Resource allocation in a collaborative reforestation value chain: Optimisation with multi-objective models.

The reforestation value chain depends on the selection of qualified seeds supplied from various sources to ensure the successful growth, as each reforestation site has particular ecological parameters. The reforestation process usually involves many partners from different organisations, increasing the complexity of seed allocation. This research addresses seed allocation in a collaborative, make-to-order reforestation value chain.

In-situ Field Gamma Spectrometry in a Radionuclide Air Sampler.

The work being presented is on the development of a system to measure the speciation of airborne radionuclide emissions from the environment during a nuclear emergency. On-site air sampling measurements that were conducted during the Fukushima Daiichi accident were limited because field teams had to be sent out to run the sampling systems and retrieve the filters for gamma spectrometry analysis in a separate laboratory. The start of air sampling was delayed, and it was impossible for emergency responders to use the information about the airborne radionuclide composition in a timely way.

Stakeholder Perspectives on COVID-19 and Household Water Access in Vulnerable Communities in the Mekong Region.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of safe access to sufficient clean water in vulnerable communities, renewing interest in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs and related targets under Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). The purpose of this study was to better understand the obstacles to water access in vulnerable communities and identify ways they might be addressed in five countries in the Mekong Region (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam). To this end, qualitative interviews with 50 government officials and development or health experts were complimented with a quantitative survey of the experiences and views of individuals in 15 vulnerable communities.

COVID-19 and household water insecurities in vulnerable communities in the Mekong Region.

Unlabelled: Access to sufficient clean water is important for reducing the risks from COVID-19. It is unclear, however, what influence COVID-19 has had on water insecurities. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between COVID-19 control measures and household water insecurities.

Climate change and Indigenous mental health in the Circumpolar North: A systematic review to inform clinical practice.

Climate change is disproportionally impacting the Circumpolar North, with particular impacts among Indigenous populations. Environmental changes are felt in many aspects of daily life of Northern communities, including both physical and mental health. Thus, health institutions from around the Arctic must meet emerging needs, while the phenomenon remains marginal to their southern counterparts.

Dispersion Simulations of Radon Discharges between Neighboring Buildings and Their Sensitivity to Meteorology, Discharge Rate, and Building Geometry.

In northern climates, it is common to install the discharges of radon sub-slab depressurization systems near ground level. However, this also elevates the ground level outdoor radon concentrations and raises the possibility of radon re-entrainment into homes. The study aims to assess outdoor radon concentrations near above-ground-level discharges along the surfaces of an emitting building and its close neighbor and identify parameters that most influence the dilution.

Shan Migrant Sex Workers Living with HIV Who Remain Active in Sexual Entertainment Venues in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Migrant female sex workers (MFSW) are at a high and increasing risk of HIV infection and may also be a source of transmission. In Northern Thailand, most MSFW are Shan ethnic nationals from Myanmar. This study aims to understand how the risks of HIV infection and transmission are perceived and acted upon by Shan MFSW living with HIV who remain active in sex work.

Explaining Intentions by Vietnamese Schoolchildren to Adopt Pro-Environmental Behaviors in Response to Climate Change Using Theories of Persuasive Communication.

Climate change adaptation capacity remains low among vulnerable communities in developing countries such as Vietnam. Vector-borne diseases as dengue fever are increasing as a result of changing weather patterns. This study aims to examine the impact of key psychological variables in the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Theory of Planned Behavior, an Extended Parallel Process Model and the Social Cognitive Theory on the intention of schoolchildren to engage in climate change adaptation behavior-in this study, practices which would help reduce the risks of contracting dengue fever.

Water Use by Inland Aquaculture in Thailand: Stakeholder Perceptions, Scientific Evidence, and Public Policy.

This paper assesses the significance of stakeholder discourses on uses of water by aquaculture for public policy. Our discourse analysis focuses on the experiences with inland aquaculture in Thailand, drawing from interviews with stakeholders, and evidence in public documents such as newspapers and television news reports. A key finding is that fish farms suffer significant losses from polluted run-off entering water bodies where fish are grown.

Multi-Material Direct Ink Writing (DIW) for Complex 3D Metallic Structures with Removable Supports.

Direct ink writing (DIW) combined with post-deposition thermal treatments is a safe, cheap, and accessible additive manufacturing (AM) method for the creation of metallic structures. Single-material DIW enables the creation of complex metallic 3D structures featuring overhangs, lengthy bridges, or enclosed hollows, but requires the printing supporting structures. However, the support printed from the same material becomes inseparable from the building structure after the thermal treatment.

Renal hypothermia during partial nephrectomy for patients with renal tumours: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol.

Introduction: Partial nephrectomy is a standard of care for non-metastatic renal tumours when technically feasible. Despite the increased use of partial nephrectomy, intraoperative techniques that lead to optimal renal function after surgery have not been rigorously studied. Clamping of the renal hilum to prevent bleeding during resection causes temporary renal ischaemia.

A MCREXS modelling approach for the simulation of a radiological dispersal device.

Assessing the risks of radioactive dose in a radiological dispersal device (RDD) attack requires knowledge of how the radiological materials will be spread through the air surrounding the site of the detonation. Two essential parts of the accurate prediction of the behaviour of this dispersion are a characterization of the initial cloud size, directly after the blast, and detailed modelling of the behaviour of different size particulates. Capturing the transport of contaminants from the initial blast wave is integral to achieving accurate predictions, especially for regions where the blast dynamics dominates, but performing such calculations over a wide range of particle sizes and spatial scales is computationally challenging.

Impacts, Perceptions and Management of Climate-Related Risks to Cage Aquaculture in the Reservoirs of Northern Thailand.

Weather is suspected to influence fish growth and survival, and be a factor in mass mortality events in cage aquaculture in reservoirs. The purpose of this study was to identify the important climate-related risks faced by cage aquaculture farms; evaluate how these risks were currently being managed; and explore how farmers might adapt to the effects of climate change. Fish farmers were interviewed across the northern region of Thailand to get information on impacts, perceptions and practices.

Crafting usable knowledge for sustainable development.

This paper distills core lessons about how researchers (scientists, engineers, planners, etc.) interested in promoting sustainable development can increase the likelihood of producing usable knowledge. We draw the lessons from both practical experience in diverse contexts around the world and from scholarly advances in understanding the relationships between science and society.

Radiation Modeling and Finite Cloud Effects for Atmospheric Dispersion Calculations in Near-field Applications: Modeling of the Full Scale RDD Experiments with Operational Models in Canada, Part II.

Three radiological dispersal devices were detonated in 2012 under controlled conditions at Defence Research and Development Canada's Experimental Proving Grounds in Suffield, Alberta. Each device comprised a 35-GBq source of (140)La. The dataset obtained is used in this study to assess the MLCD, ADDAM, and RIMPUFF atmospheric dispersion models.

The Sensitivity of Atmospheric Dispersion Calculations in Near-field Applications: Modeling of the Full Scale RDD Experiments with Operational Models in Canada, Part I.

Three radiological dispersal devices were detonated in 2012 under controlled conditions at Defence Research and Development Canada's Experimental Proving Grounds in Suffield, Alberta. Each device comprised a 35-GBq source of (140)La. The dataset obtained is used in this study to assess the MLCD, ADDAM, and RIMPUFF atmospheric dispersion models.

Deposition Measurements From the Full-Scale Radiological Dispersal Device Field Trials.

In 2012, Defence Research and Development Canada led a series of experiments, titled the Full-Scale Radiological Dispersal Device Field Trials, in which short-lived radioactive material was explosively dispersed and the resulting plume and deposition were characterized through a variety of methods. Presented here are the results of a number of measurements that were taken to characterize the radioactive ground deposition. These included in situ gamma measurements, deposition filter samples, and witness plate measurements that were taken in situ with handheld beta survey meters.

Real Time in Situ Gamma Radiation Measurements of the Plume Evolution from the Full-Scale Radiological Dispersal Device Field Trials.

During the Full-Scale Radiological Dispersal Device Field Trials carried out in Suffield in 2012, several suites of detection and sampling equipment were used to measure and characterize the explosive dispersal of the short half-life radioactive tracer Lanthanum-140 ((140)La). The equipment deployed included networks of in situ real-time radiation monitoring detectors providing measurements of different sensitivities and characteristics. A dense array of lower sensitivity detectors was established near field, ranging from 10 to 450 m from the detonation location.

Overview of the Full-scale Radiological Dispersal Device Field Trials.

In 2012, Defence Research and Development Canada, in partnership with a number of other Canadian and International organizations, led a series of three field trials designed to simulate a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD). These trials, known as the Full-Scale RDD (FSRDD) Field Trials, involved the explosive dispersal of a short-lived radioactive tracer ((140)La, t1/2 = 40.293 h).

Removing the thermal component from heart rate provides an accurate VO2 estimation in forest work.

Heart rate (HR) was monitored continuously in 41 forest workers performing brushcutting or tree planting work. 10-min seated rest periods were imposed during the workday to estimate the HR thermal component (ΔHRT) per Vogt et al. (1970, 1973).

Radioiodine in the atmosphere after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident.

About 160 PBq of (131)I was released into the atmosphere during the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The chemistry of radioiodine is complicated, and it can be released in several different forms. In addition, the different physical forms, like molecular iodine, aerosol-form iodine, or organic iodine, would have all behaved differently once in the atmosphere, and would have been removed at different rates.

Planning for Production of Freshwater Fish Fry in a Variable Climate in Northern Thailand.

Provision of adequate numbers of quality fish fry is often a key constraint on aquaculture development. The management of climate-related risks in hatchery and nursery management operations has not received much attention, but is likely to be a key element of successful adaptation to climate change in the aquaculture sector. This study explored the sensitivities and vulnerability of freshwater fish fry production in 15 government hatcheries across Northern Thailand to climate variability and evaluated the robustness of the proposed adaptation measures.

Levofloxacin for BK virus prophylaxis following kidney transplantation: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance: BK virus infection is a significant complication of modern immunosuppression used in kidney transplantation. Viral reactivation occurs first in the urine (BK viruria) and is associated with a high risk of transplant failure. There are currently no therapies to prevent or treat BK virus infection.

Manufacturing of three-dimensionally microstructured nanocomposites through microfluidic infiltration.

Microstructured composite beams reinforced with complex three-dimensionally (3D) patterned nanocomposite microfilaments are fabricated via nanocomposite infiltration of 3D interconnected microfluidic networks. The manufacturing of the reinforced beams begins with the fabrication of microfluidic networks, which involves layer-by-layer deposition of fugitive ink filaments using a dispensing robot, filling the empty space between filaments using a low viscosity resin, curing the resin and finally removing the ink. Self-supported 3D structures with other geometries and many layers (e.

Quinolone prophylaxis for the prevention of BK virus infection in kidney transplantation: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: BK virus infection has emerged as a major complication in kidney transplantation leading to a significant reduction in graft survival. There are currently no proven strategies to prevent or treat BK virus infection. Quinolone antibiotics, such as levofloxacin, have demonstrated activity against BK virus.