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Switching off for the planet: 'surface mimicry' and energy saving practices in peer-to-peer accommodation
No full textThe introduction of novel energy-saving practices for the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation sector is a key factor in reducing the effects of greenhouse gas emissions in tourism and hospitality. “Surface mimicry” is an alternative visual intervention that may prove to be effective in saving energy in the P2P accommodation locations. Through the use of three scenario-based experiments, this study was able to validate the main effect of surface mimicry on the property-mapping mindset of guests (i.e. their beliefs around energy-saving) and their intentions to switch off lights. The serially mediating effects of guests’ attitudes towards P2P accommodation were also authenticated. This solution-oriented yet theoretically-driven study contributes to the literature on hospitality and pro-environmental behaviour by examining the causal impacts of surface mimicry on guests’ property-mapping mindset and energy-saving behaviours. It also advances knowledge of surface mimicry theory by adding the important role of “individual attitudes”, and by clarifying the related influencing mechanisms in the unique P2P accommodation context.No Full Tex
Development of a Safety Oriented Framework for Fall Prevention in Construction Projects Using Smart PLS-SEM Analysis
Get PDFThe construction industry continues to face significant risks associated with fall-from-height (FFH) incidents, despite advances in safety protocols and technologies. This study identifies and empirically validates critical safety factors influencing PPE adoption and fall prevention on infrastructure projects through an integrated conceptual framework. A systematic literature review was conducted to extract eight Critical Success Factors (CSFs), followed by data acquisition. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the relationships between safety constructs including management commitment, equipment quality, operator risk, employee awareness, and regulatory compliance were examined. A total of 33 observable variables were evaluated across five latent domains. The model explained 96% of the variance in safety adoption behaviour, with operator-related issues exerting the strongest influence. This study identifies and empirically validates critical safety factors influencing fall-from-height (FFH) prevention, with PPE adoption examined as one dimension within a broader safety framework. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the relationships between safety constructs including management commitment, equipment quality, operator risk, employee awareness, and regulatory compliance were examined. Findings affirm that PPE quality alone may be insufficient without concurrent emphasis on human and institutional dynamics.Full Tex
Differential thermal tolerances in geographically distinct lineages of a dominant reef building alga
Get PDFHow organisms respond to increasing temperatures could be attributed to existing thermal tolerances or that certain populations are living well below their thermal limits. To address these ideas, we exposed geographically distinct (1144–2332 km apart) lineages of the dominant reef-building crustose coralline alga, Porolithon cf. onkodes, from the Australian Great Barrier Reef and Lord Howe Island to an increasing temperature (1 °C h−1) experiment, where individual average oxygen production was measured continuously. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of hidden lineages within this alga, but individuals are morpho-anatomically identical. The tropical, low latitude lineage supported the climate variability hypothesis, in which some populations existing in already warmer and more stable thermal environments may be living at or near their thermal thresholds. On average, there was a ~ 92% decrease in O2 produced after a 1 °C increase in the tropical, low latitude lineage. However, the high latitude lineage did not support this hypothesis, as individuals continuously decreased the amount of O2 produced with increasing temperature. The central lineage responded uniquely, maintaining a stable level of O2 for almost 5 °C above their acclimation temperature. Our results indicate that the climate variability hypothesis only partially explains the thermal tolerance in this alga, and we suggest local oceanographic processes, latitudinal effects, and importantly, cryptic speciation influences the responses of different lineages of the critically important reef-building alga P. cf. onkodes to rising temperatures.Full Tex
Soil nitrogen biogeochemistry and hydrological characteristics shape the nitrate levels in a river
No full textThe high levels of nitrate (NO3−) in the surface water have contributed to eutrophication and other eco-environmental damages worldwide. Although the excessive NO3− concentrations in rivers were often attributed to anthropogenic activities, some undisturbed or slightly disturbed rivers also had high NO3− levels. This study utilized multi-pronged approaches (i.e., river natural abundance isotopes, 15N-labeling techniques, and qPCR) to provide a comprehensive explanation of the reason for the high NO3− levels in a river draining forest-dominated terrene. The river natural abundance isotopes (δ15N/δ18O-NO3−) indicated that the soil source (i.e., soil organic nitrogen-SON and chemical fertilizer-CF) were the primary contributors to the NO3−, and the NO3− removal was probably prevalent in the basin scale. The 15N-labeling techniques quantitatively showed that denitrification and anammox were stronger than nitrification in the soils and sediments. Structural equation models suggested that nitrification in the soils was regulated by NH4+-N contents, which, in turn, were closely related to fertilization in spring. Denitrification and anammox were largely controlled by elevation and functional gene abundances (i.e., nirK and hzsB, respectively). The hydrological isotopes (i.e., δD/δ18O-H2O) indicated that the transport of NO3− from soil to the river was related to the intensity of runoff leaching to the soil, In contrast, the riverine NH4+ was largely from point sources; thus, increasing runoff led to a dilution effect. This study clearly showed that soil biogeochemistry and hydrological condition of a river basin jointly shaped the high NO3− levels in the almost undisturbed river.No Full Tex
Variable Knee-Joint Morphology In Valgus and Non-valgus Aligned Pediatric Patients With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture
Get PDFBackground:
Lower limb valgus alignment has previously been identified in pediatric patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. This study aimed to evaluate knee morphology on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in valgus and non-valgus aligned pediatric patients with ACL rupture and compare them against a typically developed (TD) cohort without ACL rupture.
Hypothesis:
There would be differences in knee morphology between valgus and non-valgus aligned pediatric patients with ACL rupture and a TD cohort.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
Data were extracted from the Queensland Children's Hospital prospective pediatric ACL Injury Registry. Preoperative MRI of patients with ACL rupture was compared against an age- and sex-matched TD cohort without knee pathology. The following morphological parameters were measured: lateral femoral condyle index (LFCI), lateral tibial height, medial posterior slope, lateral posterior slope (LTS), medial tibial depth, and notch width index. The mechanical axis deviation (MAD) was measured from preoperative long-leg radiographs. One-way analysis of covariance with the Tukey post-hoc test compared parameters in valgus (MAD <1 mm medial), non-valgus (MAD ≥1 mm medial), and TD groups, adjusting for age and sex. Mean differences were reported with 95% CIs.
Results:
A total of 150 patients with ACL rupture were eligible. After propensity score matching against the TD cohort (n = 26), the ACL rupture group (valgus, n = 26; non-valgus, n = 26) had similar baseline characteristics: combined mean age (13.97 ± 2.20 years) and sex (57.69% women vs 42.31% men). Compared with the TD cohort, valgus ACL-ruptured patients had significantly smaller LFCI (–0.16 [95% CI, –0.20 to −0.11]) and larger LTS (2.53 [95% CI, 0.50 to 4.56]) values. Valgus-aligned patients with ACL rupture had smaller LFCIs compared with non-valgus-aligned patients with ACL rupture (–0.12 [95% CI, 0.17 to −0.08]).
Conclusion:
Compared with a TD cohort, morphological variations were found within subsets of pediatric patients with ACL rupture when accounting for lower limb alignment. Valgus-aligned patients had smaller LFCI and steeper LTS values than the TD cohort.Full Tex
Intelligent Data Refinement and Analysis of Real-World Cyber Attacks on SCADA Systems
Get PDFAs cyberattacks targeting Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems have increased significantly in recent years, researchers have begun to collect and generate SCADA datasets for analyzing attack signatures and characteristics. Insights from the analyses are then used to build detection and prevention mechanisms. However, most existing SCADA datasets primarily contain simulated attack records and focus on generic network threats –– hindering the research on zero-day attacks and the effectiveness of defense mechanisms developed using these datasets.
In this paper, we introduce real-world attack datasets for SCADA systems that were collected through the deployment of SCADA honeypots in realistic Internet environments. The datasets contain the original raw data and a refined dataset processed by our proposed tool – HoneyParser which automatically cleans, extracts and enriches parameters to transform raw data into a structured and standardized format. HoneyParser stores the refined data in MySQL format which is directly usable and query-able, improving the scalability and efficiency of future attack pattern analysis and defense development. To demonstrate its usability, we performed a classical analysis using the refined attack dataset to explore the time trends and geolocation patterns. The analyses’ insights provide a deeper understanding of cyberattacks targeting SCADA systems and contribute to the enhancement of SCADA systems’ resilience in future work.Full Tex
Integrating isotope mixing and hydrologic models towards a more accurate riverine nitrate source apportionment
No full textNitrate (NO3–) is the major form of bioavailable nitrogen in most rivers, and its dramatic increase may lead to a number of serious environmental issues, such as eutrophication and biodiversity decline. Quantification of NO3– sources and fluxes in rivers is essential for effective management of NO3– pollution. Isotope mixing and hydrological models are proven practical tools for quantifying the sources of NO3– in rivers, yet both methods have severe limitations. To improve the accuracy and reliability of riverine NO3– source apportionment, this study proposed a protocol that integrates the strengths of both tools, capable of solving issues such as the calculation bias caused by isotope endmember overprinting in isotope mixing model and the lack of validation data for hydrological models. We applied the framework to a typical agricultural river, the Qihe River, and illustrated the effectiveness of the method in quantifying riverine NO3– sources. The proportional contribution of sewage simulated by the SWAT model approximated that estimated by the isotopic mixing model, yet the SWAT-based contributions of soil organic nitrogen and chemical fertilizer were 16.3 % lower and 14.0 % higher, respectively than the MCMC-based results. After integrating both models, we adopted the proportions of NO3– sources in the river from chemical fertilizer, sewage, and soil organic nitrogen as 45.1 %, 30.9 %, and 23.9 %, respectively. This study showed that coupling isotopic and hydrological models provided a new dimension for the accurate quantification of N sources in rivers.No Full Tex
Poor Accuracy of Blood Pressure Measurement Images on Stock Photo Websites: Implications for Public Health Education
No full textObjective:
Blood pressure is the most common measurement in clinical practice and increasingly done at home. Media and online websites often display an image of blood pressure measurement to represent clinical medicine, but many images deviate from clinical guidelines. This may wrongly influence perceptions on how measurement should be done. We evaluated the accuracy of blood pressure measurement images on major stock photo websites according to the 2023 International Consensus on Standardized Clinic Blood Pressure Measurement.
Design and method:
We evaluated the first ∼100 photos from each of 11 major sites. Two independent investigators graded each image, and any disagreement was discussed and resolved. Photo settings included 63% clinical and 37% home-based; 73% by healthcare providers, 24% by patients, 3% other settings.
Results:
Only 14% of images (N=1106) were accurate on all criteria, ranging from 7% at Flickr or Freepik to 28% at iStock. Based on the percentage accurate photos per site, iStock ranked one, Adobe ranked two, and 123rf ranked three. Images were penalised for the following deviations from guidelines: back unsupported (73%); fore-arm not resting on surface (55%); manual and not electronic device (52%); feet not flat on the floor (36%); doctor or observer talking/laughing (23%); mid-arm not at heart level (19%); patient talking/laughing (18%); legs crossed (13%); cuff on clothing (12%); patient not sitting (5%). Some accuracy aspects were not captured on all images, and thus only the aspects that were included were scored. There were differences in average accuracy scoring by setting (clinical, 8% vs home 25%, p<0.001) and assessors (healthcare provider 7%, self 35%, and other/family member 13%, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
To conclude, only 1 in 7 online stock photo images of blood pressure measurement aligns with clinical guidelines. Media houses, website developers and the general public should be educated on appropriate measurement techniques to ensure accurate blood pressure measurement in the clinic and at home.No Full Tex
Timelines and Associated Factors for Return-To-Work of Patients with Painful Lumbar Radiculopathy who Undergo Lumbar Microdiscectomy Followed by Physiotherapy: A Prospective Cohort Study
No full textStudy design. Prospective cohort study with a 52 weeks follow-up. Objective. To describe the probability of return to work and explore associations between routinely collected pre-operative factors and return to work for patients with painful lumbar radiculopathy undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy and post-operative physiotherapy. Summary of background data. Medical absenteeism in patients with painful lumbar radiculopathy undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy followed by physiotherapy is associated with high socioeconomic costs. We lack good quality information about the time to return to work and the factors associated with returning to work in this patient group. Methods. We included 257 patients with clinical signs and symptoms of painful lumbar radiculopathy in whom nerve root compression was confirmed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and who underwent microdiscectomy and post-operative physiotherapy. Time to return to work was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The association between independent factors and return to work was examined through Cox regression analysis. Results: Full resumption of their original paid job (i.e., same role with the same physical demands and responsibilities) occurred in 178 (69.3%) of participants by 52 weeks. In these patients, the median (IQR) return to work time was 16 weeks (14–16), with 85.0% of patients resuming work within 26 weeks. Higher education (HR=1.82), self-employment (HR=1.84), and the absence of predominant physical work (HR=1.61) were significantly associated with a faster return to work, while higher disability scores negatively impacted return to work time (HR=0.56). Conclusion: At 52 weeks following lumbar microdiscectomy and post-operative physiotherapy for painful lumbar radiculopathy, approximately two-thirds of individuals returned to work in their original roles, while some transitioned to different roles. Work-related and personal factors play a key role in determining the timing of this return. Recognizing these predictors in clinical practice can help surgeons, physiotherapists, and occupational health professionals guide patient expectations, provide more individualized workplace counselling, and support realistic, timely, and sustainable work reintegration.Full Tex
Using digital archaeology and machine learning to determine sex in finger flutings
Get PDFOne of the earliest and most enigmatic forms of rock art are finger flutings and previous methods of studying them relied on biometric finger ratios from modern populations to make assumptions about the people who left the flutings, which is theoretically and methodologically problematic. This work is a proof-of-concept for a paradigm shift away from error-prone human measurements and controversial theories to computational digital archaeology methods for an innovative experimental design using a tactile, virtual, and machine learning approach. We propose a digital archaeology experiment using a tactile and virtual approach based on multiple samples from 96 participants. We trained a machine learning model on the known data to determine the sex of the person who made the fluting. While the virtual dataset did not provide sufficiently distinct features for reliable sex classification, the tactile experiment results showed potential for the identification of the sex of fluting artists, but more samples are needed to make any generalization. The significant contribution of this study is the development of a foundational set of methods and materials. We provide a novel digital archaeology approach for data creation, data collection, and analysis that makes the experiment replicable, scalable, and quantifiable.Full Tex