The effect of biochar on the removal of organic and nitrogen contaminants from leachate in a semi-aerobic aged refuse biofilter (SAARB) was investigated. A preset amount of biochar was mixed with the aged refuse to explore the enhancement ability of pollutant removal by characterizing the leachate effluent and gas. The results showed that biochar contributed to the removal of organic and nitrogen pollutants

The present study examined the occurrence and concentration of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) measured in game ducks (13 compounds), water, sediment, and soils (33 compounds) in waterways in Victoria, Australia. The study aimed to identify potential ecological and human health risks from measured PFAS concentrations. Four species of duck and samples of water, sediment, and soil were collected

Bioaerosols are known to be an important transmission pathway for SARS-CoV-2. We report a framework for estimating the risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols in laboratory and office settings, based on an exponential dose-response model and analysis of air flow and purification in typical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. High-circulation HVAC systems with high-efficiency

Background: Life-quality tests are the basis for assessing the condition of oncological patients. They allow for obtaining valuable information from the patients regarding not only the symptoms of disease and adverse effects of the treatment but also assessment of the psychological, social and spiritual aspects. Taking into account assessment of the quality of life made by the patient in the course

Background: The evaluative nature of high performance (HP) sport fosters performance expectations that can be associated with harsh scrutiny, criticism, and job insecurity. In this context, (HP) sport is described as a highly competitive, complex, and turbulent work environment. The aim of this longitudinal, quantitative study was to explore whether HP coaches’ perceptions of job insecurity and job

Apart from individual factors like knowledge or personal motivation, the environment also influences a person’s eating behaviour. Food environments can be described as the collective physical, economic, policy and sociocultural surroundings, opportunities and conditions that influence people’s food choices and nutritional status. In order to explore how older citizens in rural Germany perceive and

Prenatal stress has been linked to preterm birth via inflammatory dysregulation. We conducted a cross-sectional study on female participants who delivered live, singleton infants at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Magee Women’s Hospital. Participants (n = 200) were stratified by cumulative risk scores using a combination of individual factors (maternal education, diabetes, hypertension, smoking

Low grip strength has been associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, independent of age group or gender, although the literature has not investigated this association among different chronic diseases. The present study aims to investigate the association of grip strength and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults with different chronic diseases. A cross-section of data from

Introduction: In recent years, an increase in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by resistant pathogens, which is a clinically troublesome trend, has been observed. The aim of the study was to analyze the microbial factors of HAIs and the drug resistance of microorganisms to selected antibiotics and their consumption. Material and Methods: The retrospective study included 3708 patients

The nursing practice refers to a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. In a situation where there is a problem of limited resources, nurses are forced to ration the patient’s care—that is, minimize and skip some tasks. The main purpose of this work was to assess the rationing level of nursing care among staff in the intensive care units. Methods: The research included 150 anaesthesiological nurses

Unconventional oil and gas exploitation, which has developed in the UK since 2009, is regulated by four main agencies: The Oil and Gas Authority, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and local Mineral Planning Authorities (usually county councils). The British Geological Survey only has an advisory role, as have ad hoc expert committees. I firstly define terms, and summarise the

This pilot study explores 31 Danish adolescent user experiences for the newly developed virtual party simulation app—Virtual Reality (VR) FestLab. The main objective of this study was to investigate usability for VR FestLab, which aims to improve alcohol resistance skills for Danish adolescents. A secondary objective was to understand gameplay experiences. The study is a mixed method study that draws

Note: In lieu of an abstract, this is an excerpt from the first page. Due to an error during production, Dr [...]

Citizen science is increasing in popularity but remains largely located in the disciplines of environmental and natural sciences. However, it has the potential to be a useful tool in other disciplines such as health. The aim of this study was to identify the factors for involvement (or non-involvement) in health-related citizen science projects using the Our Outdoors citizen science initiative as an

There is a need for valid and reliable instruments to focus on medication aspects of health literacy and help healthcare professionals address patients’ barriers to medication use. This cross-sectional study describes the conceptualization, development, and psychometric properties of the first Chinese Medication Literacy Measurement (ChMLM) to assess the level of health literacy on medication use.

Asylum seekers are exposed to a range of social and financial difficulties suggested to adversely impact mental health. Uprooted social networks and living conditions during the asylum seeking process potentially predispose this population to low access to social support. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social and financial hardship and mental health problems, and assess

In the last few years, Instagram has been a topic of much contention, as it has been shown to be associated with both risks and benefits for young users. This study explores the influence of the use of Instagram on adolescents’ constructions of self and interpersonal experience. Forty Italian adolescents aged between 11 and 16 years were interviewed and completed repertory grids. The results showed

COVID-19 presents unprecedented challenges to the global public health response. Preventive behaviors and keeping social distance are regarded as compelling ways to prevent COVID-19. This study focused on the sociological and psychological factors associated with proper and excessive preventive behaviors of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. For the sample, we collected the data of 4788 participants who

According to the European Union Directive 2009/28/EC, the goals of obtaining 20% of all energy requirements from renewable sources and a 20% reduction in primary energy use must be fulfilled by 2020. In this work, an evaluation was performed, from the environmental and energy point of view, of anaerobic digestion as a valid solution for the treatment of the byproducts obtained from the coffee-roasting

This study aims to examine how organizational and family factors protect employees from depressive symptoms induced by work-family conflict. With a cross-sectional design, a total of 2184 Chinese employees from 76 departments completed measures of work-family conflict, organizational justice, family flexibility, and depressive symptoms. The results showed that work-family conflict including work-to-family

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the most severe global health and socioeconomic crisis of our time, and represents the greatest challenge faced by the world since the end of the Second World War. The academic literature indicates that climatic features, specifically temperature and absolute humidity, are very important factors affecting infectious pulmonary disease epidemics - such

This paper uses machine learning to refine a Land-use Regression (LUR) model and to estimate the spatial–temporal variation in BTEX concentrations in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Using the Taiwanese Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) concentrations from 2015 to 2018, which includes local emission sources as a result of Asian cultural characteristics

Kenya is experiencing a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), yet data to inform effective interventions are limited. We investigated the prevalence of elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and their determinants in a rapidly urbanizing area in Kenya. Data on socio-demographics, dietary and behavioural risk factors, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood glucose,

Bioremediation technology is one of the most profitable and sustainable strategies for remediating soils contaminated with hydrocarbons. This study focuses on assessing the influence of biostimulation and bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas fluorescens to contribute to the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) of a soil. Laboratory studies were carried out (measurements of emitted CO2, surface

The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to life worldwide. In Spain, the state of alarm caused the confinement of 47 million inhabitants, affecting every aspect of life. This study analyzes the impact of such confinement on the health of men and women, as well as the effect on the practice of physical activity (PA) of both genders. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered

Determining disability prevalence is a growing area for population statistics, especially among young adolescents. The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is one source of reporting disabilities through functional difficulties. Yet, young adolescents self-reporting through this measure is in its infancy. The purpose of this study was to carry out an intra-rater test-retest reliability study on

This study calculates and elucidates the minimum size of respiratory particles that are potential carriers of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); furthermore, it evaluates the aerosol generation potential of SARS-CoV-2. The calculations are based on experimental results and theoretical models. In the case of maximum viral-loading derived from experimental data of COVID-19

Joining worldwide efforts to understand the relationship between driving emotion and behavior, the current study aimed at examining the influence of emotions on driving intention transition. In Study 1, taking a car-following scene as an example, we designed the driving experiments to obtain the driving data in drivers’ natural states, and a driving intention prediction model was constructed based

The mortality rate of very preterm infants with birth weight <1500 g is as high as 15%. The survivors till discharge have a high incidence of significant morbidity, which includes necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) and late-onset neonatal sepsis (LONS). More than 25% of preterm births are associated with microbial invasion of amniotic cavity. The preterm gut microbiome

Background: Despite the sustained high prevalence of smoking among Indonesian adult men, little is known about possible protective factors in this group. This study examined the relationship between key characteristics of masculinity (e.g., fatherhood status, being the main breadwinner or sole provider for the family) and current smoking behaviours (smoking status and cigarettes smoked per day (CPD))

This paper explores the generation Z (Gen Z) cohort’s self-assessed knowledge regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms as well as their interest in acquiring information and learning more about the transmission and spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2 virus) and the COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, it investigates gender differences in self-assessed

Background. Overweight and obesity arise from a complex range of genetic, environmental, behavioral, educational, and socioeconomic factors. The present study explored the sedentary practices and some life habits related to health among children from the school population of Uruguaiana (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to characterize the life habits

In recent years, mobile health (mHealth) has gained popularity. Yoga apps help users to exercise at home and improve their health. It is worth discussing how to give yogis a better experience and higher satisfaction to improve their willingness to keep using yoga apps. In this study, the Daily Yoga app was selected as the research object to explore important factors related to its user experience design

This article proposes an integrative policy approach to defining and promoting wellbeing through the joint lenses of positive psychology and environmental sustainability. The study suggests that while both positive education and environmental education address various aspects of wellbeing, a common definition is still absent. The study proposes a framework for advancing a mutual concept of wellbeing:

Climate change is a global threat that poses significant risks to pregnant women and to their developing fetus and newborn. Educating pregnant women about the risks to their pregnancy may improve maternal and child health outcomes. Prior research suggests that presenting health information in narrative format can be more effective than a didactic format. Hence, the purpose of this study was to test

This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of behavioral-based nutrition education to increase fish consumption among school children using a raised bed pool. This was a randomized control trial study with a 3-months nutrition education intervention using a raised bed pool, as a medium to improve their internalization to increase fish consumption behavior. A paired t-test was used to calculate the

This paper examines the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in upper-middle-income regions of China with the panel data of 21 provinces from 2000 to 2017. The influence mechanism of socio-economic factors on the EKC of these regions is also detected. The results show that the energy consumption EKC fitting map in these regions conforms to the

Introduction: As of January 2020, 115,600 refugees remain in Greece; most are Afghani, Iraqi or Syrian nationals. This qualitative research study explores the views of key stakeholders providing healthcare for refugees in Greece between 2015 and 2018. The focus was on identifying key barriers and facilitators to healthcare access for refugees in Greece. Methods: 16 interviewees from humanitarian and

This study aimed to examine the effects of gaseous formaldehyde exposure on male Sprague-Dawley rat cognitive functions and synaptic protein expression, as well as the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol. Behavioral indices included the open-field test, Morris water maze (MWM), and step-down passive avoidance test. Cortical and hippocampal neurogranin (Ng), Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII)

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a new aquatic pesticide to control invasive Asian carps and other aquatic nuisance species in the United States. However, limited CO2 toxicity data could make it challenging for resource managers to characterize the potential risk to nontarget species during CO2 applications. The present study quantified the toxicity

My daily routine consists of walks, reading, and hobbies. The walks and readings motivated me to write about a continuing global problem, municipal solid waste (MSW), especially plastic. In this Points of Reference, I discuss the harm caused by plastics in the oceans and what we might do about it.

Equilibrium passive sampling methods (EPSMs) allow quantification of freely dissolved contaminant concentrations (Cfree) in sediment porewater. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a convenient sampling polymer that can be equilibrated in field (in situ) or laboratory (ex situ) sediments to determine Cfree, providing reliable compound‐specific PDMS–water partition coefficients (KPDMS‐water) are available

There is growing concern about possible effects of exploitation of the Alberta Oil Sands on the ambient environment, including possible effects on populations of fishes in the Athabasca River and farther downstream in Lake Athabasca and the Slave River. In the present study, concentrations of metals in dorsal muscle tissue of 5 fish species—goldeye, northern pike, walleye, whitefish, and burbot—from

Soil contamination with heavy metals has become a worldwide concern. A sustainable technology to mitigate heavy metal contamination is extremely important. Phytoremediation is a cost-effective method, environmentally friendly, and esthetically pleasing. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Vetiver phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals. This research was conducted

The current study aims to verify the effects of three specific warm-ups on squat and bench press resistance training. Forty resistance-trained males (19–30 years) performed 3 × 6 repetitions with 80% of maximal dynamic strength (designated as training load) after one of the following warm-ups (48 h between): (i) 2 × 6 repetitions with 40% and 80% of the training load (WU), (ii) 6 × 80% of training

Public schools in most rural areas of South Africa depend on untreated groundwater due to unreliable water supply by the municipalities. This has the potential to cause water-related health problems to school children. Temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured in situ. Chemical (fluoride, chloride, sulphate, phosphate, nitrate, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium) and microbial

Purpose: To compare different commercial software in the quantification of Pneumonia Lesions in COVID-19 infection and to stratify the patients based on the disease severity using on chest computed tomography (CT) images. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined 162 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. All cases were

Background: A competent medical leadership and management workforce is key to the effectiveness and efficiency of health service provision and to leading and managing the health system reform agenda in China. However, the traditional recruitment and promotion approach of relying on clinical performance and seniority provides limited incentive for competency development and improvement. Methods: A three-component

Mindfulness-oriented meditation (MOM) is a self-regulatory training used for attentional and behavioral problems. With its focus on attention, MOM is a promising form of training that is gaining empirical support as a complementary or alternative intervention for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study, we tested the preliminary efficacy of MOM training in children with ADHD

Total health expenditure in China has grown considerably since a new round of health system reform was enacted in 2009. Researchers have shown that strengthening primary healthcare may be an option for countries to solve the rapid expansion of their medical expenditures. This study was designed to explore the association between the strength of primary healthcare and medical expenditures, in the context

Objective: The aim of the study was an updated analysis of the frequency of leukoplakia in reference to tobacco smoking among the northern Polish population. Material and Methods: Medical records of 5720 patients who suffer from abnormalities and oral mucosa diseases between January 2015–December 2018 were analyzed. Among them, 416 medical charts of patients with leukoplakia were selected. The study

In this study, we have assessed the three-dimensional (3-D) spatial extent of near-road air pollution around a signalized intersection in a densely populated area using collaborating methodologies of stationary measurements, drone monitoring, and atmospheric dispersion modeling. Stationary measurement data collected in the roadside apartment building showed a substantial effect of emitted pollutants

Background: Headaches have not only medical but also great socioeconomic significance, therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the overall impact of headaches on a patient’s life, including their work and work efficiency. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of individual headache types on work and work efficiency. Methods: This research was designed as a cross-sectional study performed

Background: to assess the radiological marginal bone loss between bone-level or tissue-level dental implants through a systematic review of literature until September 2019. Methods: MEDLINE, Embase and other database were searched by two independent authors including only English articles. Results: The search provided 1028 records and, after removing the duplicates through titles and abstracts screening