Gambling-related suicide in Victoria, Australia : a population-based cross-sectional study
- Rintoul, Angela, Dwyer, Jeremy, Millar, Ciara, Bugeja, Lyndal, Nguyen, Huy
- Authors: Rintoul, Angela , Dwyer, Jeremy , Millar, Ciara , Bugeja, Lyndal , Nguyen, Huy
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific Vol. 41, no. (2023), p.
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Gambling is associated with serious harms to health, including suicide. Yet public health systems for recording the role of gambling in suicide deaths are relatively underdeveloped. This study contributes to the understanding of this relationship. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study of suicides reported to the Coroners Court of Victoria between 2009 and 2016 was performed to identify the incidence and characteristics of gambling-related suicides (GRS). Findings: From 2009 to 2016 there were 4788 suicide deaths in Victoria. Of these, 184 were identified as direct GRS and a further 17 were GRS by ‘affected others’. Together, these GRS comprise 4.2% of all suicides in Victoria over this eight-year period. Direct GRS account for an annual average rate of 5.13 GRS per million Victorian adults. GRS were significantly more likely to be male (n = 153, 83%), than the Victorian population of total suicide deaths and significantly more likely to occur among those most disadvantaged. Family members and friends were more likely than clinicians to know about the deceased gambling. Interpretation: Given that gambling is not routinely investigated by coroners and may be hidden from family, friends, and health professionals, this is an underestimate of the true scale of the GRS in Victoria. A range of measures should be introduced to prevent, screen, support, and treat gambling harm. Family members and friends should also be provided with help services. Preventing gambling-related harm through public health measures could significantly reduce suicidality and suicide, both in Australia and globally. Funding: Federation University Australia, Coroners Court of Victoria, Suicide Prevention Australia. © 2023 The Authors
- Authors: Rintoul, Angela , Dwyer, Jeremy , Millar, Ciara , Bugeja, Lyndal , Nguyen, Huy
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific Vol. 41, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Gambling is associated with serious harms to health, including suicide. Yet public health systems for recording the role of gambling in suicide deaths are relatively underdeveloped. This study contributes to the understanding of this relationship. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study of suicides reported to the Coroners Court of Victoria between 2009 and 2016 was performed to identify the incidence and characteristics of gambling-related suicides (GRS). Findings: From 2009 to 2016 there were 4788 suicide deaths in Victoria. Of these, 184 were identified as direct GRS and a further 17 were GRS by ‘affected others’. Together, these GRS comprise 4.2% of all suicides in Victoria over this eight-year period. Direct GRS account for an annual average rate of 5.13 GRS per million Victorian adults. GRS were significantly more likely to be male (n = 153, 83%), than the Victorian population of total suicide deaths and significantly more likely to occur among those most disadvantaged. Family members and friends were more likely than clinicians to know about the deceased gambling. Interpretation: Given that gambling is not routinely investigated by coroners and may be hidden from family, friends, and health professionals, this is an underestimate of the true scale of the GRS in Victoria. A range of measures should be introduced to prevent, screen, support, and treat gambling harm. Family members and friends should also be provided with help services. Preventing gambling-related harm through public health measures could significantly reduce suicidality and suicide, both in Australia and globally. Funding: Federation University Australia, Coroners Court of Victoria, Suicide Prevention Australia. © 2023 The Authors
Developing entrustable professional activities to enhance application of an aggression prevention protocol
- Maguire, Tessa, Willetts, Georgina, McKenna, Brian, Daffern, Michael, Garvey, Loretta
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Willetts, Georgina , McKenna, Brian , Daffern, Michael , Garvey, Loretta
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nurse Education in Practice Vol. 73, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Aim: The research aim of this study was to seek feedback from prevention of aggression training experts about the suitability of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as an assessment tool for an Aggression Prevention Protocol. The protocol was designed to structure intervention to prevent aggression and reduce the use of restrictive practices following risk assessment using a validated instrument (the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression). Background: Preventing aggression and limiting the use of restrictive practices are key priorities for inpatient mental health services. Assessing clinical activities using a competence framework has limitations, particularly when determining complex interventions. EPAs could provide a suitable method for assessing complex clinical activities like de-escalation and limit setting, which comprise some of the interventions in the Aggression Prevention Protocol. EPAs are new to forensic mental health nursing; therefore, feedback was sought regarding the utility of EPAs to assess aggression prevention interventions. Methods: Data were collected via focus groups including 11 aggression prevention experts from Australia and New Zealand. A thematic analysis, comparative analysis and a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats analysis was conducted. Results: Three themes were interpreted from the data: 1) Frameworks such as the APP are needed to work towards elimination of restrictive practices; 2) APP-EPAs afford an opportunity to set the standard for practice; and 3) ‘who watches the watchers’, were identified by the experts as well as areas to enhance EPAs prior to introduction into practice. Conclusions: EPAs address a practice-gap and offer a framework to assist movement towards elimination of restrictive practices, while prompting best-practice, self-reflection and practice improvement guidance. © 2023
- Authors: Maguire, Tessa , Willetts, Georgina , McKenna, Brian , Daffern, Michael , Garvey, Loretta
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Nurse Education in Practice Vol. 73, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aim: The research aim of this study was to seek feedback from prevention of aggression training experts about the suitability of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as an assessment tool for an Aggression Prevention Protocol. The protocol was designed to structure intervention to prevent aggression and reduce the use of restrictive practices following risk assessment using a validated instrument (the Dynamic Appraisal of Situational Aggression). Background: Preventing aggression and limiting the use of restrictive practices are key priorities for inpatient mental health services. Assessing clinical activities using a competence framework has limitations, particularly when determining complex interventions. EPAs could provide a suitable method for assessing complex clinical activities like de-escalation and limit setting, which comprise some of the interventions in the Aggression Prevention Protocol. EPAs are new to forensic mental health nursing; therefore, feedback was sought regarding the utility of EPAs to assess aggression prevention interventions. Methods: Data were collected via focus groups including 11 aggression prevention experts from Australia and New Zealand. A thematic analysis, comparative analysis and a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats analysis was conducted. Results: Three themes were interpreted from the data: 1) Frameworks such as the APP are needed to work towards elimination of restrictive practices; 2) APP-EPAs afford an opportunity to set the standard for practice; and 3) ‘who watches the watchers’, were identified by the experts as well as areas to enhance EPAs prior to introduction into practice. Conclusions: EPAs address a practice-gap and offer a framework to assist movement towards elimination of restrictive practices, while prompting best-practice, self-reflection and practice improvement guidance. © 2023
A hydrogen supply-chain model powering Australian isolated communities
- Hasan, Tanvir, Hassan, Nur, Shah, Rakibuzzaman, Emami, Kianoush, Anderson, Jake
- Authors: Hasan, Tanvir , Hassan, Nur , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Emami, Kianoush , Anderson, Jake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy Reports Vol. 9, no. (2023), p. 209-214
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- Description: This article proposes a supply chain-based green hydrogen microgrid modelling for a number of remote Australian communities. Green hydrogen can be used as an emissions-free fuel source for electricity generation in places where large-scale renewable energy production is impossible due to land availability, population, or government regulations. This research focuses on the Torres Strait Island communities in northern Australia, where the transition from diesel to renewable electricity generation is difficult due to very limited land availability on most islands. Due to geographical constraints, low population and smaller electrical load, the green hydrogen needs to be sourced from somewhere else. This research presents a green hydrogen supply chain model that leverages the land availability of one island to produce hydrogen to supply other island communities. In addition, this research presents a model of producing and transporting green hydrogen while supplying cheaper electricity to the communities at focus. The study has used a transitional scenario planning approach and the HOMER simulation platform to find the least-cost solution. Based on the results, a levelised cost of energy range of AU$0.42 and AU$0.44 was found. With the help of a green hydrogen supply chain, CO2 emissions at the selected sites could be cut by 90 %. This study can be used as a guide for small clustered communities that could not support or justify large-scale renewable generation facilities but need more opportunities to install renewable generation. © 2023
- Authors: Hasan, Tanvir , Hassan, Nur , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Emami, Kianoush , Anderson, Jake
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy Reports Vol. 9, no. (2023), p. 209-214
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This article proposes a supply chain-based green hydrogen microgrid modelling for a number of remote Australian communities. Green hydrogen can be used as an emissions-free fuel source for electricity generation in places where large-scale renewable energy production is impossible due to land availability, population, or government regulations. This research focuses on the Torres Strait Island communities in northern Australia, where the transition from diesel to renewable electricity generation is difficult due to very limited land availability on most islands. Due to geographical constraints, low population and smaller electrical load, the green hydrogen needs to be sourced from somewhere else. This research presents a green hydrogen supply chain model that leverages the land availability of one island to produce hydrogen to supply other island communities. In addition, this research presents a model of producing and transporting green hydrogen while supplying cheaper electricity to the communities at focus. The study has used a transitional scenario planning approach and the HOMER simulation platform to find the least-cost solution. Based on the results, a levelised cost of energy range of AU$0.42 and AU$0.44 was found. With the help of a green hydrogen supply chain, CO2 emissions at the selected sites could be cut by 90 %. This study can be used as a guide for small clustered communities that could not support or justify large-scale renewable generation facilities but need more opportunities to install renewable generation. © 2023
On robustness analysis of linear vibrational control systems
- Cheng, Xiaoxiao, Tan, Ying, Mareels, Iven
- Authors: Cheng, Xiaoxiao , Tan, Ying , Mareels, Iven
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Automatica Vol. 87, no. (2018), p. 202-209
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: By injecting high frequency dither signals, it is possible to stabilize an inverted pendulum without any feedback. The concept of the vibrational control system is thus proposed to provide extra design freedom in stabilization or other performance indexes. Although various vibrational control algorithms have been proposed and implemented in literature, little work has been done to show their robustness with respect to disturbances and uncertainties. This paper focuses on the robustness analysis of linear vibrational control systems with additive disturbances. By applying perturbation techniques, the linear vibrational control system is shown to be input-to-state stable with respect to disturbances. When disturbances are periodic, frequency analysis technique obtains a less conservative estimate of the ultimate bound of the system, indicating that disturbances with high frequencies lead to relatively small ultimate bounds. When additive state-dependent disturbances are considered, weak averaging techniques can be used to show the robustness of the system when bounded disturbances are slow time-varying. Numerical results support the theoretic analysis.
- Authors: Cheng, Xiaoxiao , Tan, Ying , Mareels, Iven
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Automatica Vol. 87, no. (2018), p. 202-209
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: By injecting high frequency dither signals, it is possible to stabilize an inverted pendulum without any feedback. The concept of the vibrational control system is thus proposed to provide extra design freedom in stabilization or other performance indexes. Although various vibrational control algorithms have been proposed and implemented in literature, little work has been done to show their robustness with respect to disturbances and uncertainties. This paper focuses on the robustness analysis of linear vibrational control systems with additive disturbances. By applying perturbation techniques, the linear vibrational control system is shown to be input-to-state stable with respect to disturbances. When disturbances are periodic, frequency analysis technique obtains a less conservative estimate of the ultimate bound of the system, indicating that disturbances with high frequencies lead to relatively small ultimate bounds. When additive state-dependent disturbances are considered, weak averaging techniques can be used to show the robustness of the system when bounded disturbances are slow time-varying. Numerical results support the theoretic analysis.
A study on green hydrogen-based isolated microgrid
- Hasan, Tanvir, Emami, Kianoush, Shah, Rakibuzzaman, Hassan, Nur, Anderson, Jake, Thomas, Dane, Louis, Alan
- Authors: Hasan, Tanvir , Emami, Kianoush , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Hassan, Nur , Anderson, Jake , Thomas, Dane , Louis, Alan
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy Reports Vol. 8, no. (2022), p. 259-267
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper assesses the techno-economic feasibility of a green hydrogen-based microgrid for a remote Australian island. Hydrogen can be used to provide clean energy in areas where large-scale renewable energy sources are not feasible owing to geography, government regulations, or regulatory difficulties. This study not only identifies the appropriate component size for a hydrogen-based microgrid but also provides an economic perspective of decarbonising Thursday Island in Torres Straits, Queensland, Australia. Due to geographical constraints, the green hydrogen production system needs to be distinct from the electrical network. This research shows how to produce green hydrogen, transport it, and generate power at a low cost. The study was performed utilising the HOMER simulation platform to find the least cost solution. The simulation results demonstrate an AU$0.01 reduction in Levelised Cost of Energy compared to the present electricity generation cost which is AU$0.56. The inclusion of a green hydrogen system will potentially minimise CO2 emissions by 99.6% while ensuring almost 100% renewable penetration. The results of this study will also serve as a guide for the placement of hydrogen-based microgrids in similar remote locations around the world where numerous remote energy systems are located close to each other. © 2022 The Authors
- Authors: Hasan, Tanvir , Emami, Kianoush , Shah, Rakibuzzaman , Hassan, Nur , Anderson, Jake , Thomas, Dane , Louis, Alan
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Energy Reports Vol. 8, no. (2022), p. 259-267
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper assesses the techno-economic feasibility of a green hydrogen-based microgrid for a remote Australian island. Hydrogen can be used to provide clean energy in areas where large-scale renewable energy sources are not feasible owing to geography, government regulations, or regulatory difficulties. This study not only identifies the appropriate component size for a hydrogen-based microgrid but also provides an economic perspective of decarbonising Thursday Island in Torres Straits, Queensland, Australia. Due to geographical constraints, the green hydrogen production system needs to be distinct from the electrical network. This research shows how to produce green hydrogen, transport it, and generate power at a low cost. The study was performed utilising the HOMER simulation platform to find the least cost solution. The simulation results demonstrate an AU$0.01 reduction in Levelised Cost of Energy compared to the present electricity generation cost which is AU$0.56. The inclusion of a green hydrogen system will potentially minimise CO2 emissions by 99.6% while ensuring almost 100% renewable penetration. The results of this study will also serve as a guide for the placement of hydrogen-based microgrids in similar remote locations around the world where numerous remote energy systems are located close to each other. © 2022 The Authors
Dysphagia and associated factors among patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam
- Thu Hien, Nguyen, Thong, Tran, Tung, Le, Khoi, Vo, Thu Hoai, Dao, Tinh, Tran, Huy, Nguyen, Kien, Vu
- Authors: Thu Hien, Nguyen , Thong, Tran , Tung, Le , Khoi, Vo , Thu Hoai, Dao , Tinh, Tran , Huy, Nguyen , Kien, Vu
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Annals of Medicine and Surgery Vol. 84, no. (2022), p.
- Full Text:
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- Description: Background: Dysphagia is considered an important issue in managing and treating acute stroke, but there are currently no studies investigating this issue, especially for patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Thus, we conducted this study to determine the prevalence of dysphagia and associated factors of dysphagia in patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Materials and methods: From June 2020 to January 2022, a cross-sectional study of patients with acute ischemic stroke was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. The dysphagia was evaluated through a bedside screening test using the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Factors associated with dysphagia were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of dysphagia in patients with acute ischemic stroke was 71.6%, in which the mild, moderate and severe dysphagia accounted for 37.5%, 12.4% and 21.7%, respectively. Dysphagia significantly associated with age group 50–59 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.2), age group 60–69 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.04–3.4), age group >70 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.2), brainstem (OR = 4.0, 95% CI: 2.1–7.4), having communication disorder (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–7.4) and having facial paralysis (OR = 17.9, 95% CI: 12.0–26.8). Conclusion: Our study showed that the prevalence of dysphagia is high among patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Intervention solutions should focus more on patient groups of higher age group, brainstem stroke, communication disorder and facial paralysis. © 2022 The Authors
- Authors: Thu Hien, Nguyen , Thong, Tran , Tung, Le , Khoi, Vo , Thu Hoai, Dao , Tinh, Tran , Huy, Nguyen , Kien, Vu
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Annals of Medicine and Surgery Vol. 84, no. (2022), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Dysphagia is considered an important issue in managing and treating acute stroke, but there are currently no studies investigating this issue, especially for patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Thus, we conducted this study to determine the prevalence of dysphagia and associated factors of dysphagia in patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Materials and methods: From June 2020 to January 2022, a cross-sectional study of patients with acute ischemic stroke was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. The dysphagia was evaluated through a bedside screening test using the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Factors associated with dysphagia were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of dysphagia in patients with acute ischemic stroke was 71.6%, in which the mild, moderate and severe dysphagia accounted for 37.5%, 12.4% and 21.7%, respectively. Dysphagia significantly associated with age group 50–59 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.2), age group 60–69 (OR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.04–3.4), age group >70 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2–4.2), brainstem (OR = 4.0, 95% CI: 2.1–7.4), having communication disorder (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–7.4) and having facial paralysis (OR = 17.9, 95% CI: 12.0–26.8). Conclusion: Our study showed that the prevalence of dysphagia is high among patients with acute ischemic stroke in Vietnam. Intervention solutions should focus more on patient groups of higher age group, brainstem stroke, communication disorder and facial paralysis. © 2022 The Authors
Age–sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990–2019 : results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- Kyu, Hmwe, Vongpradith, Avina, Sirota, Sarah, Novotney, Amanda, Troeger, Christopher, Doxey, Matthew, Bender, Rose, Ledesma, Jorge, Biehl, Molly, Albertson, Samuel, Frostad, Joseph, Burkart, Katrin, Bennitt, Fiona, Zhao, Jeff, Gardner, William, Hagins, Hailey, Bryazka, Dana, Dominguez, Regina, Abate, Semagn, Abdelmasseh, Michael, Abdoli, Amir, Abdoli, Gholamreza, Abedi, Aidin, Abedi, Vida, Abegaz, Tadesse, Abidi, Hassan, Aboagye, Richard, Nguyen, Huy, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Kyu, Hmwe , Vongpradith, Avina , Sirota, Sarah , Novotney, Amanda , Troeger, Christopher , Doxey, Matthew , Bender, Rose , Ledesma, Jorge , Biehl, Molly , Albertson, Samuel , Frostad, Joseph , Burkart, Katrin , Bennitt, Fiona , Zhao, Jeff , Gardner, William , Hagins, Hailey , Bryazka, Dana , Dominguez, Regina , Abate, Semagn , Abdelmasseh, Michael , Abdoli, Amir , Abdoli, Gholamreza , Abedi, Aidin , Abedi, Vida , Abegaz, Tadesse , Abidi, Hassan , Aboagye, Richard , Nguyen, Huy , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Infectious Diseases Vol. 22, no. 11 (2022), p. 1626-1647
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. We assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territories. Methods: In this analysis of data for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we used clinician-diagnosed pneumonia or bronchiolitis as our case definition for LRIs. We included International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes 079.6, 466–469, 470.0, 480–482.8, 483.0–483.9, 484.1–484.2, 484.6–484.7, and 487–489 and International Classification of Diseases 10th edition codes A48.1, A70, B97.4–B97.6, J09–J15.8, J16–J16.9, J20–J21.9, J91.0, P23.0–P23.4, and U04–U04.9. We used the Cause of Death Ensemble modelling strategy to analyse 23 109 site-years of vital registration data, 825 site-years of sample vital registration data, 1766 site-years of verbal autopsy data, and 681 site-years of mortality surveillance data. We used DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, to analyse age–sex-specific incidence and prevalence data identified via systematic reviews of the literature, population-based survey data, and claims and inpatient data. Additionally, we estimated age–sex-specific LRI mortality that is attributable to the independent effects of 14 risk factors. Findings: Globally, in 2019, we estimated that there were 257 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 240–275) LRI incident episodes in males and 232 million (217–248) in females. In the same year, LRIs accounted for 1·30 million (95% UI 1·18–1·42) male deaths and 1·20 million (1·07–1·33) female deaths. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates were 1·17 times (95% UI 1·16–1·18) and 1·31 times (95% UI 1·23–1·41) greater in males than in females in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, LRI incidence and mortality rates declined at different rates across age groups and an increase in LRI episodes and deaths was estimated among all adult age groups, with males aged 70 years and older having the highest increase in LRI episodes (126·0% [95% UI 121·4–131·1]) and deaths (100·0% [83·4–115·9]). During the same period, LRI episodes and deaths in children younger than 15 years were estimated to have decreased, and the greatest decline was observed for LRI deaths in males younger than 5 years (–70·7% [–77·2 to –61·8]). The leading risk factors for LRI mortality varied across age groups and sex. More than half of global LRI deaths in children younger than 5 years were attributable to child wasting (population attributable fraction [PAF] 53·0% [95% UI 37·7–61·8] in males and 56·4% [40·7–65·1] in females), and more than a quarter of LRI deaths among those aged 5–14 years were attributable to household air pollution (PAF 26·0% [95% UI 16·6–35·5] for males and PAF 25·8% [16·3–35·4] for females). PAFs of male LRI deaths attributed to smoking were 20·4% (95% UI 15·4–25·2) in those aged 15–49 years, 30·5% (24·1–36·9) in those aged 50–69 years, and 21·9% (16·8–27·3) in those aged 70 years and older. PAFs of female LRI deaths attributed to household air pollution were 21·1% (95% UI 14·5–27·9) in those aged 15–49 years and 18·2% (12·5–24·5) in those aged 50–69 years. For females aged 70 years and older, the leading risk factor, ambient particulate matter, was responsible for 11·7% (95% UI 8·2–15·8) of LRI deaths. Interpretation: The patterns and progress in reducing the burden of LRIs and key risk factors for mortality varied across age groups and sexes. The progress seen in children younger than 5 years was clearly a result of targeted interventions, such as vaccination and reduction of exposure to risk factors. Similar interventions for other age groups could contribute to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals targets, including promoting well eing at all ages and reducing health inequalities. Interventions, including addressing risk factors such as child wasting, smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, and household air pollution, would prevent deaths and reduce health disparities. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman and Huy Nguyen” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Kyu, Hmwe , Vongpradith, Avina , Sirota, Sarah , Novotney, Amanda , Troeger, Christopher , Doxey, Matthew , Bender, Rose , Ledesma, Jorge , Biehl, Molly , Albertson, Samuel , Frostad, Joseph , Burkart, Katrin , Bennitt, Fiona , Zhao, Jeff , Gardner, William , Hagins, Hailey , Bryazka, Dana , Dominguez, Regina , Abate, Semagn , Abdelmasseh, Michael , Abdoli, Amir , Abdoli, Gholamreza , Abedi, Aidin , Abedi, Vida , Abegaz, Tadesse , Abidi, Hassan , Aboagye, Richard , Nguyen, Huy , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Infectious Diseases Vol. 22, no. 11 (2022), p. 1626-1647
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. We assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territories. Methods: In this analysis of data for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we used clinician-diagnosed pneumonia or bronchiolitis as our case definition for LRIs. We included International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes 079.6, 466–469, 470.0, 480–482.8, 483.0–483.9, 484.1–484.2, 484.6–484.7, and 487–489 and International Classification of Diseases 10th edition codes A48.1, A70, B97.4–B97.6, J09–J15.8, J16–J16.9, J20–J21.9, J91.0, P23.0–P23.4, and U04–U04.9. We used the Cause of Death Ensemble modelling strategy to analyse 23 109 site-years of vital registration data, 825 site-years of sample vital registration data, 1766 site-years of verbal autopsy data, and 681 site-years of mortality surveillance data. We used DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, to analyse age–sex-specific incidence and prevalence data identified via systematic reviews of the literature, population-based survey data, and claims and inpatient data. Additionally, we estimated age–sex-specific LRI mortality that is attributable to the independent effects of 14 risk factors. Findings: Globally, in 2019, we estimated that there were 257 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 240–275) LRI incident episodes in males and 232 million (217–248) in females. In the same year, LRIs accounted for 1·30 million (95% UI 1·18–1·42) male deaths and 1·20 million (1·07–1·33) female deaths. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates were 1·17 times (95% UI 1·16–1·18) and 1·31 times (95% UI 1·23–1·41) greater in males than in females in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, LRI incidence and mortality rates declined at different rates across age groups and an increase in LRI episodes and deaths was estimated among all adult age groups, with males aged 70 years and older having the highest increase in LRI episodes (126·0% [95% UI 121·4–131·1]) and deaths (100·0% [83·4–115·9]). During the same period, LRI episodes and deaths in children younger than 15 years were estimated to have decreased, and the greatest decline was observed for LRI deaths in males younger than 5 years (–70·7% [–77·2 to –61·8]). The leading risk factors for LRI mortality varied across age groups and sex. More than half of global LRI deaths in children younger than 5 years were attributable to child wasting (population attributable fraction [PAF] 53·0% [95% UI 37·7–61·8] in males and 56·4% [40·7–65·1] in females), and more than a quarter of LRI deaths among those aged 5–14 years were attributable to household air pollution (PAF 26·0% [95% UI 16·6–35·5] for males and PAF 25·8% [16·3–35·4] for females). PAFs of male LRI deaths attributed to smoking were 20·4% (95% UI 15·4–25·2) in those aged 15–49 years, 30·5% (24·1–36·9) in those aged 50–69 years, and 21·9% (16·8–27·3) in those aged 70 years and older. PAFs of female LRI deaths attributed to household air pollution were 21·1% (95% UI 14·5–27·9) in those aged 15–49 years and 18·2% (12·5–24·5) in those aged 50–69 years. For females aged 70 years and older, the leading risk factor, ambient particulate matter, was responsible for 11·7% (95% UI 8·2–15·8) of LRI deaths. Interpretation: The patterns and progress in reducing the burden of LRIs and key risk factors for mortality varied across age groups and sexes. The progress seen in children younger than 5 years was clearly a result of targeted interventions, such as vaccination and reduction of exposure to risk factors. Similar interventions for other age groups could contribute to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals targets, including promoting well eing at all ages and reducing health inequalities. Interventions, including addressing risk factors such as child wasting, smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, and household air pollution, would prevent deaths and reduce health disparities. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman and Huy Nguyen” is provided in this record**
The global impact of tobacco control policies on smokeless tobacco use : a systematic review
- Chugh, Aastha, Arora, Monika, Jain, Neha, Vidyasagaran, Aishwarya, Readshaw, Anne, Sheikh, Aziz, Eckhardt, Jappe, Siddiqi, Kamran, Chopra, Mansi, Mishu, Masuma, Kanaan, Mona, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz, Mehrotra, Ravi, Huque, Rumana, Forberger, Sarah, Dahanayake, Suranji, Khan, Zohaib, Boeckmann, Melanie, Dogar, Omara
- Authors: Chugh, Aastha , Arora, Monika , Jain, Neha , Vidyasagaran, Aishwarya , Readshaw, Anne , Sheikh, Aziz , Eckhardt, Jappe , Siddiqi, Kamran , Chopra, Mansi , Mishu, Masuma , Kanaan, Mona , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Mehrotra, Ravi , Huque, Rumana , Forberger, Sarah , Dahanayake, Suranji , Khan, Zohaib , Boeckmann, Melanie , Dogar, Omara
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Global Health Vol. 11, no. 6 (2023), p. e953-e968
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Smokeless tobacco, used by more than 300 million people globally, results in substantial morbidity and mortality. For smokeless tobacco control, many countries have adopted policies beyond the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which has been instrumental in reducing smoking prevalence. The impact of these policies (within and outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) on smokeless tobacco use remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review policies that are relevant to smokeless tobacco and its context and investigate their impact on smokeless tobacco use. Methods: In this systematic review, we searched 11 electronic databases and grey literature between Jan 1, 2005, and Sept 20, 2021, in English and key south Asian languages, to summarise smokeless tobacco policies and their impact. Inclusion criteria were all types of studies on smokeless tobacco users that mentioned any smokeless tobacco relevant policies since 2005, except systematic reviews. Policies issued by organisations or private institutions were excluded as well as studies on e-cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System except where harm reduction or switching were evaluated as a tobacco cessation strategy. Two reviewers independently screened articles, and data were extracted after standardisation. Quality of studies was appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment Tool. Outcomes for impact assessment included smokeless tobacco prevalence, uptake, cessation, and health effects. Due to substantial heterogeneity in the descriptions of policies and outcomes, data were descriptively and narratively synthesised. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020191946). Findings: 14 317 records were identified, of which 252 eligible studies were included as describing smokeless tobacco policies. 57 countries had policies targeting smokeless tobacco, of which 17 had policies outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control for smokeless tobacco (eg, spitting bans). 18 studies evaluated the impact, which were of variable quality (six strong, seven moderate, and five weak) and reported mainly on prevalence of smokeless tobacco use. The body of work evaluating policy initiatives based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control found that these initiatives were associated with reductions in smokeless tobacco prevalence of between 4·4% and 30·3% for taxation and 22·2% and 70·9% for multifaceted policies. Two studies evaluating the non-Framework policy of sales bans reported significant reductions in smokeless tobacco sale (6·4%) and use (combined sex 17·6%); one study, however, reported an increased trend in smokeless tobacco use in the youth after a total sales ban, likely due to cross-border smuggling. The one study reporting on cessation found a 13·3% increase in quit attempts in individuals exposed (47·5%) to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control policy: education, communication, training, and public awareness, compared with non-exposed (34·2%). Interpretation: Many countries have implemented smokeless tobacco control policies, including those that extend beyond the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The available evidence suggests that taxation and multifaceted policy initiatives are associated with meaningful reductions in smokeless tobacco use. Funding: UK National Institute for Health Research. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
- Authors: Chugh, Aastha , Arora, Monika , Jain, Neha , Vidyasagaran, Aishwarya , Readshaw, Anne , Sheikh, Aziz , Eckhardt, Jappe , Siddiqi, Kamran , Chopra, Mansi , Mishu, Masuma , Kanaan, Mona , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz , Mehrotra, Ravi , Huque, Rumana , Forberger, Sarah , Dahanayake, Suranji , Khan, Zohaib , Boeckmann, Melanie , Dogar, Omara
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Global Health Vol. 11, no. 6 (2023), p. e953-e968
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Smokeless tobacco, used by more than 300 million people globally, results in substantial morbidity and mortality. For smokeless tobacco control, many countries have adopted policies beyond the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which has been instrumental in reducing smoking prevalence. The impact of these policies (within and outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) on smokeless tobacco use remains unclear. We aimed to systematically review policies that are relevant to smokeless tobacco and its context and investigate their impact on smokeless tobacco use. Methods: In this systematic review, we searched 11 electronic databases and grey literature between Jan 1, 2005, and Sept 20, 2021, in English and key south Asian languages, to summarise smokeless tobacco policies and their impact. Inclusion criteria were all types of studies on smokeless tobacco users that mentioned any smokeless tobacco relevant policies since 2005, except systematic reviews. Policies issued by organisations or private institutions were excluded as well as studies on e-cigarettes and Electronic Nicotine Delivery System except where harm reduction or switching were evaluated as a tobacco cessation strategy. Two reviewers independently screened articles, and data were extracted after standardisation. Quality of studies was appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment Tool. Outcomes for impact assessment included smokeless tobacco prevalence, uptake, cessation, and health effects. Due to substantial heterogeneity in the descriptions of policies and outcomes, data were descriptively and narratively synthesised. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020191946). Findings: 14 317 records were identified, of which 252 eligible studies were included as describing smokeless tobacco policies. 57 countries had policies targeting smokeless tobacco, of which 17 had policies outside the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control for smokeless tobacco (eg, spitting bans). 18 studies evaluated the impact, which were of variable quality (six strong, seven moderate, and five weak) and reported mainly on prevalence of smokeless tobacco use. The body of work evaluating policy initiatives based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control found that these initiatives were associated with reductions in smokeless tobacco prevalence of between 4·4% and 30·3% for taxation and 22·2% and 70·9% for multifaceted policies. Two studies evaluating the non-Framework policy of sales bans reported significant reductions in smokeless tobacco sale (6·4%) and use (combined sex 17·6%); one study, however, reported an increased trend in smokeless tobacco use in the youth after a total sales ban, likely due to cross-border smuggling. The one study reporting on cessation found a 13·3% increase in quit attempts in individuals exposed (47·5%) to Framework Convention on Tobacco Control policy: education, communication, training, and public awareness, compared with non-exposed (34·2%). Interpretation: Many countries have implemented smokeless tobacco control policies, including those that extend beyond the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The available evidence suggests that taxation and multifaceted policy initiatives are associated with meaningful reductions in smokeless tobacco use. Funding: UK National Institute for Health Research. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Mapping geographical inequalities in oral rehydration therapy coverage in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000-17
- Wiens, Kirsten, Lindstedt, Paulina, Blacker, Brigette, Johnson, Kimberly, Baumann, Mathew, Schaeffer, Lauren, Abbastabar, Hedayat, Abd-Allah, Foad, Abdelalim, Ahmed, Abdollahpour, Ibrahim, Abegaz, Kedir, Abejie, Ayenew, Abreu, Lucas, Abrigo, Michael, Abualhasan, Ahmed, Accrombessi, Manfred, Acharya, Dilaram, Adabi, Maryam, Adamu, Abdu, Adebayo, Oladimeji, Adedoyin, Rufus, Adekanmbi, Victor, Adetokunboh, Olatunji, Adhena, Beyene, Afarideh, Mohsen, Ahmad, Sohail, Ahmadi, Keivan, Ahmed, Anwar, Ahmed, Muktar, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Wiens, Kirsten , Lindstedt, Paulina , Blacker, Brigette , Johnson, Kimberly , Baumann, Mathew , Schaeffer, Lauren , Abbastabar, Hedayat , Abd-Allah, Foad , Abdelalim, Ahmed , Abdollahpour, Ibrahim , Abegaz, Kedir , Abejie, Ayenew , Abreu, Lucas , Abrigo, Michael , Abualhasan, Ahmed , Accrombessi, Manfred , Acharya, Dilaram , Adabi, Maryam , Adamu, Abdu , Adebayo, Oladimeji , Adedoyin, Rufus , Adekanmbi, Victor , Adetokunboh, Olatunji , Adhena, Beyene , Afarideh, Mohsen , Ahmad, Sohail , Ahmadi, Keivan , Ahmed, Anwar , Ahmed, Muktar , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Global Health Vol. 8, no. 8 (2020), p. e1038-e1060
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home fluids (RHF) exist as alternative forms of ORT; however, it is unclear whether RHF prevent child mortality. Previous studies have shown considerable variation between countries in ORS and RHF use, but subnational variation is unknown. This study aims to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of relative and absolute coverage of ORS, RHF, and ORT (use of either ORS or RHF) in LMICs. Methods: We used a Bayesian geostatistical model including 15 spatial covariates and data from 385 household surveys across 94 LMICs to estimate annual proportions of children younger than 5 years of age with diarrhoea who received ORS or RHF (or both) on continuous continent-wide surfaces in 2000–17, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. Additionally, we analysed geographical inequality in coverage across administrative units and estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths averted by increased coverage over the study period. Uncertainty in the mean coverage estimates was calculated by taking 250 draws from the posterior joint distribution of the model and creating uncertainty intervals (UIs) with the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of those 250 draws. Findings: While ORS use among children with diarrhoea increased in some countries from 2000 to 2017, coverage remained below 50% in the majority (62·6%; 12 417 of 19 823) of second administrative-level units and an estimated 6 519 000 children (95% UI 5 254 000–7 733 000) with diarrhoea were not treated with any form of ORT in 2017. Increases in ORS use corresponded with declines in RHF in many locations, resulting in relatively constant overall ORT coverage from 2000 to 2017. Although ORS was uniformly distributed subnationally in some countries, within-country geographical inequalities persisted in others; 11 countries had at least a 50% difference in one of their units compared with the country mean. Increases in ORS use over time were correlated with declines in RHF use and in diarrhoeal mortality in many locations, and an estimated 52 230 diarrhoeal deaths (36 910–68 860) were averted by scaling up of ORS coverage between 2000 and 2017. Finally, we identified key subnational areas in Colombia, Nigeria, and Sudan as examples of where diarrhoeal mortality remains higher than average, while ORS coverage remains lower than average. Interpretation: To our knowledge, this study is the first to produce and map subnational estimates of ORS, RHF, and ORT coverage and attributable child diarrhoeal deaths across LMICs from 2000 to 2017, allowing for tracking progress over time. Our novel results, combined with detailed subnational estimates of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality, can support subnational needs assessments aimed at furthering policy makers' understanding of within-country disparities. Over 50 years after the discovery that led to this simple, cheap, and life-saving therapy, large gains in reducing mortality could still be made by reducing geographical inequalities in ORS coverage. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
- Authors: Wiens, Kirsten , Lindstedt, Paulina , Blacker, Brigette , Johnson, Kimberly , Baumann, Mathew , Schaeffer, Lauren , Abbastabar, Hedayat , Abd-Allah, Foad , Abdelalim, Ahmed , Abdollahpour, Ibrahim , Abegaz, Kedir , Abejie, Ayenew , Abreu, Lucas , Abrigo, Michael , Abualhasan, Ahmed , Accrombessi, Manfred , Acharya, Dilaram , Adabi, Maryam , Adamu, Abdu , Adebayo, Oladimeji , Adedoyin, Rufus , Adekanmbi, Victor , Adetokunboh, Olatunji , Adhena, Beyene , Afarideh, Mohsen , Ahmad, Sohail , Ahmadi, Keivan , Ahmed, Anwar , Ahmed, Muktar , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Lancet Global Health Vol. 8, no. 8 (2020), p. e1038-e1060
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home fluids (RHF) exist as alternative forms of ORT; however, it is unclear whether RHF prevent child mortality. Previous studies have shown considerable variation between countries in ORS and RHF use, but subnational variation is unknown. This study aims to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of relative and absolute coverage of ORS, RHF, and ORT (use of either ORS or RHF) in LMICs. Methods: We used a Bayesian geostatistical model including 15 spatial covariates and data from 385 household surveys across 94 LMICs to estimate annual proportions of children younger than 5 years of age with diarrhoea who received ORS or RHF (or both) on continuous continent-wide surfaces in 2000–17, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. Additionally, we analysed geographical inequality in coverage across administrative units and estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths averted by increased coverage over the study period. Uncertainty in the mean coverage estimates was calculated by taking 250 draws from the posterior joint distribution of the model and creating uncertainty intervals (UIs) with the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of those 250 draws. Findings: While ORS use among children with diarrhoea increased in some countries from 2000 to 2017, coverage remained below 50% in the majority (62·6%; 12 417 of 19 823) of second administrative-level units and an estimated 6 519 000 children (95% UI 5 254 000–7 733 000) with diarrhoea were not treated with any form of ORT in 2017. Increases in ORS use corresponded with declines in RHF in many locations, resulting in relatively constant overall ORT coverage from 2000 to 2017. Although ORS was uniformly distributed subnationally in some countries, within-country geographical inequalities persisted in others; 11 countries had at least a 50% difference in one of their units compared with the country mean. Increases in ORS use over time were correlated with declines in RHF use and in diarrhoeal mortality in many locations, and an estimated 52 230 diarrhoeal deaths (36 910–68 860) were averted by scaling up of ORS coverage between 2000 and 2017. Finally, we identified key subnational areas in Colombia, Nigeria, and Sudan as examples of where diarrhoeal mortality remains higher than average, while ORS coverage remains lower than average. Interpretation: To our knowledge, this study is the first to produce and map subnational estimates of ORS, RHF, and ORT coverage and attributable child diarrhoeal deaths across LMICs from 2000 to 2017, allowing for tracking progress over time. Our novel results, combined with detailed subnational estimates of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality, can support subnational needs assessments aimed at furthering policy makers' understanding of within-country disparities. Over 50 years after the discovery that led to this simple, cheap, and life-saving therapy, large gains in reducing mortality could still be made by reducing geographical inequalities in ORS coverage. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 30 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Muhammad Aziz Rahman” is provided in this record**
Insights from long-term shorebird monitoring for tracking change in ecological character of Australasian Ramsar sites
- Hansen, Birgita, Szabo, Judit, Fuller, Richard, Clemens, Robert, Rogers, Danny, Milton, David
- Authors: Hansen, Birgita , Szabo, Judit , Fuller, Richard , Clemens, Robert , Rogers, Danny , Milton, David
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological Conservation Vol. 260, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Ramsar Convention is the centrepiece of international efforts for wetland conservation, aiming to maintain the ecological character of wetlands through holistic ecosystem management. Here, we review studies on shorebird populations at individual Australasian Ramsar sites and compare these against original listings under Criterion 6 to determine if there have been potential changes in ecological character. One to 12 migratory shorebird species have declined at four New Zealand and 18 Australian Ramsar sites over a 12 to 36-year period, resulting in 22 species (at 13 sites) no longer reaching Criterion 6 thresholds for Ramsar designation. In addition, 10 species at six Australian sites had exceeded the Limits of Acceptable Change. Despite these concerning results, there were remarkably few published site-based determinations of listed shorebird species' trends (and even fewer that were ≤5 years old). This is especially surprising since shorebird populations are regularly monitored at 27 out of 35 Australasian Ramsar sites (listed on the basis of one or more shorebird species). Thus, despite the volume of data available for analysis, long-term shorebird monitoring provides only limited insights about Ramsar ecological character. The value of these data would be greatly enhanced through complementary monitoring of other ecological characters at sites, particularly where shorebird populations provide early warning signs of potential deterioration. The main impediment to achieving a good understanding of how Ramsar sites are changing in Australasia appears to be a lack of analysis and centralised system for data and analytics, rather than a lack of monitoring data. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
- Authors: Hansen, Birgita , Szabo, Judit , Fuller, Richard , Clemens, Robert , Rogers, Danny , Milton, David
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Biological Conservation Vol. 260, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Ramsar Convention is the centrepiece of international efforts for wetland conservation, aiming to maintain the ecological character of wetlands through holistic ecosystem management. Here, we review studies on shorebird populations at individual Australasian Ramsar sites and compare these against original listings under Criterion 6 to determine if there have been potential changes in ecological character. One to 12 migratory shorebird species have declined at four New Zealand and 18 Australian Ramsar sites over a 12 to 36-year period, resulting in 22 species (at 13 sites) no longer reaching Criterion 6 thresholds for Ramsar designation. In addition, 10 species at six Australian sites had exceeded the Limits of Acceptable Change. Despite these concerning results, there were remarkably few published site-based determinations of listed shorebird species' trends (and even fewer that were ≤5 years old). This is especially surprising since shorebird populations are regularly monitored at 27 out of 35 Australasian Ramsar sites (listed on the basis of one or more shorebird species). Thus, despite the volume of data available for analysis, long-term shorebird monitoring provides only limited insights about Ramsar ecological character. The value of these data would be greatly enhanced through complementary monitoring of other ecological characters at sites, particularly where shorebird populations provide early warning signs of potential deterioration. The main impediment to achieving a good understanding of how Ramsar sites are changing in Australasia appears to be a lack of analysis and centralised system for data and analytics, rather than a lack of monitoring data. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Design of subsea cables/umbilicals for in-service abrasion - part 1 : case studies
- Reda, Ahmed, Thiedeman, James, Elgazzar, Mohamed, Shahin, Mohamed, Sultan, Ibrahim, McKee, Kristoffer
- Authors: Reda, Ahmed , Thiedeman, James , Elgazzar, Mohamed , Shahin, Mohamed , Sultan, Ibrahim , McKee, Kristoffer
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ocean Engineering Vol. 234, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Submarine cables play a vital role in a myriad of industries around the globe, including power transmission and communication. Failure of submarine cables can have significant economic and technical implications worldwide. Current design methods for submarine cables focus on the ultimate limit states that address the cables structural integrity and on-bottom stability. However, abrasion of the outer protective layers (i.e. yarn and extruded sheaths) can progressively lead to damage and failure of submarine cables when the integrity of the armour sheathing is compromised. This paper documents several case studies of severe abrasion of submarine cables/umbilicals and undertaken corrective measures. The paper also presents some guidelines to be considered in the design process of submarine cables concerning abrasion. The findings of this paper suggest that abrasion should be considered a limit state that must be addressed in the design process of submarine cables and umbilicals. A detailed analysis of the underlying abrasion failure mechanisms is presented and explained in a companion paper (i.e., Part II: Mechanisms). © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
- Authors: Reda, Ahmed , Thiedeman, James , Elgazzar, Mohamed , Shahin, Mohamed , Sultan, Ibrahim , McKee, Kristoffer
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ocean Engineering Vol. 234, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Submarine cables play a vital role in a myriad of industries around the globe, including power transmission and communication. Failure of submarine cables can have significant economic and technical implications worldwide. Current design methods for submarine cables focus on the ultimate limit states that address the cables structural integrity and on-bottom stability. However, abrasion of the outer protective layers (i.e. yarn and extruded sheaths) can progressively lead to damage and failure of submarine cables when the integrity of the armour sheathing is compromised. This paper documents several case studies of severe abrasion of submarine cables/umbilicals and undertaken corrective measures. The paper also presents some guidelines to be considered in the design process of submarine cables concerning abrasion. The findings of this paper suggest that abrasion should be considered a limit state that must be addressed in the design process of submarine cables and umbilicals. A detailed analysis of the underlying abrasion failure mechanisms is presented and explained in a companion paper (i.e., Part II: Mechanisms). © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Design of subsea cables/umbilicals for in-service abrasion - part 2 : mechanisms
- Reda, Ahmed, Elgazzar, Mohamed, Thiedeman, James, McKee, Kristoffer, Sultan, Ibrahim, Shahin, Mohamed
- Authors: Reda, Ahmed , Elgazzar, Mohamed , Thiedeman, James , McKee, Kristoffer , Sultan, Ibrahim , Shahin, Mohamed
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ocean Engineering Vol. 234, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper is the second of two companion papers about the design of subsea cables/umbilicals for in-service abrasion. Several case studies of severe abrasion of submarine cables/umbilicals and corrective measures undertaken have been documented and presented in the first paper (Part I: Case Studies). The mechanisms of failure due to abrasion are explained in this paper. The effect of repeated lateral movement on LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) extruded outer sheaths of two cable samples was investigated. In the first test, a cable sample was displaced the equivalent of 12 km over a crushed mineral aggregate while in the second test, a cable was subjected to 3 km of displacement under conditions that replicated the touchdown point of a dynamic cable. The results of the first test indicated that the overall abrasion was low and acceptable. In the second test however, the outer sheath was completely worn through. The authors recommend the thickness of the outer sheath be increased for cables where uniform abrasion is expected, and high abrasion protection units be employed where localized abrasion is expected. Empirical data is provided to support these recommendations. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
- Authors: Reda, Ahmed , Elgazzar, Mohamed , Thiedeman, James , McKee, Kristoffer , Sultan, Ibrahim , Shahin, Mohamed
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ocean Engineering Vol. 234, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper is the second of two companion papers about the design of subsea cables/umbilicals for in-service abrasion. Several case studies of severe abrasion of submarine cables/umbilicals and corrective measures undertaken have been documented and presented in the first paper (Part I: Case Studies). The mechanisms of failure due to abrasion are explained in this paper. The effect of repeated lateral movement on LLDPE (linear low-density polyethylene) extruded outer sheaths of two cable samples was investigated. In the first test, a cable sample was displaced the equivalent of 12 km over a crushed mineral aggregate while in the second test, a cable was subjected to 3 km of displacement under conditions that replicated the touchdown point of a dynamic cable. The results of the first test indicated that the overall abrasion was low and acceptable. In the second test however, the outer sheath was completely worn through. The authors recommend the thickness of the outer sheath be increased for cables where uniform abrasion is expected, and high abrasion protection units be employed where localized abrasion is expected. Empirical data is provided to support these recommendations. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Resiliency-oriented operation of distribution networks under unexpected wildfires using multi-horizon information-gap decision theory
- Izadi, Mehdi, Hossein Hosseinian, Seyed, Dehghan, Shahab, Fakharian, Ahmad, Amjady, Nima
- Authors: Izadi, Mehdi , Hossein Hosseinian, Seyed , Dehghan, Shahab , Fakharian, Ahmad , Amjady, Nima
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Applied Energy Vol. 334, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Extreme events may trigger cascading outages of different components in power systems and cause a substantial loss of load. Forest wildfires, as a common type of extreme events, may damage transmission/distribution lines across the forest and disconnect a large number of consumers from the electric network. Hence, this paper presents a robust scheduling model based on the notion of information-gap decision theory (IGDT) to enhance the resilience of a distribution network exposed to wildfires. Since the thermal rating of a transmission/distribution line is a function of its temperature and current, it is assumed that the tie-line connecting the distribution network to the main grid is equipped with a dynamic thermal rating (DTR) system aiming at accurately evaluating the impact of a wildfire on the ampacity of the tie-line. The proposed approach as a multi-horizon IGDT-based optimization problem finds a robust operation plan protected against the uncertainty of wind power, solar power, load, and ampacity of tie-lines under a specific uncertainty budget (UB). Since all uncertain parameters compete to maximize their robust regions under a specific uncertainty budget, the proposed multi-horizon IGDT-based model is solved by the augmented normalized normal constraint (ANNC) method as an effective multi-objective optimization approach. Moreover, a posteriori out-of-sample analysis is used to find (i) the best solution among the set of Pareto optimal solutions obtained from the ANNC method given a specific uncertainty budget, and (ii) the best resiliency level by varying the uncertainty budget and finding the optimal uncertainty budget. The proposed approach is tested on a 33-bus distribution network under different circumstances. The case study under different conditions verifies the effectiveness of the proposed operation planning model to enhance the resilience of a distribution network under a close wildfire. © 2022 The Author(s)
- Authors: Izadi, Mehdi , Hossein Hosseinian, Seyed , Dehghan, Shahab , Fakharian, Ahmad , Amjady, Nima
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Applied Energy Vol. 334, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Extreme events may trigger cascading outages of different components in power systems and cause a substantial loss of load. Forest wildfires, as a common type of extreme events, may damage transmission/distribution lines across the forest and disconnect a large number of consumers from the electric network. Hence, this paper presents a robust scheduling model based on the notion of information-gap decision theory (IGDT) to enhance the resilience of a distribution network exposed to wildfires. Since the thermal rating of a transmission/distribution line is a function of its temperature and current, it is assumed that the tie-line connecting the distribution network to the main grid is equipped with a dynamic thermal rating (DTR) system aiming at accurately evaluating the impact of a wildfire on the ampacity of the tie-line. The proposed approach as a multi-horizon IGDT-based optimization problem finds a robust operation plan protected against the uncertainty of wind power, solar power, load, and ampacity of tie-lines under a specific uncertainty budget (UB). Since all uncertain parameters compete to maximize their robust regions under a specific uncertainty budget, the proposed multi-horizon IGDT-based model is solved by the augmented normalized normal constraint (ANNC) method as an effective multi-objective optimization approach. Moreover, a posteriori out-of-sample analysis is used to find (i) the best solution among the set of Pareto optimal solutions obtained from the ANNC method given a specific uncertainty budget, and (ii) the best resiliency level by varying the uncertainty budget and finding the optimal uncertainty budget. The proposed approach is tested on a 33-bus distribution network under different circumstances. The case study under different conditions verifies the effectiveness of the proposed operation planning model to enhance the resilience of a distribution network under a close wildfire. © 2022 The Author(s)
Associations of UPPS-P negative urgency and positive urgency with ADHD dimensions : moderation by lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance in men and women
- Gomez, Rapson, Watson, Shaun
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 206, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The study examined how dimensions of Whiteside and Lynam's (2003) UPPS-P model of impulsivity (lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and positive urgency) were associated directly and interactively with the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in men and women separately. A total of 550 adults (men = 147, women = 403), ages ranging from 18 to 65 years, from the general community completed questionnaires covering the study variables. For women, there was support for the additive model for the prediction of inattention, and both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were predicted by lack of premeditation × positive urgency. For men, inattention was predicted by lack of premeditation × negative urgency, and lack of premeditation × positive urgency. In all instances, low levels of premeditation reduced the relationships between the urgency dimensions and ADHD dimensions. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2023 The Author(s)
- Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 206, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The study examined how dimensions of Whiteside and Lynam's (2003) UPPS-P model of impulsivity (lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and positive urgency) were associated directly and interactively with the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) dimensions of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity in men and women separately. A total of 550 adults (men = 147, women = 403), ages ranging from 18 to 65 years, from the general community completed questionnaires covering the study variables. For women, there was support for the additive model for the prediction of inattention, and both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were predicted by lack of premeditation × positive urgency. For men, inattention was predicted by lack of premeditation × negative urgency, and lack of premeditation × positive urgency. In all instances, low levels of premeditation reduced the relationships between the urgency dimensions and ADHD dimensions. The theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2023 The Author(s)
Intelligent energy prediction techniques for fog computing networks
- Farooq, Umar, Shabir, Muhammad, Javed, Muhammad, Imran, Muhammad
- Authors: Farooq, Umar , Shabir, Muhammad , Javed, Muhammad , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Applied Soft Computing Vol. 111, no. (2021), p.
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- Description: Energy Efficiency is a key concern for future fog-enabled Internet of Things (IoT). Since Fog Nodes (FNs) are energy-constrained devices, task offloading techniques must consider the energy consumption of the FNs to maximize the performance of IoT applications. In this context, accurate energy prediction can enable the development of intelligent energy-aware task offloading techniques. In this paper, we present two energy prediction techniques, the first one is based on the Recursive Least Square (RLS) filter and the second one uses the Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Both techniques use inputs such as the number of tasks and size of the tasks to predict the energy consumption at different fog nodes. Simulation results show that both techniques have a root mean square error of less than 3%. However, the ANN-based technique shows up to 20% less root mean square error as compared to the RLS-based technique. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
- Authors: Farooq, Umar , Shabir, Muhammad , Javed, Muhammad , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Applied Soft Computing Vol. 111, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Energy Efficiency is a key concern for future fog-enabled Internet of Things (IoT). Since Fog Nodes (FNs) are energy-constrained devices, task offloading techniques must consider the energy consumption of the FNs to maximize the performance of IoT applications. In this context, accurate energy prediction can enable the development of intelligent energy-aware task offloading techniques. In this paper, we present two energy prediction techniques, the first one is based on the Recursive Least Square (RLS) filter and the second one uses the Artificial Neural Network (ANN). Both techniques use inputs such as the number of tasks and size of the tasks to predict the energy consumption at different fog nodes. Simulation results show that both techniques have a root mean square error of less than 3%. However, the ANN-based technique shows up to 20% less root mean square error as compared to the RLS-based technique. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
An investigation of expertise in cycling : eye tracking, think aloud and the influence of a competitor
- Massey, Hollie, Whitehead, Amy, Marchant, David, Polman, Remco, Williams, Emily
- Authors: Massey, Hollie , Whitehead, Amy , Marchant, David , Polman, Remco , Williams, Emily
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology of Sport and Exercise Vol. 49, no. (2020), p.
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- Description: Objectives: Two studies investigated expert-novice differences in information-seeking behaviour, cognitions and performance during cycling time trials (TT). Study 1 examined trained and novice cyclist's cognitions whilst performing a TT, using a Think Aloud (TA) protocol and eye-tracking techniques. Study 2 investigated expertise differences during alone and competitive TTs. Methods: in Study 1, six trained and seven novice cyclists performed a 16.1 km TT. In Study 2, eight trained and ten novice cyclists performed three 16.1 km TT; a baseline TT, an alone TT and a trial against a virtual competitor. In both studies, participants were asked to TA and in Study 1 they also wore mobile gaze-tracking glasses. Performance feedback and a simulated TT course were visually displayed during all trials, as was a virtual avatar during the competitor trial. Verbalisations were coded into primary and secondary themes. Cognitions and pacing strategies were compared between groups and across the duration of the TTs. In Study 1, eye-tracking data for total dwell time and gaze frequency were calculated for each area of interest (Time Elapsed, Power, Heart Rate, Cadence, Distance Covered, Speed and Course Scenery). Results: In Study 1, no significant differences were found in information-seeking behaviour between groups, however there were expertise differences in the cognitive strategies used. Trained cyclists’ verbalisations were more performance-relevant (i.e., power output), whereas the untrained group were more focused on task completion (i.e., distance and time) and irrelevant information. Both groups talked more about distance and motivational thoughts in the later stages of the trial, and dwell time on distance feedback also increased in this final 4 km. In Study 2, the trained group performed faster than the untrained group but there were no significant differences in pace or performance between alone and competitive TTs for either group. Differences in cognitions were found between groups and across the TT duration. Conclusion: Both studies demonstrate that cognitive processes differ as a function of expertise during self-paced cycling time trials. There were no differences in information-seeking behaviour between trained and untrained cyclists and there was no effect of an opponent on pace or performance. © 2020
- Authors: Massey, Hollie , Whitehead, Amy , Marchant, David , Polman, Remco , Williams, Emily
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Psychology of Sport and Exercise Vol. 49, no. (2020), p.
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: Two studies investigated expert-novice differences in information-seeking behaviour, cognitions and performance during cycling time trials (TT). Study 1 examined trained and novice cyclist's cognitions whilst performing a TT, using a Think Aloud (TA) protocol and eye-tracking techniques. Study 2 investigated expertise differences during alone and competitive TTs. Methods: in Study 1, six trained and seven novice cyclists performed a 16.1 km TT. In Study 2, eight trained and ten novice cyclists performed three 16.1 km TT; a baseline TT, an alone TT and a trial against a virtual competitor. In both studies, participants were asked to TA and in Study 1 they also wore mobile gaze-tracking glasses. Performance feedback and a simulated TT course were visually displayed during all trials, as was a virtual avatar during the competitor trial. Verbalisations were coded into primary and secondary themes. Cognitions and pacing strategies were compared between groups and across the duration of the TTs. In Study 1, eye-tracking data for total dwell time and gaze frequency were calculated for each area of interest (Time Elapsed, Power, Heart Rate, Cadence, Distance Covered, Speed and Course Scenery). Results: In Study 1, no significant differences were found in information-seeking behaviour between groups, however there were expertise differences in the cognitive strategies used. Trained cyclists’ verbalisations were more performance-relevant (i.e., power output), whereas the untrained group were more focused on task completion (i.e., distance and time) and irrelevant information. Both groups talked more about distance and motivational thoughts in the later stages of the trial, and dwell time on distance feedback also increased in this final 4 km. In Study 2, the trained group performed faster than the untrained group but there were no significant differences in pace or performance between alone and competitive TTs for either group. Differences in cognitions were found between groups and across the TT duration. Conclusion: Both studies demonstrate that cognitive processes differ as a function of expertise during self-paced cycling time trials. There were no differences in information-seeking behaviour between trained and untrained cyclists and there was no effect of an opponent on pace or performance. © 2020
Social media use and abuse : different profiles of users and their associations with addictive behaviours
- Tullett-Prado, Deon, Stavropoulos, Vasileios, Gomez, Rapson, Doley, Jo
- Authors: Tullett-Prado, Deon , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Gomez, Rapson , Doley, Jo
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Addictive Behaviors Reports Vol. 17, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Introduction: Social media use has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Simultaneously, concerns surrounding social media abuse/problematic use, which resembles behavioural and substance addictions, have proliferated. This has prompted the introduction of ‘Social Media Addiction’ [SMA], as a condition requiring clarifications regarding its definition, assessment and associations with other addictions. Thus, this study aimed to: (a) advance knowledge on the typology/structure of SMA symptoms experienced and: (b) explore the association of these typologies with addictive behaviours related to gaming, gambling, alcohol, smoking, drug abuse, sex (including porn), shopping, internet use, and exercise. Methods: A sample of 968 [Mage = 29.5, SDage = 9.36, nmales = 622 (64.3 %), nfemales = 315, (32.5 %)] adults was surveyed regarding their SMA experiences, using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Their experiences of Gaming, Internet, Gambling, Alcohol, Cigarette, Drug, Sex, Shopping and Exercise addictions were additionally assessed, and latent profile analysis (LPA) was implemented. Results: Three distinct profiles were revealed, based on the severity of one's SMA symptoms: ‘low’, ‘moderate’ and ‘high’ risk. Subsequent ANOVA analyses suggested that participants classified as ‘high’ risk indicated significantly higher behaviours related to internet, gambling, gaming, sex and in particular shopping addictions. Conclusions: Results support SMA as a unitary construct, while they potentially challenge the distinction between technological and behavioural addictions. Findings also imply that the assessment of those presenting with SMA behaviours, as well as prevention and intervention targeting SMA at risk groups, should consider other comorbid addictions. © 2023 The Author(s)
- Authors: Tullett-Prado, Deon , Stavropoulos, Vasileios , Gomez, Rapson , Doley, Jo
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Addictive Behaviors Reports Vol. 17, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: Social media use has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Simultaneously, concerns surrounding social media abuse/problematic use, which resembles behavioural and substance addictions, have proliferated. This has prompted the introduction of ‘Social Media Addiction’ [SMA], as a condition requiring clarifications regarding its definition, assessment and associations with other addictions. Thus, this study aimed to: (a) advance knowledge on the typology/structure of SMA symptoms experienced and: (b) explore the association of these typologies with addictive behaviours related to gaming, gambling, alcohol, smoking, drug abuse, sex (including porn), shopping, internet use, and exercise. Methods: A sample of 968 [Mage = 29.5, SDage = 9.36, nmales = 622 (64.3 %), nfemales = 315, (32.5 %)] adults was surveyed regarding their SMA experiences, using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Their experiences of Gaming, Internet, Gambling, Alcohol, Cigarette, Drug, Sex, Shopping and Exercise addictions were additionally assessed, and latent profile analysis (LPA) was implemented. Results: Three distinct profiles were revealed, based on the severity of one's SMA symptoms: ‘low’, ‘moderate’ and ‘high’ risk. Subsequent ANOVA analyses suggested that participants classified as ‘high’ risk indicated significantly higher behaviours related to internet, gambling, gaming, sex and in particular shopping addictions. Conclusions: Results support SMA as a unitary construct, while they potentially challenge the distinction between technological and behavioural addictions. Findings also imply that the assessment of those presenting with SMA behaviours, as well as prevention and intervention targeting SMA at risk groups, should consider other comorbid addictions. © 2023 The Author(s)
Global burden of chronic respiratory diseases and risk factors, 1990–2019: an update from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- Momtazmanesh, Sara, Moghaddam, Sahar, Ghamari, Seyyed-Hadi, Rad, Elaheh, Rezaei, Negar, Shobeiri, Parnian, Aali, Amirali, Abbasi-Kangevari, Mohsen, Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab, Abdelmasseh, Michael, Abdoun, Meriem, Abdulah, Deldar, Md Abdullah, Abu, Abedi, Aidin, Abolhassani, Hassan, Abrehdari-Tafreshi, Zahra, Achappa, Basavaprabhu, Adane, Denberu, Adane, Tigist, Addo, Isaac, Adnan, Mohammad, Adnani, Qorinah, Ahmad, Sajjad, Ahmadi, Ali, Ahmadi, Keivan, Ahmed, Ali, Ahmed, Ayman, Rashid, Tarik, Al Hamad, Hanadi, Alahdab, Fares, Ur Rahman, Mohammad Hifz, oh, oi, oj, ok;, Rahman, Mosiur, Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Authors: Momtazmanesh, Sara , Moghaddam, Sahar , Ghamari, Seyyed-Hadi , Rad, Elaheh , Rezaei, Negar , Shobeiri, Parnian , Aali, Amirali , Abbasi-Kangevari, Mohsen , Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab , Abdelmasseh, Michael , Abdoun, Meriem , Abdulah, Deldar , Md Abdullah, Abu , Abedi, Aidin , Abolhassani, Hassan , Abrehdari-Tafreshi, Zahra , Achappa, Basavaprabhu , Adane, Denberu , Adane, Tigist , Addo, Isaac , Adnan, Mohammad , Adnani, Qorinah , Ahmad, Sajjad , Ahmadi, Ali , Ahmadi, Keivan , Ahmed, Ali , Ahmed, Ayman , Rashid, Tarik , Al Hamad, Hanadi , Alahdab, Fares , Ur Rahman, Mohammad Hifz , oh, oi, oj, ok; , Rahman, Mosiur , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: eClinicalMedicine Vol. 59, no. (2023), p.
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- Description: Background: Updated data on chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are vital in their prevention, control, and treatment in the path to achieving the third UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a one-third reduction in premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2030. We provided global, regional, and national estimates of the burden of CRDs and their attributable risks from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we estimated mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence, and incidence of CRDs, i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumoconiosis, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary sarcoidosis, and other CRDs, from 1990 to 2019 by sex, age, region, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) in 204 countries and territories. Deaths and DALYs from CRDs attributable to each risk factor were estimated according to relative risks, risk exposure, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level input. Findings: In 2019, CRDs were the third leading cause of death responsible for 4.0 million deaths (95% uncertainty interval 3.6–4.3) with a prevalence of 454.6 million cases (417.4–499.1) globally. While the total deaths and prevalence of CRDs have increased by 28.5% and 39.8%, the age-standardised rates have dropped by 41.7% and 16.9% from 1990 to 2019, respectively. COPD, with 212.3 million (200.4–225.1) prevalent cases, was the primary cause of deaths from CRDs, accounting for 3.3 million (2.9–3.6) deaths. With 262.4 million (224.1–309.5) prevalent cases, asthma had the highest prevalence among CRDs. The age-standardised rates of all burden measures of COPD, asthma, and pneumoconiosis have reduced globally from 1990 to 2019. Nevertheless, the age-standardised rates of incidence and prevalence of interstitial lung disease and pulmonary sarcoidosis have increased throughout this period. Low- and low-middle SDI countries had the highest age-standardised death and DALYs rates while the high SDI quintile had the highest prevalence rate of CRDs. The highest deaths and DALYs from CRDs were attributed to smoking globally, followed by air pollution and occupational risks. Non-optimal temperature and high body-mass index were additional risk factors for COPD and asthma, respectively. Interpretation: Albeit the age-standardised prevalence, death, and DALYs rates of CRDs have decreased, they still cause a substantial burden and deaths worldwide. The high death and DALYs rates in low and low-middle SDI countries highlights the urgent need for improved preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures. Global strategies for tobacco control, enhancing air quality, reducing occupational hazards, and fostering clean cooking fuels are crucial steps in reducing the burden of CRDs, especially in low- and lower-middle income countries. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2023 The Authors
- Authors: Momtazmanesh, Sara , Moghaddam, Sahar , Ghamari, Seyyed-Hadi , Rad, Elaheh , Rezaei, Negar , Shobeiri, Parnian , Aali, Amirali , Abbasi-Kangevari, Mohsen , Abbasi-Kangevari, Zeinab , Abdelmasseh, Michael , Abdoun, Meriem , Abdulah, Deldar , Md Abdullah, Abu , Abedi, Aidin , Abolhassani, Hassan , Abrehdari-Tafreshi, Zahra , Achappa, Basavaprabhu , Adane, Denberu , Adane, Tigist , Addo, Isaac , Adnan, Mohammad , Adnani, Qorinah , Ahmad, Sajjad , Ahmadi, Ali , Ahmadi, Keivan , Ahmed, Ali , Ahmed, Ayman , Rashid, Tarik , Al Hamad, Hanadi , Alahdab, Fares , Ur Rahman, Mohammad Hifz , oh, oi, oj, ok; , Rahman, Mosiur , Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: eClinicalMedicine Vol. 59, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Updated data on chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are vital in their prevention, control, and treatment in the path to achieving the third UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a one-third reduction in premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2030. We provided global, regional, and national estimates of the burden of CRDs and their attributable risks from 1990 to 2019. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we estimated mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), prevalence, and incidence of CRDs, i.e. chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pneumoconiosis, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary sarcoidosis, and other CRDs, from 1990 to 2019 by sex, age, region, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) in 204 countries and territories. Deaths and DALYs from CRDs attributable to each risk factor were estimated according to relative risks, risk exposure, and the theoretical minimum risk exposure level input. Findings: In 2019, CRDs were the third leading cause of death responsible for 4.0 million deaths (95% uncertainty interval 3.6–4.3) with a prevalence of 454.6 million cases (417.4–499.1) globally. While the total deaths and prevalence of CRDs have increased by 28.5% and 39.8%, the age-standardised rates have dropped by 41.7% and 16.9% from 1990 to 2019, respectively. COPD, with 212.3 million (200.4–225.1) prevalent cases, was the primary cause of deaths from CRDs, accounting for 3.3 million (2.9–3.6) deaths. With 262.4 million (224.1–309.5) prevalent cases, asthma had the highest prevalence among CRDs. The age-standardised rates of all burden measures of COPD, asthma, and pneumoconiosis have reduced globally from 1990 to 2019. Nevertheless, the age-standardised rates of incidence and prevalence of interstitial lung disease and pulmonary sarcoidosis have increased throughout this period. Low- and low-middle SDI countries had the highest age-standardised death and DALYs rates while the high SDI quintile had the highest prevalence rate of CRDs. The highest deaths and DALYs from CRDs were attributed to smoking globally, followed by air pollution and occupational risks. Non-optimal temperature and high body-mass index were additional risk factors for COPD and asthma, respectively. Interpretation: Albeit the age-standardised prevalence, death, and DALYs rates of CRDs have decreased, they still cause a substantial burden and deaths worldwide. The high death and DALYs rates in low and low-middle SDI countries highlights the urgent need for improved preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures. Global strategies for tobacco control, enhancing air quality, reducing occupational hazards, and fostering clean cooking fuels are crucial steps in reducing the burden of CRDs, especially in low- and lower-middle income countries. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. © 2023 The Authors
Psychometric properties of the Bergen social media addiction scale : an analysis using item response theory
- Zarate, Daniel, Hobson, Ben, March, Evita, Griffiths, Mark, Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Authors: Zarate, Daniel , Hobson, Ben , March, Evita , Griffiths, Mark , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Addictive Behaviors Reports Vol. 17, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Social media use has become an everyday behavior in contemporary life resulting in increased participation. A minority of individuals, especially younger adults, may engage excessively with the medium, resulting in the emergence of problematic social media use (PSMU). One way of assessing PSMU is by administering the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). The present study investigated the psychometric properties and prevalence of the BSMAS using Item Response Theory (IRT). Additionally, it evaluated risk factors such as gender and age. Methods: A relatively large community sample (N = 968, Mage = 29.5 years, SD = 9.36, 32.5% women) completed the BSMAS online. Results: IRT analyses showed differences regarding the BSMAS items’ discrimination, difficulty, and reliability capacities, with a raw score exceeding 26 (out of 30) indicating a higher risk of PSMU (n = 11; 1.1%). Females and younger participants were at greater risk of developing PSMU. Conclusion: The BSMAS functions as a reliable measure of PSMU, particularly between average to high levels of the trait. Additionally, younger participants were shown to be at higher risk of PSMU suggesting that prevention and intervention protocols should focus on this group. © 2022 The Author(s)
- Authors: Zarate, Daniel , Hobson, Ben , March, Evita , Griffiths, Mark , Stavropoulos, Vasileios
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Addictive Behaviors Reports Vol. 17, no. (2023), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Social media use has become an everyday behavior in contemporary life resulting in increased participation. A minority of individuals, especially younger adults, may engage excessively with the medium, resulting in the emergence of problematic social media use (PSMU). One way of assessing PSMU is by administering the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). The present study investigated the psychometric properties and prevalence of the BSMAS using Item Response Theory (IRT). Additionally, it evaluated risk factors such as gender and age. Methods: A relatively large community sample (N = 968, Mage = 29.5 years, SD = 9.36, 32.5% women) completed the BSMAS online. Results: IRT analyses showed differences regarding the BSMAS items’ discrimination, difficulty, and reliability capacities, with a raw score exceeding 26 (out of 30) indicating a higher risk of PSMU (n = 11; 1.1%). Females and younger participants were at greater risk of developing PSMU. Conclusion: The BSMAS functions as a reliable measure of PSMU, particularly between average to high levels of the trait. Additionally, younger participants were shown to be at higher risk of PSMU suggesting that prevention and intervention protocols should focus on this group. © 2022 The Author(s)
Developing a hybrid model of Jaya algorithm-based extreme gradient boosting machine to estimate blast-induced ground vibrations
- Zhou, Jian, Qiu, Yingui, Khandelwal, Manoj, Zhu, Shuangli, Zhang, Xiliang
- Authors: Zhou, Jian , Qiu, Yingui , Khandelwal, Manoj , Zhu, Shuangli , Zhang, Xiliang
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences Vol. 145, no. (2021), p.
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- Description: Blasting is still being considered to be one the most important applicable alternatives for conventional excavations. Ground vibration generated due to blasting is an undesirable phenomenon which is harmful for the nearby structures and should be prevented. In this regard, a novel intelligent approach for predicting blast-induced PPV was developed. The distinctive Jaya algorithm and high efficient extreme gradient boosting machine (XGBoost) were applied to obtain the goal, called the Jaya-XGBoost model. Accordingly, 150 sets of data composed of 13 controllable and uncontrollable parameters are chosen as input independent variables and the measured peak particle velocity (PPV) is chosen as an output dependent variable. Also, the Jaya algorithm was used for optimization of hyper-parameters of XGBoost. Additionally, six empirical models and several machine learning models such as XGBoost, random forest, AdaBoost, artificial neural network and Bagging were also considered and applied for comparison of the proposed Jaya-XGBoost model. Accuracy criteria including determination coefficient (R2), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the variance accounted for (VAF) were used for the assessment of models. For this study, 150 blasting operations were analyzed. Also, the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method is used to interpret the importance of features and their contribution to PPV prediction. Findings reveal that the proposed Jaya-XGBoost emerged as the most reliable model in contrast to other machine learning models and traditional empirical models. This study may be helpful to mining researchers and engineers who use intelligent machine learning algorithms to predict blast-induced ground vibration. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
- Authors: Zhou, Jian , Qiu, Yingui , Khandelwal, Manoj , Zhu, Shuangli , Zhang, Xiliang
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences Vol. 145, no. (2021), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Blasting is still being considered to be one the most important applicable alternatives for conventional excavations. Ground vibration generated due to blasting is an undesirable phenomenon which is harmful for the nearby structures and should be prevented. In this regard, a novel intelligent approach for predicting blast-induced PPV was developed. The distinctive Jaya algorithm and high efficient extreme gradient boosting machine (XGBoost) were applied to obtain the goal, called the Jaya-XGBoost model. Accordingly, 150 sets of data composed of 13 controllable and uncontrollable parameters are chosen as input independent variables and the measured peak particle velocity (PPV) is chosen as an output dependent variable. Also, the Jaya algorithm was used for optimization of hyper-parameters of XGBoost. Additionally, six empirical models and several machine learning models such as XGBoost, random forest, AdaBoost, artificial neural network and Bagging were also considered and applied for comparison of the proposed Jaya-XGBoost model. Accuracy criteria including determination coefficient (R2), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and the variance accounted for (VAF) were used for the assessment of models. For this study, 150 blasting operations were analyzed. Also, the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method is used to interpret the importance of features and their contribution to PPV prediction. Findings reveal that the proposed Jaya-XGBoost emerged as the most reliable model in contrast to other machine learning models and traditional empirical models. This study may be helpful to mining researchers and engineers who use intelligent machine learning algorithms to predict blast-induced ground vibration. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd