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Abstract Late Holocene relative sea-level (RSL) data are important to understand the drivers of RSL change, but there is a lack of precise RSL records from the Sunda Shelf. Here, we produced a Late Holocene RSL reconstruction from coral microatolls in Singapore, demonstrating for the first time the utility of Diploastrea heliopora microatolls as sea-level indicators. We produced 12 sea-level index points and three marine limiting data with a precision of

Abstract Air pollution poses a significant threat to the health of the environment and human well-being. The air quality index (AQI) is an important measure of air pollution that describes the degree of air pollution and its impact on health. Therefore, accurate and reliable prediction of the AQI is critical but challenging due to the non-linearity and stochastic nature of air particles. This research aims to propose an AQI prediction hybrid deep learning model based on the Attention Convolutional Neural Networks (ACNN), Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO)-enhanced-Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and XGBoost modelling techniques. Daily air quality data were collected from the official Seoul Air registry for the period 2021 to 2022. The data were first preprocessed through the ARIMA model to capture and fit the linear part of the data and followed by a hybrid deep learning architecture developed in the pretraining–finetuning framework for the non-linear part of the data. This hybrid model first used convolution to extract the deep features of the original air quality data, and then used the QPSO to optimize the hyperparameter for LSTM network for mining the long-terms time series features, and the XGBoost model was adopted to fine-tune the final AQI prediction model. The robustness and reliability of the resulting model were assessed and compared with other widely used models and across meteorological stations. Our proposed model achieves up to 31.13% reduction in MSE, 19.03% reduction in MAE and 2% improvement in R-squared compared to the best appropriate conventional model, indicating a much stronger magnitude of relationships between predicted and actual values. The overall results show that the attentive hybrid deep Quantum inspired Particle Swarm Optimization model is more feasible and efficient in predicting air quality index at both city-wide and station-specific levels.

Aortic dissection is a catastrophic failure of the endothelial wall that could lead to malperfusion or rupture. Computational modelling tools may help detect arterial damage. Technological advancements have led to more sophisticated forms of modelling being made available to low-grade computers. These devices can create 3D models with clinical data, where the clinical blood pressure waveforms’ model can be used to form boundary conditions for assessing hemodynamic parameters, modelling blood flow propagation along the aorta to predict the development of cardiovascular disease. This study presents patient-specific data for a rare case of severe Type A aortic dissection. CT scan images were taken nine months apart, consisting of the artery both before and after dissection. The results for the pre-dissection CT showed that the pressure waveform at the ascending aorta was higher, and the systolic pressure was lagging at the descending aorta. For the post-dissection analysis, we observed the same outcome; however, the amplitude for the waveform (systolic pressure) at the ascending aorta increased in the false lumen by 25% compared to the true lumen by 3%. Also, the waveform peak (systolic) was leading by 0.01 s. The hemodynamic parameter of wall shear stress (WSS) predicted the aneurysm’s existence at the ascending aorta, as well as potential aortic dissection. The high WSS contours were located at the tear location at the peak blood flow of 0.14 s, which shows the potential of this tool for earlier diagnosis of aortic dissection.

Abstract Background Babesia is a protozoal, tick-borne parasite that can cause life-threatening disease in humans, wildlife and domestic animals worldwide. However, in Southeast Asia, little is known about the prevalence and diversity of Babesia species present in wildlife and the tick vectors responsible for its transmission. Recently, a novel Babesia species was reported in confiscated Sunda pangolins (Manis javanica) in Thailand. To investigate the presence of this parasite in Singapore, we conducted a molecular survey of Babesia spp. in free-roaming Sunda pangolins and their main ectoparasite, the Amblyomma javanense tick. Methods Ticks and tissue samples were opportunistically collected from live and dead Sunda pangolins and screened using a PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia spp. DNA barcoding of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial gene was used to confirm the species of ticks that were Babesia positive. Results A total of 296 ticks and 40 tissue samples were obtained from 21 Sunda pangolins throughout the 1-year study period. Babesia DNA was detected in five A. javanense ticks (minimum infection rate = 1.7%) and in nine different pangolins (52.9%) located across the country. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Babesia 18S sequences obtained from these samples grouped into a single monophyletic clade together with those derived from Sunda pangolins in Thailand and that this evolutionarily distinct species is basal to the Babesia sensu stricto clade, which encompasses a range of Babesia species that infect both domestic and wildlife vertebrate hosts. Conclusions This is the first report documenting the detection of a Babesia species in A. javanense ticks, the main ectoparasite of Sunda pangolins. While our results showed that A. javanense can carry this novel Babesia sp., additional confirmatory studies are required to demonstrate vector competency. Further studies are also necessary to investigate the role of other transmission pathways given the low infection rate of ticks in relation to the high infection rate of Sunda pangolins. Although it appears that this novel Babesia sp. is of little to no pathogenicity to Sunda pangolins, its potential to cause disease in other animals or humans cannot be ruled out. Graphical abstract

COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced in children and adolescents in many countries. However, high levels of community transmission and infection-derived immunity make the decision to introduce COVID-19 vaccination of children in countries yet to do so particularly challenging. For example, other vaccine preventable diseases, including measles and polio, generally have far higher childhood morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) than COVID-19, and coverage with these vaccines has declined during the pandemic. Many countries are yet to introduce pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines for children, which prevent common causes of childhood death, or human papillomavirus vaccine for adolescents. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines that have been widely tested in children and adolescents had a positive risk-benefit profile at the time they were tested. However, the benefit is less compared with other life-saving vaccines in this age group, particularly in LMICs and settings with widespread infection-derived immunity. The resources required for rollout may also pose a considerable challenge in LMICs. In this paper, we describe COVID-19 in children, with a focus on LMICs, and summarise the published literature on safety, efficacy and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents. We highlight the complexity of decision-making regarding COVID-19 vaccination of children now that most of this low-risk population benefit from infection-derived immunity. We emphasise that at-risk groups should be prioritised for COVID-19 vaccination; and that if COVID-19 vaccines are introduced for children, the opportunity should be taken to improve coverage of routine childhood vaccines and preventative healthcare. Additionally, we highlight the paucity of epidemiological data in LMICs, and that for future epidemics, measures need to be taken to ensure equitable access to safe and efficacious vaccines before exposure to infection.

The North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent area (STCC) is high in mesoscale eddy activities. According to the rotation direction of the eddy flow field and the sign of temperature anomaly within the eddy, they can be divided into four categories: cyclonic cold-core eddy (CCE), anticyclonic warm-core eddy (AWE), cyclonic warm-core eddy (CWE) and anticyclonic cold-core eddy (ACE). CCE and AWE are called normal eddies, and CWE and ACE are named abnormal eddies. Based on the OFES data and vector geometry automatic detection method, we find that at the sea surface, the maximum monthly number of the CCE, AWE, CWE, and ACE occurs in December (765.70 ± 52.05), January (688.20 ± 82.53), August (373.40 ± 43.09) and August (533.00 ± 56.92), respectively. The number of normal eddies is more in winter and spring, and less in summer and autumn, while abnormal eddies have the opposite distribution. The maximum rotation velocity of the four types of eddies appears in June (11.71 ± 0.75 cm/s), June (12.24 ± 0.86 cm/s), May (10.63 ± 0.99 cm/s) and June (9.97 ± 0.91 cm/s), which is fast in winter and spring. The moving speed of the four types of eddies is almost similar (about 10 ~ 11 cm/s). The amplitude of normal and abnormal eddies is both high in summer and autumn, and low in winter and spring, with larger amplitudes in normal than abnormal eddies. The eccentricity (defined as the eccentricity of the ellipse obtained by fitting the eddy boundary) of the four types of eddies is also close to each other, and their variation ranges from 0.7 to 0.8, with no apparent seasonal variation. The vertical penetration depth, which has no significant seasonal difference, is 675.13 ± 67.50 m in cyclonic eddies (CCE and CWE), which is deeper than that 622.32 ± 81.85 m in anticyclonic eddies (ACE and AWE). In addition, increasing the defined temperature threshold for abnormal eddies can significantly reduce their numbers but does not change their seasonal variation trend.

Over the past decade, marine heatwaves (MHWs) research has been conducted in almost all of the world’s oceans, and their catastrophic effects on the marine environment have gradually been recognized. Using the second version of the Optimal Interpolated Sea Surface Temperature analysis data (OISSTV2) from 1982 to 2014, this study analyzes six MHWs characteristics in the Western North Pacific and Chinese Coastal region (WNPCC, 100°E ∼ 180°E, 0° ∼ 65°N). MHWs occur in most WNPCC areas, with an average frequency, duration, days, cumulative intensity, maximum intensity, and mean intensity of 1.95 ± 0.21 times/year, 11.38 ± 1.97 days, 22.06 ± 3.84 days, 18.06 ± 7.67 °Cdays, 1.84 ± 0.50°C, and 1.49 ± 0.42 °C, respectively, in the historical period (1982 ~ 2014). Comparing the historical simulation results of 19 models of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) with the OISSTV2 observations, five best-performing models (GFDL-CM4, GFDL-ESM4, AWI-CM-1-1-MR, EC-Earth3-Veg, and EC-Earth3) are selected for MHWs projection (2015 ~ 2100). The MHWs characteristics projections from these five models are analyzed in detail under the Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP) 1-2.6, 2-4.5 and 5-8.5 scenarios. The projected MHWs characteristics under SSP5-8.5 are more considerable than those under SSP1-2.6 and 2-4.5, except for the MHWs frequency. The MHWs cumulative intensity is 96.36 ± 56.30, 175.44 ± 92.62, and 385.22 ± 168.00 °Cdays under SSP1-2.6, 2-4.5 and 5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. This suggests that different emission scenarios have a crucial impact on MHW variations. Each MHWs characteristic has an obvious increasing trend except for the annual occurrences. The increase rate of MHWs cumulative intensity for these three scenarios is 1.02 ± 0.83, 3.83 ± 1.43, and 6.70 ± 2.61 °Cdays/year, respectively. The MHWs occurrence area in summer is slightly smaller than in winter, but the MHWs average intensity is stronger in summer than in winter.

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) imposes a significant burden on the global community due to its high case fatality rate (4-20%) and the risk of long-term sequelae for one in five survivors. An expert group meeting was held to discuss the epidemiology of IMD and immunization policies in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Most of these countries do not include meningococcal immunization in their routine vaccination programs, except for high-risk groups such as immunocompromised people and pilgrims. It is difficult to estimate the epidemiology of IMD in the highly diverse Asia-Pacific region, but available evidence indicate serogroup B is increasingly dominant. Disease surveillance systems differ by country. IMD is not a notifiable disease in some of them. Without an adequate surveillance system in the region, the risk and the burden of IMD might well be underestimated. With the availability of new combined meningococcal vaccines and the World Health Organization roadmap to defeat bacterial meningitis by 2030, a better understanding of the epidemiology of IMD in the Asia-Pacific region is needed.

The North Pacific Subtropical Countercurrent (STCC) region has high mesoscale eddy activities due to its complex circulation structure. This study divides these mesoscale eddies into four types: cyclonic cold-core eddy (CCE), anticyclonic warm-core eddy (AWE), cyclonic warm-core eddy (CWE), and anticyclonic cold-core eddy (ACE) according to the rotation direction of the eddy flow field and the sign of average temperature anomaly within the eddy after spatial high-pass filtering. CCE and ACE are called normal eddies, while CWE and ACE are named abnormal eddies. Using eddy-resolving model data (OFES), this work finds that the abnormal eddy phenomenon mainly occurs in the ocean’s upper layer. The eddy number proportion for CCEs, AWEs, CWEs, and ACEs at the sea surface is 35.60, 32.08, 12.95, and 19.37%. The corresponding average radius is 79.14 ± 3.7, 83.34 ± 3.75, 73.74 ± 4.14, and 79.46 ± 3.89 km, respectively. Each type of eddy’s average amplitude is about 3 cm. Regarding the eddy average eccentricity, the four types of eddies have very close eccentricities, with a range of 0.73 ~ 0.76. If the types of eddies are not distinguished, the eddies generated north of 21°N tend to move southward, while eddies generated south of that latitude tend to move northward. The depth of CCEs, AWEs, CWEs, and ACEs with average eddy nonlinearity larger than one is concentrated in the ocean’s upper layer at 109.0, 116.0, 159.0, and 52.0 m, respectively. This study deepens the understanding of the spatial distribution characteristics of mesoscale eddies in the STCC region.

This study analyses the spatiotemporal variability of meteorological drought over Africa and its nine climate subregions from an ensemble of 19 multisource datasets (gauge-based, satellite-based and reanalysis) over the period 1983–2014. The standardized precipitation index (SPI) is used to represent drought on a 3-month scale. We analyse various drought characteristics (duration, events, frequency, intensity, and severity) for all drought months, and moderate, severe, and extreme drought conditions. The results show that drought occurs across the continent, with the equatorial regions displaying more negative SPI values, especially for moderate and severe droughts. On the other hand, Eastern Sahara and Western Southern Africa portray less negative SPI values. The study also reveals that extreme drought months have the largest interannual variability, followed by all drought months and severe drought months. The trend analysis of SPI shows a significantly increasing trend in drought episodes over most regions of Africa, especially tropical areas. Drought characteristics vary greatly across different regions of Africa, with some areas experiencing longer and more severe droughts than others. The equatorial region has the highest number of drought events, with longer durations for severe and extreme drought months. The Eastern Sahara region has a low number of drought events but with longer durations for moderate, severe, and extreme drought months, leading to an overall higher drought severity over the area. In contrast, Western Southern Africa and Madagascar display a consistently low drought severity for all categories. The study demonstrates the importance of conducting drought analysis for different drought levels instead of using all drought months. Drought management and adaptation strategies need to enhance community resilience to changing drought situations and consider drought variability in order to mitigate different impacts of drought across the continent.

Every year, there are about 13.3 million cases of acute kidney injury (AKI). Although AKI is a preventable and treatable disease, if left untreated, it has high risk of multiple organ failure and progression to end stage kidney disease. Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) has been recognised as one of the major causes of AKI. Till to date, there is no effective supplement or medication in treating or reversing AKI. Most of the treatment strategies involve preventative measure to minimise the occurrence of AKI or to reverse the cause of AKI. Hence one of the primary area of research interests is to explore the potential treatment for AKI. Edible bird nests (EBN) are edible food produce by the swiftlet’s saliva, which is rich in sialic acids. Sialic acids are monosaccharides that play a vital role in maintaining the integrity and proper function of the human organs, including kidneys. EBN also contains epidermal growth factor, which is widely believed to have rejuvenation and tissue repairing properties. We initiate this study to study the potential reno-protective effect of edible bird’s nests by studying the Wistar rat model of gentamicin-induced AKI. Besides renal profiles, renal histology was also semiquantitatively assessed. In our study, pre-treatment with EBN prevented and ameliorated the gentamicin-induced AKI. To a lesser extent, post-treatment with EBN also protected the kidney from the toxic effect of gentamicin. Our findings are highly indicative that EBN possesses reno-protective properties.

New urban strategies encourage compact city and higher density urban development due to unprecedented city growth and rapid urbanisation. This has led to greater attention to multi-dimensional representation, modelling and analytics of urban settings among urban planners, decision makers, and researchers. Nowadays, urban planning and urban design practitioners and scholars leverage the advancements in computer technology and multi-dimensional visualisation in examining the development scenarios from physical, environmental, social, and economic aspects. However, many urban planners still rely on two-dimensional (2D) land information and urban designers use three-dimensional (3D) graphic-based engines to asses a proposed building or assess the impact of changing development regulations. This limits the decision makers from a holistic approach through integrating the urban systems with other application domains such as transport, environmental, and disaster management to ensure the liveability of cities. This paper describes the design, and development of a multi-dimensional and spatially enabled platform to support liveability planning in Singapore. A Quantitative Urban Environment Simulation Tool (QUEST), developed in Singapore, leveraged 3D mapping data captured under the Singapore Land Authority’s (SLA) 3D National Topographic Mapping project. SLA's 3D data including Building Information Model (BIM), CityGML, and other geospatial data (building footprints and land use) were processed and adapted as a service for a series of urban analytics. The paper concludes that the prerequisites for any urban environmental simulation system to be integrated with other application domains are 3D mapping data and a digital urban model, which must be spatially accurate and based on open data standards.

With the increasing number of satellite altimeters in orbit, the effective resolution of merged multiple satellite altimetry data can be improved. We implement a two-dimensional variational (2-DVar) method to merge multiple satellite altimetry data and produce a daily gridded absolute dynamic topography (ADT) dataset with a grid size of 0.08 degrees. We conduct an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE), and the results show that the merged ADT dataset has an effective resolution of about 210 km. Compared with an independent sea surface temperature (SST) data, fine-scale structures can also be observed in the geostrophic flow of the new dataset. A relationship between effective resolution and the radius of a detected eddy is established and used for eddy analysis in the East China Sea (ECS) region. We observe that eddies in the open ocean are more numerous, have larger radii and live longer than those in other areas.

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) affects one in six births worldwide. Mothers with GDM have an increased risk of developing post-partum Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). However, their uptake of post-partum diabetes screening is suboptimal, including those in Singapore. Literature reports that the patient-doctor relationship, mothers' concerns about diabetes, and family-related practicalities are key factors influencing the uptake of such screening. However, we postulate additional factors related to local society, healthcare system, and policies in influencing post-partum diabetes screening among mothers with GDM.Aim: The qualitative research study aimed to explore the facilitators and barriers to post-partum diabetes screening among mothers with GDM in an Asian community.Methods: In-depth interviews were carried out on mothers with GDM at a public primary care clinic in Singapore. Mothers were recruited from those who brought their child for vaccination appointments and their informed consent was obtained. Both mothers who completed post-partum diabetes screening within 12 weeks after childbirth and those who did not were purposively recruited. The social ecological model (SEM) provides the theoretical framework to identify facilitators and barriers at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, and policy levels.Results: Twenty multi-ethnic Asian mothers with GDM were interviewed. At the individual and interpersonal level, self-perceived risk of developing T2DM, understanding the need for screening and the benefits of early diagnosis, availability of confinement nanny in Chinese family, alternate caregivers, emotional, and peer support facilitated post-partum diabetes screening. Barriers included fear of the diagnosis and its consequences, preference for personal attention and care to child, failure to find trusted caregiver, competing priorities, and unpleasant experiences with the oral glucose tolerance test. At the organizational and public policy level, bundling of scheduled appointments, and standardization of procedure eased screening but uptake was hindered by inconvenient testing locations, variable post-partum care practices and advice in the recommendations for diabetes screening.Conclusion: Based on the SEM, facilitators and barriers towards post-partum diabetes screening exist at multiple levels, with some contextualized to local factors. Interventions to improve its uptake should be multi-pronged, targeting not only at personal but also familial, health system, and policy factors to ensure higher level of success.

Here, the authors fabricate a device that integrates multiple computer-generated holograms into a single colour print. Under white light, a colour image is seen, whereas illumination with a red, green, or blue beam from a handheld laser pointer projects three different holograms onto a distant screen.