Nursing interventions to reduce health risks from climate change impact in urban areas: a scoping review protocol

Considering that the public health sector has been considered as a key stakeholder in climate action, it seems important to understand what interventions are carried out globally by trusted professionals such as nurses engaged in health promotion and environmental health in optimizing the health of individuals, families, and communities toward the dissemination of lifestyle decarbonization and guidance on healthier climate-related choices. The objective of this review was to understand the extent and type of evidence related to the community-based interventions of nurses that are being led or have been implemented thus far with the aim of reducing the health risks from climate change impact in urban areas. The present protocol follows the JBI methodological framework. Databases to be searched include PubMed, MEDLINE complete, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), and BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine). Hand searched references were also considered for inclusion. This review will include quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies from 2008 onwards. Systematic reviews, text, opinion papers, and the gray literature in English and Portuguese were also considered. Mapping the nurse led interventions or those that have been implemented thus far in urban areas may lead to further reviews that may help identify the best practices and gaps within the field. The results are presented in tabular format alongside a narrative summary.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Agricultural expansion in African savannas: effects on diversity and composition of trees and mammals

AbstractLand use change (LUC) is the leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. However, the global understanding of LUC's impact on biodiversity is mainly based on comparisons of land use endpoints (habitat vs non-habitat) in forest ecosystems. Hence, it may not generalise to savannas, which are ecologically distinct from forests, as they are inherently patchy, and disturbance adapted. Endpoint comparisons also cannot inform the management of intermediate mosaic landscapes. We aim to address these gaps by investigating species- and community-level responses of mammals and trees along a gradient of small scale agricultural expansion in the miombo woodlands of northern Mozambique. Thus, the case study represents the most common pathway of LUC and biodiversity change in the world's largest savanna. Tree abundance, mammal occupancy, and tree- and mammal-species richness showed a non-linear relationship with agricultural expansion (characterised by the Land Division Index, LDI). These occurrence and diversity metrics increased at intermediate LDI (0.3 to 0.7), started decreasing beyond LDI &gt; 0.7, and underwent high levels of decline at extreme levels of agricultural expansion (LDI &gt; 0.9). Despite similarities in species richness responses, the two taxonomic groups showed contrasting β-diversity patterns in response to increasing LDI: increased dissimilarity among tree communities (heterogenisation) and high similarity among mammals (homogenisation). Our analysis along a gradient of landscape-scale land use intensification allows a novel understanding of the impacts of different levels of land conversion, which can help guide land use and restoration policy. Biodiversity loss in this miombo landscape was lower than would be inferred from existing global syntheses of biodiversity-land use relations for Africa or the tropics, probably because such syntheses take a fully converted landscape as the endpoint. As, currently, most African savanna landscapes are a mosaic of savanna habitats and small scale agriculture, biodiversity loss is probably lower than in current global estimates, albeit with a trend towards further conversion. However, at extreme levels of land use change (LDI &gt; 0.9 or &lt; 15% habitat cover) miombo biodiversity appears to be more sensitive to LUC than inferred from the meta-analyses. To mitigate the worst effects of land use on biodiversity, our results suggest that miombo landscapes should retain &gt; 25% habitat cover and avoid LDI &gt; 0.75—after which species richness of both groups begin to decline. Our findings indicate that tree diversity may be easier to restore from natural restoration than mammal diversity, which became spatially homogeneous.</jats:p

Development of a Solar Park Carbon Calculator (SPCC) to assist deployment decisions

Following the Paris agreement, many nations have committed to targets of net zero emissions, resulting in a significant increase in low-carbon energy generation. Recent improvements in the cost and efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) technology has made it highly competitive, with the uptake of PV projected to surpass fossil fuels by 2035. Large-scale, ground-mounted solar parks are likely to constitute a considerable portion of this expansion. Despite the expansion of solar parks and the associated land use change, there is very little understanding of the environmental implications. In particular, the effect on ecosystem carbon cycling, and thus the decarbonisation attraction of the technology, is unknown. Here, we complete a systematic review of existing renewable energy carbon calculators, identifying carbon stocks and flows during construction, operational and decommissioning life-cycle phases. This insight is used to develop an idealised solar park carbon calculator (SPCC) that quantifies the full suite of solar park technological and ecological carbon impacts. We determine the carbon stocks and flows for solar parks drawing on established quantifications for system components, operation, and land management. Key components include the emissions factors for production of panels and mounts, machinery related emissions and the associated carbon flows of ground disturbances, before and after park construction. Carbon emissions offset by replacing grid mix electricity with that generated by the solar park are also included to provide an estimate of carbon payback time. Recommendations are provided as to how carbon payback time can be reduced, including manufacturing components with low-carbon energy, and avoiding placement on areas of high ecosystem carbon (e.g., peatlands). Finally, critical knowledge gaps, uncertainties and future options for development are outlined. The SPCC can help inform solar park developer decisions in order to minimise carbon costs and maximise carbon sequestration, ultimately helping to meet net zero goals

Response to Letter Regarding Article, "Comparison of Transplacental Treatment of Fetal Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmias With Digoxin, Flecainide, and Sotalol: Results of a Nonrandomized Multicenter Study"

Developmen

UMA ABORDAGEM MULTI-TASK LEARNING PARA A CONTAGEM DE BACILOS DA TUBERCULOSE EM IMAGENS DE SSM

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that affects the lungs,caused by Koch’s bacillus and transmitted through the air.Despite being one of the main causes of death from infection,tuberculosis is curable and early treatment increases thechances of complete recovery and reduces the risk of transmission.Sputum smear microscopy is a traditional methodfor diagnosing and monitoring tuberculosis, but computationalapproaches have been developed to support specialistsin this task. In this study, we propose a solution using themulti-task learning strategy, where two models share learningto generate density maps with bacilli presence locationsand perform the regression of the amount of bacilli on themap. The method performed well in both tasks, extractingimportant features of the bacilli and obtaining a final countbased on joint learning of the two networks.A tuberculose é uma doença infecciosa que afeta os pulmões, causada pelo bacilo de Koch e transmitida pelo ar. Apesar de ser uma das principais causas de morte por infecção, a tuberculose tem cura e o tratamento precoce aumenta as chances de recuperação completa e reduz o risco de transmissão. A baciloscopia de esfregaço de escarro é um método tradicional para o diagnóstico e monitoramento da tuberculose, mas abordagens computacionais têm sido desenvolvidas para apoiar os especialistas nessa tarefa. Neste estudo, propomos uma solução utilizando a estratégia de multi-task learning, onde dois modelos compartilham aprendizado para gerar mapas de densidade com locais de presença de bacilos e realizar a regressão da quantidade de bacilos no mapa. O método obteve bom desempenho em ambas as tarefas, extraindo características importantes dos bacilos e obtendo uma contagem final com base no aprendizado conjunto das duas redes

Teatro Down e a Performance

Este artículo es una prueba de escritura, una reflexión de la acción performativa realizada por el Teatro de Down, un proyecto relacionado con el Centro de Arte, Lengua y Subjetividad (NALS) de la Universidad Federal de Pelotas- UFPel. Organizado por los miembros de la PET-Fronteras: Saberes y Practicas Populares. El proyecto inició en 2013 con el fin de reflejar el arte teatral, que se encuentra en la acción performativa su manifiesto artístico y cultural, que nos permite acceder a la diversidad en la fabricación. Las reuniones aquí abordadas tratan de registrar la experiencia, una nueva acción adicional para concretizar y contextualizar de manera académica un torbellino de sensaciones y subjetividades.  Este artigo é um ensaio da escrita, uma reflexão da ação performática executada pelo Teatro Down, um projeto vinculado ao Núcleo de Arte, Linguagem e Subjetividade (NALS) da Universidade Federal de Pelotas – UFPel, estruturado pelos integrantes do PET-Fronteiras: Saberes e Práticas Populares. O projeto iniciou em 2013 com o objetivo de refletir a arte teatral, encontrou na ação performática seu manifesto artístico-cultural, nos permitindo acessar a diversidade no fazer.  Os encontros aqui abordados buscam registrar a experiência, numa nova outra ação para concretizar e contextualizar de maneira acadêmica um turbilhão de sensações e subjetividades

The role of the biomechanics analyst in swimming training and competition analysis

Swimming analysts aid coaches and athletes in the decision-making by providing evidence-based recommendations. The aim of this narrative review was to report the best practices of swimming analysts that have been supporting high-performance athletes. It also aims to share how swimming analysts can translate applied research into practice. The role of the swimming analyst, as part of a holistic team supporting high-performance athletes, has been expanding and is needed to be distinguished from the job scope of a swimming researcher. As testing can be time-consuming, analysts must decide what to test and when to conduct the evaluation sessions. Swimming analysts engage in the modelling and forecast of the performance, that in short- and mid-term can help set races target-times, and in the long-term provide insights on talent and career development. Races can be analysed by manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic video analysis with single or multi-cameras set-ups. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the swim strokes, start, turns, and finish are also part of the analyst job scope and associated with race performance goals. Land-based training is another task that can be assigned to analysts and aims to enhance the performance, prevent musculoskeletal injuries and monitor its risk factors.This project was funded by the FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UIDB/DTP/04045/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a Core outcome set for fetal Myelomeningocele (COSMiC): study protocol

BACKGROUND: Open spina bifida (OSB) is one of the most common congenital central nervous system defects and leads to long-term physical and cognitive disabilities. Open fetal surgery for OSB improves neurological outcomes and reduces the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting, compared to postnatal surgery, but is associated with a significant risk of prematurity and maternal morbidity. Fetoscopic surgery comes with less maternal morbidity, yet the question remains whether the procedure is neuroprotective and reduces prematurity. Comparison of outcomes between different treatment options is challenging due to inconsistent outcome reporting. We aim to develop and disseminate a core outcome set (COS) for fetal OSB, to ensure that outcomes relevant to all stakeholders are collected and reported in a standardised fashion in future studies. METHODS: The COS will be developed using a validated Delphi methodology. A systematic literature review will be performed to identify outcomes previously reported for prenatally diagnosed OSB. We will assess maternal (primary and subsequent pregnancies), fetal, neonatal and childhood outcomes until adolescence. In a second phase, we will conduct semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, to ensure representation of additional relevant outcomes that may not have been reported in the literature. We will include patients and parents, as well as health professionals involved in the care of these pregnancies and children (fetal medicine specialists, fetal surgeons, neonatologists/paediatricians and allied health). Subsequently, an international group of key stakeholders will rate the importance of the identified outcomes using three sequential online rounds of a modified Delphi Survey. Final agreement on outcomes to be included in the COS, their definition and measurement will be achieved through a face-to-face consensus meeting with all stakeholder groups. Dissemination of the final COS will be ensured through different media and relevant societies. DISCUSSION: Development and implementation of a COS for fetal OSB will ensure consistent outcome reporting in future clinical trials, systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines. This will lead to higher quality research, better evidence-based clinical practice and ultimately improved maternal, fetal and long-term childhood outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42018104880 . Registered on December 5, 2018. Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET): 1187

S100A12 in Digestive Diseases and Health: A Scoping Review

Calgranulin proteins are an important class of molecules involved in innate immunity. These members of the S100 class of the EF-hand family of calcium-binding proteins have numerous cellular and antimicrobial functions. One protein in particular, S100A12 (also called EN-RAGE or calgranulin C), is highly abundant in neutrophils during acute inflammation and has been implicated in immune regulation. Structure-function analyses reveal that S100A12 has the capacity to bind calcium, zinc, and copper, processes that contribute to nutritional immunity against invading microbial pathogens. S100A12 is a ligand for the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and CD36, which promote cellular and immunological pathways to alter inflammation. We conducted a scoping review of the existing literature to define what is known about the association of S100A12 with digestive disease and health. Results suggest that S100A12 is implicated in gastroenteritis, necrotizing enterocolitis, gastritis, gastric cancer, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and digestive tract cancers. Together, these results reveal S100A12 is an important molecule broadly associated with the pathogenesis of digestive diseases