The effects of local interventions on global technological change through spillovers: A modeling framework and application to the road-freight sector.

To address global sustainability challenges, (public) policy interventions are needed to induce or accelerate technological change. While most policy interventions occur on the local level, their innovation effects can spill over to other jurisdictions, potentially having global impact. These spillovers can increase or reduce the incentive for interventions. Lacking to date are computational models that capture these spillover dynamics. Here, we devise a conceptual and methodological approach to quantify ex ante the effects of local demand-side interventions on global competition between incumbent and novel technologies. We introduce two factors that moderate global spillovers-relative size of selection environments and relative innovation potential of competing technologies. Our approach incorporates both factors in a techno-economic discrete choice model that evaluates technology competition over time through endogenized technological learning. We apply this modeling framework to the case of road freight. Different demand-pull interventions and shocks are modeled to assess spillover effects. In the case of road freight, electric vehicles experience growth in most application segments but can still be accelerated substantially through public policy intervention-spillovers occur if strong public interventions are introduced in large regions or in multiple combined regions under club policy interventions. These findings are discussed in the context of club policy interventions and a modeled geopolitical shock in China. A full sensitivity analysis of model input parameters and intervention or shock dynamics reveals high model robustness. Finally, we discuss the implications of the road-freight case study as it might inform the progress of other niche technologies in transitioning sectors.

Impact of cultural and genetic structure on food choices along the Silk Road.

The complex interplay between genetics, culture, and environment forms an individual's biology, influencing their behavior, choices, and health. However, to what extent information derived from this intertwined network could be quantitatively summarized to provide a glance at an individual's lifestyle is difficult to say. Here, we focused on dietary preferences as cultural proxies and genome-wide data of 543 individuals from six historical Silk Road countries: Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. These lands favored the dispersal of innovations, foods, and DNA halfway across Eurasia, thus representing an ideal subject to explore interactions of cultural factors and genetic ancestry. We used discriminant analysis of principal components to infer cultural clusters, where mixed memberships are allowed. Five different clusters emerged. Of these, clusters 1 and 3, driven by aversion to pork and alcoholic beverages, mirrored genetic admixture patterns with the exception of Azerbaijan, which shares preferences supported by Islamic culture with Eastern countries. Cluster 3 was driven by protein-rich foods, whose preference was significantly related to steppe pastoralist ancestry. Sex and age were secondary clustering factors, with clusters formed by male and young individuals being related to alcohol preference and a reduced liking for vegetables. The soft clustering approach enabled us to model and summarize the individual's dietary information in short and informative vectors, which show meaningful interaction with other nondietary attributes of the studied individuals. Encoding other cultural variables would help summarize an individual's culture quantitatively, thus ultimately supporting its inclusion as a covariate in future association studies.

Characterization of the incense sacrificed to the sarira of Sakyamuni from Famen Royal Temple during the ninth century in China.

SignificanceIncense has been linked to ceremonies, religions, medicines, and cosmetics worldwide for thousands of years. While Chinese texts in the Tang dynasty (618 to 907 CE) indicate that numerous exotic aromatic substances were already being introduced into China through the land and maritime Silk Road, this has been rarely demonstrated archaeologically. This study identifies three types of incense associated with the sacred sarira of Sakyamuni Budda from the underground palace of Famen Royal Temple in central China, providing direct evidence of aromatics including elemi, agarwood, and frankincense as well as their composite product, namely Hexiang (blending of aromatics), in Buddhist activities, which may have promoted the spread of incense and the development of aromatic knowledge systems in medieval China.

Timing determines zooplankton community responses to multiple stressors.

Human activities and climate change cause abiotic factors to fluctuate through time, sometimes passing thresholds for organismal reproduction and survival. Multiple stressors can independently or interactively impact organisms; however, few studies have examined how they interact when they overlap spatially but occur asynchronously. Fluctuations in salinity have been found in freshwater habitats worldwide. Meanwhile, heatwaves have become more frequent and extreme. High salinity pulses and heatwaves are often decoupled in time but can still collectively impact freshwater zooplankton. The time intervals between them, during which population growth and community recovery could happen, can influence combined effects, but no one has examined these effects. We conducted a mesocosm experiment to examine how different recovery times (0-, 3-, 6-week) between salt treatment and heatwave exposure influence their combined effects. We hypothesized that antagonistic effects would appear when having short recovery time, because previous study found that similar species were affected by the two stressors, but effects would become additive with longer recovery time since fully recovered communities would respond to heatwave similar to undisturbed communities. Our findings showed that, when combined, the two-stressor joint impacts changed from antagonistic to additive with increased recovery time between stressors. Surprisingly, full compositional recovery was not achieved despite a recovery period that was long enough for population growth, suggesting legacy effects from earlier treatment. The recovery was mainly driven by small organisms, such as rotifers and small cladocerans. As a result, communities recovering from previous salt exposure responded differently to heatwaves than undisturbed communities, leading to similar zooplankton communities regardless of the recovery time between stressors. Our research bolsters the understanding and management of multiple-stressor issues by revealing that prior exposure to one stressor has long-lasting impacts on community recovery that can lead to unexpected joint effects of multiple stressors.

Roadside habitat: Boon or bane for pollinating insects?

Pollinators, which provide vital services to wild ecosystems and agricultural crops, are facing global declines and habitat loss. As undeveloped land becomes increasingly scarce, much focus has been directed recently to roadsides as potential target zones for providing floral resources to pollinators. Roadsides, however, are risky places for pollinators, with threats from vehicle collisions, toxic pollutants, mowing, herbicides, and more. Although these threats have been investigated, most studies have yet to quantify the costs and benefits of roadsides to pollinators and, therefore, do not address whether the costs outweigh the benefits for pollinator populations using roadside habitats. In this article, we address how, when, and under what conditions roadside habitats may benefit or harm pollinators, reviewing existing knowledge and recommending practical questions that managers and policymakers should consider when planning pollinator-focused roadside management.

Prevalence of renal insufficiency and factors associated among selected cancer patients on chemotherapy at Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is among the leading cause of death worldwide. Chemotherapy is commonly used in cancer management and among the challenges in managing cancer patients is renal insufficiency (RI), which can be due to cancer or anticancer treatment and can be potentiated by different factors. Data regarding the prevalence of RI and associated factors in Tanzania is scanty. This study aims to assess the prevalence of RI and associated factors among selected cancer patients on chemotherapy. METHODS: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from March to May 2023. The study included cancer patients on chemotherapy. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires whereby socio-demographics, clinical and laboratory data were recorded. Data was analyzed by using STATA version 15. Categorical data was presented as frequencies and percentages, and continuous data was summarized using means. A modified Poisson regression model was used to assess factors associated with RI. The p-values ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Out of 354 patients, the majority (76.6%) were female. The enrolled patients' mean age was 53 ± 13.19 years. The proportion of cancer patients with RI was 62.2% with most (60%) having stage 2 and stage 3 (37.7%). Age, hypertension (HTN), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), diabetes mellitus (DM) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use were significantly associated with increased risk of RI (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that RI is common among cancer patients on chemotherapy. Age, HTN, DM, HIV and NSAIDS use were associated with RI. Close monitoring of kidney function is necessary for cancer patients with other factors associated with RI. Use of creatinine clearance (CrCl) rather than serum creatinine in estimating kidney function is important.

Exotic medicinal plants from the Silk Road promote the diversification of traditional Chinese medicines.

BACKGROUND: As a political, economic, and cultural exchange channel between ancient China and countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa, the Silk Road has promoted political, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries in Chinese history and also promoted the development of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS: This article summarizes the introduction of medicinal materials from the Han to Qing Dynasties, spanning approximately 2000 years. RESULTS: A total of 235 types of medicinal plant materials were imported. An analysis of 178 medicinal herbs of known origin, belonging to 72 families revealed their effectiveness in treating 20 diseases. The maximum number of medicinal herbs used to treat gastrointestinal and digestive disorders (GAS) was 122. The applications and origin of exotic medicinal materials, including draconis sanguis and olibanum have changed during the development of the Silk Road. Imported medicinal materials are affected by five factors, including local demand, adaptability, cultural exchange, scarcity, and medical theory. Five modes for introducing medicinal materials include the onshore Silk Road, the maritime Silk Road, diplomatic envoys and gifts, overseas Chinese, cultural exchange, and medical integration. The application of exotic medicinal materials expands the resources and application fields of traditional Chinese medicine, enriching the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. CONCLUSION: Traditional Chinese medicinal compounds introduced to China through the ancient Silk Road not only promoted their integration into foreign medicine but also had long-lasting impacts to date and over a wide range, thereby considerably affecting the pharmaceutical and general healthcare industries.

Understanding the Burden of Pediatric Traumatic Injury in Uganda: A Multicenter, Prospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic injury is responsible for eight million childhood deaths annually. In Uganda, there is a paucity of comprehensive data describing the burden of pediatric trauma, which is essential for resource allocation and surgical workforce planning. This study aimed to ascertain the burden of non-adolescent pediatric trauma across four Ugandan hospitals. METHODS: We performed a descriptive review of four independent and prospective pediatric surgical databases in Uganda: Mulago National Referral Hospital (2012-2019), Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (2015-2019), Soroti Regional Referral Hospital (SRRH) (2016-2019), and St Mary's Hospital Lacor (SMHL) (2016-2019). We sub-selected all clinical encounters that involved trauma. The primary outcome was the distribution of injury mechanisms. Secondary outcomes included operative intervention and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: There was a total of 693 pediatric trauma patients, across four hospital sites: Mulago National Referral Hospital (n = 245), Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (n = 29), SRRH (n = 292), and SMHL (n = 127). The majority of patients were male (63%), with a median age of 5 [interquartile range = 2, 8]. Chiefly, patients suffered blunt injury mechanisms, including falls (16.2%) and road traffic crashes (14.7%) resulting in abdominal trauma (29.4%) and contusions (11.8%). At SRRH and SMHL, from which orthopedic data were available, 27% of patients suffered long-bone fractures. Overall, 55% of patients underwent surgery and 95% recovered to discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In Uganda, non-adolescent pediatric trauma patients most commonly suffer injuries due to falls and road traffic crashes, resulting in high rates of abdominal trauma. Amid surgical workforce deficits and resource-variability, these data support interventions aimed at training adult general surgeons to provide emergency pediatric surgical care and procedures.

Unsafe Practices of Motorcycle Riders in El Petén, Guatemala: A Community Observational Study and a Retrospective Institutional Review.

INTRODUCTION: Outcomes from trauma at the major referral hospital [Hospital Nacional de San Benito (HNSB)] in El Petén, Guatemala, have not been analyzed. Empirical evidence demonstrated a high number of motorcycle accidents (MAs). We hypothesized a large incidence of head trauma with poor outcomes in MAs compared to all other forms of blunt trauma. METHODS: Our hypothesis was tested by performing a community observational study and a retrospective chart review in El Petén, Guatemala. An independent observer catalogued 100 motorcycle riders on the streets of El Petén for riding practices as well as helmet utilization. HNSB does not have electronic medical records. For this study, we performed a retrospective chart review of randomly selected nonconsecutive trauma admission at HNSB between March 2018 and June 2023. Blunt trauma was compared between MAs versus all others. Variables were examined by parametric and nonparametric tests as well as contingency table analyses. RESULTS: Most motorcycles riders involved multiple individuals (2.61 ± 0.79/motorcycle). Seventy riders included children (median = 1.0 [Q1-Q3 range = 1.0-3.0]/motorcycle). Overall, only three riders were wearing helmets. Forty-one were women. Of patients presenting to HNSB with trauma, 91 charts were reviewed (33.0 [20.0-37.0] y old; male 89%), 76.7% were blunt, and 23.3% were penetrating trauma. Within blunt trauma, 57.1% were MAs versus 42.9% all others; P = 0.13. MAs were younger (29.5 [20.0-37.0] versus 34.0 [21.8-45.8] y old; P < 0.05) and of similar gender (male 82.5% versus 96.6%; P = 0.1). More MAs had a computed tomography (70.0% versus 30.0%; P < 0.01) and they were more likely to present with head trauma (72.5% versus 46.7%; P = 0.04) but similar Glasgow Coma Scale (15.0 [13.5-15.0] versus 15.0 [12.5-15.0]; P = 0.7). MAs were less likely to require surgical intervention (37.5% versus 56.7%; P = 0.05) but had similar hospital length of stay (4.0 [2-6] versus 4.0 [2-10.5] d; P = 0.5). CONCLUSIONS: Unsafe motorcycle practices in El Petén are staggering. Most trauma at HNSB is blunt, and likely from MAs. More patients with MAs presented with head trauma. However, severe trauma might be transferred to higher level hospitals or mortality might occur on scene, which will need further investigations. Assessment of mortality from trauma admissions is ongoing. These findings should lead to enforcement of safe motorcycle practices in El Petén, Guatemala.

Impacts of existing and planned roads on terrestrial mammal habitat in New Guinea.

New Guinea is one of the last regions in the world with vast pristine areas and is home to many endemic species. However, extensive road development plans threaten the island's biodiversity. We quantified habitat fragmentation due to existing and planned roads for 139 terrestrial mammal species in New Guinea. For each species, we calculated the equivalent connected area (ECA) of habitat, a metric that takes into account the area and connectivity of habitat patches in 3 situations: no roads (baseline situation), existing roads (current), and existing and planned roads combined (future). We assessed the effect of roads as the proportion of the ECA remaining in the current and future situations relative to the baseline. To examine whether there were patterns in these relative ECA values, we fitted beta-regression models relating these values to 4 species characteristics: taxonomic order, body mass, diet, and International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List status. On average across species, current ECA was 89% (SD 12) of baseline ECA. Shawmayer's coccymys (Coccymys shawmayeri) had the lowest amount of current ECA relative to the baseline (53%). In the future situation, the average remaining ECA was 71% (SD 20) of baseline ECA. Future remaining ECA was below 50% of the baseline for 28 species. The montane soft-furred paramelomys (Paramelomys mollis) had the lowest future ECA relative to the baseline (36%). In general, currently nonthreatened carnivorous species with a large body mass had the greatest reductions of ECA in the future situation. In conclusion, future road development plans imply extensive additional habitat fragmentation for a large number of terrestrial mammal species in New Guinea. It is therefore important to limit the impact of planned roads, for example, by reconsidering the location of planned roads that intersect habitat of the most threatened species, or by the implementation of mitigation measures such as underpasses.

Impacto de las carreteras planeadas y existentes sobre el hábitat de mamíferos terrestres en Nueva Guinea Resumen Nueva Guinea es una de las últimas regiones del mundo con zonas vírgenes extensas que alberga muchas especies endémicas. Sin embargo, los planes extensivos de desarrollo de carreteras amenazan la biodiversidad de la isla. Cuantificamos la fragmentación del hábitat causada por las carreteras existentes y previstas para 139 especies de mamíferos terrestres de Nueva Guinea. Para cada especie, calculamos el área conectada equivalente (ACE) del hábitat, una medida que considera el área y la conectividad de los fragmentos de hábitat en tres situaciones: sin carreteras (situación de referencia), carreteras existentes (actual) y la combinación de carreteras existentes y previstas (futuro). Evaluamos el efecto de las carreteras como la proporción de ACE que quedaba en las situaciones actual y futura en relación con la situación de referencia. Para examinar si existían patrones en estos valores relativos de ECA, ajustamos modelos de regresión beta relacionando estos valores con cuatro características de las especies: orden taxonómico, masa corporal, dieta y estado en la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza. En promedio para todas las especies, la ACE actual fue 89% (DE 12) de la ACE basal. La especie Coccymys shawmayeri presentó la menor cantidad de ACE actual en relación con la base de referencia (53%). En la situación futura, la media de ACE restante fue del 71% (DE 20) de la ACE de referencia. La ACE restante futura fue inferior al 50% de la línea de base para 28 especies. La especie Paramelomys mollis tuvo la ACE futura más baja en relación con la línea base (36%). En general, las especies carnívoras que no están amenazadas actualmente y tienen una masa corporal grande tuvieron la mayor reducción de ACE en la situación futura. Para concluir, la futura construcción de carreteras implica una extensa fragmentación de hábitat adicional para un gran número de especies de mamíferos terrestres en Nueva Guinea. Por esto es importante limitar el impacto de las carreteras planeadas, por ejemplo, reconsiderando la ubicación de las carreteras que cruzan el hábitat de las especies más amenazadas o implementando medidas de mitigación como los pasos subterráneos.

Wildlife mortality risk posed by high and low traffic roads.

Wildlife mortality due to collisions with vehicles (roadkill) is one of the predominant negative effects exerted by roads on many wildlife species. Reducing roadkill is therefore a major component of wildlife conservation. Roadkill is affected by various factors, including road attributes and traffic volume. It is theorized that the effect of traffic volume on roadkill probability should be unimodal. However, empirical evidence for this theory is lacking. Using a large-scale roadkill database of 18 wildlife species in Israel, encompassing 2846 km of roads over 10 years, we explored the effects of traffic volume and road attributes (e.g., road lighting, verge vegetation) on roadkill probability with a multivariate generalized linear mixed model. A unimodal effect of traffic volume was identified for the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), whereas 5 species demonstrated a novel quadratic U-shaped effect (e.g., golden jackal [Canis aureus]). Four species showed a negative linear effect (e.g., wild boar [Sus scrofa]). We also identified varying effects of road attributes on roadkill. For instance, road lighting and roadside trees decreased roadkill for several species, whereas bus stops and concrete guardrails led to increased roadkill. The theorized unimodal effect of traffic volume may only apply to large, agile species, and the U-shaped effect could be related to intraspecies variability in traffic avoidance behavior. In general, we found that both high-traffic and low-traffic roads can pose a high mortality risk for wildlife. It is therefore important to monitor roadkill on low-traffic roads and adapt road attributes to mitigate roadkill. Road design for effective roadkill mitigation includes reducing the use of concrete guardrails and median barriers where possible and avoiding dense bushes in verge landscaping. These measures are complemented by employing wildlife detection systems, driver warnings, and seasonal speed reduction measures on low-traffic roads identified as roadkill hotspots.

Riesgo de mortalidad de fauna presentado por las carreteras de mucho y poco tráfico Denneboom et al. 23­229 Resumen La mortalidad de fauna por colisiones con vehículos es uno de los efectos negativos predominantes que tienen las carreteras sobre muchas especies. Por lo tanto, la reducción de esta mortalidad es un componente principal de la conservación de la fauna. Esta mortalidad se ve afectada por varios factores, incluyendo las características de la carretera y el volumen de tráfico. Se piensa que el efecto del volumen de tráfico sobre la probabilidad de las colisiones debería ser unimodal; sin embargo, la evidencia empírica para esta teoría no es suficiente. Usamos una base de datos de colisiones de 18 especies de fauna en Israel que engloba 2,846 km de carreteras durante diez años para explorar con un modelo mixto lineal generalizado multivariado los efectos del volumen de tráfico y las características de la carretera (p. ej., iluminación, vegetación de borde) sobre la probabilidad de colisiones. Identificamos un efecto unimodal del volumen del tráfico para la hiena rayada (Hyaena hyaena), mientras que cinco especies demostraron un efecto cuadrático novedoso en forma de U, como el chacal dorado (Canis aureus). Cuatro especies mostraron un efecto negativo lineal, como el jabalí salvaje (Sus scrofa). También identificamos varios efectos de las características de la carretera sobre las colisiones. Por ejemplo, la iluminación y los árboles en los bordes disminuyeron las colisiones para varias especies, mientras que las paradas de camión y los quitamiedos de concreto resultaron en un incremento de las colisiones. La teoría del efecto unimodal del volumen de tráfico podría aplicar sólo para especies grandes y ágiles, mientras que el efecto en forma de U podría relacionarse con la variabilidad de comportamiento para evitar colisiones que hay entre las especies. En general, descubrimos que tanto las carreteras con poco y mucho tráfico pueden representar un riesgo de mortalidad para la fauna. Por lo tanto, es importante monitorear las colisiones en las carreteras con poco tráfico y adaptar las características de la carretera para mitigar las colisiones. El diseño de las carreteras para una mitigación efectiva incluye reducir el uso de quitamiedos de concreto y barreras centrales en donde sea posible y evitar los arbustos densos en el paisajismo de los bordes. Estas medidas están complementadas con el uso de sistemas de detección de fauna, señalamientos para los conductores y medidas estacionales de reducción de la velocidad en las carreteras de poco tráfico identificadas como puntos calientes de colisiones.

Dynamic Traffic Data in Machine-Learning Air Quality Mapping Improves Environmental Justice Assessment.

Air pollution poses a critical public health threat around many megacities but in an uneven manner. Conventional models are limited to depict the highly spatial- and time-varying patterns of ambient pollutant exposures at the community scale for megacities. Here, we developed a machine-learning approach that leverages the dynamic traffic profiles to continuously estimate community-level year-long air pollutant concentrations in Los Angeles, U.S. We found the introduction of real-world dynamic traffic data significantly improved the spatial fidelity of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), maximum daily 8-h average ozone (MDA8 O3), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) simulations by 47%, 4%, and 15%, respectively. We successfully captured PM2.5 levels exceeding limits due to heavy traffic activities and providing an "out-of-limit map" tool to identify exposure disparities within highly polluted communities. In contrast, the model without real-world dynamic traffic data lacks the ability to capture the traffic-induced exposure disparities and significantly underestimate residents' exposure to PM2.5. The underestimations are more severe for disadvantaged communities such as black and low-income groups, showing the significance of incorporating real-time traffic data in exposure disparity assessment.

Life-Course Health Risk Assessment of PM2.5 Elements in China: Exposure Disparities by Species, Source, Age, Gender, and Location.

Key stages in people's lives have particular relevance for their health; the life-course approach stresses the importance of these stages. Here, we applied a life-course approach to analyze the health risks associated with PM2.5-bound elements, which were measured at three sites with varying environmental conditions in eastern China. Road traffic was found to be the primary source of PM2.5-bound elements at all three locations, but coal combustion was identified as the most important factor to induce both cancer risk (CR) and noncancer risk (NCR) across all age groups due to the higher toxicity of elements such as As and Pb associated with coal. Nearly half of NCR and over 90% of CR occurred in childhood (1-6 years) and adulthood (>18 years), respectively, and females have slightly higher NCR and lower CR than males. Rural population is found to be subject to the highest health risks. Synthesizing previous relevant studies and nationwide PM2.5 concentration measurements, we reveal ubiquitous and large urban-rural environmental exposure disparities over China.

Small-Intensity Rainfall Triggers Greater Contamination of Rubber-Derived Chemicals in Road Stormwater Runoff from Various Functional Areas in Megalopolis Cities.

Rubber-derived chemicals (RDCs) originating from tire and road wear particles are transported into road stormwater runoff, potentially threatening organisms in receiving watersheds. However, there is a lack of knowledge on time variation of novel RDCs in runoff, limiting initial rainwater treatment and subsequent rainwater resource utilization. In this study, we investigated the levels and time-concentration profiles of 35 target RDCs in road stormwater runoff from eight functional areas in the Greater Bay Area, South China. The results showed that the total concentrations of RDCs were the highest on the expressway compared with other seven functional areas. N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), 6PPD-quinone, benzothiazole, and 1,3-diphenylguanidine were the top four highlighted RDCs (ND-228840 ng/L). Seasonal and spatial differences revealed higher RDC concentrations in the dry season as well as in less-developed regions. A lag effect of reaching RDC peak concentrations in road stormwater runoff was revealed, with a lag time of 10-90 min on expressways. Small-intensity rainfall triggers greater contamination of rubber-derived chemicals in road stormwater runoff. Environmental risk assessment indicated that 35% of the RDCs posed a high risk, especially PPD-quinones (risk quotient up to 2663). Our findings contribute to a better understanding of managing road stormwater runoff for RDC pollution.

Road Traffic Injuries and the Built Environment in Bogotá, Colombia, 2015-2019: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Nine in 10 road traffic deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite this disproportionate burden, few studies have examined built environment correlates of road traffic injury in these settings, including in Latin America. We examined road traffic collisions in Bogotá, Colombia, occurring between 2015 and 2019, and assessed the association between neighborhood-level built environment features and pedestrian injury and death. We used descriptive statistics to characterize all police-reported road traffic collisions that occurred in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Cluster detection was used to identify spatial clustering of pedestrian collisions. Adjusted multivariate Poisson regression models were fit to examine associations between several neighborhood-built environment features and rate of pedestrian road traffic injury and death. A total of 173,443 police-reported traffic collisions occurred in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Pedestrians made up about 25% of road traffic injuries and 50% of road traffic deaths in Bogotá between 2015 and 2019. Pedestrian collisions were spatially clustered in the southwestern region of Bogotá. Neighborhoods with more street trees (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.98), traffic signals (0.89, 0.81-0.99), and bus stops (0.89, 0.82-0.97) were associated with lower pedestrian road traffic deaths. Neighborhoods with greater density of large roads were associated with higher pedestrian injury. Our findings highlight the potential for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure to promote safer interactions between pedestrians and motorists in Bogotá and in similar urban contexts globally.

Health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in road dust via dermal exposure pathway from a low latitude plateau provincial capital city: The importance of toxicological verification.

The human health risk assessment through the dermal exposure of metal (loid)s in dust from low latitude and high geological background plateau cities was largely unknown. In this study, the road dust samples were harvested from a typical low-latitude plateau provincial capital city Kunming, Southwest China. The total concentration and dermal bioaccessibility of heavy metal (loid)s in road dust were determined, and their health risks as well as cytotoxicity on human skin keratinocytes were also assessed. The average concentrations of As (28.5 mg/kg), Cd (2.65 mg/kg), Mn (671 mg/kg), and Zn (511 mg/kg) exceeded the soil background values. Arsenic had the highest bioaccessibility after 2 h (3.79%), 8 h (4.24%), and 24 h (16.6%) extraction. The dermal pathway when bioaccessibility is considered has a higher hazard quotient than the conventional method using total metal(loid)s in the dust. In addition, toxicological verification suggested that the dust extracts suppressed the cell viability, increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and DNA damage, and eventually activated the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway, evidenced by the upregulation of Caspase-3/9, Bax, and Bak-1. Cadmium was positively correlated with the mRNA expression of Bax. Taken together, our data indicated that both dermal bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity should be considered for accurate human skin health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in road dust, which may provide new insight for accurate human health risk assessment and environmental management.

High-throughput screening of 222 pesticides in road environments in a megacity of northern China: A new approach to urban population exposure.

A large number of pesticides have been widely manufactured and applied, and are released into the environment with negative impact on human health. Pesticides are largely used in densely populated urban environments, in green zones, along roads and on private properties. In order to characterize the potential exposure related health effects of pesticide and their occurrence in the urban environment, 222 pesticides were screened and quantified in 228 road dust and 156 green-belt soil samples in autumn and spring from Harbin, a megacity in China, using GC-MS/MS base quantitative trace analysis. The results showed that a total of 33 pesticides were detected in road dust and green-belt soil, with the total concentrations of 650 and 236 ng/g (dry weight = dw), respectively. The concentrations of pesticides in road dust were significantly higher than that in green-belt soil. Pesticides in the environment were influenced by the seasons, with the highest concentrations of insecticides in autumn and the highest levels of herbicides in spring. In road dust, the concentrations of highways in autumn and spring (with the mean values of 94.1 and 68.2 ng/g dw) were much lower than that of the other road classes (arterial roads, sub-arterial roads and branch ways). Whereas in the green-belt soil, there was no significant difference in the concentration of pesticides between the different road classes. A first risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential adverse health effects of the pesticides, the results showed that the highest hazard index (HI) for a single pesticide in dust and soil was 0.12, the hazard index for children was higher than that for adults, with an overall hazard index of less than 1. Our results indicated that pesticide levels do not have a significant health impact on people.

Potentially toxic elements and lead isotopic signatures in the 10 µm fraction of urban dust: Environmental risk enhanced by resuspension of contaminated soils.

In urban environments, soils are a sink of pollutants and might become a source of contamination, as they commonly display potentially toxic elements (PTE) concentrations above the legislative limits. Particularly, the inhalable fraction of soils (<10 µm) is enriched in PTE compared to bulk soils (BS). The enrichment makes these particles an environmental hazard because of their susceptibility to resuspension and their potential contribution to road dust (RD) and atmospheric particulate matter (PM10) pollution. To gain a better insight into urban contamination dynamics we studied the BS, the resuspended <10 µm fraction of BS (Res-BS) and RD (Res-RD) in a European historically industrialized and densely populated city. Compared to BS, the Res-BS and Res-RD showed higher PTE concentrations and a higher variability for most of the elements. Lead was the only PTE showing similar concentrations in all the matrices, suggesting shared sources and redistribution pathways within the city. Chemometric elaborations identified Res-BS as a transition between BS and Res-RD or, rather, a Res-RD precursor. Also, Pb was confirmed to be ubiquitous in all the media. In all the matrices, Pb isotopic signatures were investigated and compared with PM10 fingerprints from the same city. The anthropogenic isotopic signature in Res-BS and Res-RD was evident, and samples belonging to neighboring sites showed comparable isotopic ratios. The Res-BS appeared as a key driver for Pb distribution within the city both in Res-RD and in PM10. These results demonstrate the intimate interaction between urban environmental compartments (soil, road dust and PM10), and the active contribution of fine soil fractions to anthropogenic pollution, with relevant policy implications in urban areas since soils were found to contribute directly to air pollution.

Geochemical evaluation, ecological and human health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in urban soil, Southern India.

Roadside soil contamination is mostly caused by human-caused pollutant deposition. PTEs are among the many substances that are harmful for both humans and the environment. PTE concentrations in roadside soil in Chennai, southern India, have been determined in this study. To evaluate the seriousness of the threats, more environmental and geochemical indices have been applied. 83 soil samples have been obtained from the study regions and focusing on important roads. Elemental analysis has been analyzed with ED-XRF and sieve-filtered samples focused on PTEs such as arsenic, barium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, potassium, nickel, lead, thorium, titanium, zinc, and uranium. Significant metallic variations have been found in soil samples around roads by the investigation. The elements this study examined section ascending in the following sequence: Fe > Ti > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Ni > Th > As > U > K. In the research area, the CD classification denotes high contamination, whereas the CF indices show mild to significant pollution. PLI indicates moderate to high pollution, whereas EF suggests excessive enrichment. Igeo demonstrates a range from uncontaminated to highly contaminated. PERI showed high levels in the northern study region, whereas GUFI shows several hot spots indicating moderate to severe pollution. The Hazard Index (HI) values for all metals were less than one, demonstrating the absence of non-carcinogenic risks for both adults and children. Multivariate data show natural and anthropogenic PTEs in roadside soil. In addition, a soil quality monitoring system is needed to mitigate continual contamination risks.

Longitudinal and Concurrent Effortful Control as Predictors of Risky Bicycling in Adolescence: Moderating Effects of Age and Gender.

OBJECTIVE: Collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles are one of the leading risk factors for injury and death in childhood and adolescence. We examined longitudinal and concurrent effortful control (EC) as predictors of risky bicycling behavior in early- to mid-adolescence, with age and gender as moderators. We also examined whether EC was associated with parent-reported real-world bicycling behavior and all lifetime unintentional injuries. METHODS: Parent-reported EC measures were collected when children (N = 85) were 4 years old and when they were either 10 years (N = 42) or 15 years (N = 43) old. We assessed risky bicycling behavior by asking the adolescents to bicycle across roads with high-density traffic in an immersive virtual environment. Parents also reported on children's real-world bicycling behavior and lifetime unintentional injuries at the time of the bicycling session. RESULTS: We found that both longitudinal and concurrent EC predicted adolescents' gap choices, though these effects were moderated by age and gender. Lower parent-reported early EC in younger and older girls predicted a greater willingness to take tight gaps (3.5 s). Lower parent-reported concurrent EC in older boys predicted a greater willingness to take gaps of any size. Children lower in early EC started bicycling earlier and were rated as less cautious bicyclists as adolescents. Adolescents lower in concurrent EC were also rated as less cautious bicyclists and had experienced more lifetime unintentional injuries requiring medical attention. CONCLUSION: Early measures of child temperament may help to identify at-risk populations who may benefit from parent-based interventions.