Water Quality in Šlapanka River Catchment: Model Situation of Rural Areas of Czechia

This article evaluates water quality of the river Šlapanka, which runs through a typical landscape of Českomoravská vrchovina. It deals with water quality at present and with its long-term development (since 1976). A significant part of the article consists of evaluation of pollution sources (agriculture, industry, population). The type of pollution sources is distinguished by dependence analysis of concentration of substances on flows and in different seasons. At the end of the article there are measures suggested to reduce the impact of pollution sources.

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Long-Term Statistical Assessment of the Water Quality of Tundja River

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S ◽

10.2478/v10216-011-0016-9 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 213-226 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Petia Papazova ◽

Pavlina Simeonova

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Industrial Wastes ◽

Monitoring Data ◽

Anthropogenic Sources ◽

Physical Parameters ◽

Statistical Assessment ◽

Seasonal Behavior ◽

The Impact

Long-Term Statistical Assessment of the Water Quality of Tundja RiverTwo major environmetric methods (Cluster analysis(CA) andPrincipal components analysis(PCA)) were applied for statistical assessment of the water quality of trans-border river Tundja. The study used long-term monitoring data from 26 sampling sites characterized by 12 physicochemical parameters. Clustering of chemical indicators results in 3 major clusters: the first one shows the impact of anthropogenic sources, the second - the impact of agriculture and farming activities and the last one describes the role of the physical parameters on the water quality and also the impact of urban wastes. For better assessment of the monitoring data, PCA was implemented, which identified four latent factors. Two of them - "urban wastes" factor and "agriculture" factor correspond almost entirely to clusters 3 and 2 from the previous statistical analysis. The third one, named "industrial wastes" factor, reveals a specific seasonal behavior of the river system. The last latent factor describes the active reaction of the water body and is determined as "acidity" factor. The linkage of the sampling sites along the river flow by CA formed two clusters with the spatial "upstream-downstream" separation. The apportionment model of the pollution determined the contribution of each one of identified pollution factors to the total concentration of each one of the water quality parameters.

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Literature Review on Empirical Studies of the Impact of Marketization on Quality of Care in Long-Term Care Sectors

Korea Gerontological Society ◽

10.31888/jkgs.2020.40.3.485 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 485-509

Author(s):

Mi Jin Lee ◽

Eun-Sun Joo

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Care ◽

Literature Review ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Term Care ◽

The Impact

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The impact of lymphedema on health-related quality of life up to 10 years after breast cancer treatment

npj Breast Cancer ◽

10.1038/s41523-021-00276-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mads G. Jørgensen ◽

Navid M. Toyserkani ◽

Frederik G. Hansen ◽

Anette Bygum ◽

Jens A. Sørensen

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Breast Cancer Treatment ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe impact of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) on long-term quality of life is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BCRL on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) up to 10 years after breast cancer treatment. This regional population-based study enrolled patients treated for breast cancer with axillary lymph node dissection between January 1st 2007 and December 31th 2017. Follow up and assessments of the included patients were conducted between January 2019 and May 2020. The study outcome was HRQoL, evaluated with the Lymphedema Functioning, Disability and Health Questionnaire, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire and the Short Form (36) Health Survey Questionnaire. Multivariate linear logistic regression models adjusted for confounders provided mean score differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals in each HRQoL scale and item. This study enrolled 244 patients with BCRL and 823 patients without BCRL. Patients with BCRL had significantly poorer HRQoL than patients without BCRL in 16 out of 18 HRQoL subscales, for example, in physical function (MDs 27, 95%CI: 24; 30), mental health (MDs 24, 95%CI: 21; 27) and social role functioning (MDs 20, 95%CI: 17; 23). Age, BMI, BCRL severity, hand and dominant arm affection had only minor impact on HRQoL (MDs < 5), suggesting a high degree of inter-individual variation in coping with lymphedema. This study showed that BCRL is associated with long-term impairments in HRQoL, especially affecting the physical and psychosocial domains. Surprisingly, BCRL diagnosis rather than clinical severity drove the largest impairments in HRQoL.

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The impact of regular sperm donation on bulls’ seminal plasma hormonal profile and phantom response

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90630-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alicja Kowalczyk ◽

Elżbieta Gałęska ◽

Ewa Czerniawska-Piątkowska ◽

Anna Szul ◽

Leszek Hebda

Keyword(s):

Seminal Plasma ◽

Sperm Donation ◽

Hormonal Profile ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Different Seasons ◽

Day Of The Week ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship ◽

Positive Effect

AbstractThe aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the concentration of hormones in the seminal plasma, the bull maintenance system in the insemination station, and the regularity of sperm donation and the response to the phantom (libido level). An additional goal was to determine whether there is a relationship between the hormonal profile in the blood, the sperm plasma, the oxidative and antioxidant profile in the blood of bulls and the biometry of their testicles and scrotum, as well as the quality of their sperm in both different seasons and intensities of reproductive use. For the study, 220 healthy and sexually mature Polish Holstein–Friesian bulls were used. They all had normal libido and were fed equally. The animals were grouped according to the scheme: young (16–20 month/n = 60) and old (26–30 month/n = 60) including: individually housed (n = 30) and group housed (n = 30) young, old individually housed (n = 30) and group housed (n = 30) (n total animals = 120); young animals donating semen once a week (every Thursday) (n = 25) and sporadically (once every two months on a random day of the week) (n = 25), old animals donating semen once a week (every Thursday) (n = 25 ) and sporadic donors (once every two months on a random day of the week) (n = 25) (n total animals = 100). When analyzing the results of this study, it should be stated that regular use has a positive effect on the secretion of sex hormones in bulls. Higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of estradiol and prostaglandins resulted in higher sexual performance, expressed by a stronger response to the phantom. The differences in favor of regular use were independent of the bull's age. The results of our research illustrate that the quality of semen and its freezing potential may depend on the season and frequency of its collection, as well as on the age of the males.

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P181 Long-term improvement in axial spondyloarthritis clinical outcomes following 2-weeks of intensive education and rehabilitation: results from the Bath residential rehabilitation programme

Rheumatology ◽

10.1093/rheumatology/keab247.176 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 60 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Rosie Barnett ◽

Anita McGrogan ◽

Matthew Young ◽

Charlotte Cavill ◽

Mandy Freeth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Disease Activity ◽

Axial Spondyloarthritis ◽

Rehabilitation Programme ◽

Spinal Mobility ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background/Aims Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic condition, characterised by inflammatory back pain - often associated with impaired function and mobility, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and reduced quality of life. Despite the vast advances in pharmacological treatments for axSpA over the last few decades, physical activity and rehabilitation remain vital for effective disease management. At the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath (RNHRD), the 2-week inpatient axSpA rehabilitation programme has been integral to axSpA care since the 1970’s. Prior research has demonstrated significant short-term improvements in spinal mobility (BASMI), function (BASFI) and disease activity (BASDAI) following course attendance. However, the long-term outcomes are yet to be evaluated in this unique cohort. Methods Since the early 1990’s, clinical measures of spinal mobility, function and disease activity have been routinely collected at the RNHRD at all clinical appointments through administration of the BASMI, BASFI and BASDAI, respectively. Dates of attending the axSpA course and standard clinical and treatment follow-up data were also collected. Multiple linear regression models were used to investigate the impact of course attendance on final reported BASMI, BASDAI and BASFI scores (final score=most recent). Length of follow-up was defined as time between first and last recorded BASMI. Results Of the 203 patients within the Bath SPARC200 cohort, 77.8% (158/203) had attended at least one rehabilitation course throughout follow-up. 70.0% (140/203) of patients were male. The mean duration of follow-up was 13.5 years (range 0-35 years); 28.1% (57/203) of individuals with 20+ years of follow-up. Course attendance (yes versus no) significantly reduced final BASMI score by 0.84 (p = 0.001, 95%CI -1.31 to -0.37) and final BASDAI score by 0.74 (p = 0.018, 95%CI -1.34 to -0.13). Although course attendance reduced final BASFI by 0.45 (95%CI -1.17 to 0.28), this relationship did not reach significance (p = 0.225). Whilst minimally clinically important difference (MCID) is, to our knowledge, yet to be defined for BASMI, MCIDs were achieved long-term for both BASDAI and BASFI - defined by van der Heijde and colleagues in 2016 as 0.7 and 0.4 for BASDAI and BASFI, respectively. Conclusion These results provide novel evidence to support the integral role of education, physical activity and rehabilitation in the management of axSpA. Future work should investigate additional outcomes of critical importance to patients and clinicians, such as fatigue, quality of life and work productivity. Furthermore, a greater understanding of the factors that confound these outcomes may provide insights into those patients who may most benefit from attending a 2-week rehabilitation course. In addition to facilitating identification of those patients who may require additional clinical support. Disclosure R. Barnett: None. A. McGrogan: None. M. Young: None. C. Cavill: None. M. Freeth: None. R. Sengupta: Honoraria; Biogen, Celgene, AbbVie, Novartis, MSD. Grants/research support; Novartis, UCB.

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Measuring Key Quality Indicators in Cloud Gaming: Framework and Assessment Over Wireless Networks

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21041387 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1387

Author(s):

Oswaldo Sebastian Peñaherrera-Pulla ◽

Carlos Baena ◽

Sergio Fortes ◽

Eduardo Baena ◽

Raquel Barco

Keyword(s):

Communication Networks ◽

Mobile Networks ◽

Video Game ◽

Know How ◽

Fifth Generation ◽

New Generation ◽

Graphics Rendering ◽

The Impact

Cloud Gaming is a cutting-edge paradigm in the video game provision where the graphics rendering and logic are computed in the cloud. This allows a user’s thin client systems with much more limited capabilities to offer a comparable experience with traditional local and online gaming but using reduced hardware requirements. In contrast, this approach stresses the communication networks between the client and the cloud. In this context, it is necessary to know how to configure the network in order to provide service with the best quality. To that end, the present work defines a novel framework for Cloud Gaming performance evaluation. This system is implemented in a real testbed and evaluates the Cloud Gaming approach for different transport networks (Ethernet, WiFi, and LTE (Long Term Evolution)) and scenarios, automating the acquisition of the gaming metrics. From this, the impact on the overall gaming experience is analyzed identifying the main parameters involved in its performance. Hence, the future lines for Cloud Gaming QoE-based (Quality of Experience) optimization are established, this way being of configuration, a trendy paradigm in the new-generation networks, such as 4G and 5G (Fourth and Fifth Generation of Mobile Networks).

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Understanding contributors to quality of care in long-term care and changes under COVID-19

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3509 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 960-960

Author(s):

Sara Luck ◽

Katie Aubrecht

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Care ◽

Long Term Care ◽

The United States ◽

Control Measures ◽

Qualitative Description ◽

Care Staff ◽

Term Care ◽

The Impact

Abstract Nursing home facilities are responsible for providing care for some of the most vulnerable groups in society, including the elderly and those with chronic medical conditions. In times of crisis, such as COVID-19 or other pandemics, the delivery of ‘regular’ care can be significantly impacted. In relation to COVID-19, there is an insufficient supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to care for residents, as PPE not only protects care staff but also residents. Nursing homes across the United States and Canada have also taken protective measures to maximize the safety of residents by banning visitors, stopping all group activities, and increasing infection control measures. This presentation shares a research protocol and early findings from a study investigating the impact of COVID-19 on quality of care in residential long-term care (LTC) in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. This study used a qualitative description design to explore what contributes to quality of care for residents living in long-term care, and how this could change in times of crisis from the perspective of long-term care staff. Interviews were conducted with a broad range of staff at one LTC home. A semi-structured interview guide and approach to thematic analysis was framed by a social ecological perspective, making it possible to include the individual and proximal social influences as well as community, organizations, and policy influencers. Insights gained will improve the understanding of quality of care, as well as potential barriers and facilitators to care during times of crisis.

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Citizen Science Tools Reveal Changes in Estuarine Water Quality Following Demolition of Buildings

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13091683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1683

Author(s):

Nandini Menon ◽

Grinson George ◽

Rajamohananpillai Ranith ◽

Velakandy Sajin ◽

Shreya Murali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Dissolved Oxygen ◽

Citizen Science ◽

Secchi Depth ◽

Lake Water Quality ◽

Demolition Waste ◽

Water Colour ◽

Water Quality Variables ◽

The Impact

Turbidity and water colour are two easily measurable properties used to monitor pollution. Here, we highlight the utility of a low-cost device—3D printed, hand-held Mini Secchi disk (3DMSD) with Forel-Ule (FU) colour scale sticker on its outer casing—in combination with a mobile phone application (‘TurbAqua’) that was provided to laymen for assessing the water quality of a shallow lake region after demolition of four high-rise buildings on the shores of the lake. The demolition of the buildings in January 2020 on the banks of a tropical estuary—Vembanad Lake (a Ramsar site) in southern India—for violation of Indian Coastal Regulation Zone norms created public uproar, owing to the consequences of subsequent air and water pollution. Measurements of Secchi depth and water colour using the 3DMSD along with measurements of other important water quality variables such as temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) using portable instruments were taken for a duration of five weeks after the demolition to assess the changes in water quality. Paired t-test analyses of variations in water quality variables between the second week of demolition and consecutive weeks up to the fifth week showed that there were significant increases in pH, dissolved oxygen, and Secchi depth over time, i.e., the impact of demolition waste on the Vembanad Lake water quality was found to be relatively short-lived, with water clarity, colour, and DO returning to levels typical of that period of year within 4–5 weeks. With increasing duration after demolition, there was a general decrease in the FU colour index to 17 at most stations, but it did not drop to 15 or below, i.e., towards green or blue colour indicating clearer waters, during the sampling period. There was no significant change in salinity from the second week to the fifth week after demolition, suggesting little influence of other factors (e.g., precipitation or changes in tidal currents) on the inferred impact of demolition waste. Comparison with pre-demolition conditions in the previous year (2019) showed that the relative changes in DO, Secchi depth, and pH were very high in 2020, clearly depicting the impact of demolition waste on the water quality of the lake. Match-ups of the turbidity of the water column immediately before and after the demolition using Sentinel 2 data were in good agreement with the in situ data collected. Our study highlights the power of citizen science tools in monitoring lakes and managing water resources and articulates how these activities provide support to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets on Health (Goal 3), Water quality (Goal 6), and Life under the water (Goal 14).

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