Ligtas Agtas: a sustainable and disaster-ready resettlement area for the Agta Community in Sitio Pulang Lupa

Abstract Most indigenous peoples experience homelessness in the Philippines. This is the case for Mount Kalbo’s indigenous tribe, the Agta Community. They face the challenges of dealing with mass wasting disasters potentially devastating their houses and compromising the lives of their families. It is with high hopes that they will be resettled to Sitio Pulang Lupa to rebuild a community, in which this research aims to propose and develop. The proposed resettlement’s goal is to improve and sustain the Agtas’ living conditions in Sitio Pulang Lupa by addressing the unstable slopes and preparing the community to cope with mass wasting disasters. Sitio Pulang Lupa is analyzed compared to Mount Kalbo regarding its advantages of keeping the resettlement sustainable and safe from mass wasting. The resettlement merges the Agtas’ necessities to achieve the research’s objectives, which are improved living conditions, cultural representation, and disaster preparedness into one landscape development in Sitio Pulang Lupa. The resettlement comprises of spaces and facilities that reflect their cultural practices and their needs. Disaster management protocols were also formulated by mapping safe routes, and refuge landscapes to equip the Agtas with preparedness in case disaster occurs. To sustain the vision for the Agtas, soil conditions are firstly addressed by using contour planting. It was used as slope protection and to over-all enhance the environmental quality of the Agtas’ resettlement area. The resettlement as a whole shall be able to meet the research’s goal of proposing a landscape development that mitigates the mass wasting threats experienced by the Agtas, and improves their living conditions. Having said that, Agtas shall finally feel safe and secured in their own homes.

Download Full-text

Living Conditions and Perceived Quality of Life Among Indigenous Peoples in the Arctic

Global Handbook of Quality of Life ◽

10.1007/978-94-017-9178-6_32 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 715-743 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Birger Poppel

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Indigenous Peoples ◽

Perceived Quality ◽

Living Conditions ◽

The Arctic ◽

Perceived Quality Of Life

Download Full-text

Gender and Regional Differences in the Life Expectancy in Russia

Voprosy statistiki ◽

10.34023/2313-6383-2020-27-1-106-120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 106-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

L. A. Rodionova ◽

E. D. Kopnova

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Life Expectancy ◽

Gender Gap ◽

Poor Quality ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Regional Differentiation ◽

Russian Regions ◽

Poor Nutrition

The relevance of the chosen topic is closely related to the development of a system for monitoring the implementation of the May Presidential Decree (2018) to increase life expectancy and improve the quality of life of the population. It has been stated that despite the positive dynamics of life expectancy over the past decade, Russia still has a huge regional differentiation (16,6 years for women, 18,2 years for men in 2016) and an average gender gap - 10,6 years. The choice of factors affecting the gender gap in life expectancy in Russian regions is supported by a conclusion most common in foreign studies that climatic conditions, living conditions, the quality of food and drinking water, alcohol consumption are essential components of public health and life expectancy.The article provides an overview of studies on assessment factors of life expectancy, presents the authors’ approach to identifying gender gaps in life expectancy, living conditions, and lifestyle affecting the indicator of life expectancy. The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of gender gap in life expectancy in Russia and foreign countries. The paper studies the correlation between living conditions and lifestyle, and life expectancy.Classiﬁcation of the regions by the life expectancy at birth for men and women is an important component of this study. The authors used Rosstat data for 2016 and the k-means method to select three clusters of Russian regions taking into account gender, living conditions and lifestyle. The paper identiﬁes similar health problems of the regions that are associated with alcohol consumption, poor nutrition and poor quality of drinking water, poor housing and living conditions. The lowest life expectancy rates for men and women are recorded in regions of the 1st cluster (Jewish Autonomous Region, Republic of Tuva, Chukotka Autonomous Area). High mortality rates are a result of external causes. There is a poor quality of drinking water and poor nutrition, excessive alcohol consumption, and inadequate housing conditions.Based on the obtained results were determined possible reserves for reducing the gender and regional differentiation of life expectancy.

Download Full-text

Life quality of patients with discirculatory encephalopathy of II-III stage and the disease outcomes depending on the patients' living conditions

Dalʹnevostočnyj medicinskij žurnal ◽

10.35177/1994-5191-2020-3-99-102 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 99-102

Keyword(s):

Life Quality ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Disease Outcomes

Download Full-text

Sugar beet from field clamps -harvest quality and storage loss

Sugar Industry ◽

10.36961/si20092 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 639-647 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christa Hoffmann

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Surface Damage ◽

Invert Sugar ◽

Root Tip ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Storage Losses ◽

Commercial Sugar ◽

And Storage ◽

High Storage

Harvest quality of sugar beet varies according to soil conditions, harvester type and setting, and variety, too. Harvest quality may affect storage losses, in particular when injuries occur. To determine the harvest quality of commercial sugar beet and to quantify resulting storage losses, 92 commercial sugar beet clamps were sampled across Germany and information about harvest conditions were gathered. At IfZ, soil tare, leaf residues, topping diameter, root tip breakage and surface damage of the beets were determined. The beets were stored in 6 replicates in a climate container at 9°C for 10 weeks. The results demonstrate a rather good harvesting quality of sugar beet in Germany. Soil moisture at harvest did not affect harvest quality and storage losses. Very light, but also heavier soils lead to inferior harvest quality (soil tare, root tip breakage, damage) and slightly higher storage losses compared to the typical loam soils. Significant differences occurred between the three harvester types (companies). In general, high root tip breakage and severe surface damage of the beet was related to a high infestation with mould and rots, high invert sugar contents after storage and high sugar losses. Out of the five most planted varieties, in particular one turned out to be very susceptible to damage, resulting in high storage losses. The factor analysis suggests that the effect of harvester / harvester setting and of variety is more important for harvest quality and storage losses of sugar beet than soil conditions at harvest. Therefore, attention should be paid to optimize these conditions.

Download Full-text

Impact of Foliar Spray by Proline on the Production and Quality of Quinoa under Saline Soil Conditions at Toshka Region

Journal of Plant Production ◽

10.21608/jpp.2020.102750 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 391-397

Author(s):

A. Awadalla ◽

A. Morsy ◽

M. Sherif ◽

A. Morsy

Keyword(s):

Saline Soil ◽

Foliar Spray ◽

Soil Conditions

Download Full-text

Quality of life among people who use drugs living in poor urban communities in the Philippines

International Journal of Drug Policy ◽

10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103160 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 93 ◽

pp. 103160

Author(s):

Chika Yamada ◽

Atsuro Tsutsumi ◽

Takashi Izutsu ◽

Maria T.R. Tuliao ◽

Hiroya Matsuo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Urban Communities ◽

The Philippines ◽

People Who Use Drugs

Download Full-text

Individual quality of life and the environment – towards a concept of livable areas for persons with disabilities in Poland

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10797-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Izabela Grabowska ◽

Radosław Antczak ◽

Jan Zwierzchowski ◽

Tomasz Panek

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Basic Research ◽

Research Problem ◽

Individual Characteristics ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Special Focus ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [1] highlights the need to create proper socioeconomic and political conditions for persons with disabilities, with a special focus on their immediate living conditions. According to the Convention, these conditions should be built to ensure that persons with disabilities have the potential to enjoy a high quality of life (QoL), and this principle is reflected in the notion of livable areas. The crucial aspect of this framework is the relationship between the individual QoL and the environment, broadly understood as the socioeconomic as well as the technical conditions in which persons with disabilities function. Methods The basic research problem was to assess the relationship between individual QoL for the population with disabilities as a dependent variable and livability indicators as independent variables, controlling for individual characteristics. The study used a dataset from the EU-SILC (European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) survey carried out in 2015 in Poland. The research concept involved several steps. First, we created a variable measuring the QoL for the entire population with disabilities. To measure the multidimensional QoL, we used Sen’s capability approach as a general concept, which was operationalized by the MIMIC (multiple indicators multiple causes) model. In the second step, we identified the livability indicators available in the official statistics, and merged them with survey data. Finally, in the last step, we ran the regression analysis. We also checked the data for the nested structure. Results We confirmed that the general environmental conditions, focused on creating livable areas, played a significant role in shaping the QoL of persons with disabilities; i.e., we found that the higher the level of the local Human Development Index, the higher the quality of life of the individuals living in this area. This relationship held even after controlling for the demographic characteristics of the respondents. Moreover, we found that in addition to the general environmental conditions, the conditions created especially for persons with disabilities (i.e., services for this group and support for their living conditions) affected the QoL of these individuals. Conclusions The results illustrate the need to strengthen policies aimed at promoting the QoL of persons with disabilities by creating access to community assets and services that can contribute to improving the life chances of this population.

Download Full-text

Current Status and Potential of RNA Interference for the Management of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and Thrips Vectors

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10030320 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 320

Author(s):

Alexander Nilon ◽

Karl Robinson ◽

Hanu R. Pappu ◽

Neena Mitter

Keyword(s):

Rna Interference ◽

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Current Status ◽

Horticultural Crops ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Tomato Spotted Wilt ◽

Wilt Virus

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is the type member of the genus Orthotospovirus in the family Tospoviridae and order Bunyavirales. TSWV, transmitted by several species of thrips, causes significant disease losses to agronomic and horticultural crops worldwide, impacting both the yield and quality of the produce. Management strategies include growing virus-resistant cultivars, cultural practices, and managing thrips vectors through pesticide application. However, numerous studies have reported that TSWV isolates can overcome host-plant resistance, while thrips are developing resistance to pesticides that were once effective. RNA interference (RNAi) offers a means of host defence by using double-stranded (ds) RNA to initiate gene silencing against invading viruses. However, adoption of this approach requires production and use of transgenic plants and thus limits the practical application of RNAi against TSWV and other viruses. To fully utilize the potential of RNAi for virus management at the field level, new and novel approaches are needed. In this review, we summarize RNAi and highlight the potential of topical or exogenous application of RNAi triggers for managing TSWV and thrips vectors.

Download Full-text

Faces of Marginal Housing in Romania

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073983 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3983

Author(s):

Gheorghe-Gavrilă Hognogi ◽

Ana-Maria Pop ◽

Alexandra-Camelia Marian-Potra

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Electronic Media ◽

Living Conditions ◽

Social Discrimination ◽

Environmental Conflicts ◽

Baia Mare ◽

Basic Services ◽

Housing Facilities

Marginal settlements may be defined as inhabited areas characterized by a series of negative features, typicallyethnic segregation, social discrimination, poor living conditions and conflicts, with impact on their dwellers and neighboring communities. In Romania, informal settlements were legislated in 2019; it subsequently became mandatory for the local authorities to spatially delimit them and formulate measures to improve living conditions. However, there are still numerous issues to be solved, from the lack of basic services (health, education) to the persistent poor living conditions or serious environmental problems. The Roma communities selected for our study are no exception. They are located on the outskirts of some cities or in their historical centers (Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, Timișoara, Baia Mare). Through content analysis, based on print and electronic media from the last 10 years (n = 150 news items), different aspects of marginal housing were illustrated. The results of the study revealed some particular aspects, namely: some of the Roma communities are relocated whilst some others are subject to environmental conflicts; funding addressing the quality of life of Roma ethnics seems to deepen the phenomenon of segregation among communities, most of the measures being limited to the creation of housing facilities.

Download Full-text