Characteristics of the Complete Genome of Ageratum Yellow Vein China Virus Infecting Sonchus oleraceus.

Sonchus (Sonchus oleraceus) originated from Europe and is now cultivated worldwide. The wild resources of sonchus are very abundant, and it has rich nutritional and medicinal value. In this study, 15 sonchus samples with typical symptoms showing leaf curling, vein thickening, and enations were collected from Guigang and Baise City of Guangxi, China. Diseased sonchus were identified by PCR detection, whole genome sequence amplification, and phylogenetic and recombination analysis. The results showed that all the samples were confirmed infected by begomoviruses, and three full-length viral genomes were obtained from 15 sonchus, named GG7-13, GG8-6, and BS63-5. The full genome lengths were 2,584, 2,735, and 2,746 nt, respectively. The nucleotide identities among the three isolates ranged from 92.67 to 99.93%. All of them shared the highest identities (greater than 91.69%) with other isolates of ageratum yellow vein China virus (AYVCNV) (available on GenBank). According to the guidelines of classification of begomoviruses, the virus isolates obtained in this study are different isolates of AYVCNV; a phylogenetic tree analysis showed that these isolates formed a large branch with three other Guangxi isolates of AYVCNV, indicating their close evolution. The genome structures of GG8-6 and BS63-5 are consistent with the monopartite genome virus of the begomoviruses, and both have six open reading frames (ORFs), while GG7-13 has a 151-nt deletion between C2 and C3, resulting in a mutant strain of only five ORFs. This study is the first report on S. oleraceus infected by ageratum yellow vein China virus.

A scoping review of gamification for mental health in children: Uncovering its key features and impact.

Mental health conditions in children and adolescents have wide-ranging effects, limiting opportunities for future productive lives. While there has been an upsurge of interest in using games for learning, gamification to optimize health outcomes is worth reviewing when this approach to address mental health conditions is in its infancy. A literature search was conducted with two hundred and fifteen articles involving participants up to 19 years of age with diagnosable mental health conditions, involving the concept of game design elements to motivate health in the context of comparing gamification and non-gamification approaches were retrieved after employing Boolean operators and pre-determined search strategies. Literature of participants with addiction to alcohol or substance use and organic brain issues were excluded as their mental health recovery differed regardless of gamification impact. Findings, extracted from 8 included articles following rigorous screening and critical appraisal, showed that gamification to relieve mental health symptoms were conducted via mobile devices or computers. Key features of the games involved applications or video where players with mental health conditions took on roles in a virtual world with narratives. Real-life knowledge and skills to manage the symptoms of mental health conditions were learned in the process as players leveled up in the game. Only one study utilized gamification platforms that could detect breathing changes but it was shown to be only helpful towards relief of anxiety symptoms. Nevertheless, the potential for gamification for mental health outcomes remains promising.

The Effect of Therapeutic Alliance on Attitudes Toward Psychiatric Medications in Schizophrenia.

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: The differential influence of therapeutic alliance with different health care professionals on patients' medication adherence has never been examined. METHODS/PROCEDURES: Ninety-five stable outpatients (91 patients with schizophrenia and 4 patients with schizoaffective disorder) were recruited. Individual, clinical, and medication factors were assessed, along with drug attitude (10-item Drug Attitude Inventory). Comparison on these factors was made between outpatients who identified psychiatrists as the health care professional most involved in their care, as compared with other health care professionals. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Older age, longer duration of illness, presence of medical comorbidities, lower levels of internalized stigma, higher levels of insight, higher levels of functioning, lesser severity of depressive symptoms, and positive symptoms were found to be significantly associated with greater levels of drug attitude (small to moderate associations). Only therapeutic alliance had a large correlation with drug attitude (ρ = 0.503, P < 0.001). The therapeutic alliance scores between the 2 health care professionals groups are not significantly different. However, participants who have identified psychiatrists as the health care professional that contributed the most to their recovery reported a significantly more positive attitude (µ = 6.18, SD = 3.42) toward psychiatric medication as compared with the other health care professionals group (µ = 3.11, SD = 5.32, P = 0.004). Only 2 factors, the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (ß = 0.424, P < 0.001) and Personal and Social Performance scale (ß = 0.272, P = 0.006), were statistically significant predictors of drug attitude. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic alliance is found to be the lead factor associated with drug attitude in patients with schizophrenia. Identifying psychiatrists as the health care professional most involved in the patients' recovery can greatly increase patients' drug attitudes. Maintaining individuals' functioning also contributes to drug attitude.

Advanced practice nurses led clinic in a psychiatric hospital: An outcome evaluation in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: Ageing population and rising patients' expectations, coupled with the shortage of physicians and the increasing pressure to contain health care costs, have resulted in rapid growth of advanced practice nurses (APNs), and the gradual shift of care from physicians to them. Though it was reported that APNs can provide safe, effective and quality care for patients, the evidence in mental health is lacking both locally and internationally. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effectiveness of mental health APN-led clinic through examining the participants' clinical outcomes, satisfaction and perceived recovery. METHODS: Pre-post test study design was used, whereby 100 participants were surveyed by questionnaires, in addition to retrospective review of participants' medical records. Comparison was made from data obtained two years prior to and two years after participant's first consultation with APNs. RESULTS: Participants had their psychiatric symptoms well-controlled (M = 24.71, SD = 1.18). There was no significant difference in readmissions (p = 0.320) and the emergency room visits (p = 0.320) over two years before and two years after participants' first consultation with APNs. However, there was a significant difference in default rates (p = 0.020). Participants seen by APNs had better attendance for their appointments than those seen by doctors. Participants reported being satisfied with APNs (M = 121.07, SD = 10.82), had good adherence to medications (M = 7.26, SD = 2.42), good perception of mental health recovery (M = 94.43, SD = 12.53) and had confidence in achieving their goals (M = 31.44, SD = 5.78). Characteristics of participants were not correlated with outcomes, with exception that age was correlated to drug adherence (p < 0.001). Satisfaction with APNs was also noted to correlate with mental health recovery (p < 0.001) and general self-efficacy (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study supported the evidence that mental health advanced practice nurses can provide safe, effective and quality care for patients.

Using the CHIME Personal Recovery Framework to Evaluate the Validity of the MHRM-10 in Individuals with Psychosis.

The recovery movement has revealed that outcomes which focuses on just symptoms and functioning may not be holistic and that consumer-rated outcomes may contribute to a more holistic and person-centric care model. However, a brief and effective measure is required in clinical settings; hence, the aim of the current study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the briefest personal recovery measure- Mental Health Recovery Measure-10 items, using the CHIME (Connectedness, Hope and optimism about the future, Identity, Meaning in life, Empowerment) personal recovery framework. 64 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed at two time points, 2 weeks apart. Data collected included sociodemographic information, MHRM-10, Psychological factors related to the CHIME framework, in respective order: RYFF subscale positive relations with others; Herth Hope Index (HHI); Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) and RYFF subscale self-acceptance; World Health Organization Quality of Life- BRIEF (WHOQOL-BREF); Empowerment, and Clinical factors- symptoms as measured by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, functioning (PSP) and depressive symptoms (CDSS). MHRM-10 demonstrated convergent validity with CHIME personal recovery psychological factors (all ρ > 0.5). MHRM-10 had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.904) and adequate test-retest reliability (ρ = 0.742, p < 0.001). Initial factor structure analysis revealed a one factor structure. The MHRM-10 is a valid instrument for use and can serve as a tool to facilitate a more collaborative and person-centric model of care for individuals with psychosis.

Defining Occupational Competence and Occupational Identity in the Context of Recovery in Schizophrenia.

IMPORTANCE: The Occupational Self Assessment (OSA) measures two constructs from the Model of Human Occupation: occupational competence and occupational identity. In the field of mental health, the recovery movement has sparked discussions about what constitutes personal, clinical, and functional recovery. However, how occupation-based terminologies are related to the recovery framework is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate how domains of recovery and psychological constructs are related to the OSA's constructs of occupational competence and occupational identity in order to inform occupational therapy practice in the recovery arena. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Outpatient mental health unit. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-six community-dwelling adults with schizophrenia recruited through convenience sampling. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Participants completed the OSA and clinical, functional, and personal recovery assessments. They also completed five scales that measured psychological constructs of recovery such as hope, resilience, empowerment, internalized stigma, and subjective well-being. Participants also identified up to four OSA items that were priorities for change. Tests of association and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of occupational competence and occupational identity. RESULTS: Personal recovery predicted occupational competence, whereas depressive symptoms and hope predicted occupational identity. Functional and clinical recovery did not predict occupational competence. The top three OSA priorities for change were performance items: "managing my finances," "concentrating on my tasks," and "taking care of myself." CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Occupational therapy interventions should not be limited to functional improvement. Instead, they should account for clients' affective states and seek to instill recovery-oriented psychological states such as hope and efficacy. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: Occupational competence is achieved by enhancing personal states of self-efficacy in fulfilling valued occupations rather than through functional improvement. The top three occupations prioritized for change were performance tasks that were observable by service users and immediate caregivers. Empowering clients to partake in these everyday performance tasks such as finance management, concentrating on tasks, and self-care may pave the way to enhancing occupational competence and identity.

An Asian study on clinical and psychological factors associated with personal recovery in people with psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the rising recognition of personal recovery, there is a lack of research on personal recovery in individuals with psychosis in Singapore. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the QPR-15 using the CHIME personal recovery framework and to examine its associations with clinical recovery factors. METHODS: Sixty-six stable outpatients were recruited and assessed at two time points approximately 2 weeks apart. Convergent validity was examined through Spearman correlations with scores on CHIME-related psychological factors: connectedness (Ryff subscale- positive relations with others), hope (Herth Hope Index- abbreviated), identity (Ryff subscale- self-acceptance, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness- Brief), meaning (World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Brief Form), empowerment (Empowerment Scale). Pearson's correlation was used to examine the test-retest reliability, while Cronbach's alpha was used to examine internal consistency. The initial factor structure was evaluated via principal component analysis, Velicer's minimum average partial (MAP) criteria, parallel analysis, and a scree plot. Spearman correlations and hierarchical multiple linear regression (controlling for age and gender) were employed to examine the association of clinical (symptoms and functioning) and psychological factors with the QPR-15. RESULTS: The QPR-15 demonstrated convergent validity with all CHIME-related psychological factors (rs ranged from 0.472 to 0.687). Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.934), and test-retest reliability was adequate (r = 0.708). Initial factor structure evaluations revealed a one-factor model. Correlations of clinical factors with the QPR-15 were mostly low (rs ranged from - 0.105 to - 0.544) but significant, except for depressive symptoms (CDSS: rs = - 0.529 to - 0.544), while correlations were moderate for psychological factors. Clinical factors significantly explained 28.3-31.8% of the variance of the QPR-15. Adding psychological factors significantly increased the model variance at baseline (∆ adjusted R2 = 0.369, F change < 0.001) and at time point 2 (∆ adjusted R2 = 0.208, F change < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results provide preliminary evidence that the QPR-15 has adequate psychometric properties in Singapore and encompasses the CHIME personal recovery framework. In addition, our results suggest that clinical recovery and personal recovery are not substitutes for each other but rather are complementary, thereby promoting a more holistic evaluation of recovery in people with psychosis. Implications are discussed.

Attitudes towards psychiatry amongst medical and nursing students in Singapore.

BACKGROUND: A shortage of specialists in psychiatry, both in terms of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurses is evident worldwide. While there are multiple factors leading to an individual's decision to specialize in psychiatry, the individual's perceptions and attitudes towards psychiatry tend to play an essential role. This study thus aimed to explore attitudes towards psychiatry amongst medical and nursing students in Singapore and examine factors associated with these attitudes. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study used an online web survey tool to assess attitudes towards psychiatry amongst 502 medical and 500 nursing students in Singapore using the Attitudes towards Psychiatry (ATP-18) scale. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were used to examine associated factors (sociodemographic and education). RESULTS: The majority of students in this population endorsed favourable attitudes towards the following aspects of psychiatry: challenges within psychiatry, importance of psychiatry and psychiatric skills, treatment efficacy and view towards psychiatrists, but had generally unfavourable attitudes towards psychiatric patients. Male participants (compared to female; ß = - 1.190, p < 0.05), participants in the middle income group (compared to higher income group; ß = - 0.945, p < 0.05), participants who rated average for psychiatry lecture course and psychiatry clinical placement course (compared to above average; ß = - 1.654, p < 0.05; ß = - 1.181, p < 0.05) had a less favourable attitude to psychiatry. Not surprisingly, participants who were more likely to specialize in psychiatry (ß = 2.053, p < 0.001) had a more favourable attitude towards psychiatry compared to those who were less likely to specialize in psychiatry. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of students in this study endorsed unfavourable attitudes towards patients in the psychiatric setting. The present psychiatry curriculum could be improved to nurture the development of empathetic attitudes towards people with mental illness. De-stigmatization strategies could also be integrated into other curricula besides psychiatry.

Exploring predictors of medication adherence among inpatients with schizophrenia in Singapore's mental health settings: A non-experimental study.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder, which is marked by frequent relapses. The main reason for relapse is nonadherence to antipsychotics. A cross-sectional, correlational research study was conducted with a convenience sample of 92 participants. The primary aim of this study was to explore the predictors of medication adherence among inpatients with schizophrenia hospitalised at tertiary hospitals in Singapore. Post-hoc analysis revealed that insight, religion, side effects, types of antipsychotics, social support from significant others, nurse-client relationship, were significant predictive factors. Results from this study added knowledge to the nursing literature about medication adherence of schizophrenia patients and in Singapore setting.

Correct recognition and continuum belief of mental disorders in a nursing student population.

BACKGROUND: The current study aimed to explore the correct recognition of mental disorders across dementia, alcohol abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia and depression, along with its correlates in a nursing student population. The belief in a continuum of symptoms from mental health to mental illness and its relationship with the non-identification of mental illness was also explored. METHODS: Five hundred students from four nursing institutions in Singapore participated in this cross-sectional online study. Respondents were randomly assigned to a vignette describing one of the five mental disorders before being asked to identify what the person in the vignette is suffering from. Continuum belief was assessed by rating their agreeableness with the following statement: "Sometimes we all behave like X. It is just a question of how severe or obvious this condition is". RESULTS: OCD had the highest correct recognition rate (86%), followed by depression (85%), dementia (77%), alcohol abuse (58%) and schizophrenia (46%). For continuum belief, the percentage of respondents who endorsed symptom continuity were 70% for depression, 61% for OCD, 58% for alcohol abuse, 56% for dementia and 46% for schizophrenia. Of concern, we found stronger continuum belief to be associated with the non-identification of mental illness after controlling for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve mental health literacy among nursing students. Almost a quarter of the respondents identified excessive alcohol drinking as depression, even though there was no indication of any mood symptom in the vignette on alcohol abuse. Further education and training in schizophrenia may need to be conducted. Healthcare trainees should also be made aware on the possible influence of belief in symptom continuity on one's tendency to under-attribute mental health symptoms as a mental illness.

Factors Affecting Medication Adherence Among Adults with Schizophrenia: A Literature Review.

This review aimed to summarize empirical evidence concerning factors relating to medication adherence among patients with schizophrenia. A comprehensive search was implemented to recruit articles which met the present eligibility criteria. Twenty-five articles were included whereby only one was a qualitative study. Greater awareness of illness (insight), previous history of medication adherence, positive attitude toward medication, types of atypical antipsychotics, less severe psychotic symptoms, and social support were identified as factors of medication adherence. Knowledge gaps and methodological limitations were also identified. Implications to clinical practice include providing psychoeducation to patients by increasing their knowledge about illness and medication.

Lead toxicity thresholds in 17 Chinese soils based on substrate-induced nitrification assay.

The influence of soil properties on toxicity threshold values for Pb toward soil microbial processes is poorly recognized. The impact of leaching on the Pb threshold has not been assessed systematically. Lead toxicity was screened in 17 Chinese soils using a substrate-induced nitrification (SIN) assay under both leached and unleached conditions. The effective concentration of added Pb causing 50% inhibition (EC50) ranged from 185 to >2515mg/kg soil for leached soil and 130 to >2490mg/kg soil for unleached soil. These results represented >13- and >19-fold variations among leached and unleached soils, respectively. Leaching significantly reduced Pb toxicity for 70% of both alkaline and acidic soils tested, with an average leaching factor of 3.0. Soil pH and CEC were the two most useful predictors of Pb toxicity in soils, explaining over 90% of variance in the unleached EC50 value. The relationships established in the present study predicted Pb toxicity within a factor of two of measured values. These relationships between Pb toxicity and soil properties could be used to establish site-specific guidance on Pb toxicity thresholds.

Distribution and assessment of heavy metals in the surface sediment of Yellow River, China.

Large amounts of heavy metals discharged by industrial cities that are located along the middle reach of Yellow River, China have detrimental impacts on both the ecological environment and human health. In this study, fourteen surface sediment samples were taken in the middle reach of the Yellow River. Contents of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd, As were measured, and the pollution status was assessed using three widely used pollution assessment methods, including the single factor index method, Nemerow pollution index method and potential ecological risk index. The concentrations of the studied heavy metals followed the order: Zn>Cr>Cu>Ni>Pb>As>Cd. Nearly 50% of sites had Cu and Cr accumulation. The concentration of Cu at the Yiluo River exceeded the secondary standard value of the Environmental quality standard for soils. Comparison of heavy metal concentrations between this study and other selected rivers indicated that Cu and Cr may be the major pollutants in our case. The single factor index indicated that many samples were at high levels of pollution for Cu and Cd; the Nemerow pollution index indicated that the Yihe River, Luohe River, Yiluo River and Huayuankou were polluted. According to the results of potential ecological risk assessment, Cd in the tributaries of Luo River, Yihe River, and Yiluo River showed high risk toward the ecosystem and human health, Cd in Huanyuankou and Cu in Yiluo River showed a middle level of risk and other samples were at a low level of risk.

Assessment of heavy metal contents in surface soil in the Lhasa-Shigatse-Nam Co area of the Tibetan Plateau, China.

Eight important heavy metals (As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mn, and Hg) were investigated in surface soil samples collected from the Lhasa-Shigatse-Nam Co region, Tibetan Plateau, China. The mean contents of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Mn, and Hg in the samples were 39.5, 57.4, 28.5, 48.2, 15.7, 79.2, 637 and 0.0175 mg/kg, respectively. All metals were divided into three clusters by cluster analysis. The results of geoaccumulation index indicated that no samples were polluted by Cr, Pb, Zn, and Mn, and samples were polluted with As, Cu, Ni, and Hg to different degrees. All surface soils had a low ecological risk with potential ecological risk index below 150, indicating a low ecological risk. As, Pb, and Hg were the primary contributors to potential ecological risk.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls in surface soil from the Tibetan Plateau.

Concentrations of Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil samples from Tibetan Plateau were determined. The average concentration of total 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs was (2.30±1.02) pg/g, and World Health Organization Toxicity Equivalency (WHO-TEQ) average concentration was (0.013±0.010) pgWHO-TEQ/g. The average concentration of ∑PCBs (7 indicator PCB and 12 dioxin like-PCB congeners) was (16.2±9.25) pg/g, and WHO-TEQ average concentration was 0.043±0.049pgWHO-TEQ/g. Comparing to previous studies in similar environmental conditions, PCDD/Fs and PCBs in this study showed a relatively lower concentration. The altitude dependences of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were also studied. Total organic carbon (TOC) normalized concentrations presented a quadratic relation with the altitudes, and an inflection could be found on the parabola of the total concentrations and some congeners of high concentration. The concentrations decreased with altitudes below about 4500m above sea level (a.s.l.), while they increased with altitudes above it. These phenomena indicate that cold condensation of PCDD/Fs and PCBs would happen above 4500m a.s.l, on the Tibetan Plateau.

Mono- to Octa-chlorinated PCDD/Fs in stack gas from typical waste incinerators and their implications on emission.

Mono- to octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (mono- to octa-CDD/Fs) were determined in 14 stack gas samples from two municipal solid waste incinerators and two medical waste incinerators. The total PCDD/F concentrations were 5.1-390 ng/Nm(3), and the mono- to trichlorinated homologues contributed 53.2-94.5% of the total concentrations. The homologue profiles were dominated by the MoCDF, ranged from 1.51 to 113.1 ng/Nm(3), and the proportion that each PCDF homologue group contributed to the total concentration decreased with increasing chlorination level. The toxic equivalent concentrations (I-TEQs) were 0.01-2.81 ng I-TEQ/Nm(3), with 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF being the biggest contributor, at 30.6-60.0%. Correlations were found among the PCDD/PCDF ratios (D/F ratios), the degree of chlorination, and the TEQ. Stack gases with low I-TEQs had higher proportions of the less chlorinated homologues and lower D/F ratios, which could be attributed to the removal of the more chlorinated isomers by the air pollution control systems used by the incinerators. 2,8-DiCDF, 2,4,8-TrCDF, DiCDF, and TrCDF can be used as TEQ indicators for monitoring PCDD/Fs. 2,8-DiCDF and 2,4,8-TrCDF correlated well with the TEQ because they strongly correlated with 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, implying possible correlations in their formation mechanisms.

Spatial distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in soil around a municipal solid waste incinerator.

Municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) are usually considered to be important sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). To examine the influence of PCDD/Fs emissions from a MSWI on the surrounding environment, 21 soil samples were collected from various sampling sites distributed at distances of 300-1,700 m away from the stack of a MSWI. International Toxic Equivalent (I-TEQ) concentrations ranged from 0.47 to 2.07 pg I-TEQ g(-1), with average and median concentrations of 1.08 and 1.05 pg I-TEQ g(-1), respectively. Comparison of the results presented herein with other worldwide studies suggested that the concentrations of PCDD/Fs in the ambient soil were relatively low, indicating a limited impact on the surrounding environment. The emission concentrations from the incinerator were the critical factor in generating an environmental impact on the surrounding environment. An exponential function was developed, indicating a slight decline in TEQs of PCDD/Fs with increasing distance from the MSWI stack. The ordinary kriging interpolation technique was selected to create a contour map, which intuitively showed that a limited surrounding area (≤1,000 m from the stack) was obviously influenced by the MSWI.

Spatial distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil around a municipal solid waste incinerator.

The impact of a typical municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in the surrounding soil was studied. Six stack gas samples were taken from the MSWI and 21 soil samples were collected from sampling sites between 300 and 1700 m from the MSWI stack. The total (sigmaPCB) concentrations of dioxin-like (dl) PCBs and indicator PCBs in the stack gas samples were between 3.41 and 34.3 ng/m3, and the corresponding toxic equivalents (TEQs) ranged from 4.45 to 66.9 pg WHO-TEQ/m3, with a mean of 28.6 pg WHO-TEQ/m3. A total of 2.43 g WHO-TEQ of PCBs per year was calculated to be released into the environment from MSWIs in China. The sigmaPCB concentrations in the soil samples ranged from 28.0 to 264.4 pg/g, with mean and median values of 127.6 and 127.7 pg/g, respectively, while the TEQ values were between 0.020 and 0.18 pg WHO-TEQ/g, with mean and median values of 0.074 and 0.062 pg WHO-TEQ/g, respectively. Comparing this study with other studies performed around the world suggest that PCB emission from incinerators has a critical influence on PCB concentrations in the surrounding soil. An exponential function equation is proposed, which indicates a clear decline in sigmaPCB concentrations with increasing distance from the stack. A contour map created using an ordinary kriging interpolation technique showed that a limited area (< or = 1250 m radius) from the stack was clearly influenced by PCB emission from the MSWI.