A new fish-based index of biotic integrity for lowland rivers in Flanders (Belgium)

The first fish-based index to assess the ecological quality of lowland rivers in Flanders (Belgium) is based on data obtained from different fishing techniques without considering the gear specificity. As a consequence, this index could not be intercalibrated with other European indices which concentrate on one gear type only. In order to comply with the European Water Framework Directive, we developed a new fish-based index using data obtained from surveys in rivers with electric gear only. All 293 selected rivers belonged to the bream or barbel zone. An updated reference list of fish species was compiled based on previous work and recent data. Abiotic data were collected according to standard methods and habitat quality of all surveyed sites was pre-classified using pressure indicators. To develop the new index candidate metrics were selected from the literature and metric values were calculated. Linear mixed regression models selected metrics based on their response to the pre-classified habitat status. Correlation tests were performed to avoid redundancy among responsive metrics. Boundaries for metric scores were defined based on the calculated metric values. The new index of biotic integrity (IBI) was calculated by summation of the metric scores, and transformed to an ecological quality ratio (EQR), ranging between 0 and 1. Five integrity classes, ranging from bad to maximal ecological potential, were attributed and compared to the pre-classified habitat status of the site. In addition, the new index was also validated with an independent set of data. The new IBI proved to successfully assess the ecological status of the rivers.

Spatiotemporal Changes and Obstacle Factors of Forest Ecological Security in China: A Provincial-Level Analysis

Under the background of China’s proposal to achieve “carbon neutralization and carbon peak”, it is an important task for each province to clarify their forest ecological security (FES) status. However, there is little understanding of the temporal and spatial evolution of forest ecological security and its influencing factors. Based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model, this paper constructed a comprehensive evaluation index system for forest ecological security and used the CRITIC method and panel data to estimate the dynamic changes in FES for 31 provinces in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) between 2009 and 2018. Furthermore, the obstacle degree model was used to determine the important obstacle factors affecting FES. The results showed that: (1) The comprehensive indices of FES of most provinces in mainland China were increasing, showing a good development trend during the study period; (2) subject to the limitations of resources and economic conditions, the FES at the provincial level showed significant spatial heterogeneity, which generally presents a distribution characteristic of “low in the western region and high in the central and eastern regions”; and (3) the primary obstacles restricting the improvement of FES level in most provinces of China were forest state indicators or input response indicators, followed by pressure indicators. Therefore, it is recommended to take targeted measures to reduce the intensity of forest cutting and the incidence of forest disasters, improve the utilization efficiency of forest resources, the productivity of forestland and the input-output level of forestry industry, and strengthen the training of professional talents and technical input according to the resource endowment condition of each province so as to improve the level of forest ecological security.

Treatment of a patient with COVID-19 and adverse premorbid background: A case report

BACKGROUND: In the presence of severe comorbid pathology, children get sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as severe as adults. CASE REPORT: This paper describes the treatment of a 17-year-old patient with severe bilateral pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that damage a large volume of the lung tissue (69% on the right, 87.1% on the left, and grade IV lung lesions according to computed tomography) with an unfavorable premorbid background (grade IV obesity with a body mass index of 54.5 kg/m2, Down syndrome, moderate mental retardation, and primary hypothyroidism). The child was admitted to the hospital on day 10 of illness in an extremely serious condition. On admission, she received artificial lung ventilation and then high-flow mask ventilation with an oxygen flow of 12 L/min. In addition to respiratory support, she received etiotropic (hydroxychloroquine), anticoagulant (enoxaparin), antibacterial, (ceftriaxone), and antihypertensive treatments. Levothyroxine sodium was administered for hypothyroidism. Permanent monitoring of the acidbase balance, general and biochemical blood tests, and coagulography were performed. Gradual positive dynamics of the respiratory status was observed, and oxygen flow decreased. The case was constantly consulted to a pulmonologist, endocrinologist, and cardiologist, who corrected antihypertensive therapy depending on blood pressure indicators. Oxygen support was given for 13 days. After receiving a double-negative PCR test for COVID-19, the patient was transferred to the pulmonology department, from which she was discharged in satisfactory condition for outpatient observation. CONCLUSION: Our patient with COVID-19, severe lung damage with a combination of comorbid pathologies, extremely unfavorable prognosis (grade IV obesity, Down syndrome, and hypothyroidism), who received active complex treatment in accordance with modern guidelines, recovered despite late admission to the hospital.

Depression as a potential factor for the ineffectiveness of hypertension control in post-COVID-19 patients

Objective: improving the effectiveness of hypertension control in patients after COVID-19 with manifestations of depression. Materials and methods: the study included 48 patients with hypertension who had suffered a coronavirus infection. The criterion for inclusion in the study was effective control of blood pressure when using two-component antihypertensive therapy before the development of coronavirus disease and its absence when using the same therapy at the time of inclusion in the study. To identify the symptoms of depression, a study was conducted using the Beck Depression questionnaire. Group A consisted of patients with arterial hypertension with manifestations of depression and group B-patients with arterial hypertension without symptoms of depression. In both groups, a combination of a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blocker, a diuretic and a calcium channel blocker were used. The observation was carried out for 4 weeks, the dynamics of blood pressure and its daily parameters, manifestations of depression were evaluated. Results: the presence of symptoms of depression was detected in 39.5% of patients. At the time of inclusion in the study, office blood pressure exceeded the target level in all patients, there was an insufficient decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the day and at night, an increase in most indicators of blood pressure variability. The use of three-component therapy made it possible to achieve the target blood pressure level in 93.1% of patients without symptoms of depression. In the group of patients with depression, only 21.0% of patients reached the target blood pressure level. The analysis of daily blood pressure indicators showed a decrease in the effectiveness of antihypertensive therapy in the group of patients with depression. All daily blood pressure indicators were statistically significantly higher than in group B. Conclusion: in patients who have suffered a coronavirus infection, it is necessary to identify depression as a possible factor of ineffective control of arterial hypertension and a decrease in adherence to the recommended therapy.

Water Footprint of soybean, cotton, and corn crops in the western region of Bahia State

ABSTRACT Water catchment to subsidize agricultural activities is estimated at 70% of world consumption. In the western region of Bahia, the main agricultural center of the state, there is intensive use of water for the production of agricultural commodities. In regions with high water demand, quantification of the use of this resource can be performed using anthropic pressure indicators, such as the Water Footprint. Thus, this work determined the Water Footprint of the soybean, cotton, and corn crops produced in the western region of Bahia State. In order to determine the Water Footprint, data of the environmental characteristics and crop production in the region were used, were obtained from different Brazilian public and private institutions. The calculation of Water Footprint of the crops was performed by the sum of the green, blue, and gray components. The average Water Footprint between 2012 and 2017 for soybean corresponded to 1,972.3 m3 t-1, with cotton at 1,825.2 m3 t-1, and corn 512.4 m3 t-1. The analyses of the results and the comparison with the values of the Water Footprint of other regions demonstrate that the edaphoclimatic conditions of the western region of Bahia are propitious to the development of these crops.

Analysis of the Influence of Age Stages on Static Plantar Pressure Indicators for Karate Do Practitioners (Preliminary Report)

The investigation aims at static examination and determination of differences for three age groups: under 13, 13–15 years old and over 15, all practitioners of the martial art karate do. This investigation occured at the level of the main parameters, measured using the FreeMed baropodometric platform and Free Step software by Sensor Medica: plantar surface areas, location of the pressure center (C) inside the support polygon, imbalances noticed at the level of the plantar areas, Pmax value, weight distribution on each foot and at the level of the rearfoot and forefoot areas, misalignments of the pressure centers of each foot, etc. Results: subjects under the age of 13 had the highest number of cases related to the off-centered positioning of the pressure center (C); the groups of those under 13 and over 15 years old located in most cases Pmax at the level of the left retropodal part, and those between 13–15 years old have a location on the dominant leg, at the level of the right retropodal part. The highest numbers of cases of normal bilateral leg are for the group under 13 years, and the other groups have a higher incidence of various plantar imbalances. The analysis of variance (F) identified only two situations in which the independent variable, “age stages,” significantly influences the resulting parameters, at the level of the non-dominant foot: forefoot_left_surface and total_left_surface. The data differences for the right/left pairs within each batch generate insignificant values of |Z| for most cases, with the superiority of the dominant foot parameters for the first two age groups, but in the case of the group over 15 years old, some results are atypical, with higher average values of left/non-dominant foot parameters in the following cases: total_left_Pmax, total_left_Pavg, rearfoot_left_load_percent, rearfoot_left_weight_ratio_percent. The comparison between the data pairs for all three batches (between the forefoot and rearfoot plantar areas) generated significant values of |Z| only for the area of the plantar surfaces. The older the subjects, the more obvious the plantar load on the forefoot area, which is similar to the results of some martial arts studies analyzed here, and is determined by the long use of the non-dominant foot as a support base, during kicks with the dominant one.

Optimization of approaches to the assessment of some indicators of health condition of children of ethnic Khanties based on the development of standards adapted to them

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of the assessment of physical and sexual development, and blood pressure indicators of school-age children of the ethnic Khanties using standards developed on this cohort in comparison with the use of standards that are not adapted to them. Material and methods: the authors assessed of physical and sexual development, and blood pressure indicators in 423 ethnic Khanty children aged 7 to 17 years using standards developed on a cohort of children of the Khanty, the alien population of the north, and international standards. Results: statistically significant differences in the results of the assessment of anthropometric data, blood pressure, and sexual development were found using standards developed on different cohorts of children. The application of standards for the alien population of the north and international standards distorts the conclusion about the assessment of the health of children of ethnic Khanty and contributes to the underdiagnoses of obesity, excess body weight, and arterial hypertension, overdiagnoses of nanism, and a delay in sexual development. Conclusion: the presence of features of physical and sexual development, and blood pressure of ethnic Khanty children determines the need in the standards developed on this ethnically isolated cohort of children for individual and population assessment of their health.

Dynamics of blood pressure indicators in patients with diabetes mellitus after planned percutaneous coronary intervention

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a common modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Despite the wide choice of antihypertensive drugs, according to epidemiological studies, just over 20% of patients demonstrate effective control of hypertension. Failure to achieve the target values of blood pressure (BP) determines a high probability of developing cardiovascular events, which is also true for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). However, there is evidence that individuals who have undergone PCI show a higher percentage of achieving the target blood pressure levels. Aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of blood pressure indicators in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus, depending on the fact of performing PCI.Material and methods. The study was conducted at federal state budgetary scientific institution research institute of complex issues of cardiovascular diseases as a prospective, open, not comparative. The study included 75 patients with stable CAD and type 2 diabetes who regularly received therapy for at least 1 month prior to the start of participation in this study. The majority of patients 45 (60%) are represented by males. The median age was 52.64±6.96 years. 44 patients (58.81%) had a history of myocardial infarction, and 46 patients (61.33%) had previously undergone myocardial revascularization, history of stroke had 5 patients (6.66%). All patients according to the daily blood pressure monitoring at the 1st visit had average daily blood pressure values above 130/80 mmHg. Participants were divided into 2 groups: 43 patients had indications for routine PCI at the time of inclusion in the study, 32 patients had no indications for revascularization. The groups did not have significant differences in clinical and anamnestic characteristics, and regular significant differences were noted in relation to previously undergone revascularization (46.51 and 81.25%, respectively, p=0.0022) and the SYNTAX Score (14.39±9.20 and 6.13±8.28, respectively, p=0.0001). During 4 visits (1 visit, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months), ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed using the BiPiLAB system.Results. Initially according ABPM parameters group without the alleged PCI had greater variability in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the daytime, higher values of mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at night, more time index of hypertension DBP at night. After 1 month of follow — up (for the group with PCI 1 month after the procedure), there were significant differences in the average daily SBP and DBP, the index of the time of hypertension DBP in the daytime, and the average daily SBP. Patients who underwent revascularization had lower ABPM values. The previously described differences in the night time DBP and the index of hypertension time at night were preserved. After 3 months of follow-up, significant differences were observed only in the indicators of night time SAD and DBP. At the end of the study (6 months of follow-up), the groups had differences only in the indicators of mean diastolic pressure at night.Conclusion. Patients who underwent PCI for 1 month after the procedure have a significant tendency to normalize (compared to the group without revascularization) blood pressure indicators. However, over time, the effect «escapes». Most likely, the short-term improvement in blood pressure is due to a temporary improvement in treatment adherence after an invasive procedure.

Change in the Rock Pressure when Mining a Coal Seam with a Longwall Face

Development of the geomechanical processes is of great importance for human activity in the underground conditions. Coal mining is accompanied by displacement of the enclosing rocks, which requires a special approach to study of the geomechanical processes. In particular, this is due to an increase in the productivity of the excavation sections. Increase in the volume of the second working, the length of the longwalls and the size of the extraction pillars will transform all the geomechanical processes occurring in the face. Modern coal mining technologies are associated with certain specific features of the displacement of enclosing rocks, which necessitate the development of new approaches to the study of the geomechanical processes. The intensification of work inevitably leads to a change in the geomechanical environment in the vicinity of the face. The article discusses the methods and means of studying the process of rocks displacement as a result of construction of the mine workings. For example, a site is selected at the mine named after S.M. Kirov, long-face No. 24-62. Depth to the developed seam is from 476 to 520 m from the installation chamber. Average thickness of the seam is 2.5 m, length of the face is 300 m, length of the pillar is 2500 m. The average rate of advance is 10 m / day. Based on the monitoring of the rock pressure indicators on the mechanized support section, the wave-like nature of the rock pressure distribution in a long-face during mining of the extraction pillar was determined. The surface of the pressure domes was rebuilt using the Surfer software product, which allowed to track the processes in the face part of the longwall. Data on the pressure in the roof supports were used. In the calculations, the average rock density was assumed to be 2.5 m3/t. Since the surface of the pressure vaults makes it possible to judge the processes in the bottomhole of the mined seam, the height of the random collapse zone is determined from the pressure readings in the support struts. It is the one which presses on the powered support. Repetitive areas of the increased rock pressure were noted approximately every 200–250 m. Profiles of the surface of pressure arches along the length and in the long-face building cross are given. Considering the processes of structuring the rock mass, an algorithm for finding the height of the pressure arch was developed, which ensures a satisfactory convergence with the actual data.