scholarly journals Influence of environmental factors on the spread of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia

PeerJ ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. e12732
Author(s):  
Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin Asdaq ◽  
Syed Imam Rabbani ◽  
Abdulhakeem S. Alamri ◽  
Wala F. Alsanie ◽  
Majid Alhomrani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Correlation Study ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Wind Flow ◽  
Population Mobility ◽  
Poor Ventilation ◽  
Proactive Measures

Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected millions of people worldwide. The infection is mostly spread through the inhalation of infected droplets. Saudi Arabia is a vast country having different climatic conditions. Methods The study evaluated the influence of environmental factors on the spread of COVID-19. Six zones (A to F) were classified depending on the climatic conditions. The study was conducted by retrospective analysis of COVID-19 records from the ministry of health between the months of September 2020 and August 2021. The environmental data such as average temperature (°C), humidity (%), wind speed (m/s) and sun exposure (kwh/m2) were retrieved from official sites. The data was analyzed to determine the effect of these factors on the spread of COVID-19. SPSS IBM 25 software was used to conduct the analysis and p < 0.05 was considered to indicate the significance of the results. Results According to the findings, the rate of infection was greater between April and July 2021. Six climatic zones experienced high temperatures, little humidity, consistent wind flow, and intense sun exposure throughout this time. The correlation study revealed a significant (p < 0.05) relationship between the environmental factors and the spread of COVID-19. The data suggested that during summer condition when the weather is hot, less humid, and steady wind flow with lots of sun exposure, the COVID-19 infection rate got augmented in Saudi Arabia. Poor ventilation and closed-door habitats in an air-conditioned atmosphere during this period could have played a role in human transmission. More research on air quality, population mobility and diseased condition is essential, so that precise proactive measures can be designed to limit the spread of infection in specific climatic seasons.

Models of hydration and nutrition require environmental data

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 971-973
Author(s):  
Colleen X Muñoz ◽  
Michael Wininger
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Water Balance ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Body Water ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Nutrition And Hydration

AbstractObjective:To recognize the causality of environmental factors (i.e. temperature, humidity and sun exposure) on nutritional variables, specifically body water balance and water-seeking behaviour.Design:Author perspective.Setting:Global.Participants:Not applicable.Results:A free-standing code supplement is provided to facilitate investigators in accessing meteorological data for incorporation into analyses related to nutrition and hydration.Conclusions:Analytical models related to human hydration should account for the environment de rigueur.

scholarly journals Population mobility and dengue fever transmission in a major city in Southeastern Brazil, 2007-2015

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor C. Johansen ◽  
Marcia C. Castro ◽  
Luciana C. Alves ◽  
Roberto L. Carmo
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Population Census ◽  
World Population ◽  
Population Mobility ◽  
Major City

AbstractBackgroundAround 14% of world dengue virus (DENV) cases occur in the Americas, the majority of them in Brazil. Although socioeconomic, environmental and behavioral correlates of dengue have been analyzed for different contexts, the role played by population mobility on DENV epidemics, especially at the local level, remains scant. This study assesses whether the daily pattern of population mobility is associated with DENV transmission in Campinas, a Brazilian major city with over 1.2 million inhabitants in São Paulo state.Methodology/Principal FindingsDENV notifications from 2007 to 2015 were geocoded at street level (n=114,884) and combined with sociodemographic and environmental data from the 2010 Population Census. Population mobility was extracted from the Origin-Destination Survey (ODS), carried out in 2011, and daily precipitation was obtained from satellite imagery. Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) regression models controlled by demographic and environmental factors revealed that high population mobility had a substantial positive effect on higher risk for DENV transmission. High income and residence in apartments were found to be protective against the disease, while unpaved streets, number of strategic points (such as scrapyards and tire repair shops), and precipitation were consistently risk factors for DENV infection.Conclusions/SignificanceThe use of fine-scale geographical data can unravel transmission idiosyncrasies not evident from a coarse spatial analysis. Even in a major city like Campinas, the vast majority of population daily mobility occurs at short distances. Based on our results, public policies on DENV transmission control should dedicate special attention to local hubs of population mobility, especially during high transmission weeks and in high dengue incidence areas.Author SummaryCurrently, about half of the world population is at risk of a dengue infection. Numerous studies have addressed the socioeconomic and environmental determinants of the disease. However, little is known about the role played by population mobility on dengue transmission, particularly at the local scale. This study aims at investigating this issue. Our hypothesis was that population movements are a prominent driving force for dengue diffusion locally. We investigated the case of Campinas, a municipality with over 1.2 million inhabitants in Brazil that recorded dengue epidemics in 2007, 2014 and 2015. Our study focused on the years 2007 to 2015, comprising more than 114 thousand cases, geocoded to the household address, and combined with socioeconomic, environmental and daily population mobility data. Our results showed that even controlling for demographic and environmental factors, population mobility was the most important predictor for dengue fever incidence.

scholarly journals The impact of environmental variables on the spread of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Kwan Lim ◽  
Oh Joo Kweon ◽  
Hye Ryoun Kim ◽  
Tae-Hyoung Kim ◽  
Mi-Kyung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Republic Of Korea ◽  
Metropolitan Region ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Ozone Level ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact

AbstractCorona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a global pandemic and is a major public health concern worldwide. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of environmental factors, such as climate and air pollutants, in the transmission of COVID-19 in the Republic of Korea. We collected epidemiological and environmental data from two regions of the Republic of Korea, namely Seoul metropolitan region (SMR) and Daegu-Gyeongbuk region (DGR) from February 2020 to July 2020. The data was then analyzed to identify correlations between each environmental factor with confirmed daily COVID-19 cases. Among the various environmental parameters, the duration of sunshine and ozone level were found to positively correlate with COVID-19 cases in both regions. However, the association of temperature variables with COVID-19 transmission revealed contradictory results when comparing the data from SMR and DGR. Moreover, statistical bias may have arisen due to an extensive epidemiological investigation and altered socio-behaviors that occurred in response to a COVID-19 outbreak. Nevertheless, our results suggest that various environmental factors may play a role in COVID-19 transmission.

EVALUATING THE EFFICIENCY OF FEEDING BROILER CHICKENS OF THE ARBOR ACRES CROSS IN HOT CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHAD

2020 ◽  
pp. 72-82
Author(s):  
M.V. LAZKO ◽  
◽  
ADAM A. ABDERAKHIM
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Biochemical Parameters ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Geochemical Conditions ◽  
Blood Biochemical ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The University

The paper presents the results of evaluating the efficiency of feed rations offered to broilers of the Arbor Acres cross, formed taking into account the climatic, geochemical conditions of Central Africa and its native food flora. The study was conducted on the basis of an experimental farm at the University of N’Djamena, the Republic of Chad. In the experiment, the authors used five formulas of feed rations, which are currently used by farms in the Republic of Chad for growing broiler chickens. They mainly contain locally availble ingredients. To increase the resistance of the poultry organism to unfavorable environmental factors, the chickens of the control and experimental groups were given “TETRACOLIVIT” and “AMIN’TOTAL” vitamins. The efficiency of feed rations was evaluated by determining the age dynamics of live weight, average weekly gains in live weight and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chickens of the Arbor Acres cross from 1 to 42 days of life. The formula of feed ration No. 1 proved to be the most effective in terms of the cross productivity.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Checklist of the Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Qatar

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma AlHajri ◽  
Donat Agosti
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Arabian Peninsula ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The State ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Insect Fauna ◽  
Mild Winter ◽  
Northeastern Part

The State of Qatar is a small peninsula located in the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. It is classified as a subtropical desert with an extreme harsh climatic conditions in summer and mild winter. Information on Formicidae of Qatar as well as its insect fauna is poorly documented. So far only six species of Formicidae (ants) belonging to five genera have been recorded from Qatar. At least 300 ant species have been recorded from the Arabian Peninsula (Collingwood et al., 2011). For instance, Collingwood and Agosti (1996) reported a list of 265 ant species in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, Collingwood et al. (2011) published a list of 126 ant species in UAE and Sharaf et al. (2018a) recorded 123 ant species from Oman. This indicates a significant gap regarding our knowledge of the ant fauna and their diversity in Qatar. This study provides the first taxonomic survey of the ant fauna of Qatar. Ant specimens were collected by using aspirator, direct hand collection, litter sifting and pitfall traps during the period of April 2015 to March 2019 from 43 sites around the country. In the present study, 45 species are newly recorded for the ant fauna of the state of Qatar increasing the total number of ant species from Qatar to 51 species, including one additional subfamily, and 16 additional genera.

scholarly journals Environmental Accounting and its Impact on the Economy: An Applied Study on Industrial Establishments in Jeddah Governorate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: المحاسبة البيئية وتأثيرها على الاقتصاد: دراسة تطبيقية على المنشآت الصناعية في محافظة جدة في المملكة العربية السعودية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maha Abbas Abo Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Policies ◽  
Cost Accounting ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Environmental Cost ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
Industrial Enterprises ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to shed light on the impact of environmental accounting measured in (environmental cost accounting, environmental sustainability, and environmental policies) in industrial enterprises on the economy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To achieve the objectives of the study, the study relied on the descriptive-analytical approach, due to its suitability of the nature of the study, as well as the questionnaire tool was distributed to the study sample using random sample method, where (200) questionnaires were distributed to financial managers working in industrial enterprises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Jeddah, the final study sample was (96) questionnaires. The results of the study showed that there is an impact of environmental accounting measured by (environmental cost accounting, environmental sustainability, and environmental policies) in industrial companies on the economy, individually and collectively. The study came out with a set of recommendations, the most important of which is the necessity of developing local standards or adopting international standards for environmental disclosure in other sectors in general and the state’s contribution to providing quantifiable environmental data and raising the limitations imposed on companies in particular in order to follow and encourage environmental laws.

Modern problems of regionalization of territories and human adaptation in regions with extreme natural and climatic conditions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.L. Maksimov
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Allostatic Load ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Extreme Conditions ◽  
Human Adaptation ◽  
Nonspecific Resistance ◽  
Key Words Adaptation ◽  
High Level ◽  
Selection Of

The paper considers modern approaches to the zoning of territories and the selection of people for life in extreme environmental conditions, taking into account modern geopolitical challenges. It is shown that it is possible, based on the allostasis concept, to conduct not only the selection of persons with a high level of nonspecific resistance, but also to quantify the degree of extremity of environmental factors using the standard represpiration test. Key words: adaptation, extreme conditions, selection, hypoxia, cold, rerespiration, allostatic load.

scholarly journals Nested Species Distribution Models of Chlamydiales in Ixodes ricinus (Tick) Hosts in Switzerland

2020 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Estelle Rochat ◽  
Séverine Vuilleumier ◽  
Sébastien Aeby ◽  
Gilbert Greub ◽  
Stéphane Joost
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Respiratory Infections ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Distribution Maps

ABSTRACT The tick Ixodes ricinus is the vector of various pathogens, including Chlamydiales bacteria, which potentially cause respiratory infections. In this study, we modeled the spatial distribution of I. ricinus and associated Chlamydiales over Switzerland from 2009 to 2019. We used a total of 2,293 ticks and 186 Chlamydiales occurrences provided by a Swiss Army field campaign, a collaborative smartphone application, and a prospective campaign. For each tick location, we retrieved from Swiss federal data sets the environmental factors reflecting the topography, climate, and land cover. We then used the Maxent modeling technique to estimate the suitability of particular areas for I. ricinus and to subsequently build the nested niche of Chlamydiales bacteria. Results indicate that I. ricinus habitat suitability is determined by higher temperature and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values, lower temperature during the driest months, and a higher percentage of artificial and forest areas. The performance of the model was improved when extracting the environmental variables for a 100-m radius buffer around the sampling points and when considering the climatic conditions of the 2 years previous to the sampling date. Chlamydiales bacteria were favored by a lower percentage of artificial surfaces, drier conditions, high precipitation during the coldest months, and short distances to wetlands. From 2009 to 2018, we observed an extension of areas suitable to ticks and Chlamydiales, associated with a shift toward higher altitude. The importance of considering spatiotemporal variations in the environmental conditions for obtaining better prediction was also demonstrated. IMPORTANCE Ixodes ricinus is the vector of pathogens including the agent of Lyme disease, the tick-borne encephalitis virus, and the less well-known Chlamydiales bacteria, which are responsible for certain respiratory infections. In this study, we identified the environmental factors influencing the presence of I. ricinus and Chlamydiales in Switzerland and generated maps of their distribution from 2009 to 2018. We found an important expansion of suitable areas for both the tick and the bacteria during the last decade. Results also provided the environmental factors that determine the presence of Chlamydiales within ticks. Distribution maps as generated here are expected to bring valuable information for decision makers in controlling tick-borne diseases in Switzerland and establishing prevention campaigns. The methodological framework presented could be used to predict the distribution and spread of other host-pathogen pairs to identify environmental factors driving their distribution and to develop control or prevention strategies accordingly.

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