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This article highlights a community service initiative titled "Empowering Communities through Enhancing Environmental Awareness: A Case Study of Cikelat Village, Sukabumi, West Java in Community Service Activities". In response to the pressing need for sustainable development, this project was undertaken with the aim of elevating environmental consciousness within the community. The primary objectives were to foster a deep understanding of environmental issues, instill sustainable practices, and stimulate community participation. Employing a participatory approach, the engagement encompassed workshops, awareness campaigns, and skill-sharing sessions, fostering a sense of ownership among residents. Collaborative partnerships with local stakeholders formed the bedrock of the strategy, promoting shared responsibility. The outcomes revealed a substantial surge in environmental awareness among villagers, leading to the adoption of eco-friendly practices. The success of the initiative underscores the potential of community-driven efforts to drive sustainable development by intertwining environmental consciousness and active engagement.

Introduction: Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a significant global health challenge due to their prolonged duration and varied progression rates, leading to increased noncompliance, especially in developing nations. Pharmacological adherence, defined by WHO, is crucial for maintaining patients' quality of life and reducing morbidity, yet it remains inadequate, with about 50% non-adherence in developed countries, 30% of which is unintentional. Understanding disease burden is vital, but research on medication adherence, burden, and morbidity in the Dominican Republic and Latin American countries is lacking, necessitating comprehensive studies. Objectives: Ascertaining the degree of pharmaceutical adherence, disease burden, and morbidity amongst individuals with chronic illnesses were the study’s primary endpoints. Methodology: The project was a cross-sectional, prospective study that examined the sociodemographic data, past medical history, and medication regimens of a sample of 284 patients attending an outpatient clinic. Patients were selected using convenience sampling, to be later screened and interviewed after consultation for any of the diseases present on the MAR-Scale or the DBMA questionnaires. The screening sought only those individuals who met inclusion criteria (> 18 years old, diagnosed with a disease present on either scale) and did not meet exclusion criteria (not being able to fill the questionnaire due to language barrier). Data collected was stored using the KoboToolBox program and later summarized with mean and standard deviation for further processing using STATA BE. Statistical tests were programmed with an alpha of 5%, 95% CI, and p < 0.05 for statistical significance. Results: The sample, comprising 133 individuals, had a mean age of approximately 58.4 years, with a majority of female participants. Most participants were married, Dominican, and of Hispanic Latino ethnicity, with Christianity being the predominant religion. Regarding past medical history, while a substantial portion had no prior respiratory or cardiovascular ailments, diabetes mellitus was prevalent, indicating potential implications for current health status and treatment adherence. Adherence, measured by daily and weeklyscores, ranged from 1.0 to 3.8, with the burden score per patient averaging 50.1 and per disease averaging 2.6. The analysis revealed that 16.9% of participants were monomorbid, while 83.1% were multimorbid, showcasing the complexity of health conditions within the cohort. Conclusion: The study's key results reveal a significant portion of patients without a history of respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, suggesting a relatively healthy baseline. However, a notable proportion had diabetes, potentially impacting their current health status and treatment adherence. Furthermore, the study delves into factors influencing adherence, burden levels, and reasons for nonadherence. Findings indicate unmarried patients and those with lower education levels tend to exhibit higher burden levels and lower adherence scores. Mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, osteoporosis, and heart failure are associated with elevated burden levels. The study also assesses the reliability of adherence and burden measurement tools, emphasizing the importance of considering population variability in interpreting results. Limitations include challenges in patient selection and data collection, particularly regarding patients with multimorbidity. Overall, the study highlights the need for comprehensive exploration of adherence, burden, and morbidity to predict disease control, progression, and patient quality of life effectively in future research endeavors.

Objective: The present study assessed the iron and Vitamin A status of children aged 0 to 36 months in Thulamela municipality, Vhembe District. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 children aged 0 to 36 months attending well-baby clinic services with their mothers. Convenience sampling was used to select study participants, and simple random sampling was used to choose clinics. Data were gathered via a questionnaire administered by the researcher and field workers from August to September 2019. Standard techniques were used to measure body weight and height. In addition, serum retinol, haemoglobin, iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and transferrin levels were also assessed. Information on dietary diversity was gathered through a 24 h dietary recall. Results: The prevalence of underweight, wasting, and stunting was 3.6%, 2%, and 9.2%, respectively. Using serum retinol p-value = 0.007). Conclusion: Iron, anaemia, and vitamin A deficiencies, accompanied by a high prevalence of stunting, were common among children in Thulamela Municipality. Thus, improving nutritional status in this area is a critical need.

River Continuum Concept (RCC) is an approach that describes the dynamic changes in the river system, the changes that occur are physical conditions (order of the river, canopy cover, and land use) and also the structure and function of communities. Functional feeding groups (FFG) of macroinvertebrates are related to environmental gradients in aquatic systems, including river ecosystem attributes. This study aimed to correlate the function of the macroinvertebrate communities with Cisadane’s River headwater conditions based on RCC and also to estimate the attributes of the river ecosystem. This research was conducted in the headwaters of the Cisadane River, West Java-Indonesia. One of Cisadane’s River headwaters was located in Mount Halimun-Salak National Park. Macroinvertebrates were collected from four sites inside the park (stations 1, 2, 3, and 4) and from two sites outside the park (stations 5 and 6). Collections were made twice a month, from April to June 2015 using a Surber sampler. The results showed that shredders and predators were relatively higher at stations inside the national park than at those outside the national park. While scrappers and collectors at stations located inside the national park were relatively lower than at stations outside the park. The value of the P/R ratio showed that all of the stations were heterotrophy. CPOM/FPOM ratio represents that shredder availability is high enough at stations inside the national park. While TFPOM/BFPOM ratio is slightly below the normal threshold value. HSI showed that the condition of the riverbed substrate stability is quite good. Composition changes of macroinvertebrates showed suitability with RCC. River ecosystem attributes and abiotic stream characteristics of Cisadane’s River headwater support macroinvertebrate life and are in accordance with RCC. Keywords: Ecology Macroinvertebrate National Park Riparian River

The mental well-being of many community members was seriously impacted by COVID-19, with some experiencing the loss of loved ones and others losing jobs due to lockdown-related company cutbacks. There is evidence indicating that many people faced challenges in accessing essential services, including healthcare. This study aimed at investigating the effects of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions among community members of the Vhembe District, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A qualitative, exploratory design was used for this study. Data were collected from 54 participants through nine focus group interviews with six participants each. This study identified two main themes originating from data analysis: community mental health during COVID-19 lockdown, lockdown regulations, and challenges encountered. The participants discussed the impact of COVID-19 during lockdown. This research underscores the vital necessity of implementing harm reduction strategies and long-term service policies for this group. It also emphasizes the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in upholding the rights of marginalized populations.

A comprehensive review about approach to Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) impact on mathematical literacy abilities has not been studied extensively, consequently, many teachers are unaware of the advantages of this method for students. This meta-analysis research was carried out to analyze the overall effect size of applying the RME approach to mathematical literacy skills. Empirical data obtained from Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, URL link directly. The outcomes of the search are nine articles published between 2016 and 2021. In accordance with the inclusion criteria, nine items were qualified for analysis. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software is used in the analysis tool, and a random estimation model. The results revealed that the study's overall effect size was 1.051. These findings suggest that the application of the RME approach has a strong effect on students' mathematical literacy abilities. The moderator variables were examined, and it was discovered that the RME approach was effective by considering student demographics, but not at the educational level. This meta-analysis study advises Indonesian math teachers that the application of RME in increasing students' mathematical literacy should be used more frequently, especially in elementary schools. Ulasan komprehensif tentang efek dari pendekatan Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) pada kemampuan literasi matematis belum banyak dipelajari secara ekstensif, menyebabkan banyak guru yang belum menyadari manfaat dari pendekatan ini untuk siswa. Studi meta-analisis ini dilakukan untuk menganalisis ukuran efek keseluruhan penerapan pendekatan RME terhadap kemampuan literasi matematis. Data empiris diperoleh dari Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Link URL secara langsung. Hasil pencarian menemukan sembilan artikel diterbitkan antara 2016 dan 2021. Menurut kriteria inklusi, sembilan item memenuhi syarat untuk analisis. Alat analisis menggunakan perangkat lunak Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA), dan model estimasi random. Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa ukuran efek keseluruhan dari penelitian ini adalah 1,051. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa penerapan pendekatan RME memiliki efek kuat pada kemampuan literasi matematis siswa. Analisis variabel moderator mengungkapkan bahwa Pendekatan RME pelaksanaannya efektif dengan mempertimbangkan demografi siswa, namun tidak pada tingkat pendidikan. Studi meta-analisis ini merekomendasikan kepada guru matematika Indonesia agar penerapan RME dalam meningkatkan literasi matematika siswa harus lebih diterapkan terutama di sekolah dasar.

ObjectiveMechanisms of neurocognitive injury as post-operative sequelae of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are not understood. The systemic inflammatory response to surgical stress causes skeletal muscle impairment, and this is also worsened by immobility. Since evidence supports a link between muscle vitality and neuroprotection, there is a need to understand the mechanisms by which promotion of muscle activity counteracts the deleterious effects of surgery on long-term cognition.MethodsWe performed a clinical trial to test the hypothesis that adding neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to standard rehabilitation care in post-CABG patients promotes the maintenance of skeletal muscle strength and the expression of circulating neuroprotective myokines.ResultsWe did not find higher serum levels of neuroprotective myokines, except for interleukin-6, nor better long-term cognitive performance in our intervention group. However, a greater increase in functional connectivity at brain magnetic resonance was seen between seed regions within the default mode, frontoparietal, salience, and sensorimotor networks in the NMES group. Regardless of the treatment protocol, patients with a Klotho increase 3 months after hospital discharge compared to baseline Klotho values showed better scores in delayed memory tests.SignificanceWe confirm the potential neuroprotective effect of Klotho in a clinical setting and for the first time post-CABG.

In recognising emotions expressed by others, one can make use of both embodied cognition and mechanisms that do not necessarily require activation of the limbic system, such as evoking from memory the meaning of morphological features of the observed face. Instead, we believe that the recognition of the authenticity of an emotional expression is primarily based on embodied cognition, for which the mirror system would play a significant role. To verify this hypothesis, we submitted 20 parkinsonian patients and 20 healthy control subjects to the Emotional Authenticity Recognition test, a novel test using dynamic stimuli to evaluate the ability to recognise emotions and their authenticity. Analysis of variance of the test scores shows that Parkinsonian patients perform worse than controls when they had to recognise the authenticity of emotions, although they are able to identify them. Our results confirm a deficit in the recognition of the authenticity of emotions in patients with Parkinson's disease attributable to the disruption of extrapiramidal limbic circuit between ventral striatum and orbitomesial‐prefrontal cortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sharp-crested weirs are commonly used in hydraulic engineering for flow measurement and control. Despite extensive research on sharp-crested weirs, particularly regarding their discharge coefficients, more information is needed via research on their energy dissipation downstream. This study conducted experimental tests to assess the influence of contraction ratio (b/B) of rectangular sharp-crested weirs (RSCWs) on energy dissipation downstream under free flow conditions. Five RSCWs with different b/B equals 6/24, 7/24, 8/24, 9/24, and 10/24 were used. The results showed a consistent decrease in relative energy dissipation (ΔEr) with an increase in the head over the weir. Furthermore, as the discharge per unit width (q) increased, the relative energy dissipation (ΔEr) decreased, indicating more efficient discharge over the weir. A higher b/B further reduces ΔEr, suggesting that wider weirs are more effective in minimizing energy losses. The maximum relative residual energy (E1/E0) and relative energy dissipation (ΔEr) occurred at b/B = 10/24 and 6/24, with values of 0.825 and 0.613, respectively. Additionally, the maximum discharge coefficient (Cd) of RSCWs is found at b/B = 6/24, with an average value of 0.623. The results support the accuracy of the proposed equation with R2 = 0.988, RMSE = 0.0083, and MAPE = 1.43%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Sarcoidosis can manifest with atypical findings on chest computed tomography (CT). Cysts are a rare manifestation of lung sarcoidosis. The aim of the study was to describe a series of patients with cystic sarcoidosis and their clinical‐radiological characteristics and progression. Methods: In this retrospective, bicentric study we recruited all patients affected by sarcoidosis with lung cystic lesions at chest CT. We collected clinical characteristics, pulmonary tests and tracked number, distribution and size of the cysts at diagnosis and at the last evaluation. Results: Twelve patients (6 males, median age 53 years) were identified (prevalence: 1.9%; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.8%–2.9%). All patients presented multiple cystic lesions (median number: 14 [range: 2–216]) with a bilateral distribution in 10/12, micronodules and nodules in 11/12 and fibrotic lesions in 4/12. Seven patients had normal lung function test, three had an obstructive syndrome, one had a restrictive syndrome and one had coexistence of both. During follow‐up (median: 10 years [range 1–16 years]), an increase of the number of cysts was observed in four patients. At last evaluation, 3/12 patients experienced a decline of forced vital capacity >10% and 3/12 patients a decline of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) >10%. A lower DLCO at diagnosis, and the presence of nodules or fibrotic lesions on CT were associated with an increase in the number of cysts. Conclusion: Cystic lung lesions are rare in patients with sarcoidosis and do not influence long term prognosis. Cystic lung lesions are rare in sarcoidosis (estimated prevalence: 1.9%; 95%CI: 0.8%–2.9%) and do not influence long term prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rectangular slit weir is used to measure small flows, namely, those flows less than 5 L/s and contraction ratios (b/B) less than 0.25. In the present study, flow tests were conducted in a laboratory setup with various contraction ratios (b/B) under models A (b/B = 1/12), B (b/B = 1/8), C (b/B = 1/6), D (b/B = 5/24), and E (b/B = 1/4). The dimensional analysis revealed that b/B, the height of the flow on the crest of the weir to the height of the weir crest (h/P), the Reynolds number (Re), and the Weber number (We) are effective parameters for predicting the discharge coefficient of the slit weir. The experimental results indicated that the discharge coefficient is variable for different contraction ratios; the maximum average discharge coefficient was achieved at the lowest b/B (Model A), with a value of 0.72. The minimum average discharge coefficient obtained in Model B equals 0.639. In addition, former prediction equations were compared with the obtained experimental data, and the minimum, average, and maximum errors were calculated. Furthermore, a relationship was established for deriving the discharge coefficient in slit weirs with R2 = 0.9212, RMSE = 0.02244, and MAE = 0.0134 based on the obtained experimental data with four effective parameters, b/B, h/P, Re, and We. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary patterns provide comprehensive information about the food consumption habits within a population and how an individual’s dietary pattern may change with age. Aim: To evaluate the nutritional status and dietary patterns of the elderly in Thulamela municipality of Vhembe district, Limpopo province. Setting: Study was conducted in Thulamela municipality of Vhembe district, Limpopo province. Methods: This study included 300 elderly people recruited from Thulamela municipality of Vhembe district, Limpopo province. The municipality was randomly selected, and convenience sampling was used to choose elderly people. Body weight and height were measured using standard techniques. Body mass index (BMI) was determined and classified using BMI categories. Data on dietary patterns and dietary intake were collected using a food frequency questionnaire. Results: A total of 300 elderly people from villages participated in the study. About 38.6% of elderly people had a primary education, while 28.1% had a secondary education. The prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity was 2.0%, 34.0% and 17.0%, respectively. Less than half of the elderly people did not meet the reference intake of energy (p = 0.023). More than half of the elderly people did not meet the reference intake of protein, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamins B1, B12 and C. It was found that 13.7% of the elderly skipped breakfast every day. About 19.6% of the elderly ate supper sometimes, while 13.7% did not eat supper. Conclusion: The findings of the study revealed that most of the participants ate three main meals a day, with a minority skipping either breakfast or dinner or eating in between meals. The prevalence of underweight was low and that of overweight and obesity was high. Contribution: Poor food choices and physiological changes may reduce the inclusion of food rich in minerals and vitamins in the elderly’s diets and prompt the prevalence of malnutrition.

In the digital survey, the traditional opposition between uniqueness, authenticity, originality of reality and the multifaceted structure of multiplicative reproduction typical of the representation of architecture –through synthetic digital 3D models or realistic ones from SFM, interpretative syntheses of data visualization, physical models from rapid prototyping– it loses definition and becomes more and more vanishing. Although these are technical operations, in fact, in the various processing steps between acquisition and output the data gradually assumes states of greater or lesser proximity to the real data and a variable verisimilitude. The paper investigates in theoretical terms how the conceptual domain of the informative artifact declines the cloud populated by the terms ‘original’ ‘copy’, ‘clone’, ‘reproduction’, ‘model’ and uses the selected case study with technical exemplification, interrogating it innovatively by means of ‘plausible’ optimization by algorithms currently in the betaversion phase of development by the authors.

Kakap River Estuary plays an essential role in the life organisms, but it is vulnerable to environmental changes and pollution caused by human activities. This study aims to assess the presence of plankton species, their abundance and diversity as aquatic ecological bio-indicators in Kakap River Estuary. Plankton and water samples were taken for three months, with a frequency of one sample per month, viz. in March, April and June 2020 from four sampling stations in Kakap River Estuary, West Kalimantan. A total of 34 species of plankton were observed from all sampling sites, and identified to belong to 18 classes. Chlorophyceae had the highest relative abundance among the phytoplanktons (40.10%), followed by Bacillariophyceae (21.86%) and Cyanophyceae (19.28%). Oscillatoria sp. and Hydrodictyon sp. were the most dominant phytoplankton species. There were 8 classes of zooplankton identified from all sampling stations throughout the research period. Hexanauplia had the highest relative abundance among the zooplanktons (36.56%) followed by Euglenophyceae (24.37%). The plankton diversity index (H ′) values ranged between 2.33 -3.11. The plankton evenness index value ranged from 0.79 to 0.89 which indicates high plankton evenness at all samping stations, and this is supported by a low dominance index value at all stations ranging from 0.06-0.16. Station 1 had high Shannon-Wienner diversity index score, while for station 2, 3, 4, their scores were in the moderate level. Overall. the diversity index of the plankton from all sampling sites indicated that the quality of the water had no pollution to light pollution level. Keywords: Phytoplankton Zooplankton Water quality

Background: Micronutrient deficiency continues to be a major public health problem affecting infants and young children under 5 years of age worldwide. Aim: The study aims to investigate feeding practices and micronutrient status of children aged 0–36 months. Setting: The study was conducted at government clinics located in Thulamela Municipality, which is one of the local municipalities in Vhembe District, Limpopo province. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. A total of 250 mothers with children aged 0–36 months were enrolled. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the mothers. Biochemical measurements of children were assessed using standard procedures. Results: Only 7.6% of children were exclusively breastfed for 6 months. Majority (87.5%) of the children were introduced to complementary foods before 6 months and 98.8% of the children had a low dietary diversity score of less than four, while 9.2% had a dietary diversity score of more than four. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, anaemia and iron deficiency was 21.7%, 53.6% and 13.1%, respectively. For mothers who initiated breastfeeding immediately after delivery, the odds of children having low ferritin were 0.11 times, as compared to children who were initiated breastfeeding a day after delivery (odds ratio = 0.11; 95% confidence interval = 0.015–0.812). Conclusion: Most of the children were introduced to complementary foods earlier than 6 months of age. Infant feeding practices were associated with micronutrients status. Contribution: The study contributes to the body of literature on feeding practices and the micronutrient status of children.

Transgender or non-binary (TGNB) people are often present as protagonists of pornographic material. This study is the first to consider TGNB people as critical consumers of sexually explicit material. The sample included 212 self-identified TGNB individuals: 47.2% trans man/transmasculine, 15.6% trans woman/transfeminine and 37.3% non-binary. The online questionnaire consisted of a sociodemographic data collection, multiple-choice questions about preferences and habits concerning pornography, and open-ended questions about the sensations experienced when watching pornography, opinions on the representation of TGNB people in pornography, and their experience in watching pornographic videos with cisgender or TGNB protagonists. The answers were analyzed using the qualitative method of thematic analysis. We identified four themes that appeared across the responses: 1) heteronormativity and cisnormativity in pornography: the need for deconstructing the current cis-het-patriarchial normative and binary system, which dominates pornography except for the ethical porn industry, 2) cisgender pornography compared to TGNB pornography, 3) pleasurable sensations (e.g., identification and empowerment) associated with TGNB pornography, and 4) negative sensations (e.g., objectification and dysphoria) associated with TGNB pornography. Results are discussed in light of the objectification framework and the minority stress model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study assessed the iron and Vitamin A status of children aged 0 to 36 months in Thulamela municipality, Vhembe District. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 children aged 0 to 36 months attending well-baby clinic services with their mothers. Convenience sampling was used to select study participants, and simple random sampling was used to choose clinics. Data were gathered via a questionnaire administered by the researcher and field workers from August to September 2019. Standard techniques were used to measure body weight and height. In addition, serum retinol, haemoglobin, iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and transferrin levels were also assessed. Information on dietary diversity was gathered through a 24 h dietary recall. Results: The prevalence of underweight, wasting, and stunting was 3.6%, 2%, and 9.2%, respectively. Using serum retinol <10 µg/dL, 22% of children had vitamin A deficiency. The prevalence of anaemia was 53.6%, while 13.1% of children had iron deficiency anaemia when using serum ferritin of less than 12 μg/dL. Most children (90.8%) had an inadequate dietary diversity score, while 9.2% had sufficient dietary diversity. The most consumed food groups were grains, roots and tubers, vitamin A rich fruits and vegetable, and flesh foods. A higher percentage (44%) of children with low iron ferritin were underweight compared to those with normal iron ferritin (df = 1, p-value = 0.007). Conclusion: Iron, anaemia, and vitamin A deficiencies, accompanied by a high prevalence of stunting, were common among children in Thulamela Municipality. Thus, improving nutritional status in this area is a critical need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous literature suggested that individuals increase temporal and risk discounting at the presence of a proposer whose face is perceived as untrustworthy, suggesting the activation of protective choice patterns. By the way, the COVID-19 pandemic has substantially transformed the way we interact with other people, even bringing us into situations where the face of the person making a proposal is not fully visible, because of the mask. With the current study, we aimed at verifying if the effect of proposer’s facial (un)trustworthiness on discounting behavior is modulated by mask wearing. In two different experiments, participants performed traditional delay and probability discounting tasks with masked proposers manipulated across trustworthiness levels. Results highlighted that, even after checking for subject-specific emotion recognition ability with masked faces, the presence of a masked untrustworthy proposer increases both delay and probability discounting parameters, although the effect is not statistically significant and smaller than the one detected at the presence of an untrustworthy proposer without a mask. These results suggest that the ability to perceive the proposer’s (un)trustworthiness is affected by the mask, with a consequent less strong effect of proposer’s (un)trustworthiness on choice behavior on both intertemporal and risky choices. Limits and possible implications are outlined and discussed.