Differences in Uveal Melanoma Age-Standardized Incidence Rates in Two Eastern States of Australia Are Driven by Differences in Rurality and Ultraviolet Radiation

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the second-most-common melanoma in humans and has a high age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) in Australia. Regional patterns of UM ASRs in Australia are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine and compare UM ASRs in two geographically disparate eastern states, Queensland (QLD) and Victoria (VIC), by using cancer registry data that was obtained from 2001 to 2013. World-standardized UM ASRs and incidence-rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated. Higher UM ASR was also observed in anterior UM compared to posterior UM ASR. UM ASR remained unchanged from 2001 to 2013 in QLD but decreased in VIC. A south-to-north latitude trend in UM ASR along the east of Australia is weakly evident, and rural populations have higher UM ASRs than major city populations in both states. Differences in ultraviolent radiation (UVR) susceptibility, indigenous populations, social behaviours, chemical exposure, and socioeconomic status could all be contributing to differences in UM rates between QLD and VIC and between rural compared to major city areas. It is possible that a minority of cases in QLD and VIC might be prevented by sun-protective behaviours. This is important, because these findings suggest that QLD, which is already known to have one of the highest cutaneous melanoma (CM) ASRs in the world, also has one of the highest UM ASRs.

Assessment of Temporal Distribution of Noise Pollution in Delhi using ArcGIS

Noise pollution affects day-to-day life both mentally and physically. Hence, it’s a growing problem in every major city of the world. Many diseases have been proven to be associated directly with rise in noise level. To combat the noise level government agencies have laid down certain guidelines which suggest noise level in different location to be in prescribed limits. These noise limits is different for different land-use pattern and also different for different timings also. Daytime generally experiences more noise level than night time in almost all the locations. In present study, noise level of a particular day of 24 hr is taken from 26 locations. These noise levels are used to construct noise map in ArcGIS for Delhi for both daytime ad night time. These noise maps are used to present a comparative study of noise pollution between daytime and night time. Research Study suggest that in the daytime most of the area of Delhi experiences 55-60 dB noise level while in the night time it is experienced that most of the location in Delhi, noise level is 50-55 dB.

Gamification Design for Waste Problems in Public Space Case Study: Gajah Tunggal Park, Tangerang

Waste is a problem that is always faced in every major city in Indonesia. Tangerang is one of the big cities in Indonesia that also faces problems with garbage. Even though every public space in Tangerang has provided trash bins, the level of community participation in disposing of garbage in its place is still low. To increase community participation, gamification can be used. However, before the gamification is designed, it has to first know the intrinsic motivation of people wanting to dispose of garbage in its proper place so that the gamification design is effective.

Identités sociomatérielles et création d’histoires plurilingues et numériques

In the context of this special issue offering new materialist viewpoints in the field of language education, a sociomaterial perspective allows me to question an anthropocentric definition of learners’ and teachers’ identities in a school context. Looking at two moments of plurilingual and digital story production that occurred in an elementary school located in a major city in British Columbia, I trace the trajectories of sociomaterial agencements which involved learners, languages, spaces, researchers and other materials. I adopt a post-qualitative inquiry stance and go back and forth between concepts from posthumanist, new materialist, Deleuzo-Guattarian and Indigenous perspectives and narrative descriptions, screenshots and other figures. Thinking with theories, I follow unpredictable lines of flight which lead to the rhizoanalysis of two moments lived in a French immersion classroom, and I invite readers to come up with their own questions and to take part in the inquiry process. The following concepts – spatial repertoires, agencements, body materiality, excesses and flows of affect – demand that we widen our gaze in research and in practice so that we can better understand the dynamic identity agencements that gather diverse human and material elements.

The Primacy of As-Built Drawings in the Management of Underground Utility Operations: A New Zealand Study

There are increasing incidences of damages to underground utilities and services during maintenance and construction works. These have posed significant challenges to utility owners regarding the magnitude and costs associated with remediation works. Therefore, this study investigates the management activities for underground utility maintenance works in New Zealand to establish the significance of as-built drawings as a mitigator of these challenges. Data for the analysis was obtained through a questionnaire survey of asset owners, consultants, and contractors based in three major city centres in New Zealand. The responses are analysed descriptively and inferentially for ease of understanding of the study findings. The findings established the challenges around the as-built records, which were significant to utility damages during construction operations in New Zealand. The study participants highlighted other factors such as poor project management, site records, communication, excavation operator competencies, and inadequate site inventory. Generally, more investment in asset documentation is recommended for asset owners. Innovative approaches to information capture, monitoring and updating of as-built drawings are also suggested to improve on current routine processes. Other solutions relate to skills acquisition and development in the management of underground utility maintenance projects.

Vitamin D retesting by general practitioners: a factor and cost analysis

Objectives Vitamin D testing by Primary Care doctors is increasing, placing greater workloads on healthcare systems. There is little data though on vitamin D retesting in Ireland. This study aims to investigate the factors associated with vitamin D retesting by Irish General Practitioners (GPs) and examine the resulting costs. Methods This is a retrospective analysis over 5 years (2014–2018) of GP requested 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) results in 36,458 patients at a major city hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Those with one test were compared with individuals who were retested and samples categorised to determine changes in status between tests. Results Nearly one in four patients (n=8,305) were retested. Positive predictors of retesting were female (p<0.001), age (60–69 years, p<0.001), location (Co. Kildare, p<0.001) and initial deficiency (<30 nmol/L, p<0.001) or insufficiency (30–49.9 nmol/L, p<0.001). Vitamin D status improved on retesting, with deficiency halving on first retest (9 vs. 18%, p<0.001) and dropping to 6% on further retests. About 12.2% of retests were done within 3 months and 29% had ≥2 retests within 1 year. 57% of retests were in those initially vitamin D replete (>50 nmol/L). The annual cost of inappropriate testing was €61,976. Conclusions One in four patients were retested and this varied by age, gender and patient location. Over 10% of retests were inappropriately early (<3 months), a third too frequent and over half were in replete individuals incurring significant costs. Clear guidance for GPs on minimum retesting intervals is needed, as well as laboratory ordering systems to limit requests using pre-defined criteria.

ARCHITECTURAL-URBAN-MODELING OF THE NETWORK OF PUBLIC SPACES IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE LARGEST CITY (ON THE EXAMPLE OF KHARKIV)

The paper is dedicated to the problem of creating a network of public spaces in the downtown area of a major city as an effective means of its humanization. The goal of the work is to justify and develop a graphical model of the network of public spaces in the structure of the downtown area of a major city on example of Kharkiv. Analysis of the scientific works of foreign and domestic authors has shown that the issues relating to the formation of a spatially integrated network of public spaces have not been subjected to special scientific scrutiny. The use of the law of isomorphism of structures of urban planning systems suggested that a network of public spaces could have a linear-nodal spatial organization. It is shown that open public spaces are located along the streets and should be seen as part of the city’s communication framework. The placement of a significant variety of small public service elements on the first floors of the city center neighborhood development contributes to the formation of public spaces along the streets. These pedestrian spaces providing connections to subway stations are “linear” components of the network. The presence of open, undeveloped spaces in areas close to the entrances to subway stations creates attractive conditions for the formation of new types of public spaces. On the basis of analysis of placement of 8 subway stations in the structure of the downtown area of Kharkiv there was justified the assumption that it is their areas that are considered to be “nodal” elements of the networks of public spaces. In this way, a spatially integrated network of public spaces is created and presents an effective means of humanizing the urban environment as a whole. The study of the architectural and urban construction of the network of public spaces in the city structure led to the conclusion of the effectiveness of such a measure in social, economic and aesthetic aspects.

iPark: automated smart parking system

Parking problems became ubiquitous and are growing at an alarming rate in every major city. It causes parking problems which cause a trafficjam, driver’s frustration, and pollution. One time we visit differentpublic places for example shopping center, multiplex movies hall &amp; lodging house during carnivals or holidays, it makes the added parking difficult. Checking out a parking lot results in 40% to 50% of traffic jams. Due to this, car parking, in turn, causes the traffic issue. There are some problems associated with car parking like the way to control the amount of the car within the parking zone, monitoring the movement of the car in/outside of the parking zone, check whether there's an area inside for more cars or not and therefore the safety to park. This paper proposes an answer for these problems using the concept of the web of Things. iParkisa fully automated system that senses the entry and exit of a car, displays the entire number of cars parked within the parking zone on screen, and the way many free spaces are available within the parking lot.