Association between health literacy and physical activity in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Physical inactivity is common in older people and contributes to morbidity and mortality. Health literacy might play a role in motivating people to become or stay physically active. However, little is known about the influence of health literacy on physical activity in older people. This review aims to determine the association between health literacy and physical activity in older people. A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsychINFO and CENTRAL. Inclusion criteria: (i) community-dwelling people with an average age of ≥55 and (ii) reported on the association between health literacy and physical activity. Exclusion criteria: (i) population with a health condition and (ii) case study or qualitative study. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. A meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects models with inverse variance. Thirteen articles were included in the review and five articles were selected for the meta-analysis. Older people with inadequate health literacy were 38% less likely than older people with adequate health literacy to report engaging in physical activity on ≥5 days per week [odds ratio = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55-0.77]. Only two articles used activity monitors; the mean number of steps taken per day was not significantly different between older people with adequate and inadequate health literacy (standardized mean difference = -0.15, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.01). Physical activity could potentially be fostered by increasing health literacy and empowering older people to make beneficial health decisions.

Exploring Spatial Variations in the Relationships between Landscape Functions and Human Activities in Suburban Rural Communities: A Case Study in Jiangning District, China

There is a complicated and contradictory relationship between landscape functions and human activities, especially in the suburban rural communities of metropolises. Previous studies focused on human interference to landscape function, ignoring the impact of landscape functions on human activities. Hence, the present study is focused on the impact of landscape function (based on ecosystem services) on human activities in suburban rural communities of China. The study evaluated the intensity of human activities based on big data; furthermore, the authors analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics through spatial autocorrelation, and probed into the spatial variations in the relationship between human activities and landscape functions using ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The result indicates that there are obvious spatial distribution differences in the intensity of human activities in suburban rural communities; that is, the intensity decreases from the inner to the outer suburban areas. Positive influencing factors of human activities are construction area, bus station, road network density, and leisure entertainment, among which, construction area is the principal driver; cultural heritage, hydrological regulation, and provision of aesthetics are negatively or positively correlated with human activities in various regions. The results offer insights for the sustainable development of rural environment in suburban areas and the big data-driven rural research.

Assessment of the Evolution of Groundwater Chemistry and Its Controlling Factors in the Huangshui River Basin of Northwestern China, Using Hydrochemistry and Multivariate Statistical Techniques

Groundwater is an eco-environmental factor and critical resource required for human life and socioeconomic development. Understanding the evolution of groundwater chemistry and its controlling factors are imperative for preventing its deterioration and ensuring its sustainable use. We studied the characteristics of groundwater chemistry in the Huangshui River Basin in Qinghai Province, China using hydrochemical techniques. Additionally, we identified the controlling factors of groundwater chemistry in this region using multivariate statistical techniques. Seventeen hydrochemical parameters of groundwater were investigated at 156 sites in June 2019. The results showed that total hardness, Fe, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, and Cl⁻ were primary pollution factors of groundwater in this region, and that 33.3%, 35.3%, 8.97%, 23.1%, and 7.69% of the samples exceeded Grade III standards for groundwater quality in China, respectively. Land use types also significantly affected groundwater hydrochemistry. The hydrochemical composition of groundwater in industrial areas is more strongly influenced by human activities. The major hydrochemical types identified in the region were HCO₃-Ca·Mg and HCO₃·SO₄-Ca·Mg. Additionally, high proportions of SO₄ (50.6%), Na (32.1%), and Cl (13.5%) groundwater types revealed the influence of anthropogenic activities on the groundwater hydrochemistry. Rock weathering was the major factor influencing the groundwater hydrochemistry, while evaporation–condensation and anthropogenic activities also influenced the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater. The hydrochemical composition of groundwater was mainly controlled by silicate rock weathering. The main controlling factors of groundwater hydrochemistry were water–rock interactions, “physicochemical” factors (nature processes), domestic sewage, chemical fertilizer, and industrial sewage (human activities).

Investment in science can mitigate the negative impacts of land use on declining primate populations

Changes in land use and the conversion of natural forests to agricultural fields and cattle pastures are threatening the survival of many species of wild animals, including nonhuman primates. Given its almost 1.4 billion people, China faces a difficult challenge in balancing economic development, human well-being, environmental protection, and animal conservation. We examined the effects of poverty, anthropogenic land use (cropland and pasture/grazing), human population growth, government investment in science and public attention to primates during the period from the 1980s to 2015 on primate population persistence in China. We analyzed these data using generalized mixed-effects models, structural equation models (SEM) and random forests (a machine learning technique). We found that 16 of 21 (76%) primate species in China, for which data are available, have experienced a population decline over the past 35 years. Factors contributing most to primate population decline included human poverty and the conversion of natural habitat to cropland. In contrast, the five species of primates that were characterized by recent population increases were the subjects of substantial government research funding and their remaining distribution occurs principally in protected areas (PAs). We argue that increased funding for research, the establishment and expansion of PAs, a national policy focused on reducing poverty, and educational programs designed to inform and encourage local people to participate in scientific investigation and wildlife protection, can mitigate the negative impacts of historical patterns of land conversion on primate population survival in China.

Effects of human activity on the habitat utilization of Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana) in Zoige wetland

Human activity is increasingly and persistently disturbing nature and wild animals. Affected wildlife adopts multiple strategies to deal with different human influences. To explore the effect of human activity on habitat utilization of Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana), habitat utilization patterns of three neighboring marmot populations in habitats affected differently by human activities were recorded and compared. We found that (a) distance between reproductive burrows (a represent of reproductive pairs) becomes shorter under the influence of human activities, and more burrows were dug as temporary shelters, resulting in shorter distance between those shelters and shorter distance flee to those shelters and, consequently, shorter flight initiation distance when threatened. More burrows that are closer to the disturbed habitats improve the ability to escape from threats. (b) Reproductive burrow site selection of the species is determined by the availability of mounds in the habitat, and breeding pairs selectively build reproductive (also the hibernation) burrows on mounds, potentially to improve surveillance when basking and the drainage of burrows. Human activities generally drive breeding pairs away from the road to dig their reproductive burrows likely to reduce disturbance from vehicles. However, even heavy human activity exerts no pressure on the distance of reproductive burrows from the road or the mound volume of the high disturbance population, potentially because mounds are the best burrowing site to reproduce and hibernate in the habitat. Marmots deal with disturbance by digging more burrows in the habitat to flee more effectively and building reproductive burrows on mounds to gain better vigilance and drainage efficiency.

Assessing the Country-Level Excess All-Cause Mortality and the Impacts of Air Pollution and Human Activity during the COVID-19 Epidemic

The impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on cause-specific mortality has been investigated on a global scale. However, less is known about the excess all-cause mortality and air pollution-human activity responses. This study estimated the weekly excess all-cause mortality during COVID-19 and evaluated the impacts of air pollution and human activities on mortality variations during the 10th to 52nd weeks of 2020 among sixteen countries. A SARIMA model was adopted to estimate the mortality benchmark based on short-term mortality during 2015-2019 and calculate excess mortality. A quasi-likelihood Poisson-based GAM model was further applied for air pollution/human activity response evaluation, namely ground-level NO2 and PM2.5 and the visit frequencies of parks and workplaces. The findings showed that, compared with COVID-19 mortality (i.e., cause-specific mortality), excess all-cause mortality changed from -26.52% to 373.60% during the 10th to 52nd weeks across the sixteen countries examined, revealing higher excess all-cause mortality than COVID-19 mortality in most countries. For the impact of air pollution and human activities, the average country-level relative risk showed that one unit increase in weekly NO2, PM2.5, park visits and workplace visits was associated with approximately 1.54% increase and 0.19%, 0.23%, and 0.23% decrease in excess all-cause mortality, respectively. Moreover, compared with the impact on COVID-19 mortality, the relative risks of weekly NO2 and PM2.5 were lower, and the relative risks of weekly park and workplace visits were higher for excess all-cause mortality. These results suggest that the estimation based on excess all-cause mortality reduced the potential impact of air pollution and enhanced the influence of human activities compared with the estimation based on COVID-19 mortality.

Interpersonal Perception of Time-Use Patterns in Romantic Relationships: Protocol for the IP-COUPLES Study

BACKGROUND

Perceptual congruence has been defined as the level of agreement between partners on various aspects of their shared lives, including perceived engagement in individual and jointly performed activities. While the level of adjustment made by partners to such activities is thought to contribute to a couple's sense of mutuality, perceptions of time use concerning activity engagement has yet to be considered. As such, this study will determine the level of perceptual congruence between partners with respect to perceived time use in their respective and shared activities.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of the IP-COUPLES study is to determine the similarities and differences between partners in terms of their perceptual congruence with respect to independent and jointly performed activities. This study will also examine the association between independent and joint activities in terms of perceptual congruence of time use and the strength of this association.

METHODS

This descriptive observational study includes 100 couples from Western Switzerland who are recruited using snowball sampling methods. The Life Balance Inventory (LBI), a self-report questionnaire that captures activity configuration congruence, will measure independent and joint perceptions of both time use allocated to daily activities and corresponding satisfaction. Due to COVID-19, the protocol can be administered virtually by the primary investigator. The mean scores of perceptual congruence variables will be used for analysis, namely perceived congruence of time use in terms of independent and jointly performed activities. For the first objective, an independent t test will be used for each variable to compare the mean score between activities on the LBI. For the second objective, the correlations between the mean scores for these activities will be calculated for each variable using the Pearson correlation.

RESULTS

The IP-COUPLES study protocol was developed in 2019 and 2020. Enrollment began in June 2020. Data collection will continue until October 2021 to account for time needed for recruitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Analysis and presentation of results are expected in 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is exploratory, as it is the first to our knowledge to investigate how perceived time-use patterns with respect to independent or jointly performed activities are similar or different among romantic couples. By investigating the interpersonal perception of time-use patterns among couples, the IP-COUPLES study is an important first step to understanding how romantic partners' daily activities are contributing to the level of satisfaction as a partner and as a couple and to the sense of mutuality between partners in a romantic relationship.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/21306.

Validity and Reliability of IPAQ-SF and GPAQ for Assessing Sedentary Behaviour in Adults in the European Union: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Current lifestyles are marked by sedentary behaviour; thus, it is of great importance for policymaking to have valid and reliable tools to measure sedentary behaviour in order to combat it. Therefore, the aim of this review and meta-analysis is to critically review, assess, and compile the reliability, criterion validity, and construct validity of the single-item sedentary behaviour questions within national language versions of most commonly used international physical activity questionnaires for adults in the European Union: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. A total of 1749 records were screened, 287 full-text papers were read, and 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results and quality of studies were evaluated by the Quality Assessment of Physical Activity Questionnaires checklist. Meta-analysis indicated moderate to high reliability (r_w = 0.59) and concurrent validity (r_w = 0.55) of national language versions of single-item sedentary behaviour questions. Criterion validity was rather low (r_w = 0.23) but in concordance with previous studies. The risk of bias analysis highlighted the poor reporting of methods and results, with a total bias score of 0.42. Thus, we recommend using multi-item SB questionnaires and smart trackers for providing information on SB rather than single-item sedentary behaviour questions in physical activity questionnaires.

Towards the comprehension of fasciolosis (re-)emergence: an integrative overview

The increasing distribution and prevalence of fasciolosis in both human and livestock are concerning. Here, we examine the various types of factors influencing fasciolosis transmission and burden and the interrelations that may exist between them. We present the arsenal of molecules, 'adjusting' capabilities and parasitic strategies of Fasciola to infect. Such features define the high adaptability of Fasciola species for parasitism that facilitate their transmission. We discuss current environmental perturbations (increase of livestock and land use, climate change, introduction of alien species and biodiversity loss) in relation to fasciolosis dynamics. As Fasciola infection is directly and ultimately linked to livestock management, living conditions and cultural habits, which are also changing under the pressure of globalization and climate change, the social component of transmission is also discussed. Lastly, we examine the implication of increasing scientific and political awareness in highlighting the current circulation of fasciolosis and boosting epidemiological surveys and novel diagnostic techniques. From a joint perspective, it becomes clear that factors weight differently at each place and moment, depending on the biological, environmental, social and political interrelating contexts. Therefore, the analyses of a disease as complex as fasciolosis should be as integrative as possible to dissect the realities featuring each epidemiological scenario. Such a comprehensive appraisal is presented in this review and constitutes its main asset to serve as a fresh integrative understanding of fasciolosis.

Effects of Human Settlements and Spatial Distribution of Wing Vein Length, Wing Fray Categories and Hunger Stages in Glossina morsitans morsitans (Diptera: Glossinidae) and Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Areas Devoid of Cattle in North-Eastern Zambia

The effect of human-associated habitat degradation on tsetse populations is well established. However, more insights are needed into how gradual human encroachment into tsetse fly belts affect tsetse populations. This study investigated how wing vein length, wing fray categories, and hunger stages, taken as indicators of body size, age, and levels of access to hosts, respectively, in Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) and Glossina pallidipes Austen (Diptera: Glossinidae), varied along a transect from the edge into inner parts of the tsetse belt, in sites that had human settlement either concentrated at the edge of belt or evenly distributed along transect line, in north-eastern Zambia. Black-screen fly round and Epsilon traps were used in a cross-sectional survey on tsetse flies at three sites, following a transect line marked by a road running from the edge into the inner parts of the tsetse belt, per site. Two sites had human settlement concentrated at or close to the edge of the tsetse belt, whereas the third had human settlement evenly distributed along the transect line. Where settlements were concentrated at the edge of tsetse belt, increase in distance from the settlements was associated with increase in wing vein length and a reduction in the proportion of older, and hungry, tsetse flies. Increase in distance from human settlements was associated with improved tsetse well-being, likely due to increase in habitat quality due to decrease in effects of human activities.

Long-Term Accumulation of Metals in the Skeleton as Related to Osteoporotic Derangements

The concentrations of metals in the environment are still not within the recommended limits as set by the regulatory authorities in various countries because of human activities. They can enter the food chain and bioaccumulate in soft and hard tissues/organs, often with a long half-life of the metal in the body. Metal exposure has a negative impact on bone health and may result in osteoporosis and increased fracture risk depending on concentration and duration of metal exposure and metal species. Bones are a long-term repository for lead and some other metals, and may approximately contain 90% of the total body burden in birds and mammals. The present review focuses on the most common metals found in contaminated areas (mercury, cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, iron, and aluminum) and their effects on bone tissue, considering the possibility of the long-term bone accumulation, and also some differences that might exist between different age groups in the whole population.

Increased number of cases of giant cell arteritis and higher rates of ophthalmic involvement during the era of COVID-19

Objectives

Our centre offers a fast-track assessment service for patients with suspected GCA and this service continued to operate during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. During and immediately following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK we observed an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with GCA as well as an increased number of patients with visual complications. Our aim was to investigate this further.

Methods

The electronic medical records of all patients referred for GCA fast-track assessment from January 2019 were reviewed. A complete list of patients undergoing temporal artery ultrasound and temporal artery biopsy for investigation of GCA dating back to 2015 was also available.

Results

In the 12 week period between April and June 2020, 24 patients were diagnosed with GCA. Six (25%) had associated visual impairment. In contrast, during 2019, 28 new diagnoses of GCA were made in total and just 10% of patients suffered visual involvement. The number of patients diagnosed with GCA in April–June 2020 was nearly 5-fold that of the same time period the previous year. GCA diagnoses between April and June 2020 were supported by imaging (temporal artery ultrasound or CT-PET) in 72% of cases. We noted a higher proportion of male patients and a lower median age but no clear difference in the duration of symptoms prior to assessment.

Conclusions

The reasons behind our observations remain unclear. However, our findings support the viral aetiopathogenesis hypothesis for GCA and demonstrate the importance of maintaining access to urgent rheumatology services during periods of healthcare disruption.

Understanding activity participation 3-months after stroke: a mixed methodology study

PURPOSE

To investigate stroke survivors' activity participation 3-months after stroke, reasons for activity participation and the change in reason for activity participation.

METHOD

Thirty stroke survivors were administered the Activity Card Sort-Australia concurrent with a semi-structured interview about their activity participation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and spiral content analysis.

RESULTS

Participants had returned, in part, to 96% of their previous leisure, social/educational and household activities 3-months after-stroke; retaining more sedentary and home-based activities but fewer physically demanding and community-based activities. Thirteen participants described a change in their reasons for their activity participation. Personal, environmental and temporal dimensions explained these reasons for activity participation, as well as the changes in reason for activity participation. Full activity participation involved participants' orchestrating a dynamic mix of fulfilling their personal desires according to their current physical, mental and emotional capacity; their social, organizational and physical environmental demands and obligations; and their routines, available time and future plans.

CONCLUSION

Qualitative interviews extend our understanding of the process of returning to participation in life activities and occupations following stroke to reveal that it involves the stroke survivor in a dynamic adaptation process of synchronizing personal, environmental and temporal dimensions in their daily lives.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONRehabilitation professionals need to recognize the unique knowledge and ability stroke survivors have to manage their capacities, activities, occupations and environments.Client-centered practice involving true collaborative partnerships are needed to ensure stroke survivors return more satisfactorily to their activities and occupations.Rehabilitation professionals need to continually consider the ongoing changing relationships that occur between the person, their capacities, social, organizational and physical environments, and the person's activity/occupational participation during recovery from stroke.Returning to full activity/occupational participation after stroke is a dynamic and continuous process.Rehabilitation needs to be provided in different forms at different stages beyond the immediate post-stroke time so that stroke survivors benefit from the "right rehabilitation" at the "right time" throughout their recovery journey.

Effects of Ecological Restoration Measures on Soil Erosion Risk in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area Since the 1980s

Ecosystem degradation accompanied by soil erosion risk is caused by the interaction of many factors, including climate change and human activities. Therefore, before attempting the optimal form of ecological restoration, we must know the key factors responsible for soil erosion risk and determine their impacts on the ecosystem health. To test this approach, we conducted a case study in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area from 1980 to 2015, where extensive restoration (primarily afforestation) has been conducted. The results showed that climate was most important during Period I (1980 to 1984), and explained 84% of the variation in erosion. However, vegetation became equally important during Period II (1985 to 2006), when it accounted for 51% of the variation. Climate became as important as vegetation during Period III (2007 to 2015), when it accounted for 51% of the variation. The temporal variation in the dominant factors that controlled soil erosion risk suggests that the ecological effect of vegetation improvement resulting from ecological restoration in Three Gorges Reservoir Area has been gradually enhanced since the 1980s.

Prediction of Human Activities Based on a New Structure of Skeleton Features and Deep Learning Model

The recognition of human activities is usually considered to be a simple procedure. Problems occur in complex scenes involving high speeds. Activity prediction using Artificial Intelligence (AI) by numerical analysis has attracted the attention of several researchers. Human activities are an important challenge in various fields. There are many great applications in this area, including smart homes, assistive robotics, human-computer interactions, and improvements in protection in several areas such as security, transport, education, and medicine through the control of falling or aiding in medication consumption for elderly people. The advanced enhancement and success of deep learning techniques in various computer vision applications encourage the use of these methods in video processing. The human presentation is an important challenge in the analysis of human behavior through activity. A person in a video sequence can be described by their motion, skeleton, and/or spatial characteristics. In this paper, we present a novel approach to human activity recognition from videos using the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) for activity classification and the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) with a new structure of the human skeleton to carry out feature presentation. The aims of this work are to improve the human presentation through the collection of different features and the exploitation of the new RNN structure for activities. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated by the RGB-D sensor dataset CAD-60. The experimental results show the performance of the proposed approach through the average error rate obtained (4.5%).

Recent Evolution of Coastal Tidal Flats and the Impacts of Intensified Human Activities in the Modern Radial Sand Ridges, East China

The coastal tidal flats of the modern Radial Sand Ridges (RSRs) are typical silt-muddy tidal flats in Central Jiangsu Province. These tidal flats play a critical role in coastline protection and biodiversity conservation, and against storm surges, but have recently been displaying drastic changes in geomorphic dynamics because of human activities. However, a comprehensive understanding of spatiotemporal changes in tidal flats in RSRs remains lacking. Hence, we employed a novel remote sensing method by obtaining the instantaneous high/low tide line positions from over 112 scenes of Landsat satellite images of the study area from 1975 to 2017, which were used to track the recent evolution of the coastal tidal flats in the modern RSRs over the past four decades. We found that the shoreline of the tidal flats showed an advanced seaward trend, and the waterline of the tidal flat presented a gradual process during different periods. The total tidal flat area in the study area showed an obviously decreasing trend overall, and approximately 992 km2 of the tidal flat was lost. We also found that the coastal tidal flats in the modern RSRs were generally undergoing erosion in the low tidal flats, especially in the Northern Swing and Southern Swing areas, while the high tidal flats showed a slowed accretionary change. Land reclamation was the main factor affecting the reduction in the tidal flat area, as the reclamation area has increased by 1300 km2, with an average of 35.14 km2/year. In addition, the erosion of the tidal flats was associated with a reduced sediment supply. Our findings will provide useful information for local managers and researchers to support future environmental management because increasing demand for land and rising sea levels are expected in the future.

Gap Analysis of Giant Panda Conservation as an Example for Planning China's National Park System

Protected areas have been the cornerstone for conservation globally [1], but gaps still exist in preserving biodiversity [2]. Meanwhile, areas designated as protected have overlaps between designations and might vary in their management [3, 4]. All three phenomena-coverage gaps, overlapping designations, and disparities in management-are present in China [5, 6]. China plans to establish a national park system for the first time, aiming to reform the existing protected-area system [7-9]. However, there has been no quantitative spatial analysis that can aid the planning of national parks. This study shows how an improved conservation gap analysis can inform the construction of new national parks. Taking the proposed Giant Panda National Park as an example, we analyzed the relationship between panda habitat and the existing protected areas, considering not only de jure designated coverage but also de facto levels of two types of potentially harmful activities (timber extraction and human disturbance). We find that, first, there are coverage gaps in the four mountains comprising the potential national park, and existing protected areas have overlaps between designations. Second, current protected areas have gaps and disparities in terms of restrictions on timber extraction and human disturbance. Third, overlapped designations and less restrictive management appear to have adverse effects on panda protection. On the basis of these results, we propose integrated management under a single national park administration, focusing on the key gaps, which we identify. This study can serve as a reference for the establishment of other national parks in China and the world.

Coastal Landscape Vulnerability Analysis in Eastern China-Based on Land-Use Change in Jiangsu Province

The unreasonable land use in rapid urbanization areas induced by large-scale urban construction activities have caused massive ecological issues. In this study, landscape vulnerability index (LVI) and landscape human interference index (LHAI) were originally addressed and calculated using multi-temporal land-use data from 2000 to 2015. Then, the spatial-temporal relationship assessment model of landscape fragility caused by human activities were constructed for each county of Jiangsu Province, China, so as to analyze the spatial distribution of landscape vulnerability and determine the impacts of artificial disturbance on landscape vulnerability. The results showed: (1) The number of counties with middle and high landscape vulnerability increased from 20 in 2000 to 27 in 2015 with a peak value (33) in 2010. (2) Counties with high-intensity human activities showed an upward trend. (3) Land use generally has a significant and diverse impact on landscape vulnerability. At the county level, the LVI was positively correlated with the LHAI before 2010 and was followed by a negative correlation of them. As concluded from this study, a total of four sub-regions (continuous benefit zones, variable benefit zones, continuous harmful zones, and variable harmful zones) have been identified for sustainable landscape management in the future. (4) The LVI suggests that the landscape vulnerability in Jiangsu did not continue to deteriorate in the study period. Further, accelerated land exploitation has produced a positive impact on regional economic development and ecological protection. This study provided an effective method set for analyzing the environmental impacts caused by human activities and promoting future ecosystem management in coastal areas.

Botulism in Wild Birds and Changes in Environmental Habitat: A Relationship to be Considered

Simple summary

Human activities, even those aimed at improving a natural area, can interfere with wildlife and their environment, potentially leading to some changes. In this paper, a botulism outbreak which occurred in waterfowls in a nature reserve after a conservative action is reported. In particular, an artificial pond was created in order to improve the environment of waterfowls, but gray mullets (Mugil cephalus) settled in the pond and proliferated. Fish mortality was observed during summer, leading to an accumulation of decaying organic material, thus creating the optimal conditions for Clostridium botulin growth and toxin production. In the same period, the botulism outbreak with flaccid paralysis and sudden mortality rapidly occurred in waterfowls. The toxin mosaic type C/D was identified as responsible for the disease outbreak. The outbreak rapidly resolved after the removal of the fish carcasses, highlighting the importance of a correct management for any action in natural contexts. In conclusion, before considering any activity in wildlife habitats, it is important to assess first its possible impact on wildlife.

Abstract

Any human activity, even if aimed at the improvement of a natural area, can potentially affect wildlife, leading to possible short-term or long-term changes due to the human–wildlife interaction. In this study, a botulism outbreak which occurred in waterfowl in a nature reserve after a conservative environmental action is reported. More than 180 different species of wild birds, including seventy waterfowl species, live in the area. The wildlife reserve rangers built an artificial pond equipped with draining canals in the wetland in order to improve the environment of waterfowl species and to facilitate their supply of food. Then, presumably due to tidal rides, gray mullets (Mugil cephalus) arrived from the sea and settled in the pond. The number of fishes gradually increased, and several fishes died with a peak of mortality in the summer of 2017, creating a great amount of decaying organic material and the optimal conditions for Clostridium botulinum growth and toxin production. A botulism outbreak then occurred rapidly and was characterised by flaccid paralysis and sudden mortality of the birds. Seven mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), 4 common teals (Anas crecca), 1 garganey (Anas querquedula), 2 wood sandpipers (Tringa glareola), 1 little egret (Egretta garzetta), 1 little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), and 4 Eurasian coots (Fulica atra) were found dead. Interestingly, the toxin identified as responsible for the disease outbreak was the mosaic of type C and D toxins (C/D type). The prompt removal of the fish carcasses led to a rapid resolution of the outbreak of the disease, highlighting the relevance of a correct management for any action in environmental contexts. The conclusion is that any human activity in wildlife habitats should be carefully considered in order to assess the possible impacts and to quickly identify the possible risks of changes in wildlife population.

Are Karst Rocky Desertification Areas Affected by Increasing Human Activity in Southern China? An Empirical Analysis from Nighttime Light Data

Due to remarkable socioeconomic development, an increasing number of karst rocky desertification areas have been severely affected by human activities in southern China. Effectively analyzing human activities in karst rocky desertification areas is a critical prerequisite for managing and restoring areas with tremendous negative impacts from desertification. At present, a timely and accurate way of quantifying the spatiotemporal variations of human activities in karst rocky desertification areas is still lacking. In this communication, we attempted to quantify human activities from the corrected Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) nighttime light composite data from 2012 to 2018 based on statistical analysis. The results show that a significant increase of night lights could be clearly identified during the study period. The total nighttime lights (TL) related to severe karst rocky desertification (S) were particularly concentrated in Guizhou and Yunnan. The nighttime light intensity (LI) related to the S areas in Chongqing was the strongest due to its rapid socioeconomic development. The annual growth rate of nighttime lights (GL) has been slow or even negative in Guangdong because of its various karst rocky desertification restoration programs. This communication could provide an effective approach for quantifying human activities and provide useful information about where prompt attention is required for policy-making on the restoration of the karst rocky desertification areas.

Influencing Factors of PM2.5 Pollution: Disaster Points of Meteorological Factors

A chance constrained stochastic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was developed for investigating the relations between PM_2.5 pollution days and meteorological factors and human activities, incorporating with an empirical study for 13 cities in Jiangsu Province (China) to illustrate the model. This approach not only admits random input and output environment, but also allows the evaluation unit to exceed the front edge under the given probability constraint. Moreover, observing the change in outcome variables when a group of explanatory variables are deleted provides an additional strategic technique to measure the effect of the remaining explanatory variables. It is found that: (1) For 2013–2016, the influencing factors of PM_2.5 pollution days included wind speed, no precipitation day, relative humidity, population density, construction area, transportation, coal consumption and green coverage rate. In 2016, the number of cities whose PM_2.5 pollution days was affected by construction was decreased by three from 2015 but increased according to transportation and energy utilization. (2) The PM_2.5 pollution days in southern and central Jiangsu Province were primarily affected by the combined effect of the meteorological factors and social progress, while the northern Jiangsu Province was largely impacted by the social progress. In 2013–2016, at different risk levels, 60% inland cities were of valid stochastic efficiency, while 33% coastal cities were of valid stochastic efficiency. (3) The chance constrained stochastic DEA, which incorporates the data distribution characteristics of meteorological factors and human activities, is valuable for exploring the essential features of data in investigating the influencing factors of PM_2.5.

A Rasch Analysis Study Determining the Internal Validity and Separation Reliability of the Inventory of Reading Occupations - Adult: A Measure of Functional Literacy Participation

The objective of this study was to determine the internal validity and separation reliability of the Inventory of Reading Occupations - Adult (IRO-Adult), an assessment of functional literacy participation for adults. Participants included 69 adults with typical reading abilities and difficulties with reading. The fit of the IRO-Adult items was analyzed with the Rasch model of unidimensionality using goodness-of-fit analysis and analysis of standardized residuals. Also analyzed was the tool's ability to reliably separate distinct levels of reading participation and the optimal functioning of its rating scales. The IRO-Adult items fit the Rasch model of unidimensionality. Three test items can be further refined to strengthen internal validity. Items are able to reliably detect multiple levels of reading participation and change in functional literacy participation over time. Several categories in the tool's rating scale can be combined for better clarity and to optimize rating scale functioning. The study provides preliminary evidence of validity and reliability of the IRO-Adult as a useful tool to assess functional literacy participation of adults. Further studies on other psychometric properties and clinical utility are warranted.

Multimodal Human and Environmental Sensing for Longitudinal Behavioral Studies in Naturalistic Settings: Framework for Sensor Selection, Deployment, and Management

Background

Recent advances in mobile technologies for sensing human biosignals are empowering researchers to collect real-world data outside of the laboratory, in natural settings where participants can perform their daily activities with minimal disruption. These new sensing opportunities usher a host of challenges and constraints for both researchers and participants.

Objective

This viewpoint paper aims to provide a comprehensive guide to aid research teams in the selection and management of sensors before beginning and while conducting human behavior studies in the wild. The guide aims to help researchers achieve satisfactory participant compliance and minimize the number of unexpected procedural outcomes.

Methods

This paper presents a collection of challenges, consideration criteria, and potential solutions for enabling researchers to select and manage appropriate sensors for their research studies. It explains a general data collection framework suitable for use with modern consumer sensors, enabling researchers to address many of the described challenges. In addition, it provides a description of the criteria affecting sensor selection, management, and integration that researchers should consider before beginning human behavior studies involving sensors. On the basis of a survey conducted in mid-2018, this paper further illustrates an organized snapshot of consumer-grade human sensing technologies that can be used for human behavior research in natural settings.

Results

The research team applied the collection of methods and criteria to a case study aimed at predicting the well-being of nurses and other staff in a hospital. Average daily compliance for sensor usage measured by the presence of data exceeding half the total possible hours each day was about 65%, yielding over 355,000 hours of usable sensor data across 212 participants. A total of 6 notable unexpected events occurred during the data collection period, all of which had minimal impact on the research project.

Conclusions

The satisfactory compliance rates and minimal impact of unexpected events during the case study suggest that the challenges, criteria, methods, and mitigation strategies presented as a guide for researchers are helpful for sensor selection and management in longitudinal human behavior studies in the wild.

Napping Behaviors and Extracurricular Club Activities in Japanese High School Students: Associations with Daytime Sleep Problems

Although engaging in evening naps and extracurricular activities are popular among Japanese high school students, the associations between these behaviors and daytime sleep problems were unclear. A questionnaire on daily life and sleeping habits was administered to 1314 high school students, aged between 15–17 years. The respondents were categorized by their after-school napping habits (did not nap, napped 1–2 days/week, napped ≥3 days/week), and their extracurricular activities (no activity, cultural club, athletic club). The mean nocturnal sleep duration on weekdays (± standard deviation (SD)) was 390 ± 56 min. This was significantly shorter in those students with a higher number of days/week spent napping (p < 0.001), and slightly longer for those in the athletic club (p < 0.001). Sleep problems—including subjective insufficient sleep, excessive sleepiness during class ≥3 days/week, and falling asleep during class ≥3 days/week—were reported by 64%, 55%, and 33% of respondents, respectively. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed significantly higher risks for excessive sleepiness among students taking naps ≥3 days/week, and who belonged to athletic clubs. In addition to those factors, students in cultural clubs revealed significantly higher risks for falling asleep during classes. Future studies are required to decrease daytime sleep problems associated with evening naps and extracurricular activities among high school students.

The Seasonal Dynamics and the Influence of Human Activities on Campus Outdoor Microbial Communities

Large-scale campus resembles a small “semi-open community,” harboring disturbances from the exchanges of people and vehicles, wherein stressors such as temperature and population density differ among the ground surfaces of functional partitions. Therefore, it represents a special ecological niche for the study on microbial ecology in the process of urbanization. In this study, we investigated outdoor microbial communities in four campuses in Wuhan, China. We obtained 284 samples from 55 sampling sites over six seasons, as well as their matching climatic and environmental records. The structure of campus outdoor microbial communities which influenced by multiple climatic factors featured seasonality. The dispersal influence of human activities on microbial communities also contributed to this seasonal pattern non-negligibly. However, despite the microbial composition alteration in response to multiple stressors, the overall predicted function of campus outdoor microbial communities remained stable across campuses. The spatial–temporal dynamic patterns on campus outdoor microbial communities and its predicted functions have bridged the gap between microbial and macro-level ecosystems, and provided hints toward a better understanding of the effects of climatic factors and human activities on campus micro-environments.