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The term ‘nature sports’ can be understood in different ways, depending on how the words ‘sport’ and ‘nature’ are explained. Since ‘nature’ is usually understood as ‘ungroomed’, ‘nature sports’ may be interpreted either as non-competitive practices in ungroomed nature (as discussed by Krein), with examples such as backcountry skiing, climbing or surfing; or as competitive sports in ungroomed nature. This paper argues that those ultra sports that take place in ungroomed nature, such as ultra swimming and ultra running, are better candidates for being called ‘nature sports’ than those non-competitive ones suggested by Krein; and that this is also more in line with the contemporary common use of the term ‘sport’. This paper discusses these ‘ultra/nature’ sports, mainly from the point of view of their relationship to nature, the values that they offer to athletes, and their specific temporality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Design, setting, participants and measurements Findings Conclusions To date, most tobacco product waste research focuses on cigarettes. Less is known about single‐use ‘disposable’ e‐cigarette waste, which contains several hazardous and toxic materials. This exploratory study examines self‐reported methods for discarding disposables among a national sample of US adolescents and young adults.Data were obtained from a weekly cross‐sectional survey of US residents aged 15–24 years. The analytical sample consisted of data collected from November 2022 to August 2023 from respondents who reported past‐30‐day use of disposables (n = 1313). Weighted multinomial logistic regressions examined the association between tobacco use behaviors and respondents’ primary self‐reported method for discarding disposables (reference group: ‘throw them in the regular trash’), controlling for socio‐demographic variables.Approximately half of respondents discarded their empty disposables in the regular trash (52.9%). On average, respondents reported throwing away 3.1 disposables monthly [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.83, 3.29]. Second most commonly, respondents reported keeping or collecting empty disposables (21.4%). Respondents who reported 10–30 days (versus 1‐9) of past‐month vaping were more likely to primarily keep or collect disposable e‐cigarettes (relative risk reduction = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.20, 2.24) compared to discarding in the trash.Young people in the United States who use disposable e‐cigarettes report primarily discarding their disposable e‐cigarettes in the regular trash or keeping them. All reported disposal methods raise safety and environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first part of this article offers a systemic comparison of Pope Francis's "integral ecology" with the "technocratic paradigm." The second part is devoted to an internal critique of the paradigm: (i) the primacy accorded instrumental causality in a "disenchanted world," (ii) the technical reduction of prudence, and (iii) the consequent fragmentation of ethical systems. The critique supports key aspects of Francis's ecological ethics: the option for the poor, intergenerational responsibility, and recognition of the intrinsic value of nonhuman nature. The third part shows how such an internal critique underwrites the uses of religious rhetoric in public reasoning: the re-enchantment of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dialysis practice has a particularly high environmental impact, including responsible for carbon emissions and climate change. Insufficient research has been conducted on environmental sustainability activities in dialysis therapy in Japan. Methods: We conducted an online Green Survey comprising 30 question items based on a previously conducted survey in Australia. Between August and September 2023, this was sent to members of the Japanese Association of Dialysis Physicians, including hospital and clinic physicians, working across 885 dialysis facilities in Japan. Results: In total, 255 (29%) facilities responded to the survey. More than half of the facilities (n = 157; 61.6%) responded that they did not have a strategy, policy, or action plan for environmental sustainability. In four-fifths of the facilities (n = 208; 81.6%), no "green team" or committee had been formed to promote environmental protection. By contrast, most of the surveyed facilities had emergency strategies for natural disasters, such as covering for patient visits and staff commuting during extreme weather conditions (n = 169; 66.3%), water shortages (n = 159; 62.4%), and power outages (n = 188; 73.7%). Conclusions: Following the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and Portugal, this is the fourth Green Survey to be conducted, and the first on environmental sustainability among kidney health-care providers in Japan. The results indicated that daily activities for environmental protection are still lacking at many facilities, even though the management of dialysis treatment during a natural disaster is well conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the international community attempts to unite to combat climate change, American party politics could hardly be more divided on this issue. This paper offers an additional explanation for how US congressional politics on environmental policy has polarized: the ongoing education realignment in American party politics. As the Democratic Party increasingly relies on college-educated voters and the opposite is true for the Republican Party, this can affect the parties' positions on environmental policy based on public opinion research which finds a positive relationship between education and pro-environment attitudes. Using League of Conservation Voters legislative scorecards from 1983 to 2020, this paper finds the education realignment contributed to the removal of pro-environment Republicans and anti-environment Democrats in Congress in recent decades; and this primarily occurred through elite replacement rather than conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on right-wing populists (RWP) in power and their discourses and policy preferences on environmental issues. Through a content and frame analysis of electoral manifestos, party communication and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with party representatives, this paper examines whether ideological or contextual factors (political opportunities) determine RWP positioning on the environment. By focusing on the only three cases in Europe of RWP in government in a prominent position, i.e. alone or as a major coalition partner (also representing key ideological varieties of RWP), Law and Justice – PiS in Poland; Fidesz in Hungary and Lega in Italy, this study shows that ideological positions (and especially differences) are less important in determining RWP environmental discourses than are opportunities and institutionalization. Moreover, we also find that the shared features across these actors reflect a conditional, 'yes-but' environmentalism of these parties, embedded in the discourse of ecological modernization and oppositional, Manichean framing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study investigates the differences in nutritional values and diosgenin content between lesser yams cultivated in a sub-tropical climate (Okinawa) and those cultivated in a cold region (northern Kyoto) within a plastic greenhouse. • Most of the analyzed nutritional ingredients demonstrated comparable values between plants cultivated in the sub-tropical region and within the plastic greenhouse in the cold region. The diosgenin content was 0.12 g/100 g for tubers cultivated in the sub-tropical region and 0.1 g/100 g for those cultivated in the cold region within a plastic greenhouse. • Nutritional ingredients and diosgenin contents were comparable between the two growing conditions. Dioscorea esculenta can be cultivated in sub-tropical regions and in cold regions within plastic greenhouses. The lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta) is a phytochemical tuber that contains substantial amounts of diosgenin. Dioscorea esculenta is normally cultivated in tropical/sub-tropical regions such as African countries, and Okinawa in Japan. However, it remains unknown whether it can be successfully cultivated in cold regions within a plastic greenhouse. This study investigated the differences in nutritional values and diosgenin content between lesser yams cultivated in a sub-tropical climate (Okinawa) and those cultivated in a cold region (northern Kyoto) within a plastic greenhouse. The tubers were planted in March 2021 and harvested in January 2022. The temperature of the plastic greenhouse was 25.6 °C throughout the cultivation period. Additionally, the soil properties were potting soil with 8 % nitrogen potassium phosphate. Samples of dioscorea esculenta from both regions were used to produce 1 kg of sliced tubers from six tubers, were dried with the peel, then pulverized. The diosgenin content was analyzed for each sample, and nutritional ingredients such as moisture, carbohydrates, protein, fat, ash, sodium, and energy were measured. Most of the analyzed nutritional ingredients demonstrated comparable values between plants cultivated in the sub-tropical region and within the plastic greenhouse in the cold region. The diosgenin content was 0.12 g/100 g for tubers cultivated in the sub-tropical region and 0.1 g/100 g for those cultivated in the cold region within a plastic greenhouse. Nutritional ingredients and diosgenin contents were comparable between the two growing conditions. Dioscorea esculenta can be cultivated in sub-tropical regions and in cold regions within plastic greenhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research recovers the collective memory of elderly people who recall experiences lived alongside the Tagus River in the city of Toledo (Spain). The study develops an individual and collective narrative story to add to our understanding of the relationship between society and its environment during the years 1950–1970. A qualitative methodology is used through documentary analysis techniques and in-depth interviews. The results obtained from the testimonies reflect the influence that the Tagus River had as a natural heritage on the socialization and emotions of Toledo society. The sociological study carried out is unique, since it is the first in which, through collective memory, a contrast is made between the enjoyment of a natural fluvial environment in good condition compared to its current state of an ecosystem in deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased consumption of pesticides can have a negative environmental impact by increasing the essential metals to toxic levels. Bordasul® is a commonly used fungicide in Brazil and it is composed of 20% Cu, 10% sulfur, and 3.0% calcium. The study of fungicides in vivo in non-target model organisms can predict their environmental impact more broadly. The Drosophila melanogaster is a unique model due to its ease of handling and maintenance. Here, the potential toxicity of Bordasul® was investigated by assessing the development, survival, and behavior of exposed flies. Exposure to Bordasul® impaired the development (p < 0.01) and caused a significant reduction in memory retention (p < 0.05) and locomotor ability (p < 0.001). Fungicides are needed to assure the world's food demand; however, Bordasul® was highly toxic to D. melanogaster. Therefore, Bordasul® may be potentially toxic to non-target invertebrates and new environmentally-safe biofertilizers have to be developed to preserve the biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of anuran larvae to efficiently locate food is essential for their growth and development, but little is known about the sensory modalities they use to find food. We experimentally assessed the role of visual and chemical cues in finding food in tadpoles of the invasive species Lithobates catesbeianus. In the two‐choice experiment, using rectangular containers that offer visual and/or chemical food cues on opposite ends, tadpoles chose the side where the chemical cues of the food were present consistently. The visual cues alone showed an initial transient attraction of tadpoles, which disappeared after a few minutes, suggesting that tadpoles are potentially capable of seeing contrasting objects, at least, at a close range and in clear waters and daylight conditions. We also evaluated the foraging behaviour and the capability of tadpoles to find food in an open field experiment under two different lighting conditions: natural daylight and darkness. Results showed that tadpoles find food faster in dark conditions, confirming that chemical cues alone are sufficient for tadpoles of this species to find food. Moreover, the time spent feeding and the number of tadpoles simultaneously exploiting the food patch were greater in darkness suggesting that environments with low visibility conditions could favour the establishment of L. catesbeianus. Understanding the sensory modalities used by tadpoles of this invasive species to find food could help to understand the potential abilities to expand and establish in novel environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Climate change is a serious threat. Personality psychologists can help address this threat by understanding what kind of people tend to endorse proenvironmental attitudes and engage in sustainable behavior. Previous research supports reliable associations between proenvironmental attitudes and personality traits. However, this research has generally aggregated different kinds of attitudes into a single composite and has focused on the domain level of personality traits. Method: This study explored how 10 lower‐order aspects of the Big Five personality traits were related to eight different proenvironmental attitudes in three convenience samples from the United States (N = 1234; 1000) and the United Kingdom (N = 538). Results: All five trait domains were related to at least one proenvironmental attitude across all three samples. Seven of eight proenvironmental attitudes could be predicted by one or more traits in all three samples. We also found evidence that the Openness aspect of Openness to Experience was a more consistent predictor of proenvironmental attitudes than the Intellect aspect. In contrast, there was little benefit in distinguishing between the aspects of other trait domains. We did not find evidence that age or political orientation moderated the associations between proenvironmental attitudes and personality. Conclusion: Results point to the need for more fine‐grained research on individual differences in proenvironmental attitudes and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs and attitudes regarding climate change significantly influence public support for environmental policy regulations and willingness to engage in voluntary actions. This paper endeavours to forecast public perceptions concerning global warming, anthropogenic climate change, support for environmental tax policies, and the inclination to purchase energy-efficient home appliances. Leveraging data from the European Social Survey, we employ four machine learning techniques to anticipate individuals’ environmental beliefs and attitudes. Across various settings, our analysis achieves an accuracy of over 70% in identifying environmentally conscious respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a major cause of disability and, if left untreated, can increase the risk of suicide. Evidence on the determinants of depression is incomplete, making it challenging to interpret results across studies. This study aims to identify the social, economic, environmental, political, and technological factors influencing the great recession in Iran. The study was conducted in two parts. The first step involved a literature review to identify the factors, using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for the search. The reference lists of all identified articles were reviewed to find relevant studies, and the extracted information was summarized and reported descriptively. The second steps involved compiling and consulting 14 experts from different fields, using a framework analysis method. Twenty-four articles were used as primary sources of information, and a total of 28 factors were found to exist. After removing duplicates and related factors, 19 of these were subsequently declared as factors, resulting in a total of 36 determinants being identified. Most of these factors belong to the social category. The health policies implemented have a significant impact on disease risk factors and ultimately their occurrence. Political decisions and policy-making processes play a crucial role in all areas, particularly in addressing disease risk factors. Severe depression can disrupt all aspects of the healthcare system, underscoring the importance of access to care. Policies concerning physical education, transportation, nutrition, employment, green spaces, recreational facilities, and tobacco are vital in this context. The influence of health policies on disease risk factors and disease occurrence is profound. Severe depression can have far-reaching effects on the healthcare system, emphasizing the critical need for access to care. The formulation of policies to combat depression must be thoroughly evaluated in terms of economic, political, social, technological, and environmental factors. The findings suggest that addressing social inequalities and emphasizing the role of political action, as highlighted by the social determinants of health, should be top priorities in addressing depression. Efforts to prevent depression should incorporate ecological approaches that consider the impact of the socioeconomic environment on depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks are blood-feeding significant arthropods that can harbour various microorganisms, including pathogens that pose health risks to humans and animals. Tick-symbiont microorganisms are believed to influence tick development, but the intricate interactions between these microbes and the relationships between different tick-borne microorganisms remain largely unexplored. Results: Based on 111 tick pool samples presenting questing and engorged statuses including 752 questing tick and 1083 engorged tick from cattle and goats, which were collected in two types of geographic landscape (semi-desert and alpine meadow). We observed significant variations in the composition of tick-borne microorganisms across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses, with a pronounced divergence in symbionts compared to environmental bacteria. Metabolic predictions revealed over 90 differential pathways for tick-borne microorganisms in distinct environments and more than 80 metabolic variations in response to varying blood engorgement statuses. Interestingly, nine pathways were identified, particularly related to chorismate synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Moreover, microbial network relationships within tick-borne microorganism groups were highly distinct across different environments and blood-engorgement statuses. The microbial network relationships of symbionts involve some pathogenic and environmental microorganisms. Regression modelling highlighted positive correlations between the Coxiella symbiont and related pathogens, while some environmental bacteria showed strong negative correlations with Coxiella abundance. We also identified commensal bacteria/pathogens in bacterial cooccurrence patterns. Furthermore, we tested pathogenic microorganisms of each tick sample analysis revealed that 86.36% (1601/1855) of the tick samples carried one or more pathogenic microorganisms, The total carrier rate of bacterial pathogens was 43.77% ((812/1855). Most blood samples carried at least one pathogenic microorganism. The pathogens carried by the ticks have both genus and species diversity, and Rickettsia species are the most abundant pathogens among all pathogens. Conclusion: Our findings underscore that the bacterial pattern of ticks is dynamic and unstable, which is influenced by the environment factors and tick developmental characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trial served by two Indonesian activists, Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti, about allegations of defamation against the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menkomarves), Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, on mining issues, serves as a wake-up call for civil society to re-examine the state of democracy in Indonesia. The criminalization of activists and the representation of civil society organizations are the most explicit symptoms of shrinking civic space, which will worsen advocacy on environmental issues. At the same time, mainstream media in Indonesia tends to be ineffective in serving as watchdogs. This research aims to demonstrate how Indonesian media covers the phenomenon of shrinking civic space that occurred in Indonesia from 2020 to 2021, particularly in environmental issues. The study examined news articles from 34 media outlets to categorize the symptoms of shrinking civic space. Recognizing the potential for significant underreporting in the coverage of shrinking civic space in environmental issues, this research also be supplemented with in-depth interviews with five senior environmental journalists. This study shows how media patterns frame the coverage of shrinking civic space and how media has become one of the loci of the shrinking civic space phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how Han Taiwanese myths and urban legends have been associated with the environment and native fauna in the best-selling popular non-fiction publication Monstrous Taiwan and the hit horror film The Tag-Along. This article also looks at how these works can be considered within the framework of settler colonial studies in East Asia. Both works are interested in intervening in popular culture and genre cinema while reframing the horror or supernatural genre as particularly Taiwanese, drawing on urban legends and traditional folk tales. However, the creators of these works persistently characterise Han Taiwanese legends as interchangeable with the native fauna of Taiwan. This move positions Han Taiwanese as inheritors of the natural environment of Taiwan while minimising or, in some cases, tokenising the presence of indigenous Taiwanese people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increased use of polymeric products and, consequently, steel molds, the growth in grinding applications and the use of lubricoolant fluids is inevitable. As a result, studying different process configurations is of great interest to both the industry and society in general, by making it more economical and sustainable. This work focuses on evaluating the application of different lubricooling methods (conventional, MQL, and MQL + WCJ), cutting tools (green silicon carbide, black silicon carbide, and alumina), and cutting speeds (0.25 mm/min, 0.5 mm/min, and 0.75 mm/min) in the grinding of VP50IM. The goal is to identify the combination with the lowest cost and CO2 production, while assessing its performance through output parameters such as surface roughness, roundness error, G ratio, grinding power, cost analysis, and CO2 emission. Furthermore, SEM images were taken to analyze the machined surface of the workpiece. Based on this data, it was determined that the conventional method still achieved the highest machining efficiency, even though it was more expensive and more polluting. However, the MQL + WCJ technique significantly reduced costs, up to 45%, and CO2 emissions by 67.5%, even though it presented slightly lower performance compared to the conventional method. On the other hand, the MQL system obtained the worst results due to its deficiency in wheel cleaning and heat removal from the cutting zone. It was also observed that increasing the process speed reduces costs and gas emissions, but directly affects performance since machining intensity increases, resulting in lower quality. Finally, the tool with the best heat conduction capacity, green silicon carbide, led to the best process performance, while the alumina tool, with lower thermal conductivity, achieved the poorest results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of biological rhythms goes back to the very beginning of life. They are observed in the animal and plant world at all levels of organization, from cells to ecosystems. As early as the 18th century, plant scientists were the first to explain the relationship between flowering cycles and environmental cycles, emphasizing the importance of daily light-dark cycles and the seasons. Our temporal structure is controlled by external and internal rhythmic signals. Light is the main synchronizer of the circadian system, as daily exposure to light entrains our clock over 24 hours, the endogenous period of the circadian system being close to, but not exactly, 24 hours. In 1960, a seminal scientific meeting, the Cold Spring Harbor Symposium on Biological Rhythms, brought together all the biological rhythms scientists of the time, a number of whom are considered the founders of modern chronobiology. All aspects of biological rhythms were addressed, from the properties of circadian rhythms to their practical and ecological aspects. Birth of chronobiology dates from this period, with the definition of its vocabulary and specificities in metabolism, photoperiodism, animal physiology, etc. At around the same time, and right up to the present day, research has focused on melatonin, the circadian neurohormone of the pineal gland, with data on its pattern, metabolism, control by light and clinical applications. However, light has a double face, as it has positive effects as a circadian clock entraining agent, but also deleterious effects, as it can lead to chronodisruption when exposed chronically at night, which can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. Finally, research over the past few decades has unraveled the anatomical location of circadian clocks and their cellular and molecular mechanisms. This recent research has in turn allowed us to explain how circadian rhythms control physiology and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muslim religion has strict rules to determine what kinds of foodstuffs, and under what circumstances, are deemed appropriate for consumption. Fishes are not an exception to this rule and features such as body shape or the presence and conspicuousness of scales dictate whether certain species are acceptable or rejected. In this paper, an overview of the Iberian ichthyoarchaeological record from Muslim sites is presented to ascertain whether differences with Christian sites existed in terms of these characters and to what extent these allow one to take fish assemblages as cultural proxies of archaeological deposits. In the case of coastal (production) sites, we also consider whether the peculiarities a given fish assemblage exhibit reflect instead certain environmental features such as the biotopes where a given local fishery operated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing employees with proper work conditions should be one of the main concerns of any employer. Even so, in many cases, work shifts chronically expose the workers to a wide range of potentially harmful compounds, such as ammonia. Ammonia has been present in the composition of products commonly used in a wide range of industries, namely production in lines, and also laboratories, schools, hospitals, and others. Chronic exposure to ammonia can yield several diseases, such as irritation and pruritus, as well as inflammation of ocular, cutaneous, and respiratory tissues. In more extreme cases, exposure to ammonia is also related to dyspnea, progressive cyanosis, and pulmonary edema. As such, the use of ammonia needs to be properly regulated and monitored to ensure safer work environments. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work have already commissioned regulations on the acceptable limits of exposure to ammonia. Nevertheless, the monitoring of ammonia gas is still not normalized because appropriate sensors can be difficult to find as commercially available products. To help promote promising methods of developing ammonia sensors, this work will compile and compare the results published so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of economic instruments within environmental policy has become a challenging topic for policymakers, governments and scholars. Environmental taxes have emerged as a prevailing preference in developed countries to promote sustainability. Recently, a particular focus has been given to waste generation and disposal, shifting the attention from greenhouse gases to another important source of environmental pollution. This paper investigates the effect of national environmental taxes and policies on industrial waste. A fixed effects model is used for 34 countries across Europe from 2004 to 2022. The results suggest that environmental taxes and energy policies reduce industrial (hazardous and non-hazardous) waste. However, environmental tax reforms should take into consideration the deterioration in environmental quality, the increase in economic costs and undesirable social consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study employs X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to analyze plastic samples subjected to degradation processes with the aim to gain insight on the relevant chemical processes and disclose fragmentation mechanisms. Two model plastics, namely polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE), are selected and analyzed before and after artificial UV radiation-triggered weathering, under simulated environmental hydrodynamic conditions, in fresh and marine water for different time intervals. The object of the study is to identify and quantify chemical groups possibly evidencing the occurrence of hydrolysis and oxidation reactions, which are the basis of degradation processes in the environment, determining macroplastic fragmentation. Artificially weathered plastic samples are analyzed also by Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy. Changes in surface chemistry with weathering are revealed by XPS, involving the increase in chemical moieties (hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl functionalities) which can be correlated with the degradation processes responsible for macroplastic fragmentation. On the other hand, the absence of significant modifications upon plastics weathering evidenced by Raman and FT-IR spectroscopy confirms the importance of investigating plastics surface, which represents the very first part of the materials exposed to degradation agents, thus revealing the power of XPS studies for this purpose. The XPS data on experimentally weathered particles are compared with ones obtained on microplastics collected from real marine environment for investigating the occurring degradation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stillbirth rates remain a global priority and in Australia, progress has been slow. Risk factors of stillbirth are unique in Australia due to large areas of remoteness, and limited resource availability affecting the ability to identify areas of need and prevalence of factors associated with stillbirth. This retrospective cohort study describes lifestyle and sociodemographic factors associated with stillbirth in South Australia (SA), between 1998 and 2016. Methods: All restigered births in SA between 1998 ad 2016 are included. The primary outcome was stillbirth (birth with no signs of life ≥ 20 weeks gestation or ≥ 400 g if gestational age was not reported). Associations between stillbirth and lifestyle and sociodemographic factors were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression and described using adjusted odds ratios (aORs). Results: A total of 363,959 births (including 1767 stillbirths) were included. Inadequate antenatal care access (assessed against the Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines) was associated with the highest odds of stillbirth (aOR 3.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.41–4.52). Other factors with important associations with stillbirth were plant/machine operation (aOR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.16–2.45), birthing person age ≥ 40 years (aOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.50–2.45), partner reported as a pensioner (aOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.12–2.99), Asian country of birth (aOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.19–2.10) and Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander status (aOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20–1.88). The odds of stillbirth were increased in regional/remote areas in association with inadequate antenatal care (aOR, 4.64; 95% CI, 2.98–7.23), birthing age 35–40 years (aOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.02–3.64), Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status (aOR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.12–3.21), paternal occupations: tradesperson (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.17–6.16) and unemployment (aOR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.41–11.73). Conclusion: Factors identified as independently associated with stillbirth odds include factors that could be addressed through timely access to adequate antenatal care and are likely relevant throughout Australia. The identified factors should be the target of stillbirth prevention strategies/efforts. SThe stillbirth rate in Australia is a national concern. Reducing preventable stillbirths remains a global priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Globally, rotavirus infections are the most common cause of diarrhea-related deaths, especially among children under 5 years of age. This virus can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route, although zoonotic and environmental contributions to transmission are poorly defined. The purpose of this study is to determine the epidemiology of rotavirus in humans, animals, and the environment in Africa, as well as the impact of vaccination. Methods We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Africa Index Medicus, and African Journal Online, identifying 240 prevalence data points from 224 articles between 2009 and 2022. Results Human rotavirus prevalence among patients with gastroenteritis was 29.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 28.1%–31.5%; 238 710 participants), with similar estimates in children under 5 years of age, and an estimated case fatality rate of 1.2% (95% CI,.7%–2.0%; 10 440 participants). Prevalence was estimated to be 15.4% and 6.1% in patients with nongastroenteritis illnesses and apparently healthy individuals, respectively. Among animals, prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI, 5.7%–13.7%; 6115 animals), and in the environmental water sources, prevalence was 31.4% (95% CI, 17.7%–46.9%; 2530 samples). Discussion Our findings highlight the significant burden of rotavirus infection in Africa, and underscore the need for a One Health approach to limiting the spread of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Set in an era of increasing global extraction, George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss (1860) explores the coproductive relationship between humanity and nature in Victorian fiction. Victorian texts frequently depicted mines and quarries as dystopic sites of environmental exhaustion and human suffering. However, The Mill on the Floss centers an exhausted quarry, called "the Red Deeps," to imagine utopic alternatives to environmental and human ruin. In Eliot's experimental bildungsroman, Maggie Tulliver's coming of age is doubled with and embedded in the Red Deeps' vibrantly regenerating landscape. Though Eliot's novel famously ends with a tragic flood, Maggie and Phillip Wakem's mid-novel meetings in the Red Deeps entwine feminist and environmental possibility into a narrative arc that looks beyond the spatiotemporal limits of its immediate ending. The result is a mutually open-ended sense of futurity for post-extraction sites and their inhabitants. At the dawn of the Anthropocene, Eliot's redevelopmental bildungsroman counters the capitalist fantasy of endless, extractive progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional observational study sought to examine the environmental correlates of physical activity and screen-time among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parents of youth with ASD (n = 1,165) from seven countries/regions provided responses to an online survey form measuring environmental correlates (i.e., physical activity neighborhood environment, social network, social trust and cohesion, bedroom media, social home environment) and outcomes (i.e., physical activity, screen-time). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine environmental predictors of the outcomes. Physical activity neighborhood environment (B = 0.15, p = 0.047), social network (B = 0.16, p = 0.02), and social home environment (B = 1.07, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with physical activity, whereas social trust and cohesion and bedroom media were not. Further, social trust and cohesion (B = -0.14, p = 0.001), bedroom media (B = 0.10, p = 0.001), and social home environment (B = -0.16, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with screen-time while neighborhood environment and social network were not. The identified environmental attributes of physical activity and screen-time behaviors should be targeted for health promotion among youth with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human beings exploit natural resources to fulfill their basic needs. Consequently, environmental conservation requires the implementation of a comprehensive system of social, socioeconomic, and technical-productive measures. These measures should be directed towards the judicious utilization of natural resources, preservation of natural ecosystems, and protection of the environment from pollution and degradation. This study aims to scrutinize the factors contributing to the irresponsible utilization of natural resources using neutrosophic statistics. The findings suggest the necessity of proposing environmental legislation reforms to regulate and prevent the overexploitation of natural resources. Additionally, promoting environmental education among the population is crucial to instill responsible ecological behavior in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the concordance and its association with sociocultural background of a four‐question survey with accelerometry in a multiethnic adolescent population, regarding sleep components. Based on questions from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and adapted to a school context, the questionnaire focussed on estimating sleep onset time, wake‐up time and sleep duration on both weekdays and weekends. This subjective survey was compared with accelerometry data while also considering the influence of sociocultural factors (sex, place of living, ethnic community and socio‐economic status). Methods: Adolescents aged 10.5–16 years (n = 182) in New Caledonia completed the survey and wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. Accelerometry was used to determine sleep onset and wake‐up time using validated algorithms. Based on response comparison, Bland–Altman plots provided agreement between subjective answers and objective measures. We categorized participants' answers to the survey into underestimated, aligned and overestimated categories based on time discrepancies with accelerometry data. Multinomial regressions highlighted the sociocultural factors associated with discrepancies. Results: Concordance between the accelerometer and self‐reported assessments was low particularly during weekends (18%, 26% and 19% aligned for onset sleep time, wake‐up time and sleep duration respectively) compared with weekdays (36%, 53% and 31% aligned, respectively). This means that the overall concordance was less than 30%. When considering the sociocultural factors, only place of living was associated with discrepancies in onset sleep time and wake‐up time primarily on weekdays. Rural adolescents were more likely to overestimate both onset sleep time (B = −1.97, p < 0.001) and wake‐up time (B = −1.69, p = 0.003). Conclusions: The study found low concordance between self‐assessment and accelerometry outputs for sleep components. This was particularly low for weekend days and for participants living in rural areas. While the adapted four‐item questionnaire was useful and easy to complete, caution should be taken when making conclusions about sleep habits based solely on this measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1519, soil from the Campo Santo Teutonico next to St. Peter's in Rome — a burial place thought to contain earth from Jerusalem — was spread over the extramural cemetery in the Saxon town of Annaberg. This article asks how the reception of the soil from Rome was shaped by the local community and its landscape at a time of religious change. It demonstrates the potential for both positive and negative views on the part of Annaberg's citizens, arguing that these were informed not only by traditional religiosity and reform ideas, but also by the distinctive visual and material culture of a silver mining community. In this way, the article offers new perspectives on the transalpine connections of the Campo Santo Teutonico, the role of the substance of the landscape in creating and criticizing links with the Roman Church at the start of the Reformation, and the relationship between materialities of religion and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important crop worldwide. In the southern area of the United States the two major pests of maize are fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith)) and corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)). Fall armyworm primarily attacks maize leaves and corn earworm damages the upper part of the ear. An effort to obtain new sources for resistance is conducted through Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) project. Plants were infested at the whorl growth stage with fall armyworm neonates and evaluated for leaf-feeding damage 14 days after infestation. Plants were evaluated for ear-feeding damage based on natural infestation by corn earworm. Leaf-feeding damage values in Tifton were lower than at Mississippi State. GEMN-0259, GEMS-0311, and GEMS-0312 exhibited similar resistance levels with the resistant check on leaf-feeding damage in Tifton. Ear-feeding ratings in Tifton and Mississippi State were similar. GEMS-0311 showed the most resistance to ear-feeding damage in both environments. GEMS-0311 with resistance to both insects could be used for new germplasm development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Humans exhibit considerable variability in their immune responses to the same immune challenges. Such variation is widespread and affects individual and population‐level susceptibility to infectious diseases and immune disorders. Although the factors influencing immune response diversity are partially understood, what mechanisms lead to the wide range of immune traits in healthy individuals remain largely unexplained. Here, we discuss the role that natural selection has played in driving phenotypic differences in immune responses across populations and present‐day susceptibility to immune‐related disorders. Further, we touch on future directions in the field of immunogenomics, highlighting the value of expanding this work to human populations globally, the utility of modeling the immune response as a dynamic process, and the importance of considering the potential polygenic nature of natural selection. Identifying loci acted upon by evolution may further pinpoint variants critically involved in disease etiology, and designing studies to capture these effects will enrich our understanding of the genetic contributions to immunity and immune dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Optimal human health requires the adequate provision of all nutrients in the correct proportions, ensuring the provision of energy and essential small molecules. All primates, including humans, are omnivorous but the most striking difference from other primates is the remarkable diversity of the diets we consume. Animal-sourced foods are important for human nutrition and health, but they can have a negative impact on the environment. The aim here is to examine these impacts that can result in land use tensions associated with population growth and the loss of native forests and wetlands during agricultural expansion, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and high water use with poor water quality outcomes. However, several technologies and practices can be used to mitigate against these impacts. These include grazing when feed quality is high, the use of dietary additives, breeding of animals with higher growth rates and increased fecundity, rumen microbial manipulations using vaccines and other additives, soil management to reduce nitrous oxide emission, management systems to improve carbon sequestration, improved nutrient use efficacy, use of cover crops, low-emission composting barns, covered manure storages, and direct injection of animal slurry into soil. Other technologies and systems to provide further solutions continue to be researched. Animal-sourced foods are important for human nutrition and health, but they can have a negative impact on the environment. These impacts can result in land use tensions associated with population growth and the loss of native forests and wetlands during agricultural expansion. Increased greenhouse gas emissions, and high water use but poor water quality outcomes can also be associated. Life cycle analysis from cradle-to-distribution has shown that novel plant-based meat alternatives can have an environmental footprint lower than that of beef finished in feedlots, but higher than for beef raised on well-managed grazed pastures. However, several technologies and practices can be used to mitigate impacts. These include ensuring that grazing occurs when feed quality is high, the use of dietary additives, breeding of animals with higher growth rates and increased fecundity, rumen microbial manipulations through the use of vaccines, soil management to reduce nitrous oxide emission, management systems to improve carbon sequestration, improved nutrient use efficacy throughout the food chain, incorporating maize silage along with grasslands, use of cover crops, low-emission composting barns, covered manure storages, and direct injection of animal slurry into soil. The technologies and systems that help mitigate or actually provide solutions to the environmental impact are under constant refinement to enable ever-more efficient production systems to allow for the provision of animal-sourced foods to an ever-increasing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The expansion of human activities into natural areas increases contact between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, which can facilitate the circulation of infectious agents between these species, leading to the emergence of zoonoses. Several studies have investigated the role of animals, including reptiles, as possible carriers of the Leptospira bacterium. This study aimed to detect the DNA of the bacterium in Kinosternon scorpioides turtles kept in captivity in a region of the Brazilian Amazon. Blood, cloacal fluid, cloacal lavage, and stomach lavage samples were collected from 40 turtles. Of these, 40% of the animals tested positive for Leptospira. Genetic analysis confirmed the identification of the bacteria, which could pose a risk to public health. Handling infected animals could increase the risk of transmitting the disease, especially considering that turtle meat is consumed in the region. This study is the first to detect Leptospira in the blood of chelonians, confirming exposure to the pathogen. Although the turtles showed no abnormal clinical signs, it is possible that the clinical signs are unknown in reptiles. In conclusion, captive K. scorpioides turtles have been exposed to Leptospira. Leptospirosis is a zoonosis of great importance for One Health. In this context, the Amazonian biome may harbor numerous hosts for Leptospira spp. that contribute to the maintenance of the pathogen in the environment. Some reptiles, such as chelonians, have been little studied in terms of their involvement with leptospires. The objective of this study was to detect Leptospira spp. DNA in Kinosternon scorpioides turtles kept in captivity in a region of the Brazilian Amazon. A total of 147 samples of blood (n = 40), cloacal fluid (n = 27), cloacal lavage (n = 40), and stomach (n = 40) were collected from 40 chelonians. After DNA extraction, the samples were subjected to amplification of a 331 base pair product of the 16S rRNA gene using the Lep1 and Lep2 primers. PCR products were Sanger sequenced, assembled, and subjected to online blast search and phylogenetic analysis. Of the animals tested, 40% (16/40, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 25–55) had at least one or two samples positive for Leptospira spp. Considering the total number of samples collected, 12.93% (19/147) were positive, being blood clots (27.5%; 11/40), followed by cloacal washings (10%; 4/40), cloacal fluid (11.11%; 3/27) and gastric washings (2.5%; 1/40). Of these, 11 samples were sequenced and showed 99% to 100% identity with Leptospira interrogans sequences, which was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. This is the first study to detect pathogenic Leptospira DNA in chelonians in a region of the Brazilian Amazon. It has been concluded that K. scorpioides turtles in captivity have been exposed to pathogenic Leptospira. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pre-discharge home assessments by occupational therapists facilitate safe and timely discharge from hospital and are associated with better health outcomes. Digital technology offers the potential to reduce duplication of documentation and improve communication and sharing of home assessment findings. Objective: This quality improvement project evaluated time-cost; clinician satisfaction and confidence; and acceptability of the use of a digital approach to home assessments. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional design was used to compare usual practice with the digital approach across two sub-acute wards in a large metropolitan hospital in Queensland, Australia. Time to document and conduct home assessments as well as clinician satisfaction and confidence were compared using descriptive statistics. Clinician perspectives about the home assessment approaches were collected through a survey and analyzed using content analysis. Results: Home assessment and documentation time were significantly lower for the home assessments conducted using the digital approach compared with usual practice assessments. Clinician satisfaction with using digital technology was higher. Conclusions: The introduction of this simple technology reduced clinicians' time to conduct home assessments and document home assessment reports. The project was well received by occupational therapy clinicians. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A187 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we delve into the crucial influence of and enhancement by chiral environments on the discriminatory capabilities of resonance energy transfer. Firstly, we scrutinize the impact of a macroscopic chiral medium enveloping the interacting molecules; secondly, we probe the effect of a chiral mediating molecule in close proximity to the system. Importantly, our findings demonstrate that chiral environments not only modulate pre-existing discriminatory effects but also introduce novel mechanisms for discrimination. Central to our research is the application of an innovative model for chiral local-field corrections, which unveils a remarkable distance-dependent inversion of the discrimination dynamics. Our study extends beyond the confines of any specific molecular system, offering a comprehensive discussion of these diverse effects, thereby providing insights with broader implications. Finally, we present a comparative analysis across all studied systems, illustrating our insights by employing 3-methyl-cyclopentanone as an example molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The provision of healthcare is a substantial global contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Several medical specialties and national health systems have begun evaluating their carbon emission contributions. The aim of this review is to summarise and describe the carbon footprint resulting from the provision of adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care. Methods: A systematic search of Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science was performed in January 2023. Studies reporting any assessment of the carbon footprint of critical care were included. No language restrictions were applied. GHG emissions from life cycle assessments (LCA) were reported, in addition to waste, electricity and water use. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed. Results: In total, 13 studies assessing and describing the environmental impact of 36 adult or paediatric intensive care units (ICUs) were included. Two studies described full LCAs, seven reported waste only, two provided audits of unused medical supplies, one reported electricity use, and one study described a Material Flow Analysis. The estimated carbon emissions from critical care range between 88 kg CO2e/patient/day and 178 kg CO2e/patient/day. The two predominant sources of carbon emissions in critical care originate from electricity and gas use, as well as consumables. Waste production ranged from 1.1 to 13.7 kg/patient/day in the 6 studies where mean waste could be calculated. Conclusion: There is a significant carbon footprint that results from intensive care provision. Consumables and waste constitute important, measurable, and modifiable components of anthropogenic emissions. There remains uncertainty due to a lack of literature, several unstudied areas of carbon emissions from critical care units, and within measured areas, measurement and reporting of carbon emissions are inconsistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international community's sobering track record of sustainably reducing the number of armed conflicts worldwide, as well as the increasing involvement of non-human complexities in times of climate crisis suggest that current approaches to foster peace are too narrow and inflexible. So far, demands and calls for more flexible and adaptive peace practice made by policy-makers and researchers have not led to a related paradigm shift. In order to contribute to such a change of practice, this article advances a speculative analytical attempt that seeks to conceptually uncover new modes of engaging with the world for the purpose of peace. It builds on Baruch Spinoza's materialism and describes peace as intimately interrelated with the issue of political community. Following Spinoza, the article reconsiders the imaginary of political community as something that is constantly being rearticulated by a contingent complexity of human and non-human actors, and thus transcends the geographic scope of its formal borders as well as its epistemic scope across power hierarchies. Finally, the article introduces the human–non-human multitude as political subject that is able to detect and interpret the constituents of a political community, and therefore to maintain and sustain peace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The gene variants ADH1B*2 (Arg48His, rs1229984) and ALDH2*2 (Glu504Lys, rs671) are common in East Asian populations but rare in other populations. We propose that selective pressures from pathogen exposure and dietary changes during the neolithic transition favored these variants. Thus, their current association with differences in alcohol sensitivity likely results from phenotypic plasticity rather than direct natural selection. Methods: Samples sourced from the Allele Frequency Database (ALFRED) were utilized to compute the average frequency of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2 across 88 and 61 countries, respectively. Following computation of the average national allele frequencies, we tested the significance of their correlations with ecological variables. Subsequently, we subjected them to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Elastic Net regularization. For comprehensive evaluation, we collected individual‐level phenotypic associations, compiling a Phenome‐Wide Association Study (PheWAS) spanning multiple ethnicities. Results: Following multiple testing correction, ADH1B*2 displayed significant correlations with Neolithic transition timing (r = 0.405, p.adj = 2.013e‐03, n = 57) and historical trypanosome burden (r = −0.418, p.adj = 0.013, n = 57). The first two components of PCA explained 47.7% of the total variability across countries, with the top three contributors being the historical indices of population density and trypanosome and leprosy burdens. Historical burdens of the Mycobacteria tuberculosis and leprosy were the sole predictive variables with positive coefficients that survived Elastic Net regularization. Conclusions: Our analyses suggest that Mycobacteria may have played a role in the joint selection of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2, expanding the "toxic aldehyde hypothesis" to include Mycobacterium leprae. Additionally, our hypothesis, linked to dietary shifts from rice domestication, emphasizes nutritional deficiencies as a key element in the selective pressure exerted by Mycobacteria. This offers a plausible explanation for the high frequency of ADH1B*2 and ALDH2*2 in Asian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals vary in how they respond to risks, and the extent to which they can modify their responsiveness has important consequences for understanding demographic responses to rapid human-induced environmental changes. The development of behavioural tolerance toward potentially risky situations may be particularly advantageous in such contexts. Behavioural tolerance can emerge from a variety of processes, leading to demographic and evolutionary consequences that can widely vary depending on the type of stressor. We suggest that developing a mechanistic theory of tolerance is essential to understand its consequences for fitness, population viability, and human–wildlife interactions. Behavioural responses are widely held to allow animals to cope with human-induced environmental changes. Less often appreciated is that the absence of behavioural response can also be advantageous. This is particularly true when animals become tolerant to situations that may be perceived as risky, although the actual risk is nonexistent. We provide a framework to understand the causes and consequences of behavioural tolerance. Tolerance can emerge from genetic, epigenetic, or learning mechanisms, each exerting different degrees of influence on its speed of acquisition, reversibility, specificity, and duration. The ultimate impact on fitness hinges on the interplay between these mechanisms and the nature of the stressor. Mechanistic clarity is therefore essential to better understand and manage human–wildlife interactions in the Anthropocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study presents a comprehensive investigation into the synthesis and characterization of a composite material, Fe/N-CX, designed for the removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solutions. The synthesis process involves co-precipitating iron salts into a carbon dispersion, resulting in the creation of a carbon xerogel infused with magnetic iron particles. Melamine serves as the nitrogen source for the carbon xerogel, integrated into the polymer matrix via the sol–gel method. This amalgamation of carbon xerogel and magnetic iron particles renders the Fe/N-CX composite a highly promising adsorbent for dye removal. Various characterization techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), potentiometric titration, and N2 sorption isotherms, extensively probe the structural, chemical, and surface properties of the Fe/N-CX composite. These methods offer critical insights into its potential adsorption capabilities. Assessment of Fe/N-CX as a methylene blue dye adsorbent reveals an optimal pH of 11, indicating its highest adsorption capacity under slightly alkaline conditions. The maximum adsorption capacity, determined by the Langmuir model, reaches Qmax = 698 mg g−1. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics data align well with the pseudo-second-order model. The prepared Fe/N-CX exhibits typical ferromagnetic properties, facilitating easy separation from the solution and allowing for multiple cycles of reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the efficacy of environment-based intervention on participation outcomes and parent efficacy in autistic children. Twenty-one autistic children 6–10 years old and their parents were randomized to environment-based intervention (n = 11) or usual care (n = 10). The environment-based intervention targets individualized participation goals in leisure and community activities through changing environment and activity demands. The study outcomes were Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Goal attainment scaling (GAS), and Parent Empowerment and Efficacy Measure (PEEM). Assessments included baseline, 12 weeks (post-test), and 24 weeks (follow-up). Mixed ANOVAs were used to examine within-group and between-group effects in outcome variables. The COPM performance and satisfaction scores and GAS T-scores increased after environment-based intervention from baseline to 12 weeks and 24 weeks (p < 0.001) but did not significantly differ from usual care. The medium to large effect sizes of COPM performance and GAS T-scores favored the environment-based intervention. For the PEEM scores, no significant differences were found. Environment-based intervention may support school-age autistic children to participate in self-chosen activities over time. The intervention effects on participation goals and parent efficacy, however, were inconclusive and need further research. Environmental barriers are important attributes to participation restriction in autistic children. Interventions focusing on modifying the task and environment is viable in supporting the participation of autistic children. The environment-based intervention appears to improve the participation goals in leisure and community-based activities over time. The environment-focused strategies may include providing social support, enabling access to a sensory-friendly environment, finding inclusive programs, adapting task demands, and managing routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports from a study of what messages concerning industry–society–environment are communicated to secondary students when they participate in webinars with representatives from the petrochemical industry. The webinars are conceptualised as part of an arena for governing science education and the messages as companion meanings. Empirically, the study is set in a context of online webinars on the topic of careers in the petrochemical industry. The webinars target students across the European Union (EU). The analysis reveals two main themes of companion meanings concerning what relations between industry–society–environment are communicated: a) the petrochemical industry as safeguarding modern life, and b) the petrochemical industry as essential for the solving of environmental problems. The companion meanings conveyed are not at all neutral but instead a means to influence the attitudes and choices of young people. The themes are discussed in relation to the overall democracy and citizenship aims of education. That the webinars claim to address the topic of careers and that they are part of an initiative sanctioned by a governmental authority (the EU) might contribute to teachers and students lowering their guard in relation to potentially biased messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents in Thailand's Deep South are growing up amid protracted instability, yet limited research has left a critical gap in understanding their strengths, stressors, and unmet support needs. This study aimed to gain understanding of daily lives and well-being of orphaned adolescents in the Deep South to inform future intervention efforts. In total, 10 orphaned adolescents and their primary caregivers were recruited for study participation. Adolescents participated in a visual ethnography study over the course of 2 days to " show us a day in your life with photos," with follow-up interviews to discuss their photos. Caregivers participated in a focus group discussion about the challenges of caring for orphaned adolescents and supports that would be helpful in alleviating these challenges. Qualitative transcripts were coded by five researchers from multiple disciplines to identify emergent themes using a grounded theory approach. Themes included tension related to technology use, limited caregiver-adolescent communication, social isolation, financial hardship, and future aspirations. Lacking in peer social interaction, exploration, and opportunities to take risks, the atmosphere of restricted mobility has important implications for adolescents' social development. Caregivers and their children have little family time for recreation and leisure that would provide opportunities to connect and navigate these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study examines the population prevalence of blood lead levels (BLLs) greater than the sample median of 0.76 µg/dl in the U.S. population and investigates demographic factors associated with higher BLLs using data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of poverty status on BLLs, with adjustments for factors such as race, age, gender, and lifetime smoking history. This study found that individuals living in or near poverty had significantly higher odds of having a BLL >0.76 µg/dl when compared with individuals not in poverty, with an adjusted OR of 1.824 (95% CI [1.324, 2.513]) and 1.744 (95% CI [1.388, 2.190]), respectively. This nationally representative study has important implications for understanding the demographic and socioeconomic factors that affect BLLs in the U.S. population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating safety assessments for novel agrochemicals is imperative, advocating for in vitro setups to present pesticide biodegradation by soil microbiota before field studies. This approach enables metabolic profile generation in a controlled laboratory environment eliminating extrinsic factors. In the current study, ten different soil samples were utilized to check their capability to degrade Ametoctradin by their microbiota. Furthermore, five different fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, and Penicillium chrysogenum) were utilized to degrade Ametoctradin in aqueous media. A degradation pathway was established using the metabolic patterns created during the biodegradation of Ametoctradin. In contrast to 47% degradation (T1/2 of 34 days) when Ametoctradin was left in the soil samples, the fungal strain Aspergillus fumigatus demonstrated 71% degradation of parent Ametoctradin with a half-life (T1/2) of 16 days. In conclusion, soil rich in microorganisms effectively cleans Ametoctradin-contaminated areas while Fungi have also been shown to be an effective, affordable, and promising way to remove Ametoctradin from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food sustainability is closely interrelated with plant-based nutrition. The so-called "superfoods" provide a palette of macro- and micro-nutrients and bioactive compounds, highly beneficial for human health. Thus, plant "superfoods" are commonly regarded as a universal solution to both health- and sustainability-related problems of today's food system. Sustainability is usually assumed for granted so related research is often neglected. Some of the world-recognized "superfoods," which can constitute key items from a state-of-the-art plant-based diet, are considered and conceptualized in view of the contemporary societal challenges, as well as the associated sustainability implications for the environment and climate. Increasing the share of plant "superfoods" is not an automatic sustainability enhancer. There must be an individual approach to each specific "superfood" supply chain to carefully evaluate a number of important challenges, such as long distance between points of production and consumption, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity. A multidisciplinary and multisectoral effort of researchers, industry, consumers, and policymakers is vital to ensure that knowledge-based scientific evidence will prevail over unsupported marketing claims about "superfoods." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design proposals that aim to increase resilience to future extreme weather events increasingly center on equity concerns. The question of the implementation and ongoing maintenance of resilient landscapes, however, receives scant attention in planning literature despite the abundance of stewardship references in resilience proposals. Stewardship, as both concept and act, implicates equity because it is a form of adaptation labor that is invisible and unpaid. Here, I discuss California's Resilient by Design project to show that when the labor involved in stewardship projects is not acknowledged, claims for an equitable and resilient future espoused by planning proposals are diminished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]