Environmental water demand assessment under climate change conditions

Measures taken to cope with the possible effects of climate change on water resources management are key for the successful adaptation to such change. This work assesses the environmental water demand of the Karkheh river in the reach comprising Karkheh dam to the Hoor-al-Azim wetland, Iran, under climate change during the period 2010-2059. The assessment of the environmental demand applies (1) representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and (2) downscaling methods. The first phase of this work projects temperature and rainfall in the period 2010-2059 under three RCPs and with two downscaling methods. Thus, six climatic scenarios are generated. The results showed that temperature and rainfall average would increase in the range of 1.7-5.2 and 1.9-9.2%, respectively. Subsequently, flows corresponding to the six different climatic scenarios are simulated with the unit hydrographs and component flows from rainfall, evaporation, and stream flow data (IHACRES) rainfall-runoff model and are input to the Karkheh reservoir. The simulation results indicated increases of 0.9-7.7% in the average flow under the six simulation scenarios during the period of analysis. The second phase of this paper's methodology determines the monthly minimum environmental water demands of the Karkheh river associated with the six simulation scenarios using a hydrological method. The determined environmental demands are compared with historical ones. The results show that the temporal variation of monthly environmental demand would change under climate change conditions. Furthermore, some climatic scenarios project environmental water demand larger than and some of them project less than the baseline one

Effect of Pilates Exercises on Stable and Unstable Surfaces on the Functional Balance and Core Stability of Older Women

Background and Aims Balance disorders and frequent falling are the important problems in the elderly, which is directly related to changes in their body structure and function. Many studies have been conducted to find new and safe ways to improve the balance of the elderly. This study aims to compare the effects of Pilates exercises on stable and unstable surfaces on the functional balance and core stability of older women.Methods In this quasi-experimental study, the study population includes all older women living in private nursing homes, in Rasht, Iran. Of these, 36 women aged 60-75 years were selected by a convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to three groups of control, Pilates on stable surface, and Pilates on unstable surface. The variables were assessed using the Fullerton advanced balance test, timed up & go test, and the McGill core endurance test. Experimental groups performed Pilates exercises for 8 weeks, while the control group performed their routine daily activities. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, t-test and Bonferroni’s post hoc test. The significance level was set at 0.05.Results There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups; however, there was no significant difference between the experimental groups performed exercises on stable and unstable levels (P>0.05) Conclusion It is recommended to use Pilates exercises on stable or unstable surfaces for older women, especially residents of nursing homes with low mobility, to achieve their personal autonomy

Non-Pharmacologic Interventions in COVID-19 Pandemic Management; a Systematic Review

Introduction: Different countries throughout the world have adopted non-pharmacologic interventions to reduce and control SARS - CoV-2. In this systematic approach, the impact of non-pharmacologic interventions in management of COVID-19 pandemic was assessed. Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, systematic search was carried out on the basis of a search strategy on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and WHO databases on COVID-19. The impact of travel ban, personal protective equipment, distancing, contact tracing, school closure, and social distancing and the combined effect of interventions on COVID-19 were assessed. Results: Of the 14,857 articles found, 44 were relevant. Studies in different countries have shown that various non-pharmacological interventions have been used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The travel ban, either locally or internationally in most of the countries, movement restriction, social distancing, lockdown, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), quarantine, school closure, work place closure, and contact tracing had a significant impact on the reduction of mortality or morbidity of COVID-19. Conclusion: Evidence shows that the implementation of non-pharmacologic interventions (NPIs), for example, social distancing, quarantine, and personal protective equipment’s are generally effective and the best way to prevent or reduce transmission. However, this study suggests that the effectiveness of any NPI alone is probably limited, thus, a combination of various actions, for example, social distancing, isolation, and quarantine, distancing in the workplace and use of personal protective equipment, is more effective in reducing COVID-19

Developing a Longitudinal Case-Based Global Health Curriculum for the Medical Student Clerkship Year

Introduction: Although over 20% of U.S. medical students express interest in global health (GH), only 39% of medical schools offer formal GH education. We designed a longitudinal case-based curriculum for the core clerkships to incorporate GH into clinical education, increase awareness of barriers to care globally, and create opportunities for students to meet GH faculty. Methods: We conducted an institution-wide survey to determine baseline GH interest. We then developed three case-based sessions incorporated into medicine, surgery, and pediatrics clerkships at Harvard Medical School. The cases included clinical learning targeted to each clerkship while exploring fundamental GH concepts. Cases were developed with GH faculty, and the pilot was implemented from October to December 2019 with 55 students. We used pre- and post-didactic surveys to assess interest in GH and plans to pursue GH, and to elicit qualitative feedback. A follow-up survey assessed students’ understanding of GH and barriers to care relevant to their patients domestically. Results: Students felt clinical management, physical exam skills, epidemiology, and social determinants of health were strengths of the sessions, and felt they were able to apply more critical thinking skills and cultural humility to their patients afterwards. Students felt that simulation would be a great addition to the curriculum, and wanted both more time per session and more sessions overall. Discussion: Integrating GH didactics into the core clerkships has potential to address gaps in GH education and to help students make connections between clinical learning and GH, enhancing their care of patients both domestically and in future GH work.Scholarly Projec

Synthesis of CuO by Electrospinning Method for Sensing of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide Gases

The pure CuO nanofibers were synthesized via the electrospinning method successfully. The calcinated CuO nanofibers were investigated for sensing hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases. Structural properties of the synthesized calcinated nanofibers were studied using Fourier –transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and particle morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM images confirmed string-like structures, nanofibers. The sensor based on the calcinated CuO nanofibers exhibited excellent gas sensing performance at the low operating temperature of 175 °C and the fast response and recovery characteristics at a low concentration. Moreover, good stability, prominent reproducibility, and excellent selectivity are also observed based on the calcinated nanofibers. These results demonstrate the potential application of calcinated CuO nanofibers for sensing hydrogen (10–200 ppm) and carbon monoxide (400–700 ppm) gases.</jats:p

First National Symposium on Medical and Public Health Response to Bioterrorism

On February 16-17, 1999, in Arlington, Virginia, 950 public health officials, physicians, and other medical personnel, along with government, military, and intelligence experts gathered for the first National Symposium on Medical and Public Health Response to Bioterrorism. Participants were geographically diverse. Represented were 46 states, plus Washington, D.C., and 10 countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, and the Netherlands.The guiding force behind the symposium was the newly established Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Studies, which hopes the discussions will lead to a framework and partnership for strategic planning. The other main sponsors were the Department of Health and Human Services, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and American Society for Microbiology. Twelve other public health professional societies supported the conference.About the First National Symposium on Medical and Public Health Response to Bioterrorism / D.A. Henderson -- Bioterrorism: How Prepared Are We? / Donna E. Shalala -- The Emerging Threat of Bioterrorism / James M. Hughes -- View from the Hill: Congressional Efforts to Address Bioterrorism / S. Anthony McCann -- Finding the Right Balance against Bioterrorism / Richard A. Clarke -- Historical Trends Related to Bioterrorism: An Empirical Analysis / Jonathan B. Tucker -- The Threat of Biological Attack: Why Concern Now? / David W. Siegrist -- Nuclear Blindness: An Overview of the Biological Weapons Programs of the Former Soviet Union and Iraq / Christopher J. Davis -- Aum Shinrikyo: Once and Future Threat? / Kyle B. Olson -- The Prospect of Domestic Bioterrorism / Jessica Stern -- Potential Biological Weapons Threats / Mark G. Kortepeter and Gerald W. Parker -- Epidemiology of Bioterrorism / Julie A. Pavlin -- Vaccines in Civilian Defense Against Bioterrorism / Philip K. Russell -- Vaccines, Pharmaceutical Products, and Bioterrorism: Challenges for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration / Kathryn C. Zoon -- Smallpox: Clinical and Epidemiologic Features / D. A. Henderson -- Smallpox: An Attack Scenario / Tara O\ue2\u20ac\u2122Toole -- Aftermath of a Hypothetical Smallpox Disaster / Jason Bardi -- Clinical and Epidemiologic Principles of Anthrax / Theodore J. Cieslak and Edward M. Eitzen, Jr. -- Anthrax: A Possible Case History / Thomas V. Inglesby -- Applying Lessons Learned from Anthrax Case History to Other Scenarios / John G. Bartlett -- Addressing Bioterrorist Threats: Where Do We Go From Here? / Margaret A. Hamburg