HUBUNGAN ANTARA CURAH HUJAN, SUHU UDARA DAN KELEMBABAN DENGAN KEJADIAN DEMAM BERDARAH DENGUE DI KOTA MANADO TAHUN 2015-2020

Kasus demam berdarah dengue (DBD) masih tinggi di Manado. Kondisi lingkungan diduga berpengaruh pada angka kejadian DBD tersebut. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui hubungan curah hujan, suhu udara, dan kelembaban dengan kejadian Demam Berdarah Dengue di Kota Manado tahun 2015-2020. Penelitian ini adalah studi korelasional menggunakan data kejadian DBD, curah hujan, suhu udara dan kelembaban di Manado dari Januari 2015 – Desember 2020. Hubungan faktor-faktor lingkungan ini dengan angka kejadian DBD dianalisis menggunakan grafik dan analisis korelasi Spearman. Hasil analisis menunjukkan adanya hubungan antara curah hujan (rho = 0,32; p = 0,006) dan suhu udara (rho = -0,41; p < 0,001) dengan angka kejadian DBD. Namun demikian, hubungan kelembaban dengan kejadian DBD tidak signifikan (rho = 0,12; p = 0,299). Penduduk Manado di daerah dengan curah hujan relatif tinggi dan suhu udara cenderung lebih rendah dari wilayah lain di Manado perlu meningkatkan kewaspadaan terhadap perjangkitan DBD. Penelitian ini memperlihatkan adanya hubungan antara faktor-faktor lingkungan tersebut dengan kejadian DBD di Manado. Kata Kunci: Kejadian DBD, Curah Hujan, Suhu Udara, Kelembaban ABSTRACTThe prevalence of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) remains high in Manado. It has been suggested that certain environmental factors play a role in the number of cases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship of precipitation, ambient temperature, and humidity with the prevalence of DHF in Manado. This was a correlational study using the data on rainfall rate, ambient temperature, and humidity in Manado recorded between January 2015 and December 2020 by the local department of meteorology and geophysics, as well as the information about DHF number of cases at the same period as published by the Health Department of Manado. The relationship between these environmental factors and DHF prevalence was analyzed using graphs and Spearman correlation. The results of the analysis showed a significant relationship between precipitation (rho = 0.32; p = 0.006) and air temperature (rho = -0.41; p < 0.001) with the prevalence of DHF. However, there was no significant relationship found between humidity and DHF prevalence (rho = 0.12; p = 0.299). Manado residents in areas with relatively high rainfall and air temperatures tend to be lower than other areas in Manado need to increase vigilance against DHF infection. This study shows a link between these environmental factors and the incidence of DHF in Manado. Keyword: DHF Prevalence, Precipitation, Ambient Temperature, Humidit

Applicability of the finite element method to analyze the stresses produced in concrete slabs over ground by tire loads of agricultural tractors

There are several methods to dimension concrete slabs due to vehicle loads, most of them based on Westergaard theory. These methods have been developed for industrial vehicles (cars, trucks and forklifts). Considering agricultural buildings one of the most used vehicles is the agricultural tractor whose characteristics (tires of great dimensions but with a reduced contact surface) are different to those of the industrial vehicles. The goal of this research was to analyze the applicability of the finite element method (FEM) to estimate the stresses generated on the concrete slabs considering the loads transmitted by agricultural tractors. To achieve this objective, the effect of the loads transmitted by the rear axle tires of three agricultural tractors has been considered. In parallel, the same study has been carried out using the Westergaard theory. As a preliminary step, to validate the FEM, a numerical analysis has been made to obtain the stresses generated on a concrete slab considering three forklifts. The numerical analysis results have been compared with those obtained by mean of validated methods (Portland Cement Association) and the classical theory of Westergaard. For each agricultural tractor, the actual geometry of the contact surface of tires has been measured on a concrete slab and discretized by the FEM. As a result of the research process developed, it is possible to conclude that the FEM is a valid tool to analyze the tensions generated by the loads transmitted by the tires of agricultural tractors on concrete floors supported on the ground

Stable isotope values in modern bryozoan carbonate from New Zealand and implications for paleoenvironmental interpretation

Bryozoan carbonate contains useful geochemical evidence of temperate shelf paleoenvironments. Stable isotope values were determined for 103 modern marine bryozoan skeletons representing 30 species from New Zealand. δ18O values range from -1.4 to 2.8 VPDB, while δ13C range from -4.5 to 2.8 VPDB (values uncorrected for mineralogical variation). These values are distinct from those of both tropical marine skeletons and New Zealand Tertiary fossils. Most bryozoans secrete carbonate in or near isotopic equilibrium with sea water, except for Celleporina and Steginoporella. The complex and variable mineralogies of the bryozoans reported here make correction for mineralogical effects problematic. Nevertheless, mainly aragonitic forms display higher isotope values, as anticipated. Both temperature and salinity constrain δ18O and δ13C values, and vary with latitude and water depth. Ten samples from a single branch of Cinctipora elegans from the Otago shelf cover a narrow range, although the striking difference in carbon isotope values between the endozone and exozone probably reflects different mineralisation histories. Our stable isotope results from three different laboratories on a single population from a single location are encouragingly consistent. Monomineralic bryozoans, when carefully chosen to avoid species suspected of vital fractionation, have considerable potential as geochemical paleoenvironmental indicators, particularly in temperate marine environments where bryozoans are dominant sediment producers

Dielectric relaxation of DNA aqueous solutions

We report on a detailed characterization of complex dielectric response of Na-DNA aqueous solutions by means of low-frequency dielectric spectroscopy (40 Hz - 110 MHz). Results reveal two broad relaxation modes of strength 20<\Delta\epsilon_LF<100 and 5<\Delta\epsilon_HF<20, centered at 0.5 kHz<\nu_LF<70 kHz and 0.1 MHz<\nu_HF<15 MHz. The characteristic length scale of the LF process, 50<L_LF<750nm, scales with DNA concentration as c_DNA^{-0.29\pm0.04} and is independent of the ionic strength in the low added salt regime. Conversely, the measured length scale of the LF process does not vary with DNA concentration but depends on the ionic strength of the added salt as I_s^{-1} in the high added salt regime. On the other hand, the characteristic length scale of the HF process, 3<L_HF<50 nm, varyes with DNA concentration as c_DNA^{-0.5} for intermediate and large DNA concentrations. At low DNA concentrations and in the low added salt limit the characteristic length scale of the HF process scales as c_DNA^{-0.33}. We put these results in perspective regarding the integrity of the double stranded form of DNA at low salt conditions as well as regarding the role of different types of counterions in different regimes of dielectric dispersion. We argue that the free DNA counterions are primarily active in the HF relaxation, while the condensed counterions play a role only in the LF relaxation. We also suggest theoretical interpretations for all these length scales in the whole regime of DNA and salt concentrations and discuss their ramifications and limitations.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure

Investigation of Chaboche and Bouc–Wen Parameters of Quenched and Tempered Steel and Comparison of Model Predictive Capabilities

The aim of this paper is to model the elastic–plastic uniaxial behaviour of a quenched and tempered steel. The common Chaboche isotropic kinematic hardening model (CIKH) is introduced, and a physics-based procedure is proposed to determine its parameters. This procedure is based on strain- and stress-controlled tests and is focused on the stabilized cycles. The imposed cycle properties are the hysteresis area, the stress range, the slope at the inversion points, obtained from the stabilized cycles of strain-controlled tests, and the ratcheting rate extracted from a stress-controlled test. The novelty of the algorithm is to determine the hardening parameters from the global properties of the cycle rather than imposing a pointwise fitting, which is also implemented to calculate the parameters for a comparison. The Bouc–Wen model showed great flexibility in describing nonlinear behaviours, corresponding to different physical phenomena, through an appropriate tuning of its parameter values. In this paper, another optimization approach is developed to estimate the Bouc–Wen coefficients and accurately describe the same experimental cycles. The performances of the Bouc–Wen model are compared with the predictions of the Chaboche model, and a discussion comparing the techniques used to reproduce cyclic plastic behaviour is provided

Determination of the Acceleration Region Size in a Loop-structured Solar Flare

In order to study the acceleration and propagation of bremsstrahlung-producing electrons in solar flares, we analyze the evolution of the flare loop size with respect to energy at a variety of times. A GOES M3.7 loop-structured flare starting around 23:55 on 2002 April 14 is studied in detail using \textit{Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager} (\textit{RHESSI}) observations. We construct photon and mean-electron-flux maps in 2-keV energy bins by processing observationally-deduced photon and electron visibilities, respectively, through several image-processing methods: a visibility-based forward-fit (FWD) algorithm, a maximum entropy (MEM) procedure and the uv-smooth (UVS) approach. We estimate the sizes of elongated flares (i.e., the length and width of flaring loops) by calculating the second normalized moments of the intensity in any given map. Employing a collisional model with an extended acceleration region, we fit the loop lengths as a function of energy in both the photon and electron domains. The resulting fitting parameters allow us to estimate the extent of the acceleration region which is between $\sim 13 \rm{arcsec}$ and $\sim 19 \rm{arcsec}$. Both forward-fit and uv-smooth algorithms provide substantially similar results with a systematically better fit in the electron domain.The consistency of the estimates from these methods provides strong support that the model can reliably determine geometric parameters of the acceleration region. The acceleration region is estimated to be a substantial fraction ($\sim 1/2$) of the loop extent, indicating that this dense flaring loop incorporates both acceleration and transport of electrons, with concurrent thick-target bremsstrahlung emission.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysics journa

Hospital Resource Utilization and Treatment Cost of Skeletal-Related Events in Patients with Metastatic Breast or Prostate Cancer: Estimation for the Portuguese National Health System

BACKGROUND: Skeletal-related events (SREs) occur frequently in patients with bone metastases as a result of breast (BC) and prostate (PC) cancers. They increase both morbidity and mortality and lead to extensive health-care resource utilization. METHODS: Health care resource utilization by BC/PC patients with at least one SRE during the preceding 12 months was assessed through retrospective chart review. SRE-treatment costs were estimated using the Portuguese Ministry of Health cost database and analyzed using generalized linear models. RESULTS: This study included 152 patients from nine hospitals. The mean (SD) annual SRE-treatment cost per patient was €5963 (€3646) and €5711 (€4347), for BC (n=121) and PC (n=31) patients, respectively. Mean cost per single episode ranged between €1485 (radiotherapy) and €13,203 (spinal cord compression). Early onset of bone metastasis (P = 0.03) and diagnosis of bone metastases at or after the occurrence of the first SRE (P < 0.001) were associated with higher SRE-treatment costs. CONCLUSION: These results reveal the high hospital SRE-treatment costs, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment, and identify key factors determining the economic value of therapies for patients with skeletal metastases