Uncontrolled urban expansion resulting from urbanization has a disastrous impact on agricultural land. This situation is being experienced by the densely populated and fertile island Java in Indonesia. Remote sensing technologies have developed rapidly in recent years, including the creation of Google Earth Engine (GEE). Intensity analysis (IA) is increasingly being used to systematically and substantially analyze land-use/land-cover (LULC) change. As yet, however, no study of land conversion from agriculture to urban areas in Indonesia has adopted GEE and IA approaches simultaneously. Therefore, this study aims to monitor urban penetration to agricultural land in the north coastal region of West Java Province by applying both methods to two time intervals: 2003&#x2013;2013 and 2013&#x2013;2020. Landsat data and a robust random forest (RF) classifier available in GEE were chosen for producing LULC maps. Monitoring LULC change using GEE and IA has demonstrated reliable findings. The overall accuracy of Landsat image classification results for 2003, 2013, and 2020 were 88&#x0025;, 87&#x0025;, and 88&#x0025;, respectively. IA outputs at interval levels for all categories showed that the annual change-of-area rate was higher during 2013&#x2013;2020 than during 2003&#x2013;2013. At the category level, IA results showed that the area of agricultural land experienced net losses in both periods, with net loss in 2013&#x2013;2020 being 2.3 times greater than that in 2003&#x2013;2013 (&#x223c;1,850&#x2009;ha per year). In contrast, the built-up area made net gains in both periods, reaching almost twice as much in the second period as in the first (&#x223c;2,030&#x2009;ha per year). The transition-level IA performed proved that agricultural land had been the primary target for the expansion of built-up areas. The most extensive spatial distribution of land conversion from agriculture to built-up area was concentrated in the regencies of Bekasi, Karawang, and Cirebon. These findings are intended to provide stakeholders with enrichment in terms of available literature and with valuable inputs useful for identifying better urban and regional planning policies in Indonesia and similar regions.

Laju Gandharum

Djoko Mulyo Hartono

Asep Karsidi

Mubariq Ahmad

Monitoring Urban Expansion and Loss of Agriculture on the North Coast of West Java Province, Indonesia, Using Google Earth Engine and Intensity Analysis

The end of the year 2019 was marked by the introduction of a third highly pathogenic coronavirus, after SARS-CoV (2003) and MERS-CoV (2012), in the human population which was officially declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Indeed, the pandemic of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) has evolved at an unprecedented rate: after its emergence in Wuhan, the capital of the province of Hubei of the People&#x27;s Republic of China, in December 2019, the total number of confirmed cases did not cease growing very quickly in the world. In this manuscript, we have provided an overview of the impact of COVID-19 on health, and we have proposed different nutrients suitable for infected patients to boost their immune systems. On the other hand, we have described the advantages and disadvantages of COVID-19 on the environment including the quality of water, air, waste management, and energy consumption, as well as the impact of this pandemic on human psychology, the educational system, and the global economy. In addition, we have tried to come up with some solutions to counter the negative repercussions of the pandemic.

Youssef Miyah

Mohammed Benjelloun

Sanae Lairini

Anissa Lahrichi

COVID-19 Impact on Public Health, Environment, Human Psychology, Global Socioeconomy, and Education

This review presents recent technologies involved in vegetable oil refining as well as quality attributes of crude oils obtained by mechanical and solvent extraction. Usually, apart from virgin oils, crude oils cannot be consumed directly or incorporated into various food applications without technological treatments (refining). Indeed, crude oils like soybean, rapeseed, palm, corn, and sunflower oils must be purified or refined before consumption. The objective of such treatments (chemical and physical refining) is to get a better quality, a more acceptable aspect (limpidity), a lighter odor and color, longer stability, and good safety through the elimination of pollutants while minimizing oil loss during processing. However, the problem is that refining removes some essential nutrients and often generates other undesirable compounds such as 3-MCPD-esters and trans-fatty acids. These compounds directly influence the safety level of refined oil. Advantages and drawbacks of both chemical and physical refining were discussed in the light of recent literature. Physical refining has several advantages over chemical one.

Said Gharby

Refining Vegetable Oils: Chemical and Physical Refining

Application of biochar on acidic soils may improve soil fertility and crop productivity. This study aimed to explore the relevance of parthenium biochar-induced changes in the physicochemical properties and agronomic performance of the selected wheat varieties in acidic soils. A pot trial was used in determining the effect of slow pyrolysis parthenium biochar on acidic soils and the agronomic performance of wheat varieties. A general linear model (GLM) of multivariate analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare functional variation among soil assayed parameters with biochar dosages and years. Biochar-treated acidic soils did not show significant differences in their physical properties. However, a significant incremental trend was observed in the soil moisture content. The biochar-amended acidic soils showed noticeable differences in the soil pH, available phosphorous, and exchangeable bases (Ca, K, and Na) compared to the control. In all soil samples, a decreasing trend in the soil micronutrients was observed with an increase in the biochar amounts. The analysis also unveiled significant changes in root length, root and shoot dry biomass, and plant height of wheat varieties in response to the biochar amendments. The application of 19.5&#x2009;t/ha and 23&#x2009;t/ha dosages of biochar gave the maximum changes in the agronomic performance of Kekeba and Ogolcha varieties, while the minimum was obtained in the 26.5&#x2009;t/ha and the control. Furthermore, PCA axis 1 accounted for 74.34&#x0025; of the total variance within a higher eigenvector value (10.4076), and most of the soil parameters were positively correlated with CEC (0.29), available phosphorous (0.29), and soil pH (0.28); however, the micronutrients were negatively correlated. In conclusion, Parthenium hysterophorus biochar has the potential to amend acidic soils, and thus, the application of 16.0, 19.5, and 23&#x2009;t&#xb7;ha&#x2212;1 biochar dosages are considered suitable to reduce the soil acidity level and improve the agronomic performance of wheat varieties. However, extensive research will be needed to determine the effects of biochar on soil properties and crop production in field conditions.

Meseret Muche

Eyayu Molla

Sultan Mohammed

Esubalew Sintie

Ahmed Hassen

Evaluating Slow Pyrolysis of Parthenium hysterophorus Biochar: Perspectives to Acidic Soil Amelioration and Growth of Selected Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Varieties

Background. Sugar-added diet has been associated with increased risk of developing dental caries. Objective. To investigate the dietary determinants of caries prevalence and experience based on the frequency versus the quantity of consumption among Saudi schoolchildren. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study that invited 12- to 15-year-old intermediate school students (N&#x2009;&#x3d;&#x2009;3000) in four cities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Data collection comprised a pretested questionnaire and clinical examination. Caries was diagnosed based on the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and was recorded as a decayed, missing, filled tooth (DMFT). The questionnaire included questions regarding the consumption of different quantities and frequencies of multiple sugar-containing food items. Multiple logistic and linear regression models were used to assess the influence of sugar-containing food on the dental caries experience (DMFT) and prevalence of decayed teeth. SPSS version 20.0 was used to analyze the data at 5&#x0025; significance level. Results. Of 3000 invited students, 2262 participated with a participation rate of 75.4&#x0025;. Our study found that the frequency of soft drink consumption was significantly associated with increased caries prevalence (adjusted OR&#x2009;&#x3d;&#x2009;1.33, 95&#x0025; CI 1.07&#x2013;1.65) and experience (adjusted B&#x2009;&#x3d;&#x2009;0.46, 95&#x0025; CI 0.16&#x2013;0.76). The frequency of consumption of fruit juice was statistically significantly associated with increased caries experience (adjusted B&#x2009;&#x3d;&#x2009;0.48, 95&#x0025; CI 0.16&#x2013;0.79). The interaction terms between the frequency and the quantity of consumption of energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened milk were statistically significantly related to caries experience and prevalence. Conclusion. Although the frequency of consumption of sugar-containing drinks was more associated with caries experience and prevalence, the interaction between frequency and quantity was highly related to the prevalence and experience of dental caries.

Abdulkarim Al-Zahrani

Mohammed Al-Qahtani

Mohammed Al-Barti

Eman A. Bakhurji

Dietary Determinants of Dental Caries Prevalence and Experience in Saudi Schoolchildren: Frequency versus Quantity

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The Scientific World Journal publishes original research and review articles&nbsp;covering a wide range of subjects in science, technology, and medicine.

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The Scientific World Journal publishes original research and review articles covering a wide range of subjects in science, technology, and medicine.

The Scientific World Journal