Tind Technologies (Norway)
Hes-so: ArODES Open Archive (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland / Haute école spécialisée de Suisse occidentale / FH Westschweiz)Not a member yet
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Vieillir dans les montagnes suisses ::sociabilités et appartenances locales des vieilles femmes « du coin »
No full textThe impact of physical activity on the prevention of spine musculoskeletal disorders in lactating women in Cameroon
No full textAbstract
Introduction: Spine musculoskeletal disorders (SMSDs) may interfere with breastfeeding and negatively impact maternal and
infant health. Physical activity (PA) is known to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal issues.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of PA levels on the occurrence of SMSDs in Lactating Women in Cameroon.
Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted from September to December 2024 included 399 nursing women in the
Foumbot Health District, Cameroon using a consecutive non-probability convenience sampling. PA was assessed using the
International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and SMSDs were evaluated using an adapted version
of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, and multivariate logistic
regression was used to identify associations. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: The mean (SD) age of participants was 24.3 (5.1) years, and that of their infants was 11.1 (8.5) weeks. The Madonna
position was the most common breastfeeding position, used by 388 (97.2%) nursing women. Among participants, 236 (59.1%)
reported SMSDs, with the most affected region being the upper back 98 (41.5%). PA levels were high in 149 (37.3%) participants,
moderate in 208 (52.1%), and low in 42 (10.5%). No significant association was found between PA and SMSDs.
However, working in the informal sector significantly increased the risk of SMSDs (aOR =2.21, CI: 1.33–3.67, p=0.002).
Conclusion: SMSDs are highly prevalent in nursing women. Interventions should address occupational risk factors to reduce
their impact in similar settings
Numerical assessment of a modular steel sleeve connection with wedge locking mechanism for demountable structures
No full textThis paper presents the numerical assessment of a modular steel sleeve connection incorporating a wedge locking mechanism, developed to enhance reusability and sustainability in steel construction. The connection eliminates welding and drilling of the main members, enabling full disassembly and reuse. An adapted configuration was investigated for central column applications, where multiple beams frame into a single square hollow section column through a four-sided sleeve. Finite element models were developed in Abaqus to evaluate the structural response, focusing on stress redistribution, plastic strain development, and moment–rotation behavior. The results indicate that yielding shifts away from the column face toward the sleeve–beam interface, promoting hinge formation in the beam rather than in the joint core. The connection demonstrates semi-rigid behavior consistent with Eurocode classifications, with stiffness comparable to conventional bolted joints. Overall, the study highlights the potential of modular sleeve connections with wedge locking mechanisms as reliable, demountable alternatives to traditional welded or bolted joints, supporting circular economy strategies in steel construction
The OCTO‐Plus Intervention to Support Families of Chronically Critically Ill Children in Paediatric Critical Care ::A Pilot Study
No full textLife cycle assessment and techno-economic comparison of methane production routes from sewage sludge ::incineration vs. hydrothermal gasification and anaerobic digestion
No full textThe disposal of sewage sludge poses significant challenges due to storage difficulties and the presence of pollutants and pathogens. Conventional treatment methods, such as incineration and anaerobic digestion (AD), are compared to advanced technologies like hydrothermal gasification (HTG) with syngas upgrading for methane production. Various indicators — i.e. environmental impacts, exergy efficiency, capital expenditures, and operational expenses — are assessed to evaluate these pathways. The scope of the life cycle assessment (LCA) accounts for the waste recovery, the treatement infrastructure, and material and energy flows. It additionally account for the substitution of valorized products. For instance, the methane produced is assumed to replace fossil methane with a substitution rate ranging from 100% (entire replacement of fossil methane) to 0%, considering either no substitution or future decarbonized energy systems. As a result, HTG achieves an exergy efficiency as low as 10.2 %. Yet, carbon management strategies, such as co-electrolysis (co-SOEC), can improve the exergy efficiency up to a value of 62.2 %. The most favourable routes in terms of GHG emissions are those mineralizing CO2 from sludge gasification (−1,100 kg CO2-eq/FU) or maximizing sludge-to-methane conversion (e.g., HTG with co-SOEC, −790 kg CO2-eq/FU). However, this benefit reverses under a 0 % substitution scenario (+770 kg CO2-eq/FU). In contrast, AD-based routes with lower energy demand show impacts between − 328 and + 70 kg CO2-eq/FU, also being more competitive in terms of costs. Beyond GHG emissions, trade-offs emerge across other impact categories, notably water scarcity, ecosystem quality, and fossil and nuclear energy use, particularly for routes involving CO2 mineralization and co-SOEC due to their high energy demand
Marche sensible ::que reste-t-il du tiers paysage de l’ancienne friche de Malley ?
No full textMarche sensible dans le cadre du séminaire doctoral Artsearch/Sacre, Lausanne, le 22 mai 2024. La marche est menée par Maria Da Silva et Nicolas Dutour avec les participants et participantes du séminaire doctoral (étudiant.es, enseignant.es, cherchereuses)
Des habitats et des environnements de vie adaptés aux personnes âgées
No full textLe vieillissement démographique transforme la structure de la population suisse :
les personnes de 65 ans et plus constituent un groupe croissant et hétérogène, avec
des attentes, des capacités et des ressources diverses. En ville, leur qualité de vie
dépend d’un ensemble de facteurs spatiaux, sociaux et économiques qui nécessitent
une attention particulière de la part des politiques publiques
The potential contribution of flood management ponds to pondscape biodiversity ::evidence from dragonflies
No full text1. After decades of river channelisation, restoration projects are flourishing, many with the aim of reducing flood risk by re-connecting rivers to their floodplains and making space for water. Pond creation is often included to enable temporary storage of surface water as a natural flood management (NFM) measure in catchment-scale restoration programmes.
2. However, evidence on the potential benefits of these newly created NFM ponds for biodiversity is still scarce, including for flagship wetland groups such as dragonflies (Odonata). To examine this, inventories of adult Odonata were undertaken in the Eddleston Water catchment (Scottish Borders). Twenty ponds were surveyed: ten newly created NFM ponds and 10 pre-existing ponds (used as reference sites).
3. Pond creation for NFM has strengthened the regional Odonata populations and increased habitat availability, with all recorded species of dragonflies now found at more sites. NFM ponds display slightly higher Odonata alpha species richness than reference ponds. Community composition of NFM ponds was similar to that of reference ponds, as were their environmental conditions. Richness in Odonata was positively correlated with macrophyte richness and the percentage of pond shoreline covered in emergent vegetation, along with pond density.
4. Practical implication. Our investigation shows that ponds created primarily as NFM measures can host Odonata communities as diverse as established ponds, provided they are well located, well designed, and managed in ways that allow the development of aquatic vegetation in the pond and on its shoreline. As such, the flood management ponds of the Eddleston Water catchment are a good example of effective nature-based solution implementation, tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss
Why ponds concentrate nutrients ::the roles of internal features, land use, and climate
No full textPonds are key freshwater habitats supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet they remain understudied in the context of land use and climate change. We examined 240 ponds across eight countries (seven in Europe and Uruguay) to assess how internal pond characteristics, surrounding land cover and livestock intensity, seasonal climatic variation, and climate influence nutrient concentrations across spatial and temporal scales. Nutrient concentrations were strongly associated with internal features: shallow ponds and short hydroperiods had higher total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations, while thermal stratification, typically found in deeper ponds, was associated with higher TN, indicating enhanced internal nutrient recycling. Land use also played a significant role with agricultural intensity increasing nutrient concentration (both TN and TP), whereas forest cover reduced TP. Seasonal variation modulated these patterns, with higher TP concentrations observed in summer, and with dilution effects during wetter and cooler periods, particularly for TN in semi-permanent ponds. These findings underscore the combined influence of physical characteristics, landscape context, and climate variability on nutrient concentrations in ponds and highlight the need for integrated, multi-scale approaches to anticipate the impacts of global climate change effects on these ecologically valuable ecosystems