Major influencing factors identification and probabilistic health risk assessment of soil potentially toxic elements pollution in coal and metal mines across China: A systematic review.

Deposition of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils due to different types of mining activities has been an increasingly important concern worldwide. Quantitative differences of soil PTEs contamination and related health risk among typical mines remain unclear. Herein, data from 110 coal mines and 168 metal mines across China were analyzed based on 265 published literatures to evaluate pollution characteristics, spatial distribution, and probabilistic health risks of soil PTEs. The results showed that PTE levels in soil from both mine types significantly exceeded background values. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) revealed metal-mine soil pollution levels exceeded those of coal mines, with average Igeo values for Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cu, and Zn being 3.02-15.60 times higher. Spearman correlation and redundancy analysis identified natural and anthropogenic factors affecting soil PTE contamination in both mine types. Mining activities posed a significant carcinogenic risk, with metal-mine soils showing a total carcinogenic risk an order of magnitude higher than in coal-mine soils. This study provides policymakers a quantitative foundation for developing differentiated strategies for sustainable remediation and risk-based management of PTEs in typical mining soils.

A Taguchi-STIRPAT input-output model for unveiling the pathways of reducing household carbon emissions under dual-carbon target-A case study of Fujian province.

This study develops a novel Taguchi-STIRPAT input-output (TSIO) model for exploring pathways to reduce carbon emission from the perspective of household consumption, through incorporating input-output model (IOM), Taguchi design (TD), and STIRPAT model. TSIO can not only identify the main factors (carbon emission intensity, consumption structure, per capita consumption, and population) and evaluate their effects on indirect household carbon emissions (IHC), but also predict IHC from a long-term perspective to achieve the dual-carbon target. TSIO is then applied to Fujian province (China), where multiple scenarios related to multiple factors with multiple levels are examined. Results reveal that (i) among all sectors, the highest contributors to IHC are residence (RES), followed by food, cigarettes, and drinks (FCD), and transport and communication (TC); it is suggested that the government can consider market mechanism to control these high-carbon emission consumption behaviors; (ii) the decline in the share of RES consumption has the largest effect on rural and urban IHC; the share of RES consumption is considered to be a key factor in predicting carbon emissions; (iii) under the optimal scenario, IHC would peak in 2025 and decrease to 10.07 × 106 ton in 2060; this scenario can effectively mitigate household carbon emissions by reducing carbon emission intensity and the share of RES consumption; at the same time, it can ensure a sustained increase in per capita consumption. The results unveil the pathways of household carbon reduction under the dual-carbon target in Fujian province and suggest the local government should adopt policies (such as taxation and financial incentives) to limit residential consumptions with high carbon emission intensity.

Assessment of supportive care needs among cervical cancer patients under treatment in Nepal: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUNDS: The perceived supportive care needs (SCNs) of cancer patients are essential components of a care program. The first step in planning and intervening for supportive care is the proper identification of the SCNs of cancer patients. Cervical cancer (CC) is the most prevalent cancer among Nepali women. The authors assess SCNs and their predictors among CC patients under treatment by using a validated Nepali version supportive care need survey short form (SCNS- SF 34 N). METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 5 cancer treatment hospitals in Nepal. A culturally adapted and psychometrically validated Nepali version SCNS -SF- 34 N was completed by a convenience sample of 218 CC patients. Data were analyzed by using descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, median) and inferential (Chi-square P-value and binary logistic regression analysis) statistics. RESULTS: The study showed that 99% of the respondents were in need of some level (low, moderate, high) of supportive care. The psychological domain, physical daily living, health system information, patient care support and sexuality domain ranked from first to fifth for SCNs with mean and standard deviations 70.29 ± 18.84, 63.25 ± 23.15, 57.90 ± 21.11, 56.46 ± 21.92 and 46.06 ± 34.16, respectively. Binary logistic regression found causal association between SCNs and variables "occupation (p-value = 0.007), and type of hospital (p-value = 0.000)" at a 95% confidence level. CONCLUSION: Nepali CC patients perceive and experience many unmet SCNs, with psychological SCNs being the first priority. It is essential that the SCNs of patients may need to be known by their close family members, care providers, CC related program. so that they can offer intervention as per patients' needs.

Novel Predictive Scoring System for Intravenous Immunoglobulin Resistance Helps Timely Intervention in Kawasaki Disease: The Chinese Experience.

Background: Approximately 10%-20% of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) are nonresponsive to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment, placing them at higher risk of developing coronary heart lesions. Early detection of nonresponsiveness is crucial to curtail this risk; however, the applicability of existing predictive scoring systems is limited to the Japanese population. Our study aimed to identify a predictive scoring system for IVIG resistance in KD specific to the Chinese population. We aimed to assess the utility of three commonly used risk-scoring systems in predicting IVIG resistance and compare them to the newly developed predictive scoring system. Methods: A total of 895 patients with KD were enrolled in this retrospective review and divided into two groups: IVIG responders and nonresponders. Clinical and laboratory variables were compared between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to construct a new scoring system. The utility of the existing and new scoring systems was assessed and compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: Albumin levels, percentage of neutrophils, and hemoglobin were independent predictors of resistance by logistic regression analysis. The new predictive scoring system was derived with improved sensitivity (60.5%) and specificity (87.8%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.818. Conclusion: This study developed a novel risk-scoring system for predicting resistance to IVIG treatment in KD specific to the Chinese population. Although this new model requires further validation, it may be useful for improving prognostic outcomes and reducing the risk of complications associated with KD.

Asymmetric spillover between economic policy uncertainty and exchange rate volatility: A global network connectedness perspective.

This study employs the network connectedness approach to examine the risk spillover between the economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and exchange rate volatility (ERV) of 21 countries. Using monthly data from January 1997 to August 2022, we find that the spillover effect of ERV on EPU is greater than that of the inverse. In addition, the spillover effect of EPU on ERV is mainly concentrated in the foreign exchange markets of developing countries. This finding indicates that the foreign exchange markets of developing countries are more susceptible to shocks of global economic risk, and the spreading of risk contagion between EPU and ERV mainly follows the pathway "increase in global ERV → rising global EPU → further intensified volatility in the foreign exchange markets of developing countries." A rolling-window analysis shows that the spillover between global EPU and ERV is time-varying. The cross-market spillovers between EPU and ERV in the post-crisis period continued to rise and further increased sharply after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dynamic Linkage between Bitcoin and Traditional Financial Assets: A Comparative Analysis of Different Time Frequencies.

This study employs the ADCC-GARCH approach to investigate the dynamic correlation between bitcoin and 14 major financial assets in different time-frequency dimensions over the period 2013-2021, for which the risk diversification, hedging and safe-haven properties of bitcoin for those traditional assets are further examined. The results show that, first, bitcoin is positively linked to risk assets, including stock, bond and commodity, and negatively linked to the U.S. dollar, which is a safe-haven asset, so bitcoin is closer in nature to a risk asset than a safe-haven asset. Second, the high short-term volatility and speculative nature of the bitcoin market makes its long-term correlation with other assets stronger than the short-term. Third, the positive linkage between the prices of bitcoin and risk assets increases sharply under extreme shocks (e.g., the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020). Fourth, bitcoin can hedge against the U.S. dollar, and in the long term, bitcoin can hedge against the Chinese stock market and act as a safe haven for the U.S. stock market and crude oil. However, for most other traditional assets, bitcoin is only an effective diversifier.

The Dynamics of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Prevalence and Management Rates among Rural Population in Henan Province, China.

The aim of this study was to estimate the dynamics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence and management rates based on a rural cohort study in Henan Province of China. The rural prospective study was conducted for 20194 Chinese population ≥18 years in 2007-2008 and followed during 2013-2014. A total of 14009 individuals were recruited for the prospective analysis ultimately. Over 5.74 years of follow-up, the age-standardized prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of T2DM increased from 6.18%, 44.41%, 34.39%, and 19.08% at baseline to 7.87%, 59.64%, 52.17%, and 26.52% at follow-up in total population, respectively. Similar changes were found in men and women except the age-standardized control in men. The four parameters of T2DM were higher among various factors at follow-up than those at baseline. There was no statistical difference in awareness (P = 0.089) and treatment (P = 0.257) in the newly diagnosed T2DM compared with the rates at baseline. The current study indicated that the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of T2DM displayed chronological increasing trends while the awareness, treatment, and control of T2DM were still disproportionally low in central China. More works are needed urgently to popularize public health education and improve the quality of medical care in T2DM.

A three-dimensional origami-based immuno-biofuel cell for self-powered, low-cost, and sensitive point-of-care testing.

A three-dimensional microfluidic origami glucose-air immuno-biofuel cell has been successfully demonstrated for the first time to implement self-powered, sensitive, and low-cost sandwich immunoassay for cancer markers based on the signal amplifications of a porous Au-paper electrode and Au nanoparticles attached to carbon nanotubes.

A paper-based photoelectrochemical immunoassay for low-cost and multiplexed point-of-care testing.

A photoelectrochemical immunoassay was introduced for the first time into a microfluidic paper-based analytical device equipped with a paper supercapacitor for low-cost, simple, portable, and disposable point-of-care testing, based on a chemiluminescence light source and a digital multi-meter.