Estimating the environmental impact of disposable endoscopic equipment and endoscopes

ObjectiveProcedure-intense specialties, such as surgery or endoscopy, are a major contributor to the impact of the healthcare sector on the environment. We aimed to measure the amount of waste generated during endoscopic procedures and to understand the impact on waste of changing from reusable to single use endoscopes in the USA.DesignWe conducted a 5-day audit (cross-sectional study) of all endoscopies performed at two US academic medical centres with low and a high endoscopy volume (2000 and 13 000 procedures annually, respectively). We calculated the average disposable waste (excluding waste from reprocessing) generated during one endoscopic procedure to estimate waste of all endoscopic procedures generated in the USA annually (18 million). We further estimated the impact of changing from reusable to single-use endoscopes taking reprocessing waste into account.Results278 endoscopies were performed for 243 patients. Each endoscopy generated 2.1 kg of disposable waste (46 L volume). 64% of waste was going to the landfill, 28% represented biohazard waste and 9% was recycled. The estimated total waste generated during all endoscopic procedures performed in the USA annually would weigh 38 000 metric tons (equivalent of 25 000 passenger cars) and cover 117 soccer fields to 1 m depth. If all endoscopic procedures were performed with single-use endoscopes and accounting for reprocessing, the net waste mass would increase by 40%. Excluding waste from ancillary supplies, net waste generated from reprocessing and endoscope disposal would quadruple with only using single-use endoscopes.ConclusionThis quantitative assessment of the environmental impact of endoscopic procedures highlights that a large amount of waste is generated from disposable instruments. Transitioning to single-use endoscopes may reduce reprocessing waste but would increase net waste.

Soft Power and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: Learning from Experiences of Past Mega-Sporting Event Hosts

The experiences of past hosts to mega sporting events like the Olympics, or FIFA World Cup games show that there are numerous ways in which countries can be both empowered or disempowered through their pursuit of soft power. Through a selective literature review, this paper uses the relevant soft power experiences of six countries who have hosted either the World Cup or Olympic Games from 2008. The cases include China (Beijing 2008 Olympics), South Africa (2010 World Cup), United Kingdom (London 2012 Olympics), Brazil (2014 World Cup and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics), Russia (Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, and 2018 World Cup), and Japan (Tokyo 2020 Olympics). The paper then considers Qatar’s 2022 World Cup with an angle on applying and adapting the experiences of past hosts to understand the soft empowerment or disempowerment that Qatar will likely face as a result of hosting the games. The numerous international concerns over the situation with migrant workers in Qatar, and the Islamic and cultural norms that are alien to Western audiences, will continue to challenge Qatar’s image management and branding measures. Nevertheless, the commitment to holding the most eco-friendly event, continuous presence on international soccer fields through sponsorships, ownerships, and winning championships, in addition to actively seeking to enhance and alleviate the status of the country on the global stage will help Doha in its soft empowerment endeavors in the period before and during the event. Its pledge and dedication to keeping a long-lasting legacy after December 2022 will also help the State in the post-event phase of soft empowerment.

Latinas and Soccer: An Understudied Population

The history of the participation of Latinas in sports, leisure and recreational activities has been neglected by both historians of American women and researchers on the history of Latinas/os in the United States. The contribution of Latinas to soccer organizations, soccer leagues, soccer fields and soccer teams is a vastly unexplored territory mainly because of the resistance of historians of American women to incorporate Latinas in the national narrative and the negligence of Latino researchers in recognizing the presence and role of Latinas in the world of sports and recreation in the United States. This double inattention is not only rooted in the nativist shaping of the perspectives on the studies of American women and soccer, but also in the prevalent views inside Latino families, and sometimes Latino scholars, that soccer is a sport for men and, along with boxing, baseball and other sports, is a unique venue to display and assert Latino masculinity.

Injuries on the Youth Soccer (Football) Field: Do Additional Referees Reduce Risk? Randomized Crossover Trial

Objective Youth soccer injury can be prevented through various means, but few studies consider the role of referees. Following previous research suggesting children take fewer risks when supervised intensely, this randomized crossover trial evaluated whether risky play and injuries decrease under supervision from three referees instead of one referee. Methods Youth soccer clubs serving a metropolitan U.S. area participated. Boys’ and girls’ clubs at under age 10 (U10) and under age 11 (U11) levels were randomly assigned such that when the same clubs played each other twice in the same season, they played once with one referee and once with three referees. A total of 98 games were videotaped and subsequently coded to obtain four outcomes: collisions between players, aggressive fouls (involving physical player-to-player contact) called by the referee(s) on the field, aggressive fouls judged by trained coders, and injuries requiring adult attention or play stoppage. Results Poisson mixed model results suggest players in the 98 games committed fewer aggressive fouls, as identified independently by referees (rate ratio [RR] 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35–0.96) and by researchers (RR 0.67; 95% CI 0.50–0.90), when there were three referees versus one referee. Collisions (RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.86–1.12) and injury rates (RR 1.15; 95% CI 0.60–2.19) were similar across conditions. Conclusion When the same youth soccer clubs played with three referees rather than one, they committed fewer aggressive fouls. More intense supervision created better rule adherence. Injury rates were unchanged with increased supervision. Results raise questions concerning whether financial investment in additional referees on youth soccer fields yields safety benefits.

Tata fasilitas rekreasi tepi sungai: studi kasus kawasan wisata Sungai Bindu, Kesiman, Denpasar

Denpasar City is the capital of Bali Province which has a strategic location. Denpasar City is also famous for its cities which have many rivers. Bindu River as a place of recreation is one of the alternative outdoor recreation in Denpasar City. Bindu River has various facilities that can be used by visitors as a place of recreation. The facilities Bindu River area is still not in accordance with good standardization and placement that is not good. This study aims to maximize existing facilities by providing recommendations for facilities that are referenced through good standards and laying. The research method used is the survey method with observation techniques, interviews, documentation, questionnaires, and literature studies. The results of the study state that there are several facilities that have not followed good standardization and laying. Facilities available in the Bindu River area are: seating, trash cans, garden lights, toilets, culinary stands, gazebos, jogging tracks as well as recreational facilities such as mini soccer fields, physical games, tubing, sports equipment, and gymnastics area. Many visitor activities are carried out in the Bindu River area, but some of the facilities provided are in poor condition. The efforts made to improve the quality of facilities are by following the standards in the Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture.

A Deep Learning Method to Accelerate the Disaster Response Process

This paper presents an end-to-end methodology that can be used in the disaster response process. The core element of the proposed method is a deep learning process which enables a helicopter landing site analysis through the identification of soccer fields. The method trains a deep learning autoencoder with the help of volunteered geographic information and satellite images. The process is mostly automated, it was developed to be applied in a time- and resource-constrained environment and keeps the human factor in the loop in order to control the final decisions. We show that through this process the cognitive load (CL) for an expert image analyst will be reduced by 70%, while the process will successfully identify 85.6% of the potential landing sites. We conclude that the suggested methodology can be used as part of a disaster response process.

Green Exercise: How Are Characteristics of Urban Green Spaces Associated with Adolescents’ Physical Activity and Health?

This study investigates associations between characteristics of urban green spaces (UGSs) and adolescents’ self-reported green exercise (GE), general health, and body mass index (BMI). Data were collected through face-to-face personal interviews with 384 adolescents ages 13–19 between 1 March and 31 May, 2018 in UGSs in Aydın, Turkey. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine associations controlling for confounding factors. Stratified analyses were also conducted to determine differences between boys and girls. Positive associations with the duration of GE included many trees, lawns, soccer fields and basketball courts, play equipment, and self-reported general health. Whereas increased BMI was associated with increased benches/ seating, lawns and exercise trails were positively associated with self-reported general health. Negative relationships with increased BMI included many trees, open areas, and outdoor fitness equipment. Increased distance from UGSs was negatively associated with the frequency of GE. In stratified analyses, positive associations between boys’ duration of GE and self-reported general health were found. Whereas soccer fields and basketball courts were associated with girls’ frequency of GE, exercise trails and play equipment were correlated with girls’ self-reported general health. Negative associations with the boys’ frequency of GE included increased BMI and screen time. Whereas increased distance from UGSs was negatively associated with girls’ frequency of GE, many trees, lawns, exercise trails, play equipment, open areas, flowerbeds, and outdoor fitness equipment were negatively correlated with girls’ increased BMI. Findings suggest that adolescents’ GE and health could be promoted with many trees, lawns, flowerbeds, open areas, play and outdoor fitness equipment, exercise trails, and soccer fields and basketball courts. Findings of this study should be tested with longitudinal or intervention studies in future research.

CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY ADOLESCENTS FROM CURITIBA, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Introduction Various studies have been developed and published in relation to the recommendations for physical activity and associated factors. However, there is a lack of studies that detail the places where physical activity is practiced, as well as its frequency, duration and volume. Objective To describe the places, types, frequency, duration and volume of physical activities performed by adolescents in Curitiba, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study conducted in 2013-2014, through a household survey with 495 adolescents (12 to 17 years). The places used, and the frequencies of the practice of physical activity were self-reported as either “goes” or “does not go.” The practice of physical activity was determined through the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents, by type, frequency, duration and weekly volume. The types of physical activity were described with frequency distribution, weekly frequency, duration, and volume, by the median and interquartile range. Gender comparison was tested with the Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests (p<0.05). Results The most frequently reported places for physical activity were public squares, parks, soccer fields, schools and sports halls. Soccer fields, schools, sports halls and skate parks were more used by boys, while girls attended gyms (p<0.05). The physical activities most practiced were soccer, skating/rollerblading, cycling, walking and active games. A higher proportion of boys practiced soccer, skating/rollerblading, cycling, running/jogging, and basketball (p<0.05), whereas the physical activities most practiced by girls were walking, walking the dog, dancing, playing games, and gyms (p<0.05). Sports (720 min/week), aerobic exercises (400 min/week) and conditioning exercises (345 min/week) were the activities with the highest weekly volume. Boys showed higher weekly frequency, duration and volume of practice of sports and active games than girls (p<0.05). Conclusion Public places with structures were the most used places, and sports were the most practiced activities. Level of Evidence III; Study of nonconsecutive patients; without consistently applied ‘‘gold’’ reference standard.