Search Results (6,735)

This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the potential health effects of exposure to major air pollutants inside newly manufactured automobiles and to develop a grading system for automobile indoor air quality based on this assessment. To achieve this, the concentrations of 28 air pollutants were measured in five different automobile models. Among these, 18 substances were selected for health risk assessment based on the availability of acute and chronic toxicity data and the requirement that each substance had been detected at least once under one or more of the automobile test modes (AM, PM, and DM). Acute hazard quotients (HQ_acute), chronic non-carcinogenic hazard quotients (HQ), and excess lifetime cancer risks (ECR) were subsequently calculated. The results of acute and chronic health risk assessments showed significant variation depending on the automobile test mode, and some automobiles exceeded health-based reference values for certain pollutants. Based on these findings, this study developed a 10-level grading system for automobile indoor air quality by comprehensively integrating pollutant-specific health risk levels and exceedances of the recommended limits outlined in Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s “Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for Newly Manufactured Automobiles.” The grading scale ranges from Grade 1 (Excellent) to Grade 10 (Hazardous), reflecting both acute and chronic health risks as well as legal standards, thereby improving upon conventional concentration-based management approaches. The proposed grading system enables a quantitative interpretation of automobile indoor air quality from a health-based perspective and is expected to be applicable in various fields, including automobile manufacturers’ air quality control, consumer information disclosure, and policy development. Full article

The manuscript explores the valorization of forest logging residues, collected during forest management operations between summer 2023 and spring 2025 in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, as a raw material for producing valuable bioactive products. These products offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Seven batches of biomass, comprising understory trees and branches from deciduous (mainly aspen, birch, and grey alder) and coniferous (mainly Scots pine) species, were collected during different seasons, crushed, and extracted using an ethanol–water solution. The yield of hydrophilic extracts containing proanthocyanidins (PACs) ranged from 18 to 25% per dry biomass. The highest PACs concentration (42% of extract dry mass) was found in small branches with a high bark content. The extracts and PACs at concentrations of 6.25‒12.50 mg mL⁻¹ showed fungicidal activity against several pathogenic fungi, including Botrytis cinerea Pers., Mycosphaerella sp. Johanson, Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref., and Heterobasidion parviporum Niemelä & Korhonen. Residual biomass after extraction, enriched with sea buckthorn berry pomace and a siliceous complex, was characterized and evaluated for its impact on the growth of Scots pine seedlings and selected agricultural crops. Results from forest and agricultural field trials in 2023–2025 confirmed a positive effect of the fertilizer on crop yield and quality at a low application rate (40 kg ha⁻¹ per crop). Fertilizer increased the yield of radish, dill, potatoes, and wheat by up to 44% (highest for potatoes and dill) compared to the reference, confirming its agronomic value. Full article

Background: Peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis and cirrhosis remains common and leads to morbidity. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been evaluated as a rapid adjunctive biomarker. Methods: Following PRISMA-DTA and PROSPERO registration (CRD420251105563), we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, LILACS, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to 31 December 2024, and ran an update on 30 June 2025 (no additional eligible studies). Diagnostic accuracy studies measuring NGAL in peritoneal/ascitic fluid against guideline reference standards were included. When 2 × 2 data were not reported, we reconstructed cell counts from published metrics using a prespecified, tolerance-bounded algorithm (two studies). Accuracy was synthesized with a bivariate random effects (Reitsma) model; 95% prediction intervals (PIs) were used to express heterogeneity; small-study effects were assessed by Deeks’ test. Results: Thirteen studies were included qualitatively and ten were entered into a meta-analysis (573 cases; 833 controls). The pooled sensitivity was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90–0.97) and specificity was 0.86 (0.70–0.94); likelihood ratios were LR+ ≈7.0 and LR− 0.06. Between-study variability was concentrated on specificity: the PI for a new setting was 0.75–0.98 for sensitivity and 0.23–0.99 for specificity. Deeks’ test showed evidence of small-study effects in the primary analysis; assay/platform and thresholding contributed materially to heterogeneity. Conclusions: NGAL in peritoneal/ascitic fluid demonstrates high pooled sensitivity but variable specificity across settings. Given the wide prediction intervals and the signal for small-study effects, NGAL should be interpreted as an adjunct to guideline-based criteria—not as a stand-alone rule-out test. Standardization of pre-analytics and assay-specific, locally verified thresholds, together with prospective multicenter validations and impact/economic evaluations, are needed to define its clinical role. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence in Australia has increased from 5.6% (2010) to 19.3% (2022), coinciding with the introduction of mandatory folic acid (FA) food fortification and increased supplementation. Animal studies show that high FA intake in pregnancy impairs maternal glucose regulation, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated whether fortification has altered maternal folate status to increase GDM risk, and whether key hormones that regulate maternal glucose homeostasis are affected following FA fortification. Methods: Serum folate, red cell folate (RCF), prolactin (PRL), human placental lactogen (hPL) and placental growth hormone (GH2) were measured in early pregnancy samples from women enrolled in prospective cohorts: SCOPE (N = 1164; pre-fortification) and STOP (N = 1300; post-fortification). Associations with GDM were assessed. Results: Compared to pre-fortification, women post-fortification had a higher GDM incidence (5.0% vs. 15.2%), serum folate (↑ 18%), RCF (↑ 259%), hPL (↑ 29%), and GH2 (↑ 13%) concentrations. RCF concentrations above the clinical reference range were found in 57.6% of women post-fortification. Causal mediation analysis suggests that higher RCF contributed to increased GDM risk. Women with RCF excess had 48% more GDM cases, and higher PRL (↑ 24.2%) and hPL (↑ 12.7%) levels compared to those within the reference range. Conclusions: Maternal folate excess is likely contributing to the rising prevalence of GDM in Australia. These findings highlight the need to evaluate excess FA/folate safety in pregnancy, particularly in countries with mandatory fortification. Placental hormones may represent a mechanistic link between excess folate and GDM, warranting further investigation. Full article

As a perceptual representation of ecosystem structure and function, the soundscape has become an important indicator for evaluating ecological health and assessing the impacts of human disturbances. Understanding the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of soundscapes is essential for revealing ecological processes and human impacts in protected areas. This study investigates such heterogeneity in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park using deep learning approaches. To this end, we constructed a dataset comprising eight representative sound source categories by integrating field recordings with online audio (BBC Sound Effects Archive and Freesound), and trained a classification model to accurately identify biophony, geophony, and anthrophony, which enabled the subsequent analysis of spatiotemporal distribution patterns. Our results indicate that temporal variations in the soundscape are closely associated with circadian rhythms and tourist activities, while spatial patterns are strongly shaped by topography, vegetation, and human interference. Biophony is primarily concentrated in areas with minimal ecological disturbance, geophony is regulated by landforms and microclimatic conditions, and anthrophony tends to mask natural sound sources. Overall, the study highlights how deep learning-based soundscape classification can reveal the mechanisms by which natural and anthropogenic factors structure acoustic environments, offering methodological references and practical insights for ecological management and soundscape conservation. Full article

Ascorbic Acid (AA), an important biomolecule present in relatively high concentrations in blood and other biological fluids, has been rarely investigated with reference to its effect on the biological mineralization–demineralization processes. To our knowledge, the present work is one of an extremely limited few found in the literature in which the effect of the presence of AA in mineralizing or demineralizing electrolyte solutions is addressed in a quantitative way. We have used the constant saturation method for the accurate measurement of the rates of crystal growth of hydroxyapatite (HAP, Ca₅(PO₄)₃OH), the model compound of the inorganic component of the hard tissues of higher mammals. It was found that both crystal growth and dissolution were accelerated significantly. The increase in crystal growth rates showed stronger dependence on the solution supersaturation (120% increase for the highest and 460% for the lowest) in the presence of 0.1 mM of AA, pH 7.40, 37 °C, 0.15 M NaCl. The dissolution rate increase was less dependent (average of ca. 300% increase). It was concluded from the detailed characterization of the solid that the acceleration effect was due to the uptake of AA on the HAP surface. Full article

Vorinostat, an FDA-approved histone deacetylase inhibitor, was evaluated for its potential anti-inflammatory activity through modulation of TACE (ADAM17)-mediated TNF-α signaling. The study was conducted using LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. TACE enzymatic activity was assessed by a fluorogenic assay, TNF-α release was measured by ELISA, and phosphorylation of MAPKs and NFκB signaling proteins was examined by a western blot. Molecular docking was performed using GNINA to evaluate binding affinity to ERK. Vorinostat was found to modestly inhibit TACE enzymatic activity in vitro, while significantly suppressing TNF-α secretion in cells, comparable to the selective TACE inhibitor BMS-561392. A concentration-dependent reduction in phosphorylated IκB and NFκB was observed, along with selective inhibition of ERK phosphorylation. Docking studies indicated a stable, albeit weaker, binding of vorinostat to ERK compared to reference ERK inhibitors. These findings suggest that vorinostat suppresses TNF-α production primarily through indirect mechanisms involving ERK and NF-κB signaling pathways, rather than by direct TACE inhibition. The repositioning of vorinostat as a modulator of inflammatory signaling is supported, offering potential therapeutic value in inflammatory disorders. Full article

Background: Asthma is the most prevalent chronic illness in children worldwide, contributing to significant morbidity, health care utilization, and economic burden. In the United States, approximately five million children are affected by asthma. This review explores the environmental contexts and lifestyle determinants of pediatric asthma, with a focus on the Inland Empire (IE) region of Southern California. The IE’s unique geographic landscape and importance as a major transportation hub highlights its critical role for understanding how both environmental and structural factors exacerbate asthma burden within the pediatric population. Variables such as household income, parental education levels, and lack of community-based asthma programs were explored. Despite significant burdens, the IE remains under-represented in asthma research, contributing to persistent disparity. Methods: A narrative literature review and regional data analysis were conducted via PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar (2000–2025), alongside data from the CDC, CDPH, and American Lung Association. Key words used included “pediatric asthma, Inland Empire, air pollution, asthma disparity, emergency department utilization, socioeconomic status.” Inclusion criteria were: (1) studies or reports focusing on pediatric asthma (ages 0–17), (2) articles addressing environmental, socioeconomic, or health care-related risk factors, and (3) research with either national, state-level, or IE-specific data. Exclusion criteria were: (1) articles not in English, adult-only asthma studies, and (3) publications without original data or reference to pediatric asthma burden, management, or outcomes. Titles and abstracts were screened for relevance, and full texts were reviewed when abstracts met inclusion criteria. A total of 61 studies, reports, and data sources met this criterion and were included into this review. Results: The IE—comprised of San Bernardino (SB) and Riverside Counties— is home to four of the top five most polluted cities in North America. Vehicle emissions and industrial waste are concentrated in the region due to limited air circulation from surrounding mountains that entrap pollutants. Pediatric asthma ED visit rates in SB and Riverside were 60.5% and 59.3%, compared to California’s average of 56.7%. Hospitalization rates for children aged 0–4 were also higher in SB (24.4%) compared to the state average (17.3%). The elevated rates among school-aged children underscore the crucial need for interventions aimed at improving air quality, enhancing asthma management, and increasing access to preventive health care. Conclusions: Pediatric asthma in the IE reflects heightened environmental risks, socioeconomic barriers, and gaps in health care access. Addressing these disparities requires targeted interventions, policies, and region-specific research to enhance long-term management strategies and outcomes for vulnerable pediatric populations. Full article

A liquid-sealed single-mode–no-core–single-mode (SNS) structure fiber temperature sensor based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) partial replacement coating is proposed. Using a liquid-sealed glass capillary structure, the PVA solution is introduced into the SNS structure and avoids its influence by environmental humidity. Temperature can be obtained by measuring the shift of the multimode interference spectrum, which is affected by the thermal optical effect of the PVA solution. Through theoretical simulation of the sensor, the optimal NCF fiber length and coating stripped length are obtained by comprehensively considering the transmitted loss and output spectrum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The optimal PVA solution concentration is selected by measuring the thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) and refractive index (RI). Based on the theoretical optimization results, a PVA solution-coated SNS fiber optic temperature sensor is experimentally fabricated, and temperature-sensing characteristics are measured within −3.6 to 73.2 °C. The experimental results show that the sensor has a high sensitivity (nm/°C, maximum is 21.713 nm/°C) and has a resolution of 10⁻³ °C. ${\lambda }_{dip}$ has a stable negative linear relationship with temperature, and the correlation coefficient of the fitting curve exceeds 95%. The temperature cycling experiment and long-term stability test show that the temperature sensor has good repeatability and stability. The experimental results also show the nonlinear relationship between the temperature measurement range and sensitivity, clarify the important factors affecting the response performance of fiber temperature sensors, and provide important reference values for optical fiber temperature sensors. Full article

With the rising importance of nuclear energy in the global energy landscape, the sustainable development of uranium resources has garnered increasing attention. Salt lake brine, as an unconventional uranium source, holds significant potential due to its relatively high uranium concentration and the co-occurrence of valuable elements such as lithium, boron, and potassium. However, the high salinity and complex ionic composition of brine environments pose considerable challenges for the efficient and selective extraction of uranium. In recent years, the rapid advancement of novel adsorbent materials has provided promising technological pathways for uranium extraction from salt lake brine. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in the application of inorganic and carbon-based materials, organic polymers with functional group modifications, and biomass-derived and green adsorbents in this field. The construction strategies, performance characteristics, and adsorption mechanisms of these materials are discussed in detail, with particular emphasis on their selectivity and stability under complex saline conditions. Furthermore, the application status and future prospects of emerging materials and techniques—such as photocatalysis and electrochemistry—are also explored. This review aims to offer theoretical insights and technical references to support the sustainable exploitation of uranium resources from salt lake brines. Full article

Against the backdrop of escalating atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, carbon emission trading systems (ETS) have emerged as pivotal policy instruments, with China’s ETS playing a prominent role globally. The carbon price, central to ETS functionality, guides resource allocation and corporate strategies. Due to unexpected events, political conflicts, limited access to data information, and insufficient cognitive levels of market participants, there are epistemic uncertainties in the fluctuations of carbon and energy prices. Existing studies often lack effective handling of these epistemic uncertainties in energy prices and carbon prices. Therefore, the core objective of this study is to reveal the dynamic linkage patterns between energy prices and carbon prices, and to quantify the impact mechanism of epistemic uncertainties on their relationship with the help of uncertain differential equations. Methodologically, a dynamic model of carbon and energy prices was constructed, and analytical solutions were derived and their mathematical properties were analyzed to characterize the linkage between carbon and energy prices. Furthermore, based on the observation data of coal prices in Qinhuangdao Port and national carbon prices, the unknown parameters of the proposed model were estimated, and uncertain hypothesis tests were conducted to verify the rationality of the proposed model. Results showed that the mean squared error of the established model for fitting the linkage relationship between carbon and energy prices was 0.76, with the fitting error controlled within $3.72\%$. Moreover, the prediction error was 1.$88\%$. Meanwhile, the $5\%$ value at risk (VaR) of the logarithmic return rate of carbon prices was predicted to be $-0.0369$. The research indicates that this methodology provides a feasible framework for capturing the uncertain interactions in the carbon-energy market. The price linkage mechanism revealed by it helps market participants optimize their risk management strategies and provides more accurate decision-making references for policymakers. Full article

The paper discusses fish stock assessment methods, emphasising methods for assessing stocks in developing nations. We present the advantages and disadvantages of each method discussed. Approaches to fish stock assessment include single-species, multi-species, multi-gear and ecosystem approaches. We discuss the Gordon–Schaefer (GS) model, a single-species surplus production model, as an alternative method for assessing fishery stocks in developing nations, with Malawi as an example of a developing nation. Although the GS model is not a contemporary method, it is still suitable for the situation in Malawi. We review how the GS model has been applied globally, in general, and in Malawi, in particular. The review shows that most studies have concentrated on the calculation of maximum sustainable yield or maximum economic yield, leaving out open access yield and optimum sustainable yield which is the dynamic reference point. Using all reference points is crucial in making correct management decisions. Bifurcation analysis, calculation of annual sustainable production, and calculation of depletion are missing in most studies. Future research should focus on integrating the use of all four reference points, bifurcation analysis, and calculation of depletion as well as annual sustainable production. Full article

This study developed a dual-antibody sandwich ELISA detection method for Photobacterium damselae, an important pathogen in aquaculture, based on two outer membrane proteins of outer membrane protein C (OmpC) and β-barrel assembly machinery A (BamA) from the strain of P. damselae XP11. By optimizing the reaction concentrations of the capture antibody of rabbit anti-OmpC or anti-BamA and the HRP-labeled detection antibody of rabbit anti-BamA, it was found that using 1.0 μg/mL of rabbit anti-OmpC or 0.9 μg/mL of rabbit anti-BamA as capture antibodies, and 0.90 μg/mL of HRP-labeled rabbit anti-BamA as the detection antibody, could specifically detect different isolates of P. damselae. The detection limit of this method for the supernatant protein of P. damselae disrupted by ultrasound was 0.2 μg/mL. Repeatability tests showed that the coefficient of variation for detecting 25 strains of bacteria was below 9.1%. Compared with the OmpC-BamA sandwich ELISA detection method, the BamA–BamA combination exhibited better specificity. The results of this study provide an important reference for the rapid detection of P. damselae and other bacterial pathogens in aquaculture. Full article

As a typical enclosed engineering microenvironment, tunnel construction sites exert a profound influence on workers’ unsafe behaviors. This impact is particularly significant in cold regions, where extreme environmental conditions are more likely to trigger unsafe behavior among construction workers. This study utilized two exemplary tunnels in cold regions of China as case studies. During the construction period, microenvironmental data were systematically collected, encompassing temperature, humidity, noise, and dust concentration. In parallel, data on workers’ unsafe behaviors were integrated to construct a nonlinear relationship model, and the importance of each microenvironmental variable was assessed using the random forest algorithm. The results indicate that various microenvironmental factors exhibit significant nonlinear effects on unsafe behavior. Among them, dust concentration had the strongest impact (22.56%), followed by noise (17.40%), humidity (15.02%), and temperature (9.21%). Specifically, the maintenance of temperature control close to 0 °C, humidity levels maintained at 60% to 65%, noise levels not exceeding 82 dB, and dust concentrations below 12 mg/m³ contributed to a significant reduction in unsafe behavior scores. The present study investigates the mechanism of the microenvironment of cold-region tunnel construction on personnel behavioral risk. The study’s findings provide a threshold reference and strategy support for safety optimization and engineering site management of cold-region tunnel construction environments. Full article

Natural radionuclides may occur in groundwater and pose health risks when present in elevated concentrations. This study evaluates the quality of shallow groundwater in Nysa County (SW Poland) based on the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides radon (²²²Rn) and radium (²²⁶Ra) and estimates the associated radiological risk from water ingestion. Twenty-three groundwater samples were collected from private wells located within two distinct geological units: the Fore-Sudetic Block and the Opole Trough. Activity concentrations of ²²²Rn and ²²⁶Ra were measured using the liquid scintillation counting method. A spatial distribution model for ²²²Rn was developed using inverse distance weighting in QGIS. Local hydrogeochemical background levels were determined using the Q-Dixon test, interquartile range, and Shapiro–Wilk normality test. The background ranged from 2.6 to 3.9 Bq·L⁻¹ in the Opole Trough and from 0 to 10.7 Bq·L⁻¹ in the Fore-Sudetic Block. The lower detection limit (0.05 Bq·L⁻¹) for ²²⁶Ra activity concentration measurements was not exceeded. Effective dose rates were calculated in accordance with the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection and United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. Doses ranged from <1 µSv to over 120 µSv·y⁻¹. Although all samples met national regulatory standards (≤1 mSv·y⁻¹), the World Health Organization reference level (0.1 mSv·y⁻¹) was exceeded in two cases. The results support the need for the radiological monitoring of unregulated private wells and provide a scientific basis for the refinement of legal frameworks and health protection strategies. Full article