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A new methodological framework for the determination of water resource classes and resource quality objectives: A case study for the Mzimvubu to Tsitsikamma water management area 7 (WMA7)
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Mulangaphuma, Lawrence Humbulani; Jovanovic, Nebo
The current paper determined water resource classes and Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs) for significant water resources in the Mzimvubu to Tsitsikamma Water Management Area 7 (WMA7) to facilitate sustainable use of the water resources while maintaining ecological integrity. A novel stepwise quantitative and qualitative method was developed to ensure water resource protection in the study area. The methodological approach is proposed as a model framework that could be adopted as guideline and transferable to other catchments in the implementation of Resource Directed Measures (RDMs). The method used water quality and quality components of water resources to determine the classes and RQOs. The study’s major findings were that nineteen Integrated Units of Analysis (IUAs) were delineated, and ninety-five Resource Units were identified and prioritized for both surface and groundwater. Driving water quality variables (nutrients, electrical conductivity, and Escherichia coli) were observed and primary water users (irrigation, settlements, and wastewater treatment works) were identified per Integrated Units of Analysis. Five water resource scenarios were developed and evaluated to capture a likely water resource condition for the present and future. The scenario analysis showed impact is expected under any of the operational scenarios assessed at selected reaches. The water resource classes were determined, with eleven IUAs classified as Class lll, seven IUAs as Class ll, and one IUA as Class l. Water quality and quantity RQOs were set to ensure that both river and groundwater resources are compliant and protected. Therefore, the study recommends that this methodological framework, where classes and RQOs were determined, needs to be implemented and tested.
What do we know about human trafficking and scam compounds in Southeast Asia (2020–2025)? A qualitative meta-synthesis of coercive deviant enterprises
(Routledge, 2026) Lazarus, Suleman; Chiang, Mina; Dimitrova, Rossitza Stefanova
This study synthesizes peer-reviewed research on human trafficking linked to scam compounds in Southeast Asia (2020 to 2025) to understand their organizational, spatial, and coercive infrastructures. Applying a Qualitative Meta-Synthesis (QMS) protocol, it integrates findings from fifty publications. These outputs comprise forty-five journal articles, three conference papers, one book chapter, and one monograph. As a consolidated evidentiary base, this QMS constitutes the first systematic review to integrate scam-compound economies into broader research on trafficking and forced labor in Southeast Asia. The included studies employ qualitative, mixed-methods, and conceptual approaches, drawing on survivor interviews, NGO and law enforcement perspectives, and legal analyses. Results show that scam compounds function as industrialized socio-technical systems embedded within licit-illicit economies, exploiting digital infrastructures, deregulated Special Economic Zones, and migration precarity. Cross-study patterns highlight hierarchical divisions of labor, coercion, and liminal victim-offender roles. Divergences reflect local political economies and adaptive organizational forms. The synthesis situates scam compounds within the broader history of illicit economies. The study demonstrates the value of the QMS for advancing theoretical coherence in fragmented literatures on deviance.
Land use land cover classification in Japanese wetland and agricultural landscapes via machine learning and multi-source sentinel data
(Taylor and Francis Ltd, 2025) Dube, Timothy; Pandit, Santa; Oki, Kazuo
This study assessed land use and land cover (LULC) in the Oze wetland and Hatase agricultural fields using Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Sentinel-2 optical data from 2023–2024 were processed into seasonal median composites. Input features included SAR backscatter coefficients (vertical transmit–vertical receive, vertical transmit–horizontal receive, and their ratio), Sentinel-2 bands (10 m resolution), and vegetation indices: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Bare Soil Index (BSI), and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI). Training and testing data were derived from high-resolution PlanetScope and drone imagery. Models were implemented in Python (Google Colab). Results showed RF consistently outperformed SVM, achieving kappa scores of 81%–83% in Oze and 79%–81% in Hatase, while SVM failed to exceed 80%. RF’s robustness for seasonal LULC mapping highlights its potential to support monitoring and sustainable land management in cloud-prone wetland–agriculture systems.
Combined intravenous bolus amino acid supplementation and mobilization on early muscle loss in critically ill adults: a randomized controlled trial
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2026) Kohn, Tertius A.; Veldsman, Lizl; Richards, Guy A.
Background: Muscle wasting is a hallmark of critical illness. We evaluated the effect of amino acid supplementation and mobilization on early muscle loss in critically ill patients. Methods: We conducted a randomized parallel-group trial involving adult patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups, both receiving standard care nutrition and mobilization. The intervention group also received a daily intravenous amino acid bolus with 45 min of cycle ergometry, starting on days 3–4 for a mean of 6 days. The primary co-outcomes were changes in vastus lateralis myofiber cross-sectional area (from biopsies) and ultrasound-derived rectus femoris cross-sectional area, measured between the preintervention (day 2) and postintervention (day 8) time points. Analyses were conducted using mixed-model analysis of variance and least significant difference testing. Secondary outcomes included the protein-to-DNA ratio, muscle echogenicity, whole-body phase angle, muscle strength (Medical Research Council sum score) and physical capability (6-min walk test). Results: Fifty patients (90% male, age 37 ± 12 years) were included. Standard of care participants received 1.23 ± 0.18 g/kg/day protein; intervention participants 1.57 ± 0.27 g/kg/day, including 0.37 ± 0.05 g/kg/day from the supplement. Muscle loss occurred significantly over time (biopsy P = 0.01; ultrasound P < 0.001), with no significant differences between groups. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in protein-to-DNA ratio, muscle echogenicity, phase angle, muscle strength, or physical capability. Conclusion: A short-duration combined intervention of intravenous bolus amino acids and cycle ergometry, limited to the acute phase of critical illness, did not reduce muscle loss or improve muscle quality, strength, or physical capability.
Understanding self-management in teaching and learning: a concept analysis for nursing education
(Elsevier Ltd, 2026) Crowley, Talitha; Kokuro, Mercy; van der Merwe, Anita S
Background The concept of self-management has been examined in healthcare and other sectors such as education, but its definition and uses in nursing education remain unclear. Aim To explore the concept ‘self-management’ in healthcare and teaching and learning literature and apply these insights to nursing education. Design Concept analysis. Methods The eight steps of concept analysis according to Walker and Avant were used. PubMed, EBSCOhost, Medline, Google Scholar, Science Direct and PsycINFO were searched up to 2022 with an updated search in 2024. Content-rich articles on self-management were included if they: (a) discussed the theoretical or conceptual foundation of self-management, (b) were healthcare or education related, (c) were written in English and (d) had the full-text available. Data on attributes, antecedents and consequences were extracted and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Thirty-three articles were included with nine attributes, categorised as personal (self-motivation, self-regulation, self-evaluation, self-efficacy, individual action and skills, self-monitoring, environmental management, continuous task) and combined (partnership). Antecedents were the individual capacity to learn, external motivation, access to learning resources, teaching and learning strategies, and support from educators, family and friends. Consequences were improved quality of life, enhanced coping abilities, empowerment, engagement in self-management behaviours, increased self-efficacy, self-control, satisfaction, independence, self-directedness, and accountability. Negative outcomes may arise from avoiding help due to overconfidence in self-management abilities. Conclusion In combining all nine attributes, a clear definition and understanding of self-management in the teaching and learning context are formulated which can assist nursing students in becoming effective self-managers.