, psychologist, and non-medical staff, providing enhanced accessibility to care without the need for a visit to a child and adolescent psychiatrist, of whom there are only 579 for the entire child population in Poland. This metric primarily refers to first-time appointments in public institutions, with notable disparities between urban and rural areas. Conclusions: The development of the reform offers hope for quicker access to mental health support for children and adolescents. With the consistent implementation of the reform and further support from non-governmental organizations, there is a high chance of building an effective community-based model with a short waiting time for help and reducing ineffective hospitalizations, among other things, in terms of costs. Full article