Search Results (5,727)

Background/Objective: Plant-based diets are gaining global attention for their positive impact on health and sustainability; however, the nutritional value and health effects differ across plant food categories. We investigated the association of three plant-based diet indices and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its subtypes. Methods: This study consisted of 10,030 Korean adults aged 40–69 years from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) in Ansan and Ansung. Using a validated food frequency questionnaire from the community-based cohorts of the KoGES, we derived three dietary indices based on food intake: (1) Overall Plant-Based Diet Index (PDI), (2) Healthful Plant-Based Diet Index (hPDI), and (3) Unhealthful Plant-Based Diet Index (uPDI). We analyzed the association between three plant-based diet indices and the incidence of CVD using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model, adjusted for demographic and other CVD risk factors. Results: During 99,751 person-years, 597 CVD cases occurred. None of the three plant-based diet indices (PDI, hPDI, uPDI) were significantly associated with overall risk of CVD. When stratifying results by types of CVD, individuals with the highest adherence to uPDI had a higher risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), compared to the lowest group [HR (95% CI) = 1.62 (1.12–2.33), p-trend = 0.008], but not stroke [HR (95% CI) = 0.97 (0.66–1.42), p-trend = 0.964]. There were no associations between adherence to PDI and hPDI and the incidence of CHD and stroke. Conclusions: In this prospective cohort of Korean adults, none of the three plant-based diet indices were associated with CVD risk, whereas higher adherence to an unhealthful plant-based diet was associated with increased risk of CHD, but not stroke. These findings highlight the importance of plant food quality in CHD prevention and warrant confirmation in other populations. Full article

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) are widely applied in veterinary practice and animal husbandry and frequently persist in organic waste liquids (OWLs), creating substantial environmental and health risks when untreated. A high-capacity mesoporous silica aerogel (SA-60) was produced via a cost-effective sol–gel route from water glass, followed by ambient pressure drying at 60 °C for 6 h. SA-60 exhibited pronounced selectivity, providing a maximum adsorption capacity of 630.18 mg·g⁻¹ for enrofloxacin (ENR) in acetonitrile. Adsorption efficiency was weakly dependent on pH. Mechanistic analysis indicated combined physical and chemical interactions, with intra-particle diffusion governing the overall rate. Thermodynamic evaluation showed a spontaneous and endothermic process for ENR adsorption. Organic solvent type and water content were major determinants of adsorption efficiency. Durable performance was observed, with capacity retention above 80% after five adsorption-desorption cycles. The mesoporous architecture (surface area 249.21 m²·g⁻¹; average pore diameter 10.81 nm) supported the high uptake. These results identify SA-60 as a sustainable adsorbent for removing hazardous FQs from OWLs, offering a simple, energy-efficient approach for the source-level control of antibiotic pollution and improved environmental management. Full article

Physical hazards are the most common source of health effects among waste recyclers, frequently leading to worker injuries. South Africa’s formal buy-back centres (BBCs) have emerged as key nodes in the recycling chain, yet the burden of non-fatal workplace injuries among BBC recyclers is not characterised. We conducted a cross-sectional study at ten BBCs in Johannesburg, enrolling 160 waste recyclers (median age 32 years; 55.6% female). A structured, interviewer-led questionnaire captured workers’ characteristics and self-reported injuries in the past six months. Robust Poisson regression was fitted to determine associations with frequent workplace injury. Overall, 69.4% of participants reported at least one injury. Cuts and lacerations (67.6%) and sprains or muscle strains (39.6%) predominated. Each additional year of age raised the risk of frequent workplace injury by 1% (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.02), each extra hour worked per day by 22% (aRR 1.22; 95% CI 1.04–1.42), and presence of hearing or vision problems by 45% (aRR 1.45; 95% CI 1.14–1.83). Targeted interventions—such as work hour regulation, sensory-friendly accommodations, and comprehensive, fit-focused PPE programs—are needed to reduce injury risk in this vulnerable workforce. Full article

The health risks of PM_2.5-bound metals highlight the need for burden assessment, metal prioritization, and key factor analysis to support effective air quality management, yet relevant studies remain limited. Shandong Province is one of the most polluted regions in northern China, providing an ideal setting for this investigation. We monitored 17 PM_2.5-bound metals for three years across Shandong, China and performed disease burden assessment based on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Furthermore, key influencing factors contributing to high-hazard metals were identified through explainable machine learning. The results showed that PM_2.5-bound metal concentrations were generally higher in inland areas than in coastal regions, with Ni concentrations elevated in coastal areas. K, Ca, Zn, and Mn exhibited the highest three-year average concentrations among the metals, while Cr averaged 6.12 ng/m³, significantly exceeding the recommended annual limit of 0.025 ng/m³ set by Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standards. Jinan carried the greatest burden at 4.67 DALYs per 1000 people, followed by Zibo (3.78), Weifang (2.98), and Rizhao (2.80). CKD, interstitial pneumonia, and chronic respiratory diseases account for the highest DALYs from PM_2.5-bound metals in Shandong Province. Industrial emissions are the largest contributors to the disease burden (>34%), with Cr, Cd, and Pb as the primary contributing metals requiring priority control. Fractional vegetation cover was identified as the key factor contributing to the reduction in their concentrations. These results underscore that prioritizing the regulation of industrial combustion, particularly concerning Cr, Cd, and Pb, and enhancing fractional vegetation cover could reduce disease burden and provide public health benefits. Full article

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using the mussel as a bioindicator for the rapid detection of heavy metal (such as Cd, Pb, Hg, Ni, Cr, Cu, As, and Zn) fluctuations in aquatic environments and the sensitivity of the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in muscle tissues over time. The seasonal bioaccumulation patterns of heavy metals within Asian green mussels (Perna viridis), from Vietnamese coastal waters of Hai Phong were investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additionally, the health risks from the consumption of P. viridis by local people were assessed. Mussels of varying sizes were sampled on a monthly basis between March (dry season) and July 2024 (wet season). The results revealed that the hepatopancreas had substantially higher concentrations of metals at all times relative to their corresponding muscle tissues, confirming its appropriateness as a bioindicator organ. The concentrations of heavy metals in mussels were recorded as significantly lower than the guideline levels, except for arsenic (As). Zinc (Zn) showed the highest concentrations, while mercury (Hg) had the lowest concentrations. There were strong seasonal and monthly differences, with peak levels of Pb, Cr, and As during the dry season, and high levels of Cs and Cu during the rainy season. It was found that the condition index, physiological factors, and shell size all had major impacts on the absorption of specific heavy metals. It was indicated that Pb, Cr, As, Cs, and Cu bioaccumulation are both biologically and environmentally responsive and can be used as proxies for environmental contamination, while the accumulation of these metals correlated with biological traits (shell length, weight, and CI), which is useful in modeling efforts. Health risk assessments using target hazard quotients (THQs) and the total hazard index (THI) identified Pb in the hepatopancreas as a primary contributor to the non-carcinogenic risk (THQ > 1), particularly during the dry season. The findings revealed the suitability of P. viridis, particularly hepatopancreatic tissue, as a short-term biomonitoring tool for detecting spikes and rapid fluctuations of certain heavy metals and assessing related human health risks in coastal aquatic systems. Full article

This study comprehensively evaluates heavy metal (HM) contamination and associated health risks in 31 groundwater samples from Wadi Al-Hamd, northwest Saudi Arabia. Cd, Pb, Zn, As, Cr, Cu, Ba, and Ni showed variable concentrations, some elements approaching WHO guideline values in localized samples. The analyzed HMs showed variable concentrations, with As reaching 5.02 µg/L (50% of WHO guideline) in sample M27. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) ranged from 0.15 (M29) to 10.07 (M27), with values below 15 indicating low pollution overall, while the metal index (MI) ranged from 0.022 (M29) to 0.621 (M27), all below the threshold of 1 for safe water, indicating geogenic enrichment, particularly in arsenic and nickel. Principal component analysis identified three PCs explaining 73.58% of total variance, with PC1 (35.50%) dominated by Zn-Cu-Ni (geogenic weathering) and PC2 (23.62%) by As-Cd (redox-driven dissolution). Health risk assessment via chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotient (HQ), and hazard index (HI) models confirmed negligible non-carcinogenic risks (HI < 1) for both adults and children, though children exhibited 1.5–2 times higher exposure. The highest HQ values were observed for As (HQoral-child: 0.365 in M27), approaching but not exceeding safety thresholds. Dermal exposure contributed minimally (<1% of total risk). The average lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) due to exposure to arsenic through drinking water aligns with the US EPA’s acceptable risk range of 1 × 10⁻⁶ to 1 × 10⁻⁴ (average 1.18 × 10⁻⁵ for adults, 2.06 × 10⁻⁵ for children). These findings align with regional studies, but highlight localized As high values for few samples. The study underscores the dominance of natural weathering in HM release and provides a framework for targeted groundwater management in arid regions. Full article

Hairless canary seed (Phalaris canariensis L.) can play significant roles in human health and nutrition due to its unique nutrient profile. It belongs to the Gramineae family similar to common cereal grains like wheat, rice and corn. On the other hand, the traditional canary seed is characterized by the presence of silicified spicules or hairs on the hulls of the kernel that could pose health hazards to humans. The hairless canary seed was developed in Canada by a conventional breeding program to mitigate the health concerns associated with the silicified hairs. The hairless grain is silica free, i.e., totally glabrous, and is granted regulatory food approvals by Health Canada and US-FDA. The hairless grain holds a great potential as a whole grain functional food ingredient due to its unique nutritional and functional attributes. As a cereal grain, it is rich in protein that is non-gluten and exceptionally high in tryptophan and bioactive peptides. The grain also contains reasonable amounts of carotenoids, polyphenols, and healthy unsaturated oil. Because of these special characteristics, it is considered a promising nutritious and therapeutic food. This review provides insights into the potential of hairless canary seed as a functional ingredient in products designed to mitigate oxidative stress, diabetes and celiac disease and/or to improve vision and cognition. Full article

Global climate change has intensified urban heat exposure risks due to extreme heat events, posing significant health threats, particularly to socially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children. However, the spatial allocation of urban public cooling resources exhibits heterogeneity, leading to insufficient or mismatched provision of cooling facilities in high heat exposure areas. Taking the central urban area of Guangzhou, China as an example, we employ the hazard–exposure–vulnerability (HEV) framework to evaluate a composite heat risk index (HRI). Using a coupling coordination degree and development coordination coefficient, we identify the matching status and temporal dynamic between heat risk and facility supply across 2010 and 2020. The results indicate that (1) HRI generally exhibits high-value clustering in the core areas of the old city, while peripheral areas show relatively lower levels; (2) the coupling coordination degree (CCD) exhibits clear spatial clustering characteristics, and highly coordinated streets are mostly concentrated in old city areas, whereas newly developed and peripheral districts generally show low coordination; and (3) from 2010 to 2020, cooling facility development in old city districts was generally proactive, while newly developed and peripheral areas exhibited slower progress relative to increasing heat risk. This study highlights the issue of adaptive imbalance in the allocation of cooling resources concerning vulnerable populations, providing guidance for future urban planning. Full article

Straw return is widely adopted to promote agricultural sustainability, but it can also increase cadmium (Cd) bioavailability in contaminated paddy soils, potentially leading to higher Cd accumulation in rice grains. Although numerous studies have investigated straw incorporation, the specific differences between early- and late-season straw return regarding Cd dynamics within double-cropping rice systems remain inadequately characterized. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a two-year field experiment comparing early-rice (ER) and late-rice (LR) straw return, complemented by controlled pot experiments simulating ER (ER-S, ER-CK; July–September 2023) and LR (LR-S, LR-CK; December 2022–March 2023) straw incorporation. The results revealed that the Total-Cd exhibited an upward trend following both ER and LR straw incorporation. The ER treatment caused a rapid yet short-lived increase in CaCl₂-extractable Cd (CaCl₂-Cd) concentration, peaking around 60 days following straw return and exhibiting a 28.83% increase compared to the LR treatment. In contrast, the LR treatment induced a slower but more prolonged Cd release, with CaCl₂-Cd concentration peaking around 210 days and exhibiting a 34.89% increase relative to the ER treatment. Additionally, at the late-rice stage, grain Cd concentration in the ER treatment increased by 23.64% relative to the LR treatment. In the subsequent year, grain Cd concentrations in the LR treatment increased significantly by 32.12% to 45.08% compared to the ER treatment for both early- and late-rice crops. These differences were attributed to variations in straw decomposition rates, soil pH, and redox potential between warm, aerobic summer–autumn conditions and cooler, anaerobic winter–spring conditions. This suggests that returning late-rice straw constitutes an elevated hazard to soil health and rice safety compared to early-rice straw return. Full article

Jet fuels are a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and performance additives, including some compounds with established human toxicity. They represent a significant occupational hazard for military personnel; however, little is known about possible long-term health effects, particularly following cessation of exposure. In response to United States (US) Veterans’ concerns, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) launched a large retrospective cohort study to assess the impact of military occupational jet fuel exposure on Veterans’ health. The Long-Term Impact of Fuel Exposure (LIFE) cohort consists of over 1.3 million Veterans who entered service on or after 1 January 1995, including both individuals with jet fuel-exposed occupations in their service history and a random sample of unexposed Veterans. Data from multiple VA and DoD administrative datasets were linked to evaluate morbidity, disability, and mortality endpoints. Analyses are underway to assess associations between jet fuel exposure and adverse health outcomes in multiple body systems. This study represents the largest effort to date to investigate these effects, with the intention of informing policies affecting Veterans for years to come. Full article

Objective: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a combination of depleted skeletal muscle mass and obesity, with a high prevalence, undetected onset, challenging diagnosis, and poor prognosis. However, studies on SO in cancer settings are limited. We aimed to explore the association between SO and mortality and to investigate potential predictors involved in the development of SO, with a further objective of constructing a model to detect its occurrence in cancer patients. Methods: The data of 1432 cancer patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from the years 1999 to 2006 and 2011 to 2016 were included. For survival analysis, univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations of SO with overall survival, adjusting for potential confounders. For machine learning, six algorithms, including logistic regression, stepwise logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), were utilized to build models to predict the presence of SO. The predictive performances of each model were evaluated. Results: From six machine learning algorithms, cancer patients with SO were significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 1.368, 95%CI 1.107–1.690) compared with individuals without SO. Among the six machine learning algorithms, the optimal LASSO model achieved the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.891 on the training set and 0.873 on the test set, outperforming the other five machine learning algorithms. Conclusions: SO is a significant risk factor for the prognosis of cancer patients. Our constructed LASSO model to predict the presence of SO is an effective tool for clinical practice. This study is the first to utilize machine learning to explore the predictors of SO among cancer populations, providing valuable insights for future research. Full article

Eye shadows are cosmetic products widely used to enhance appearance. However, the use of raw materials contaminated with heavy metals poses potential health hazards. This study characterized 12 commercial eye shadow samples and quantified concentrations of Al, Ba, B, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Additional characterization using UV-vis, ATR-FTIR, and SEM-EDS techniques provided insights into the composition and potential sources of contamination. Multivariate analysis revealed differences in metal concentrations across brands. Health risk assessments, including margin of safety (MoS), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), lifetime cancer risk (LCR), and lifetime cancer risk based on the long-term relevant daily systemic exposure dose (LCR′), indicated that one product may pose significant health risks. Specifically, sample M4 showed an HI of 2.67 × 10¹, exceeding acceptable limits. These findings highlight the need for stricter regulation and continuous monitoring of heavy metals in cosmetics to safeguard consumer health. Full article

As an important traffic and transportation roadway, tunnel engineering is widely used in important fields such as highways, railways, water conservancy, subways and mining. It is limited by complex geological conditions, harsh construction environments and poor robustness of the monitoring system. If the construction process and monitoring method are not properly designed, it will often directly induce disasters such as tunnel deformation, collapse, leakage and rockburst. This seriously threatens the safety of tunnel construction and operation and the protection of the regional ecological environment. Therefore, based on distributed fiber optic sensing technology, the full–cycle spatiotemporally continuous sensing information of the tunnel structure is obtained in real time. Accordingly, the health status of the tunnel is dynamically grasped, which is of great significance to ensure the intrinsic safety of the whole life cycle for the tunnel project. Firstly, this manuscript systematically sorts out the development and evolution process of the theory and technology of structural health monitoring in tunnel engineering. The scope of application, advantages and disadvantages of mainstream tunnel engineering monitoring equipment and main optical fiber technology are compared and analyzed from the two dimensions of equipment and technology. This provides a new path for clarifying the key points and difficulties of tunnel engineering monitoring. Secondly, the mechanism of action of four typical optical fiber sensing technologies and their application in tunnel engineering are introduced in detail. On this basis, a spatiotemporal continuous perception method for tunnel engineering based on DFOS is proposed. It provides new ideas for safety monitoring and early warning of tunnel engineering structures throughout the life cycle. Finally, a high–speed rail tunnel in northern China is used as the research object to carry out tunnel structure health monitoring. The dynamic changes in the average strain of the tunnel section measurement points during the pouring and curing period and the backfilling period are compared. The force deformation characteristics of different positions of tunnels in different periods have been mastered. Accordingly, scientific guidance is provided for the dynamic adjustment of tunnel engineering construction plans and disaster emergency prevention and control. At the same time, in view of the development and upgrading of new sensors, large models and support processes, an innovative tunnel engineering monitoring method integrating “acoustic, optical and electromagnetic” model is proposed, combining with various machine learning algorithms to train the long–term monitoring data of tunnel engineering. Based on this, a risk assessment model for potential hazards in tunnel engineering is developed. Thus, the potential and disaster effects of future disasters in tunnel engineering are predicted, and the level of disaster prevention, mitigation and relief of tunnel engineering is continuously improved. Full article

Organic and pharmaceutical pollution of water is a serious problem, particularly when it comes to drinking and groundwater. Although some evaluations indicate that these pollutants are unlikely to be at current exposure levels, they are often detected in aquatic systems and can be harmful to human health. Organic contaminants include hazardous micropollutants, aromatic phenols, pesticides, etc. Pharmaceutical contaminants are sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, doxycycline, amoxicillin, trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, lipid regulators, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), hormones, antidepressants, etc. Hydrogel adsorbents’ distinct structural, chemical, and environmentally benign qualities make them a potential and successful option for environmental remediation, especially in wastewater treatment. In the search for clean water resources, they are an important instrument because of their reusability and capacity to be customized for certain contaminants, such as organic and pharmaceutical pollutants. This review focusses on the present state, adsorption sites and surfaces, different adsorption mechanisms, and the prospects and scope of improvement of effective hydrogels for eliminating dangerous aqueous organic and pharmaceutical contaminants. It offers a thorough summary of the area, highlighting its facets and potential paths forward. Full article

Background/Objectives: Research raising concerns about the occupational health of signed language interpreters has proliferated in the past two decades. Recent studies examining interpreters’ various work settings find that Video Relay Service (VRS) work is linked to greater health risks than other interpreting settings. This study aimed to shed light on why VRS work appears to be particularly hazardous. Methods: This mixed-methods study reports data from an online survey of 345 American VRS interpreters. Participants were queried about a range of potentially stressful experiences with callers. Quantitative data regarding the types, frequency, patterns, and consequences of stressful calls were further informed by qualitative data reported by participants in free-response survey fields. Results: Incidents of VRS interpreters mediating calls regarding sexual activity, drug deals, and prostitution were reported with notable frequency, as was interpreters’ witnessing abuse of vulnerable individuals. Interpreters also were often the object of callers’ derisive sexual, physical, and racial comments. Yet the incidence of participants reporting these experiences to management or outside authorities was quite limited despite the potential legal jeopardy involved. When reports were made, most participants stated their companies took little or no action. We also examined how factors such as the tenure of VRS, hours worked per week, and work shift times were associated with such caller experiences. Conclusions: This study builds upon prior VRS health risk research by examining external factors, including caller behavior and employer policies, that may contribute to interpreter stress and burnout. Suggestions for remediation and workforce development, involving VRS companies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and state legislation are offered. Full article