Obesity and High Blood Pressure among Professional Long-Distance Drivers in Yaoundé, Cameroon: Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Drivers play a very important role in the transportation of people, goods and services in Cameroon. The data on obesity and hypertension amongst these professionals is insufficient. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of obesity and high blood pressure (HBP) among professional bus drivers in Yaoundé. Methods: This was an analytic cross-sectional study among long-distance bus drivers stationed in Yaoundé between march and April 2018. The data collected focused on driving history, eating habits, driver’s lifestyle, and anthropometric measurements. The analysis was completed using SPSS 21 software;STATA 13;SPAD 5.5 and Excel. Results: Of the 309 drivers, 27.18% and 17.80% were obese and hypertensive, respectively. The risk of developing HBP and obesity was higher among drivers with ≥20 years of driving experience. The risk of obesity was 3.99 (95% CI = 1.65 - 9.64);14.57 (95% CI = 3.65 - 58.16) and 15.23 (95% CI = 3.30 - 70.40) times higher in drivers with 10 - 14, 15 - 19 and 20 years of experience respectively. The risk of HBP was 3.64 (95% CI = 1.22 - 10.85);5.08 (95% CI = 1.18 - 21.92) and 9.42 (95% CI = 1.87 - 47.44) times higher in drivers with 10 - 14;15 - 19 years and 20 years of service, respectively. The more involved the drivers were in sporting activities, the less likely they are to be obese (RR = 0.46;95% CI = 0.24 - 0.88);the risk of HBP was 1.96 (95% CI = 1.05 - 3.67) times higher among drivers who were unable to make trips of at least 10 minutes. And the risk of HBP was less when drivers did not snack while traveling (RR = 0.43;95% CI = 0.21 - 0.90) than when they did. When a driver ate at least 3 meals a day, the risk of being obese was 5.75 (95% CI = 3.15 - 10.48) times higher. The risk of HBP was 4.04 (95% CI = 2.20 - 7.41) times higher in obese drivers than in those with a normal body mass index. Conclusion: Obesity and HBP are common conditions amongst the population of bus drivers. They are particularly exposed due to their socio-professional characteristics, their eating habits, and their lifestyle. These observations call for nutritional and sports education campaigns among bus drivers.

Characteristics of long-distance mobile mRNAs from shoot to root in grafted plant species

Thousands of long-distance mobile mRNAs were identified from different grafting systems,based on high-throughput sequencing technology.Moreover,the long-distance delivery of RNAs was proved to involve multiple mechanisms.Here,we analyzed the homology,motif,and tRNA-like structure(TLS)of long-distance mobile mRNAs identified by RNA-seq as well as the RNA-binding protein(RBP)in nine grafting combinations including Arabidopsis thaliana,Vitis vinifera,Cucumis sativus,Citrullus lanatus,Nicotiana benthamiana,Malus domestica,Pyrus spp.,Glycine max and Phaseolus vulgaris.Although several mRNAs were found to be shared in herbaceous,woody,and related species,the vast majority of long-distance mobile mRNAs were species-specific.Four non-specific movement-related motifs were identified,while the TLS was not necessary for mRNA long distance mobility.In addition,we found that RBPs were conserved among herbaceous and woody plants as well as related species.This paper reports a further in-depth analysis of the endogenous mechanisms by which the species-specific transportable m RNAs were selected by bioinformatics,in order to provide insights for future research on long-distance mobile mRNAs.

Securing offshore resources development:A mathematical investigation into gas leakage in long-distance flexible pipes

Gas flexible pipes are critical multi-layered equipment for offshore oil and gas development.Under high pressure conditions,small molecular components of natural gas dissolve into the polymer inner liner of the flexible pipes and further diffuse into the annular space,incurring annular pressure build-up and/or production of acidic environment,which poses serious challenges to the structure and integrity of the flexible pipes.Gas permeation in pipes is a complex phenomenon governed by various factors such as internal pressure and temperature,annular structure,external temperature.In a long-distance gas flexible pipe,moreover,gas permeation exhibits non-uniform features,and the gas permeated into the annular space flows along the metal gap.To assess the complex gas transport behavior in long-distance gas flexible pipes,a mathematical model is established in this paper considering the multiphase flow phenomena inside the flexible pipes,the diffusion of gas in the inner liner,and the gas seepage in the annular space under varying permeable properties of the annulus.In addition,the effect of a variable temperature is accounted.A numerical calculation method is accordingly constructed to solve the coupling mathematical equations.The annular permeability was shown to significantly influence the distribution of annular pressure.As permeability increases,the annular pressure tends to become more uniform,and the annular pressure at the wellhead rises more rapidly.After annular pressure relief followed by shut-in,the pressure increase follows a convex function.By simulating the pressure recovery pattern after pressure relief and comparing it with test results,we deduce that the annular permeability lies between 123 and 512 m D.The results help shed light upon assessing the annular pressure in long distance gas flexible pipes and thus ensure the security of gas transport in the emerging development of offshore resources.

Water hammer protection for diversion systems in front of pumps in long-distance water supply projects

For a water supply system with long-distance diversion pipelines, in addition to the water hammer problems that occur beyond pumps, the safety of the water diversion pipeline in front of pumps also deserves attention. In this study, a water hammer protection scheme combined with an overflow surge tank and a regulating valve was developed. A mathematical model of the overflow surge tank was developed, and an analytical formula for the height of the overflow surge tank was derived. Furthermore, a practical water supply project was used to evaluate the feasibility of the combined protection scheme and analyze the sensitivity of valve regulation rules. The results showed that the combined protection scheme effectively reduced the height of the surge tank, lessened the difficulties related to construction, and reduced the necessary financial investment for the project. The two-stage closing rule articulated as fast first and then slow could minimize the overflow volume of the surge tank when the power failure occurred, while the two-stage opening rule articulated as slow first and then fast could be more conducive to the safety of the water supply system when the pump started up.

Utilization of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections Prevention Services, and Associated Factors among the Long-Distance Truck Drivers along the Northern Corridor Highway, Kenya

Background: Often, long-distance truck drivers’ (LDTDs’) work predisposes them to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) whose outcomes are influenced by access and behavior of seeking sexual health care. Methodology: In this study, we assessed the utilization of HIV/STI preventive services and associated factors among 296 LDTDs operating along the northern corridor highway using an interviewer-administered questionnaire for data collection at Mlolongo stopover in Machakos, Kenya. Responses for the investigated variables, including condom use, history of HIV testing, frequency of HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART) use and follow-up for the HIV positive and STI treatment, were assigned a score of either 1 or 0 depending on the question’s dimension. Following summing up for each participant, we computed a weighted score ranging between 0 and 1 by dividing the summed responses by the number of eligible variables. We arbitrarily multiplied these scores by 8 to generate endpoint scores ranging from one to eight for each participant to help create a dichotomized outcome variable for utilization levels: limited utilization (1 to 4) and good utilization (5 to 8). Association between certain independent variables and the outcome variable (level of utilization of H.I.V./STIs preventive services) was analyzed using binomial logistic regression analysis in R statistical software. Results: The mean age of the LDTDs was 38.4 years, ranging from 24 - 57 years. The majority (n = 287, 97%) of the LDTDs had been tested on HIV at least once since the beginning of their career. Only 4.9% of the LDTDs had been tested on HIV within the previous three months. Of the 175 LDTDs who reported a history of STI, most (n = 173, 98.9%) of them had sought treatment. Condom use rates were higher (97.1%) among the LDTDs who had sexual interactions with casual sexual partners compared to 47.2% among regular sexual partners. Analyses classed most of the respondents (n = 231, 78.0%) as having good utilization, while the rest (22%) had limited utilization. History of STI was independently associated with utilizing HIV/STI preventive services (OR 8.4;95% CI;4.5, 16.7;P < 0.001). Conclusion: Although most of the LDTDs were classed to have good utilization of HIV/STI preventive services, the uptake of subsequent HIV testing services among them was low at only 4.9%. The association of STI history with utilization levels that we determined supports policies of integrating HIV and STI services in the delivery of sexual healthcare provision among LDTDs.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Relating to HIV among Motorbike Taxi Drivers in Parakou, Benin, in 2021

Background and Objective: HIV infection is a major global Public Health threat worldwide, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa of which Benin. The level of knowledge determines the attitudes and behaviors of the populations towards this infection. The study objective was to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices related to HIV infection among motorbike taxi drivers (MTD) in Parakou in 2021. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study targeting MTD in Parakou in 2021. Participants were selected by cluster sampling. Pretested Digitized questionnaire using KoboCollect@ applicationserved as a data collection tool. Knowledge, attitudes and practices variable were treated on a score scale. A knowledge score was considered to reflect a good knowledge of HIV if at least two-thirds of the knowledge statements had been correctly answered provided the subject recognized the sexual route as one of modes of HIV transmission, identified at least one preventive measure and meant the incurability of the disease. Quantitative and qualitative variables were appropriately described using the EPI Info 7.1.3.3 software. The participant was classified at positive attitude/practice for HIV prevention, when it has a score of at least 80% and suggests a good preventive measure face a risk of exposure to HIV. Results: A total of 374 subjects were recruited into the study. The mean age was 31.51 ± 7.76 years. Most participants (86.06%) had good knowledge of condom use as an HIV prevention method. The sources of information mentioned were mainly the media (77.07%), relatives or friends (63.38%), and field-workers from non-governmental organizations (37.26%). Routine HIV testing was 50.53%. Among participants, 76.10% reported at least two different sexual partners. Condom use was 59.18 % during the casual sexual intercourse. Within the client-provider relationship with female sex workers, 33.17% had had sexual intercourse with them. The sexual route was the most cited (92.99%), and 90.23% stated that HIV infection can be stabilized by medication in a health structure. Conclusion: The level of knowledge of motorbike taxi drivers in Parakou does not match their behavior with regard to HIV prevention. Appropriate strategies are needed to develop prevention skills in this population. To effectively comb at HIV, it will be necessary to strengthen the targeted HIV preventive interventions at key and bridge populations including motorbike taxi drivers in Benin.

Leading Pattern of Spring Drought Variability over East Asia and Associated Drivers

Drought events have become more frequent and intense over East Asia in recent decades,leading to huge socioeconomic impacts.Although the droughts have been studied extensively by cases or for individual regions,their leading variability and associated causes remain unclear.Based on the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index(SPEI)and ERA5 reanalysis product from 1979 to 2020,this study evealuates the severity of spring droughts in East Asia and investigates their variations and associated drivers.The results indicate that North China and Mongolia have experienced remarkable trends toward dryness during spring in recent decades,while southwestern China has witnessed an opposite trend toward wetness.The first Empirical Orthogonal Function mode of SPEI variability reveals a similar seesawing pattern,with more severe dryness in northwestern China,Mongolia,North China,South Korea,and Japan but increased wetness in Southwestern China and southeast Asia.Further investigation reveals that the anomalously dry(wet)surface in North(Southwestern)China is significantly associated with anomalously high(low)temperature,less(more)precipitation,and reduced(increased)soil moisture during the previous winter and early spring,regulated by an anomalous anticyclone(cyclone)and thus reduced(increased)water vapor convergence.The spring dry-wet pattern in East Asia is also linked to cold sea surface temperature anomalies in the central-eastern Pacific.The findings of this study have important implications for improving the prediction of spring drought events in East Asia.

Seroprevalence Survey of HIV and Hepatitis B Virus and Behavioral Characteristics among Heavy Truck Drivers along Port Sudan-Khartoum Highways

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) and hepatitis B virus among heavy truck drivers and their assistants has been well documented globally in correlation with their behavioral characteristics. The present study aimed to screen for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and behavioral characteristics among heavy truck drivers in Port Sudan. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 274 heavy truck drivers and their assistants who used the highway Port Sudan-Khartoum in Port Sudan city during 2019-2021. Data on behavioral characteristics and substance use habits were collected using a structured questionnaire, and an ELISA test was used to screen for HIV and HBV infections in the study participants. The chi-square test, odds ratio, and confidence intervals were used to find the association between behavioral characteristics and seropositive HIV/HBV. Of the 274 enrolled participants, the seroprevalence rates of HIV were 2.7% and HBV was 23.7%. Ninety-four (34.3%) of them had a history of high-risk sexual behavior outside of marriage;only two (0.7%) used condoms;14.2% of participants reported alcohol use;and 1.1% reported drug use. Univariate analysis revealed that having a sex history outside of marriage with ≥1 sex partner and never using a condom with a spouse or casual partner were significant risk factors for HIV and HBV among drivers. Fortunately, we found that most of the drivers reported low alcohol and drug use. Concerning this study, the seroprevalence of HIV and HBV is highly associated with a history of having sex outside of marriage and sexual behavior among truck drivers and assistances. Additional studies are needed to further investigate other STIs and behavioral characteristics associated with factors in truck drivers/assistance in different truck stop regions in Sudan.

OSMR is a potential driver of inflammation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease,and the molecular mechanism underlying its pathology remains poorly understood.However,inflammation is known to play an important role in the development of this condition.To identify driver genes that affect the inflammatory response in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,as well as potential treatment targets,it is crucial to analyze brain tissue samples from patients with both sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Therefore,in this study we used a network-driven gene analysis tool,NetBID2.0,which is based on SJARACNe,a scalable algorithm for the reconstruction of accurate cellular networks,to experimentally analyze sequencing data from patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.The results showed that the OSMR gene is pathogenic in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and participates in the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by mediating the neuroinflammatory response.Furthermore,there were differences in OSMR activity and expression between patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and those with C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.These findings suggest that OSMR may be a diagnostic and prognostic marker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

A Framework for Driver DrowsinessMonitoring Using a Convolutional Neural Network and the Internet of Things

One of the major causes of road accidents is sleepy drivers.Such accidents typically result in fatalities and financial losses and disadvantage other road users.Numerous studies have been conducted to identify the driver’s sleepiness and integrate it into a warning system.Most studies have examined how the mouth and eyelids move.However,this limits the system’s ability to identify drowsiness traits.Therefore,this study designed an Accident Detection Framework(RPK)that could be used to reduce road accidents due to sleepiness and detect the location of accidents.The drowsiness detectionmodel used three facial parameters:Yawning,closed eyes(blinking),and an upright head position.This model used a Convolutional Neural Network(CNN)consisting of two phases.The initial phase involves video processing and facial landmark coordinate detection.The second phase involves developing the extraction of frame-based features using normalization methods.All these phases used OpenCV and TensorFlow.The dataset contained 5017 images with 874 open eyes images,850 closed eyes images,723 open-mouth images,725 closed-mouth images,761 sleepy-head images,and 1084 non-sleepy head images.The dataset of 5017 images was divided into the training set with 4505 images and the testing set with 512 images,with a ratio of 90:10.The results showed that the RPK design could detect sleepiness by using deep learning techniques with high accuracy on all three parameters;namely 98%for eye blinking,96%for mouth yawning,and 97%for head movement.Overall,the test results have provided an overview of how the developed RPK prototype can accurately identify drowsy drivers.These findings will have a significant impact on the improvement of road users’safety and mobility.

Statistical Analysis of Accident Proneness of Drivers

A mathematical model describing the risks of road accidents has been built on the basis of statistical data of drivers’ accident rate. It has been revealed that drivers can be divided by the degree of their accident proneness into four categories with sharply differing probabilities of road accidents. It has been shown that there is a possibility of classification of drivers in accordance with specified categories.

Sonam Wangta:A Driver on the Worlds Highest Train Line

In midsummer,the banks of the Yarlung Zangbo River were covered in lush green.Bathed in the bright plateau sunshine,the Fuxing bullet train ran through the mountains and valleys like a long green dragon.In the cab,Sonam Wangdrak was holding the brake handle,his eyes fixed on the horizon ahead and his handsome face full of confidence.

Simulation of long-distance pipeline transportation properties of whole-tailings paste with high sliming

Based on Bingham rheological model,a three-dimensional numerical simulation model for long-distance pipeline transportation is established by computational fluid dynamics(CFD)to study the pipeline transportationproperties of high sliming paste from a copper mine in China.Based on the rheological properties test,the pressure and velocity of pipeline and elbow are simulated by CFD under different mass concentrations and different stowing capacities.The results show that the pipeline resistance of whole-tailings paste with high sliming while without pumping agent is much higher than that with high sliming and pumping agent at the same mass concentration,and the pipeline resistance of whole-tailings paste with high sliming while without pumping agent is much higher than that with low sliming while without pumping agent.It is very important to add pumping agent to whole-tailings paste with high sliming,and the resistance changes with mass concentration and stowing capacity at the same cement-to-sand ratio of1:5and tailings-to-waste ratio of6:1.However,the change is just limited,that is to say,the paste transportation system is of good stability.Furthermore,at the elbow,the maximum pressure and velocity transfer to the outside of the pipe from the inside.However,lubricating layer is formed at the pipe wall because of high content of fine particles in whole-tailings paste,which will protect the elbow from abrasion.CFD provides an intuitive and accurate basis for pipeline transportation study,and would have a wider application space in the study of paste rheological properties and resistance reduction methods.

Study on the Technology of Supplying Water Safely by Long-Distance Pipeline

The extensively built long-distance water transmission pipelines have become the main water sources for urban areas. To ensure the reliability and safety of the water supply, from the viewpoint of overall management, it would be necessary to establish a system of information management for the pipeline. The monitoring, calculating and analyzing functions of the system serve to give controlling instructions and safe operating rules to the automatic equipment and technician, making sure the resistance coefficient distribution along the pipeline is reasonable; the hydraulic state transition is smooth when operating conditions change or water supply accidents occur, avoiding the damage of water hammer. This paper covered the composition structures of the information management system of long-distance water transmission pipelines and the functions of the subsystems, and finally elaborated on the approaches and steps of building a mathematics model for the analysis of dynamic hydraulic status.

Study on the long-distance target apperception techniques for underwater vehicles

The limited physical size for autonomous underwater vehicles （AUV） or unmanned underwater vehicles （UUV） makes it difficult to acquire enough space gain for localizing long-distance targets. A new technique about long-distance target apperception with passive synthetic aperture array for underwater vehicles is presented. First, a synthetic aperture-processing algorithm based on the FFT transform in the beam space （BSSAP） is introduced. Then, the study on the flank array passive long-distance apperception techniques in the frequency scope of 11-18 kHz is implemented from the view of improving array gains, detection probability and augmenting detected range under a certain sea environment. The results show that the BSSAP algorithm can extend the aperture effectively and improve detection probability. Because of the augment of the transmission loss, the detected range has the trend of decline with the increase of frequency under the same target source level. The synthesized array could improve the space gain by nearly 7 dB and SNR is increased by about 5 dB. The detected range is enhanced to nearly 2 km under the condition of 108-118 dB of the target source level for AUV system in measurement interval of nearly 1 s.

Long-distance propagation of pseudo-partially coherent Gaussian Schell-model beams in atmospheric turbulence

Propagation properties of spatially pseudo-partially coherent Gaussian Schell-model beams through the atmo- spheric turbulence over a long-distance uplink path are studied by numerical simulation. A linear coordination trans- formation is introduced to overcome the window effect and the loss-of-resolution problem. The beam spreading, beam wandering, and intensity scintillation as functions of turbulence strength, source correlation length, and change fre- quency of random phase that models the partial coherence of the source are analyzed. It is found that the beam spreading and the intensity scintillation of the partially coherent beam are less affected by the turbulence than those of the coherent one, but it suffers from a more severe diffractive effect, and the change frequency of random phase has no evident influence on it. The beam wandering is insensitive to the variation of source correlation length, and decreases firstly then goes to a fixed value as the change frequency increases.

Improvement of heat-tolerance by training I. Evaluation of effects of long-distance running and march training on heat-tolerance

in order to verify the heat-tolerance effect, two trainings, 90 min marching with load (WBGT 24. 6～35.6℃) and 10 km running (WBGT 25.0～31.1℃) were performed in laboratory and field under hot climate.Ten to twelve times (days) of training were carried out

Influencing Factors of Seed Long-distance Dispersal on a Fragmented Forest Landscape on Changbai Mountains,China

Seed long-distance dispersal(LDD) events are typically rare, but are important in the population processes that determine large-scale forest changes and the persistence of species in fragmented landscapes. However, previous studies focused on species dispersed via animal-mediated LDD, and ignored those dispersed by wind. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of canopy openness, edge, seed source, and patch tree density on the LDD of seeds by wind in forest. We collected birch seeds, a typical wind-dispersed species, throughout a larch plantation. We then assessed the relationship between birch LDD and each factor that may influence LDD of seeds by wind including distance to edge, canopy openness size, distance to mature forest, and the tree density of the larch plantation. We used univariate linear regression analysis to assess the influence of those factors on birch LDD, and partial correlations to calculate the contribution of each factor to LDD. The results showed that both canopy openness and edge had significant influences on birch LDD. Specifically, a negative relationship was observed between distance to edge and birch LDD, whereas there was a positive correlation between canopy openness size and LDD. In contrast, the distance to the mature forest was not correlated with birch LDD. Our results suggest that patch tree density could potently affect the probability of LDD by wind vectors, which provides novel and revealing insights regarding the effect of fragmentation on wind dynamics. The data also provide compelling evidence for the previously undocumented effect of habitat fragmentation on wind-dispersed organisms. As such, these observations will facilitate reasonable conservation planning, which requires a detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which patch properties hamper the delivery of seeds of wind-dispersed plants to fragmented areas.

Criterions and Measures of Route Selection of Shallowly Embedded Long-Distance Oil and Gas Pipeline in Mountain Areas

According to the engineering investigation of long-distance oil and gas pipelines, the criterions and measures of route selection are drawn as follows： the flat landform is the first choice in route alignment. The foot of mountain is the first choice when the route passes by the valley. The route should pass by but the shady and deposited slope and not in sunny and erosive slope as possible as it can. The pipeline should be vertical to contour climbing and descending the mountain except steep slope. Tunnel can be used in crossing foothill. Perpendicularly traversing the river is better than beveling; the worst choice is to put the pipeline along the river. Bypass is the best choice in karsts area. The order of route selection should be pre-choosing, investigation, optimization and adjustment.

Long-Distance Pipe Jacking in Complex Urban Geological Environment

A steel underground pipeline with a diameter of 2.4 m and a total length of 3,617 m(plate thickness of 26 mm)has been constructed in a city in central Hubei,and the engineering,procurement,and construction(EPC)project has been lifted from the upstream channel to supplement water to the downstream lake inside the city.Through preliminary geological survey data,site topographic and geomorphic survey,urban construction,as well as the requirements of the construction party,the preliminary arrangement of working wells and receiving wells as well as the selection and customization of pipe jacking machines have been proposed.Frequency conversion motor and remote monitoring technology are adopted for geotechnical change and long-distance pipe jacking.Through detailed survey,the rock and soil change section as well as gradual change conditions have been determined,the accuracy of construction mechanics calculation and construction operation control have improved,the basis and analysis basis are provided,and some experiences in construction operation are summarized.