Alignment of a digital watershed and land use game to national education standards

Digital games, especially simulations, have supported student learning outcomes in the areas of science and agriculture in classrooms and nonformal settings. Simulations contribute robustly to student achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and agriculture content areas, especially when they are aligned with national education standards. The People in Ecosystems Watershed Integration (PEWI) simulation is a digital game that was evaluated for fit to two national standards: the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Standards (AFNR). The evaluation of alignment of PEWI to NGSS provided “extensive” evidence on a four‐point scale for meeting Criterion A: Explaining phenomenon/designing solutions; Criterion B: 3‐D learning, science and engineering practices, rated for three areas: (a) “extensive” for science and engineering practices, (b) “adequate” for disciplinary core ideas, and (c) “extensive” for cross‐cutting concepts. Additionally, PEWI aligned with nine high school–level NGSS student performance expectations categories. For AFNR Standards, the PEWI evaluation provided evidence for alignment to 10 standards and 17 indicators from the AFNR areas of Environmental Service Systems, Natural Resource Systems, and Plant Systems

DNA barcodes reveal species-specific mercury levels in tuna sushi that pose a health risk to consumers

Excessive ingestion of mercury—a health hazard associated with consuming predatory fishes—damages neurological, sensory-motor and cardiovascular functioning. The mercury levels found in Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) and bluefin tuna species (Thunnus maccoyii, Thunnus orientalis, and Thunnus thynnus), exceed or approach levels permissible by Canada, the European Union, Japan, the US, and the World Health Organization. We used DNA barcodes to identify tuna sushi samples analysed for mercury and demonstrate that the ability to identify cryptic samples in the market place allows regulatory agencies to more accurately measure the risk faced by fish consumers and enact policies that better safeguard their health

Corn Cob Residue Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics during Decomposition

The cob fraction of corn (Zea mays L.) residue has characteristics that reduce concerns associated with residue removal making it a potential biofuel feedstock. The contribution the cob makes to soil C and nutrient dynamics is unknown. A litterbag study was conducted in no-tillage plots under irrigated and rain fed conditions in eastern Nebraska. Litterbags containing cobs were placed in corn rows on the soil surface or vertically in the 0- to 10-cm soil depth following grain harvest and collected aft er 63, 122, 183, 246, 304, and 370 d. Samples were analyzed for dry matter, C, N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn. Dry matter loss was greater for buried (59% loss rain fed site vs. 64% irrigated site) than surface cobs (49% loss rain fed site vs. 42% irrigated site). Cob N, P, S, content did not change over the duration of the study and these nutrients would play a limited role in nutrition for the subsequent crop. Cob K content declined exponentially over the study suggesting that cob K would be available to the subsequent crop. Cob Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu content increased during the study representing immobilization. With the exception of K, nutrients contained in the cob are immobilized the year following harvest and play a minor role in mineral nutrition of the subsequent crop. As cellulosic conversion technology becomes available cobs represent a feedstock that can be harvested with minor effect on crop nutrient availability

Effectiveness evaluation of an integrated automatic termomechanic massage system (SMATH® system) in non-specific sub-acute and chronic low back pain - a randomized double-blinded controlled trial, comparing SMATH therapy versus sham therapy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem in modern society, with 70-85% of the population experiencing LBP at some time in their lives. Each year, 5-10% of the workforce misses work due to LBP, most for less than 7 days. Almost 10% of all patients are at risk of developing chronic pain and disability. Little clinical evidence is available for the majority of treatments used in LBP therapy. However, moderate evidence exists for interdisciplinary rehabilitation, exercise, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, and cognitive behavioral therapy for subacute and chronic LBP. The SMATH^®system (system for automatic thermomechanic massage in health) is a new medical device (MD) that combines basic principles of mechanical massage, thermotherapy, acupressure, infrared therapy, and moxibustion. SMATH^®is suitable for automatic multidisciplinary treatment on patients with non-specific sub-acute and chronic LBP.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>This paper describes the protocol for a double-blinded, sham-controlled, randomized, single-center short term clinical trial in patients with non-specific sub-acute and chronic LBP aged 18 to 70 years. The primary outcome will be the effectiveness of SMATH^®versus sham therapy (medical device without active principles) determined by evaluating self perceived physical function with Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) scores after 4 weeks of treatment (end of treatment). Major secondary outcome will be effectiveness of SMATH^®determined by evaluating self perceived physical function comparing RMDQ scores between end of treatment and baseline. The trial part of the study will take 7 months while observational follow-up will take 11 months. The sample size will be 72 participants (36 for each arm). The project has been approved by the Ethical Committee of Cremona Hospital, Italy on 29 November 2010.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Compared to other medical specialties, physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) has not yet received the deserved recognition from clinicians and researchers in the scientific community, especially for medical devices. The best way to change this disadvantage is through well-conducted clinical research in sham-controlled randomized trials. Sham treatment groups are essential for improving the level of evidence-based practice in PRM. The present trial will counter the general lack of evidence concerning medical devices used in LBP therapy.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN08714168">ISRCTN08714168</a></p

Environmental impact assessments of the Three Gorges Project in China: issues and interventions

The paper takes China's authoritative Environmental Impact Statement for the Yangzi (Yangtze) Three Gorges Project (TGP) in 1992 as a benchmark against which to evaluate emerging major environmental outcomes since the initial impoundment of the Three Gorges reservoir in 2003. The paper particularly examines five crucial environmental aspects and associated causal factors. The five domains include human resettlement and the carrying capacity of local environments (especially land), water quality, reservoir sedimentation and downstream riverbed erosion, soil erosion, and seismic activity and geological hazards. Lessons from the environmental impact assessments of the TGP are: (1) hydro project planning needs to take place at a broader scale, and a strategic environmental assessment at a broader scale is necessary in advance of individual environmental impact assessments; (2) national policy and planning adjustments need to react quickly to the impact changes of large projects; (3) long-term environmental monitoring systems and joint operations with other large projects in the upstream areas of a river basin should be established, and the cross-impacts of climate change on projects and possible impacts of projects on regional or local climate considered. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.Xibao Xu, Yan Tan, Guishan Yan

Association between tobacco use and body mass index in urban Indian population: implications for public health in India

BACKGROUND: Body mass index [BMI, weight (kg)/height (m(2))], a measure of relative weight, is a good overall indicator of nutritional status and predictor of overall health. As in many developing countries, the high prevalence of very low BMIs in India represents an important public health risk. Tobacco, smoked in the form of cigarettes or bidis (handmade by rolling a dried rectangular piece of temburni leaf with 0.15–0.25 g of tobacco) or chewed, is another important determinant of health. Tobacco use also may exert a strong influence on BMI. METHODS: The relationship between very low BMI (< 18.5 kg/m(2)) and tobacco use was examined using data from a representative cross-sectional survey of 99,598 adults (40,071 men and 59,527 women) carried out in the city of Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) in western India. Participants were men and women aged ≥ 35 years who were residents of the main city of Mumbai. RESULTS: All forms of tobacco use were associated with low BMI. The prevalence of low BMI was highest in bidi-smokers (32% compared to 13% in non-users). For smokers, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were OR = 1.80(1.65 to 1.96) for men and OR = 1.59(1.09 to 2.32) for women, respectively, relative to non-users. For smokeless tobacco and mixed habits (smoking and smokeless tobacco), OR = 1.28(1.19 to 1.38) and OR = 1.83(1.67 to 2.00) for men and OR = 1.50(1.43 to 1.59) and OR = 2.19(1.90 to 3.41) for women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tobacco use appears to be an independent risk factor for low BMI in this population. We conclude that in such populations tobacco control research and interventions will need to be conducted in concert with nutrition research and interventions in order to improve the overall health status of the population