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The catalysts with valve metals had been modified to use in the reforming process. Furthermore, there is a trend to the cheaper materials due to the deactivation and high price of the mentioned catalysts. In this case, at the present research work, the Nickel/CMK-3 catalysts with La2O3 as the promoter were synthesized by an impregnation method with 3 wt. % of La2O3. Also, the Nickel catalysts/CMK-3 and Nickel catalysts-La2O3/CMK-3 were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), Temperature programmed reduction (TPR), and the performance of the catalysts for CO2 reforming of CH4. In addition, the temperature programmed reduction (TPR) technique was selected to evaluate the catalyst properties for the CO2 reforming of CH4. In final, the obtained results demonstrated that the formation of amorphous mesoporous Carbon with NiO nanoparticles inside the channels of the supported base and also the Lantana oxide addition induced better Nickel oxide dispersion and increased the interaction of the catalyst particles with support. As a result, the Nickel catalysts supported on the Carbon mesoporous has shown enough activity for the CO2 reforming of CH4 at 650 ºC. However, the mentioned samples were deactivated due to Carbon oxidation according to the TGA results. Therefore, the addition of La2O3 with 3 wt. % as a promoter improved the catalytic activity up to 57% and enhanced the catalytic stability at a duration time of 2 hr.

Among the educational levels, high school is of special importance, because at this point in time, in addition to entering a new level, students are at a new stage in terms of emotional, moral and social development. Among high school courses, Persian literature course is of special importance; Because literature is the spectrum of all our learning and through it ideas are nurtured and people can have a good understanding of social issues and also get acquainted with the culture of the present and the past;Therefore, compiling the curriculum of Persian books in the framework of the goals that lead the audience to them is of special importance. One type of curriculum is the absurd curriculum, which shows how successful the curriculum authors have been in developing it.When the curriculum planning system does not intentionally present or teach certain concepts and issues, or the content presented in the textbook is not commensurate with the intellectual age of the students, or what the students read but cannot put into practice, it means The curriculum has been absurd. At the same time, there are cases in various textbooks that, according to some experts in the field of curriculum, may not be compatible with the needs and social, cultural, etc. developments of society and are obsolete, which is called redundant curriculum.Considering the importance of these two types of curricula and the special place of Persian literature in high school, in the present

In the evaluation of knowledge from the epistemological point of view on one hand such as fundamentalism, coherentism, and reliabilism, and on the other hand externalism and internalism have been proposed. The pure Virtue Epistemology theory was proposed by Linda Zagzebski. According to Zagzebski, contemporary epistemology is based on virtue ethics. By modeling moral virtues and their application in epistemology, she speaks of intellectual virtues, especially understanding and phronesis. From her views, contemporary epistemology has faced issues such as wisdom ignorance and understanding, focusing on certainty, monopoly of knowledge to propositional knowledge, confusion in the sense of justification, neglecting the role of free will, and lack of attention to feeling and emotion in search of knowledge. There are many critics on the pure virtue epistemology which can be categorized into three sections: first, internal critiques derived from epistemology itself, second, critiques derived from the philosophy of mind, and third, critiques derived from the philosophy of ethics. In this study, the question is whether the epistemological theory of pure virtue is capable of responding to these critiques and whether it has internal or external consistency. By turning the evaluation of knowledge from belief evaluation to the evaluation of agent-based belief and his or her characteristic and personality traits, Zagzebski finds a way to open up and seems to be successful in doing so. The research method of this discourse is Lakatos research program with regard to the central core and seat belts and positive and negative strategies.

Background: Cardiac surgery–associated acute kidney injury (AKI) is an adverse outcome that increases morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures. To date, the use of serum creatinine levels as an early indicator of AKI has limitations because of its slow rise and poor predictive accuracy for renal injury. This delay in diagnosis may lead to prolonged initiation in treatment and increased risk for adverse outcomes. Objective: This pilot study explores serum and urine matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-2 and MMP-9 and their association, and potentially earlier detection of AKI in patients following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)–supported cardiac surgery. We hypothesize that increased activity of serum and urine levels MMP-2 and/ or MMP-9 are associated with AKI. Furthermore, MMP-2 and/ or MMP-9 may provide earlier identification of AKI as compared with serum levels of creatinine. Methods: During the study period, there were 150 CPB-supported surgeries, 21 of which developed AKI according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We then selected a sample of 21 matched cases from those patients who went through the surgery without developing AKI. Primary outcomes were the measurement via gel zymography of the serum and urine activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 drawn at the following intervals: pre-CPB; 10-minute post-CPB; and 4-hour post-CPB time points. Secondary variables were the measurement of serum creatinine, intensive care unit (ICU) fluid balance, and length of ICU stay. Results: At the 10-minute and 4-hour post-CPB time points, the serum MMP-2 activity of AKI patients were significantly higher as compared with non-AKI patients ( P < .001 and P = .004), respectively. Similarly, at the 10-minute and 4-hour post-CPB time points, the serum MMP-9 activity of AKI patients was significantly higher as compared with non-AKI patients ( P = .001 and P = .014), respectively. The activity of urine MMP-2 and MMP-9 of AKI patients was significantly higher as compared with non-AKI patients at all 3 time points ( P = .004, P < .001, P < .001), respectively. Conclusion: Although the pilot study may have limitations, it has demonstrated that the serum and urine levels of activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 are associated with the clinical endpoint of AKI and appear to have earlier rising levels as compared with those of serum creatinine. Furthermore, in depth, exploration is underway with a larger sample size to attempt validation of the analytical performance and reproducibility of the assay for MMP-2 and MMP-9 to aid in earlier diagnosis of AKI following CPB-supported cardiac surgery.

This work focuses on the preparation of polymer matrix composite specimens by (Hand Lay-Up) method to make bulletproof armor from the unsaturated polyester resin (UP) as a matrix reinforced by Kevlar fibers at different volume fractions with and without (3%) of Al2O3 powder. The tensile test was performed for these composite specimens which include: (modulus of elasticity, tensile strength and elongation percentage), in addition of ballistic test were studied. The results of this work show that the values of tensile test increase with increasing the volume fraction of fibers. And the values of tensile test of a composite reinforced by kevlar fibers and addition (3%) of Al2O3 powder was less than those composite without addition of Al2O3 powder. The numerical method based on FEM was used to analysis of the bullet proof armor ballistic test of the composite specimens by finding the values of stresses, strains and deformations. The numerical results that obtained from the program (ANSYS 14.5) represent the maximum value of stress happened to the composite specimens when reinforced by eight layers of the kevlar, and vice versa to the deformations and strain also the numerical results shown a good agreement with results that were obtained experimentally. Results of ballistic test of composite specimens show the volume fraction of fibers has an effect on the deformations of the front face and back face of these composite specimens. And the values of the ballistic test for the composite reinforced by kevlar at eight layers give the best values from other each of composite specimens.

Incremental Forming, IF technology is a method for producing complex 3D-dimensional sheet profiles. Compared to conventional forming process, IF has some advantages, such as the punch-die set product deformation is not necessary, lower tools cost, shorter time prototype production, flexibility. The accuracy of the incremental forming products is still lower than those produced by the conventional forming process. One of the main parts of the IF tools-set is the supporting tools. The product profile accuracy limits the simplicity or complexity of the supporting tools. When the product profile does not contain a horizontal surface, the simple supporting tool can be used. If the product profile is more complex, the supporting tools should include more details. The present work introduces the effect of supporting plate radiuses in SPIF, Single Point Incremental Forming process. The supporting plate is used to investigate the effect of springback during the forming process. Aluminum sheet metals (A1025) are used for manufacturing the products. The study objective is to understand the springback behavior, which is affected by supporting tools. The strain distributions of the final deformed product section at each step size have been analyzed and evaluated in detail.

Incremental Forming IF is a suitable technique for producing complex forms. The geometry of product is quite free; on the other hand, there are limitations regarding the sheet thickness and the tools used. The material formability is affected by the product profile requirements, and the straightening of product wall is affected by the tool path. Also, the wall angle is one of most important characteristics that are limited by the sheet profile thickness. The geometry of the product determines the type of supporting tool and its complexity. The horizontal surface can be produced without supporting tool, but will result inclined. Without supporting tool, the sheet tends to bend as an alternative of stretching and the surface becomes wavy. For the present study, Aluminum (A1025) alloy sheets are used to deform a product using a supporting plate (with radius). The supporting plate is used to analyze the effect of springback during the process and for better control over the material flow. The study aims to understand the distribution of strain at the deformed part section for each step size. Also, the primary reasons for the product failure by springback and the final products have been evaluated and analyzed in details.

Background: Considering the common origin of skin and peripheral nervous system, a tube of dermal layer of skin hypothetically can be an ideal conduit for nerve reconstruction. An experimental study performed to evaluate the nerve regeneration of efficacy into a dermal tube. Methods: Sixty male Wistar rats were used. A 10 mm gap was produced in right sciatic nerves. In group A the autogenous nerve grafts were used to bridge the defects. In group B vein conduit were use to reconstruct the gaps. In group C dermal tube were used to bridge the defects. Morphologic studies were carried out after 3 month. Results: The density of nerve fibers was significantly higher in autogenous nerve graft group. The efficacy of nerve growth into the dermal tube group was significantly poor in comparison to other groups. Conclusions: In the present study, dermis was used as the nerve conduit for the first time. This study indicates that the dermal tube is not a suitable conduit for nerve regeneration till further studies to resolve the problems before clinical application.

Single Point Incremental Forming process (SPIF) is a modern forming technique of sheet material. Principles of the process are based on manufacturing by layers-two dimensions layers with step size depth of the tool path. The movement of a hemispherical forming tool is using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine to produce the profile of the final product. The description of the process is more complicated by highly nonlinear boundary conditions. The paper presents a study of the effect of the flat forming tool profile through FEA on SPIF that permits the modelling of complex product geometries, material behaviour and boundary conditions. The results showed that the model of simulation can predict the behaviour of contact tool-blank, and the accuracy of product.

Single Point Incremental Forming, SPIF and Two Point Incremental Forming, TPIF are two types of Incremental Sheet Forming ISF processes with high economic potential payoff for rapid prototyping applications. The process requires a CNC machining centre, a spherical tip tool and a simple support to fix the workpiece. The process is more complicated by highly nonlinear boundary conditions, namely contact and frictional effects. However, this process, numerical approach, dominated by the Finite Element Method, FEM is being used. The paper presents the data and main results of a study on the effect of using two forming tool movements through FE analysis. The certain process conditions referring to the test blank, tool, etc., applying ANSYS application program. The results show that the upper TPIF process is more stable during the deformation process steps by chattering statuses evaluation and improve the strain distributions of the deformed blank.

A case of congenital transmesenteric hernia leading to intestinal obstruction is being reported here.

The removal of arsenic in contaminated groundwater on magnetic nanoscale Fe--Mn binary oxides loaded zeolite (MFM) is evaluated in this study. MFM is produced by an improved precipitation method; and is easily separated from water by an external magnetic field after arsenic removal. With the measured surface area of 340 m²/g by the BET method, the removal efficiency of MFM for arsenic is more than 99.0% at pH 7.0. The adsorption kinetics is well fitted with pseudo-second-order, as well as Weber--Morris model. Results show that arsenic adsorption on MFM is predominantly regulated by surface diffusion in initial 15 min, followed by intraparticle diffusion in later stage. Adsorption and oxidation occur simultaneously in the process of arsenite removal, while adsorption is the sole driving process during arsenate removal. MFM exhibits a strong adsorption affinity to arsenic, and the adsorption isotherms are well described by Freundlich and Redlich--Peterson models. A thermodynamic analysis indicates that the adsorption is spontaneous and endothermic. An adsorption site energy analysis illustrates a distribution of adsorption energy to exhibit the heterogeneous distribution nature on MFM for arsenic removal. This study proves MFM as a promising adsorbent for arsenic removal in contaminated groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Arctic populations, a primary route of exposure to contaminants is through the diet. The health risks associated with these exposures can be characterised by conducting human health risk assessments. However, while there is guidance from many international and national organisations, there are limited examples of human health risk assessment in the Arctic. The 2022 AMAP Human Health Assessment Report was the first AMAP report to describe, in one place, the utility of food-based, dietary intake-based and human tissue-based contaminant data in estimating risk. Here, we present available tools, case studies and challenges associated with conducting human health risk assessments in the Arctic. Future efforts in the Arctic should be able to use this information to best interpret human exposure to contaminants in a risk-based context.

Culinary spices and herbs, renowned for their flavor, aroma, and medicinal properties, contain essential nutrients but also may pose health concerns due to heavy metal contamination. This systematic review, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, investigates the global concentrations of heavy metals in culinary spices and herbs, and evaluates associated health risks. Fifty peer-reviewed studies from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science were examined and findings revealed variations in heavy metal content based on country of origin and spice type. In the MENA region, caraway and green cardamom from Bahrain had high levels of Pb (2.2 μg/g) and Cd (0.9 μg/g). Indian spices like cloves and Ajwain seeds exhibited high levels of iron (17.87 ± 8 mg/kg) and calcium (1353 ± 10 mg/kg). African and European spices showed regional disparities, with some exceeding permissible Pb and Cd limits. Non-carcinogenic human health risk assessments via oral exposure pathway conducted on reported Cd, Ni, and Cu concentrations throughout the reviewed global studies revealed no risks across all regions and for all spices and herbs under study except in Turkey for Cd levels found in chamomile with hazard quotients ranging between 1.26 and 1.47. On the other hand, carcinogenic risks varied based on reported Pb concentrations, ranging from 8.5 × 10 -8 to a maximum of 4.96 × 10 -3 . These findings underscore the need for global vigilance in food safety practices and future research in countries with less stringent policies. Recommendations include improved agricultural practices, enhanced soil management, and stringent post-harvest procedures to mitigate contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This cross-cutting review focuses on the presence and impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Arctic. Several PFAS undergo long-range transport via atmospheric (volatile polyfluorinated compounds) and oceanic pathways (perfluorinated alkyl acids, PFAAs), causing widespread contamination of the Arctic. Beyond targeting a few well-known PFAS, applying sum parameters, suspect and non-targeted screening are promising approaches to elucidate predominant sources, transport, and pathways of PFAS in the Arctic environment, wildlife, and humans, and establish their time-trends. Across wildlife species, concentrations were dominated by perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), followed by perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA); highest concentrations were present in mammalian livers and bird eggs. Time trends were similar for East Greenland ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus). In polar bears, PFOS concentrations increased from the 1980s to 2006, with a secondary peak in 2014-2021, while PFNA increased regularly in the Canadian and Greenlandic ringed seals and polar bear livers. Human time trends vary regionally (though lacking for the Russian Arctic), and to the extent local Arctic human populations rely on traditional wildlife diets, such as marine mammals. Arctic human cohort studies implied that several PFAAs are immunotoxic, carcinogenic or contribute to carcinogenicity, and affect the reproductive, endocrine and cardiometabolic systems. Physiological, endocrine, and reproductive effects linked to PFAS exposure were largely similar among humans, polar bears, and Arctic seabirds. For most polar bear subpopulations across the Arctic, modeled serum concentrations exceeded PFOS levels in human populations, several of which already exceeded the established immunotoxic thresholds for the most severe risk category. Data is typically limited to the western Arctic region and populations. Monitoring of legacy and novel PFAS across the entire Arctic region, combined with proactive community engagement and international restrictions on PFAS production remain critical to mitigate PFAS exposure and its health impacts in the Arctic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program (AMAP) is tasked with monitoring and assessing the status of environmental contaminants in the Arctic, documenting levels and trends, and producing science-based assessments. The objectives of this paper are to present the current levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) across the Arctic, and to identify trends and knowledge gaps as detailed in the most recent AMAP Human Health Assessment Report. Many Arctic populations continue to have elevated levels of these contaminants, and the highest levels of POPs were observed in populations from Greenland, Faroe Islands, and Nunavik (Canada), as well as populations in the coastal Chukotka district (Russia) for legacy POPs only. Concentrations of most POPs are declining in Arctic populations in regions where time trends data exist, although the declines are not consistent across all regions. The exceptions are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with concentrations of some long-chain PFAS such as perfluorononanoic acid increasing in populations in Nunavik, Greenland and Sweden. This paper provides a more extensive summary of levels of contaminants in adults, pregnant women, and children across the Arctic than previous AMAP human health assessments, particularly for levels of long-chain PFAS, which are currently under consideration for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention.

There is growing awareness and recognition of the importance of the One Health paradigm to address existing environmental threats and recognise emerging ones at an early stage among Arctic residents, public health agencies, and wildlife resource managers. The One Health approach, emphasising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and ecosystem health, plays a pivotal role in addressing these multifaceted issues. Warming climate and permafrost thaw may influence both contaminant exposure and the spread of zoonotic infectious diseases and have impacts on water and food security. Migration from rural regions to larger communities and urban centres along with increased tourism may be accompanied by changes in exposure to contaminants and zoonotic diseases. Universities have developed educational programmes and research projects on One Health in the Arctic, and under the Arctic Council there is running a project of One Arctic, One Health. These arctivities have produced interdisciplinary information and practical solutions for local communities, decision-makers, and in scientific forums. There is a need for epidemiological zoonotic/human disease models, as well as new approaches to integrate existing and future surveillance data to climatic and environmental data. This requires not only regional and international collaboration but also multi-agency and transdisciplinary research.

The 2021 Arctic Monitoring Assessment Program (AMAP)'s Human Health Assessment report presents a summary of the presence of contaminants in human populations across the circumpolar Arctic and provides an update to the previous assessment released in 2015. The primary objective of this paper is to summarise some of these findings by describing the current levels of metals across the Arctic, including key regional and temporal trends based on available national data and literature, and highlight knowledge gaps. Many Arctic populations continue to have elevated levels of these contaminants, and the highest levels of mercury (Hg) were observed in populations from Greenland, Faroe Islands, and Nunavik (Canada). Still, concentrations of several metals are declining in Arctic populations in regions where time trends data exist, although the declines are not consistent across all regions. The 2021 AMAP human health assessment report and this paper provide an extensive summary of levels of metals and trace elements in adults, pregnant women, and children across the Arctic.

Background: Human biomonitoring is crucial for regulatory toxicology, yet data on biomarker concentrations in the UAE are lacking. This study addresses this gap by analyzing urinary concentrations of 16 metals in UAE young adults, assessing correlations with personal characteristics, dietary patterns, and lifestyle habits., Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted among 144 randomly selected young adults (71 males and 73 females) from Sharjah, UAE, between January and March 2023. Participants provided urine samples, which were analyzed for 16 heavy metals using ICP-OES, and completed detailed questionnaires covering sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics, and linear regression analysis was applied to explore associations between metal concentrations and factors such as gender, dietary habits, and exposure to environmental risks. Non-parametric tests, including the Mann-Whitney test, were used to assess differences by gender. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Ethical approval was obtained, and informed consent was secured before participation., Results: Significant findings include dietary influences on metal exposure, with rice consumption linked to higher metal concentrations. Sex differences were significant, with females showing elevated levels of arsenic, lead, and cadmium. Lifestyle factors, such as smoking and incense use, were correlated with increased barium and boron levels., Conclusion: This study highlights the significant role of dietary habits, especially the consumption of rice, in metal exposure among young adults in Sharjah. The findings highlight the urgent need for comprehensive human biomonitoring to understand environmental exposures and reform public health policies. The gender-specific differences in metal distribution suggest the necessity for targeted public health strategies. The study, however, is limited by its cross-sectional nature and the focus on a specific geographic area, warranting further research for broader generalizability. Future investigations, particularly on the impact of incense exposure on metal levels, are essential for developing comprehensive health interventions and preventive strategies in the UAE., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Masarani et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The risk of zoonotic disease transmission from animals to humans is elevated for people in close contact with domestic and wild animals. About three-quarters of all known human infectious diseases are zoonotic, and potential health impacts of these diseases are higher where infectious disease surveillance and access to health care and public health services are limited. This is especially the case for remote circumarctic regions, where drivers for endemic, emerging, and re-emerging zoonotic diseases include anthropogenic influences, such as pollution by long-range transport of industrial chemicals, climate change, loss of biodiversity and ecosystem alterations. In addition to these, indirect effects including natural changes in food web dynamics, appearance of invasive species and thawing permafrost also affect the risk of zoonotic disease spill-over. In other words, the Arctic represents a changing world where pollution, loss of biodiversity and habitat, and maritime activity are likely driving forward occurrence of infectious diseases. As a broad international consortium with a wide range of expertise, we here describe a selection of case studies highlighting the importance of a One Health approach to zoonoses in the circumarctic, encompassing human health, animal health, and environmental health aspects. The cases highlight critical gaps in monitoring and current knowledge, focusing on environmental stressors and lifestyle factors, and they are examples of current occurrences in the Arctic that inform on critically needed actions to prepare us for the future. Through these presentations, we recommend measures to enhance awareness and management of existing and emerging zoonoses with epidemic and pandemic potential while also focusing on the impacts of various environmental stressors and lifestyle factors on zoonoses in the Arctic., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this pape., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Data on the association between food insecurity and depression in single parents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are limited, and no study has reported the serial mediation effects of psychosocial factors in this association. This study examines the extent to which anxiety and sleep serially explain the food insecurity and depression link among single parents in Ghana., Methods: Data on 627 single parents were obtained through a multi-stage stratified sampling technique. Food insecurity was assessed using the Food and Agriculture Organization Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). Multivariable OLS models and bootstrapping serial mediation analyses were performed to evaluate the hypothesized associations., Results: The mean age (SD) was 45.0 (14.7) years; 67.3% females. After full adjustment, food insecurity was significantly associated with increases in anxiety symptoms (β = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.476 - 0.737), sleep problems (β = 0.04, 95%CI = 0.02 - 0.07), and depression (β = 0.24, 95%CI = 0.12 - 0.36). Food insecurity indirectly related to depression via anxiety (β = 0.35, 95%CI = 0.26-0.44) representing 55.8%, sleep (β = 0.03, 95%CI = 0.0032-0.0575) suggesting 4.0%, and anxiety→sleep (β = 0.013, 95%CI = 0.0024-0.0265) yielding 2.0% of the total effect., Conclusions: Food insecurity was positively associated with depression. This association was partially and serially explained by generalized anxiety and sleep problems. Efforts to address depression among single parents should consider interventions for food insecurity and psychosocial problems, particularly in LMICs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: The association of physical activity (PA) with pain has been characterized. Although the literature largely comes from high-income countries, the mechanistic pathways underlying this association remain unknown, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aim to examine the association between meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) PA guidelines and pain among aging adults and identify the factors that may mediate this association., Design: We used a quantitative cross-sectional study design., Setting and Participants: Representative data from adults aged ≥50 years who participated in the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study were used., Methods: PA was defined using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Self-reported pain experience using a cross-culturally validated item over the past month assessed pain severity. Adjusted multivariable ordinal logistic regression and mediation models quantified the hypothesized associations., Results: The analysis included 1201 adults (mean 66.1 ± 11.9 years; 63.3% female). After adjusting for confounders, adhering to the WHO-recommended PA guidelines was associated with 42% lower odds for severe/extreme pain [odds ratio (OR) 0.58, 95% CI 0.44-0.77]. The association was much stronger among men (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.31-0.85) than women (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.42-0.87). The PA-pain association was explained by functional limitations (84.7%), self-rated health (76.6%), sleep problems (20.4%), and injury (6.6%)., Conclusions and Implications: Moving more was associated with less pain in older adults from LMICs. Interventions for pain management in old age may focus on enhancing compliance with PA doses, particularly in LMICs. However, longitudinal data will need to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Social isolation (SI) and food insecurity (FI) are important social determinants of health that can negatively impact well-being in old age. While research on the association between FI and SI is limited in LMICs, the mediators of this association are largely unknown. This cross-sectional study examined whether FI is associated with SI among older adults in Ghana and whether psychological factors (i.e., depression, anxiety, and sleep problems) mediated the association., Methods: Our study consisted of adults aged ≥50 years in the Aging, Health, Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study. SI was assessed with the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index, while FI was assessed with dietary inadequacy-related items. We used an ordinary least squares regression (OLS), logistic regressions, and bootstrapping modeling approach to examine our hypotheses with p < 0.05., Results: The analysis included 1201 individuals (M age  = 66 [SD = 12], women = 63%). In the full sample (β = 0.21; p < 0.001) and in women (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) but not in men, FI was independently associated with SI. FI was comparably associated with increases in SI for the 50-64 age group (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and ≥65 age cohort (β = 0.19, p < 0.01). Moreover, FI showed differential associations with specific domains of SI (OR = 1.81 to 1.45, p < 0.001). Finally, the FI-SI association was mediated by depressive symptoms (65.16%), anxiety symptoms (30.16%), and sleep problems (9.50%)., Conclusions: Our data highlight the fundamental role of FI in SI among older adults, and the effect is explained by psychosocial factors. Interventions targeted toward strengthening interpersonal ties in old age should include addressing FI and older adults' psychosocial outcomes., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) monitors persistent organic pollutant (POP) levels in the Arctic populations and assesses health effects related to exposure to them. Many internationally regulated POPs persist in humans and biota, while new Emerging Contaminants of Arctic Concern (ECAC), many of which are unregulated, present additional challenges. Biomonitoring offers valuable insights into temporal trends within human matrices, revealing critical information not only about the efficacy of international regulations but also serving as an early warning system for exposure and risks for human health., Methods: Data analyzed in this study is aggregated data presented in the AMAP Human Health in the Arctic assessments, which provide data on contaminant concentrations measured in human matrices from adults, and children across various population studies conducted in the Arctic since the 1980 s. Linear regression analyses were used to assess trends of various POPs including organochlorine (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), measured over time from the Arctic populations in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Canada and Alaska (USA)., Results: Overall, decreasing trends were observed for PCBs and OCPs. Regulated PFAS showed decreasing trends, but increasing trends were observed for unregulated PFAS in certain populations. PBDEs showed decreasing or inconsistent trends in certain Arctic populations., Conclusions: Decreasing trends are observed for legacy POPs, but the trends for new emerging contaminants are inconsistent. More focus is needed on biomonitoring the new emerging contaminants of concern in the Arctic and their implications on human health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Road dust is a major source of pollution in the environment, carrying different pollutants, including heavy metals and metalloids, from one location to another. This study assesses the concentrations of eight heavy metals and one metalloid (Zn, Pb, Mn, Fe, Cr, Cu, Cd, Ni, and As) in dust samples collected from sixty-eight streets of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates using ICP-OES, as well as investigates their effects on both the environment and humans. Mean concentrations of the elements in μg/g across the sites were 392 ± 46 (Zn), 68.28 ± 11.3 (Pb), 1437 ± 67 (Mn), 39,481 ± 4611 (Fe), 460 ± 31 (Cr), 150 ± 44 (Cu), 1.25 ± 0.65 (Cd), 856 ± 72 (Ni), and 0.97 ± 0.28 (As). The C deg and ERI calculated from the study were 54.79 and 573, respectively, suggesting varying pollution levels. The highest contributions were from Ni, Cd, Zn, Cu, Cr, and Pb, especially in areas with heavy traffic. The non-carcinogenic risk assessments were generally low for the three routes of exposure, except HQ oral that was slightly higher for children. Similarly, none of the elements exhibited any carcinogenic risk except chromium. Overall, the cancer risk is considered low. In view of the limited studies from UAE in relation to the metal content of road-deposited dusts, the current study serves as novel knowledge, especially in the context of geographical areas with a higher occurrence of sandstorms and the presence of particulate matter. The study also adds to the global understanding of the contribution of street dust to environmental pollution and its implications for human health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This work presents a case study in applying a systematic review framework (SYRINA) to the identification of chemicals as endocrine disruptors. The suitability and performance of the framework is tested with regard to the widely accepted World Health Organization definition of an endocrine disruptor (ED). The endocrine disrupting potential of triphenyl phosphate (TPP), a well-studied flame retardant reported to exhibit various endocrine related effects was assessed. We followed the 7 steps of the SYRINA framework, articulating the research objective via Populations, Exposures, Comparators, Outcomes (PECO) statements, performed literature search and screening, conducted study evaluation, performed data extraction and summarized and integrated the evidence. Overall, 66 studies, consisting of in vivo , in vitro and epidemiological data, were included. We concluded that triphenyl phosphate could be identified as an ED based on metabolic disruption and reproductive function. We found that the tools used in this case study and the optimizations performed on the framework were suitable to assess properties of EDs. A number of challenges and areas for methodological development in systematic appraisal of evidence relating to endocrine disrupting potential were identified; significant time and effort were needed for the analysis of in vitro mechanistic data in this case study, thus increasing the workload and time needed to perform the systematic review process. Further research and development of this framework with regards to grey literature (non-peer-reviewed literature) search, harmonization of study evaluation methods, more consistent evidence integration approaches and a pre-defined method to assess links between adverse effect and endocrine activity are recommended. It would also be advantageous to conduct more case studies for a chemical with less data than TPP.

The study highlights the crucial roles played by interest groups in shaping the definition and redefinition of policy issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. The study focused on selected countries to discuss strategies that were deployed to combat the COVID quandary. The selected countries are Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Egypt, and Tunisia. A purely qualitative research, it relied on existing literature sources to produce thematic analysis which explore the various strategies adopted by interest groups in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. The study revealed the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the already fragile healthcare system in Africa. Again, it revealed the innovative approaches such as herbal medicine and local production of ventilators developed by African countries to tackle COVID-19 including efforts of other interests groups like government agencies, private institutions and international organizations in the fight against COVID-19 in Africa., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

A large majority of chemicals is converted into metabolites through xenobiotic-metabolising enzymes. Metabolites may present a spectrum of characteristics varying from similar to vastly different compared with the parent compound in terms of both toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. In the pesticide arena, the role of metabolism and metabolites is increasingly recognised as a significant factor particularly for the design and interpretation of mammalian toxicological studies and in the toxicity assessment of pesticide/metabolite-associated issues for hazard characterization and risk assessment purposes, including the role of metabolites as parts in various residues in ecotoxicological adversities. This is of particular relevance to pesticide metabolites that are unique to humans in comparison with metabolites found in in vitro or in vivo animal studies, but also to disproportionate metabolites (quantitative differences) between humans and mammalian species. Presence of unique or disproportionate metabolites may underlie potential toxicological concerns. This review aims to present the current state-of-the-art of comparative metabolism and metabolites in pesticide research for hazard and risk assessment, including One Health perspectives, and future research needs based on the experiences gained at the European Food Safety Authority., Competing Interests: JoL, JeL, MP and JP were employed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). SC and CB were employed by the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC). The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2023 Pelkonen, Abass, Parra Morte, Panzarea, Testai, Rudaz, Louisse, Gundert-Remy, Wolterink, Jean-Lou CM, Coecke and Bernasconi.)

Objective: Sleep problems (SP) are highly prevalent and seriously affect health and well-being in old age. The aim of this study was to examine the association between SP and happiness in an urban-dwelling older sample. The authors further explore the effects of generalized anxiety and depressive symptoms in the SP-happiness link using serial mediating modeling., Methods: Data came from the 2016 to 2018 Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study in Ghana (n = 661). The authors measured happiness with the cross-culturally validated item on a five-point scale. The GAD-7 and the CESD-8, respectively, assessed generalized anxiety and depressive symptoms. Participants reported nighttime and daytime SP in the last 30 days. The SPSS-based Hayes' PROCESS macro program (Model 6) was constructed to quantify the hypothesized mediation effect., Results: The analysis included 661 adults aged greater than or equal to 50 years (mean age = 65.53 [SD] = 11.89 years; 65.20% women). After full adjustment, path models showed that SP was negatively associated with happiness (β = -0.1277, 95%CI = -0.15950 to -0.096). Bootstrapping estimates revealed that the SP-happiness link was serially mediated via generalized anxiety representing 8.77%, depressive symptoms yielding 18.95%, and anxiety symptoms→depressive symptoms accounting for 26.70% of the total effect., Conclusion: Generalized anxiety and depressive symptoms may explain the negative association between SP and happiness in urban-dwelling older adults in the sub-Saharan African (SSA) context. Interventions, social and clinical, to improve happiness through sleep quality should include ways to improve mental health. Longitudinal and cross-cultural data are warranted to assess the bi-directionality of this relationship., (Copyright © 2023 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)