Urban Heat Islands and Vegetation Cover as a Controlling Factor

Cities play an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation and enhancingclimate resilience of their slum and vulnerable residents. Climate change adds to existingchallenges faced by cities. Climate change, together with a decrease in absorption capacity ofgreenhouse gasses due reduction in the amount of green cover, parks, trees and agriculturalsurfaces in urban areas, poses serious threats to urban infrastructure, access to basic servicesand quality of life in cities and negatively affect the urban economy. At the same time, rapidurban growth, growing urban poverty and increasing food prices raise concerns about urbanfood security, especially for the poor. Cities are highly vulnerable to disruption in critical(food) supplies and climate change exacerbates this vulnerability.The main objective of this study is to examine the spatial pattern of surface temperature in theKesbewa Urban Council Area and temperature variation with the different UPAF (UrbanPeri-urban and Agriculture and Forestry) regions using space born techniques and groundverifications.GIS and Remote Sensing techniques were the main analytical tools of this study in datacollection as well as data processing and analysis. Landsat ETM+ image from 2003 used toextract the surface temperature layer and model has verified using air temperature datacollected throughout the KUC area for the last five months period using 22 HOBO metersinstalled in different UPAF regions in the city. UPAF regions have identified and demarcatedusing Google image and visually interpreted with the field experiences.The surface temperature model developed using satellite images is positively correlated withthe ground temperature data collected and results revealed that there is a very positiverelationship between the UPAF regions and the surface temperature.

Model for River Bank Conservation and Proper Land Use Planning

This study describes a case study involving the use of bioengineering and rock structures torestore an eroded bank of the Deduru Oya, and restoration of ecological amenities thatexisted prior to disturbances by man and a major flood event, sustainable plot level landimprovement by agro forestry farming techniques. In addition, this study exposed thatimproper land use activities and illegal activities done by the people directly influence to thenatural process of Daduru Oya river basin. Thus, the study emphasized that banning riversand mining in the Deduru Oya until improvements of the sand deposits again at the river bedthere is no balance between the deposition and transportation, and until the river has adequatecompletion of sand in the banks and the river bed. If not that will be creates lots ofenvironmental problems in the area.Therefore, considering the river bank conservation by bio engineering best practice of landuse in the Deduru Oya lower basin were helpful to protect river bank erosion, groundwaterconservation, riparian buffer zone redevelopment and water and land management. Bothliving and nonliving plants can be used. Nonliving plants are used as construction materials,similar to engineered materials. Planted vegetation controls erosion and serves as goodwildlife and fisheries habitat in riparian systems. Guidelines are generally lacking for use ofbioengineering treatment on stream banks, which often explains why bioengineering is notused more often. The management strategy which is used (Bio engineering technology forconserve the river banks) are help to control soil erosion by runoff water of the river buffer,reduce silting in river bed by eroded soil and other materials, Increase the water qualitypurifying water by the roots of plants, increase green canopies and green belt beside of theriver, control the flood damage, bio-diversity conservation. This is socially acceptable,economically and environmentally sustainable technology. If this technology can be appliedfor the other river banks development, that will help to protect rivers and associatedenvironment. It is not applicable this technology for the entire river banks in Sri Lanka butshould have to identify the suitable place and do the implementation. This is low cost, ecofriendlyend sustainable technology. Introducing endemic species (Mee -Madhuca longifolia,Midella - Barringtonia aceamosa, Kumbuk - Peminalia arguna, Rambuk -Erianthusarundinaceus, Bamboo Three Types) to the river bank is extensively helpful to conservebiological diversity and have medicinal and cultural values. Moreover, agroforestry farminggain much help to maintain keep healthy of the soil fertility sustainably

In vitro culturing of porcine tracheal mucosa as an ideal model for investigating the influence of drugs on human respiratory mucosa

It has been previously shown that fresh mucosa from different mammals could serve as raw material for in vitro culturing with the differentiation of cilia, which are the most important morphological structures for the function of the mucociliary system. Increasing legal restrictions on the removal of human tissue and changing surgical techniques have led to a lack of fresh human mucosa for culturing. Most of the animals that have been used as donors up to now are genetically not very close to human beings and must all be sacrificed for such studies. We, therefore, established a modified system of culturing mucosa cells from the trachea of pigs, which is available as a regular by-product after slaughtering. With respect to the possibility of developing “beating” cilia, it could be shown that the speed of cell proliferation until adhesion to the coated culture dishes, the formation of conjunctions of cell clusters and the proliferation of cilia were comparable for porcine and human mucosa. Moreover, it could be demonstrated that the porcine cilia beat frequency of 7.57 ± 1.39 Hz was comparable to the human mucosa cells beat frequency of 7.3 ± 1.4 Hz and that this beat frequency was absolutely constant over the investigation time of 360 min. In order to prove whether the reaction to different drugs is comparable between the porcine and human cilia, we initially tested benzalkonium chloride, which is known to be toxic for human cells, followed by naphazoline, which we found in previous studies on human mucosa to be non-toxic. The results clearly showed that the functional and morphological reactions of the porcine ciliated cells to these substances were similar to the reaction we found in the in vitro cultured human mucosa

Baseline factors associated with early and late death in intracerebral haemorrhage survivors

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether early and late death are associated with different baseline factors in intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) survivors. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of the multicentre prospective observational CROMIS‐2 ICH study. Death was defined as ‘early’ if occurring within 6 months of study entry and ‘late’ if occurring after this time point. Results: In our cohort (n = 1094), there were 306 deaths (per 100 patient‐years: absolute event rate, 11.7; 95% confidence intervals, 10.5–13.1); 156 were ‘early’ and 150 ‘late’. In multivariable analyses, early death was independently associated with age [per year increase; hazard ratio (HR), 1.05, P = 0.003], history of hypertension (HR, 1.89, P = 0.038), pre‐event modified Rankin scale score (per point increase; HR, 1.41, P < 0.0001), admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (per point increase; HR, 1.11, P < 0.0001) and haemorrhage volume >60 mL (HR, 4.08, P < 0.0001). Late death showed independent associations with age (per year increase; HR, 1.04, P = 0.003), pre‐event modified Rankin scale score (per point increase; HR, 1.42, P = 0.001), prior anticoagulant use (HR, 2.13, P = 0.028) and the presence of intraventricular extension (HR, 1.73, P = 0.033) in multivariable analyses. In further analyses where time was treated as continuous (rather than dichotomized), the HR of previous cerebral ischaemic events increased with time, whereas HRs for Glasgow Coma Scale score, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and ICH volume decreased over time. Conclusions: We provide new evidence that not all baseline factors associated with early mortality after ICH are associated with mortality after 6 months and that the effects of baseline variables change over time. Our findings could help design better prognostic scores for later death after ICH

Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole versus clopidogrel alone or aspirin and dipyridamole in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia (TARDIS): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trial

Background: Intensive antiplatelet therapy with three agents might be more effective than guideline treatment for preventing recurrent events in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of intensive antiplatelet therapy (combined aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole) with that of guideline-based antiplatelet therapy. Methods: We did an international, prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint trial in adult participants with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) within 48 h of onset. Participants were assigned in a 1:1 ratio using computer randomisation to receive loading doses and then 30 days of intensive antiplatelet therapy (combined aspirin 75 mg, clopidogrel 75 mg, and dipyridamole 200 mg twice daily) or guideline-based therapy (comprising either clopidogrel alone or combined aspirin and dipyridamole). Randomisation was stratified by country and index event, and minimised with prognostic baseline factors, medication use, time to randomisation, stroke-related factors, and thrombolysis. The ordinal primary outcome was the combined incidence and severity of any recurrent stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic; assessed using the modified Rankin Scale) or TIA within 90 days, as assessed by central telephone follow-up with masking to treatment assignment, and analysed by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN47823388. Findings: 3096 participants (1556 in the intensive antiplatelet therapy group, 1540 in the guideline antiplatelet therapy group) were recruited from 106 hospitals in four countries between April 7, 2009, and March 18, 2016. The trial was stopped early on the recommendation of the data monitoring committee. The incidence and severity of recurrent stroke or TIA did not differ between intensive and guideline therapy (93 [6%] participants vs 105 [7%]; adjusted common odds ratio [cOR] 0·90, 95% CI 0·67–1·20, p=0·47). By contrast, intensive antiplatelet therapy was associated with more, and more severe, bleeding (adjusted cOR 2·54, 95% CI 2·05–3·16, p<0·0001). Interpretation: Among patients with recent cerebral ischaemia, intensive antiplatelet therapy did not reduce the incidence and severity of recurrent stroke or TIA, but did significantly increase the risk of major bleeding. Triple antiplatelet therapy should not be used in routine clinical practice

Effect of small-vessel disease on cognitive trajectory after atrial fibrillation-related ischaemic stroke or TIA

Post-stroke dementia is common but has heterogenous mechanisms that are not fully understood, particularly in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)-related ischaemic stroke or TIA. We investigated the relationship between MRI small-vessel disease markers (including a composite cerebral amyloid angiopathy, CAA, score) and cognitive trajectory over 12 months. We included patients from the CROMIS-2 AF study without pre-existing cognitive impairment and with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) data. Cognitive impairment was defined as MoCA < 26. We defined “reverters” as patients with an “acute” MoCA (immediately after the index event) score < 26, who then improved by ≥ 2 points at 12 months. In our cohort (n = 114), 12-month MoCA improved overall relative to acute performance (mean difference 1.69 points, 95% CI 1.03–2.36, p < 0.00001). 12-month cognitive impairment was associated with increasing CAA score (per-point increase, adjusted OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.36–12.33, p = 0.012). Of those with abnormal acute MoCA score (n = 66), 59.1% (n = 39) were “reverters”. Non-reversion was associated with centrum semi-ovale perivascular spaces (per-grade increase, unadjusted OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.06–3.15, p = 0.03), cerebral microbleeds (unadjusted OR 10.86, 95% CI 1.22–96.34, p = 0.03), and (negatively) with multiple ischaemic lesions at baseline (unadjusted OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.90, p = 0.04), as well as composite small-vessel disease (per-point increase, unadjusted OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.23–6.88, p = 0.015) and CAA (per-point increase, unadjusted OR 6.71, 95% CI 2.10–21.50, p = 0.001) scores. In AF-related acute ischaemic stroke or TIA, cerebral small-vessel disease is associated both with cognitive performance at 12 months and failure to improve over this period

Antiplatelet therapy with aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole versus clopidogrel alone or aspirin and dipyridamole in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia (TARDIS): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 superiority trial

Background: Intensive antiplatelet therapy with three agents might be more effective than guideline treatment for preventing recurrent events in patients with acute cerebral ischaemia. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of intensive antiplatelet therapy (combined aspirin, clopidogrel, and dipyridamole) with that of guideline-based antiplatelet therapy.Methods: We did an international, prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded-endpoint trial in adult participants with ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) within 48 h of onset. Participants were assigned in a 1:1 ratio using computer randomisation to receive loading doses and then 30 days of intensive antiplatelet therapy (combined aspirin 75 mg, clopidogrel 75 mg, and dipyridamole 200 mg twice daily) or guideline-based therapy (comprising either clopidogrel alone or combined aspirin and dipyridamole). Randomisation was stratified by country and index event, and minimised with prognostic baseline factors, medication use, time to randomisation, stroke-related factors, and thrombolysis. The ordinal primary outcome was the combined incidence and severity of any recurrent stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic; assessed using the modified Rankin Scale) or TIA within 90 days, as assessed by central telephone follow-up with masking to treatment assignment, and analysed by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN47823388.Findings: 3096 participants (1556 in the intensive antiplatelet therapy group, 1540 in the guideline antiplatelet therapy group) were recruited from 106 hospitals in four countries between April 7, 2009, and March 18, 2016. The trial was stopped early on the recommendation of the data monitoring committee. The incidence and severity of recurrent stroke or TIA did not differ between intensive and guideline therapy (93 [6%] participants vs 105 [7%]; adjusted common odds ratio [cOR] 0·90, 95% CI 0·67–1·20, p=0·47). By contrast, intensive antiplatelet therapy was associated with more, and more severe, bleeding (adjusted cOR 2·54, 95% CI 2·05–3·16,

Dry Weather Extremes of Sri Lanka and Impact of Southern Oscillation

Occurrence of lengthier dry spells is becoming a common phenomenon in most parts of theworld and it is an exigent challenge to adapt the changing climate. World MeteorologicalOrganisation defines an index to calculate the frequency of consecutive dry days (CDD) toidentify dry extremes and it is timely important to identify spatial and temporalcharacteristics of these dry extremes as a country.This study focused on identifying the spatial and temporal trends of consecutive dry days inSri Lanka from 1981 to 2010 and considers the impact of southern oscillation on theoccurrence of dry extremes of Sri Lanka as one of the causal factor. Extremes were identifiedusing the daily rainfall data using RClimDex 1.0 package. Dry extremes were mapped toderive the spatial and temporal characteristics. Non-parametric Mann Kendall test is used todetect the trends and their significance.Average frequencies of consecutive dry days in 1982, 1983, 1987, 1992 and 1998 were muchhigher than that of the other years. Inversely lower annual averages of frequency ofconsecutive dry days were seen in 1985, 1991, 2003 and 1981. Most of these extreme caseshighly coincided with the behavioral pattern of southern oscillation index. However, all thelengthier dry spells were not due to the southern oscillation and the causes should be furtherinvestigated for better decision making. Spatially there was a significant decreasing trend ofconsecutive dry days in Puttalam, Hambanthota, Nuwara Eliya and Rathnapura while thedecreasing trends of other regions were not statistically significant. According to the researchoutputs it is clear these decreasing trends of CDDs are fair signs for dry zonal regionsincluding Puttalam and Hambanthota. However, the significant decreasing trends of CDDs inRatnapura may let to consider whether this region is getting wetter and wetter incurringnumber of issues including floods and adverse impacts on plantations. Hence, appropriateadaptation methods should be rectified to cope with the changing climate.Keywords: Consecutive dry days, Spatial temporal trends, RClimDex, Non-parametricMann Kendall trend test, Southern oscillation