The Accelerating Loss of Resilience in Suburban Woodlands Can Largely Be Attributed to the Changes in Urban Precipitation Patterns.

Vegetation resilience holds significant importance for stabilizing ecosystem service functions in a changing climate. While global land surface vegetation resilience changes have been extensively studied, the impact of urbanization on the resilience of suburban woodlands remains inadequately understood. In this study, we utilized two critical slowing down (CSD) indicators, namely lag-one autocorrelation (LOA) and variance (VA), to assess the vegetation resilience, its long-term trends, and influencing factors in suburban woodlands across 1356 cities worldwide. The recovery rates estimated by LOA ( r r 1 $$ {r}_{r_1} $$ ) and VA ( r r 2 $$ {r}_{r_2} $$ ) showed close alignment in suburban woodlands with low suburban forest coverage (SFC) areas (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.95). However, a notable divergence was observed in areas with high SFC (r = 0.73). Suburban woodlands with high SFC typically exhibited lower recovery rate estimates, thus indicating greater vegetation resilience compared to areas with lower SFC. From 1986 to 2022, the recovery rates of suburban woodland areas in over 83% of the cities demonstrated a significant upward trend, with an average of 3.23 × 10-3 year-1 for both r r 1 $$ {r}_{r_1} $$ and r r 2 $$ {r}_{r_2} $$ , signifying a widespread decline in vegetation resilience. The accelerating pace of urbanization led to higher rising rates of r r 1 $$ {r}_{r_1} $$ and r r 2 $$ {r}_{r_2} $$ during 2010-2022 (5.11 × 10-3 year-1) compared to 1986-1999 (0.49 × 10-3 year-1). The notable decrease in resilience of forestland was primarily attributed to reduced precipitation in urban suburbs, which can be explained by urbanization-induced heat island and building barrier effects, causing a shift of precipitation center from urban suburbs to central cities. In summary, this study revealed that urbanization diminishes the vegetation resilience of urban suburban woodlands by altering urban precipitation patterns. These findings underscore the necessity of augmenting water availability in urban suburbs to restore resilience in these woodlands, thereby enhancing their ecosystem service value.

Prevalence, sociodemographic risk factors, and coverage of myopia correction among adolescent students in the central region of Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Knowing the prevalence of myopia at school age is essential to implement preventive measures and appropriate interventions, ensure access to vision care, promote a healthier educational environment and improve academic performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of myopia and its associated sociodemographic risk factors, as well as to estimate the coverage of myopia correction among adolescents in center of Portugal. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated 1115 adolescents from the 5th to the 9th year of school, with an average of 12.9 years (SD = 1.5) ranging from 10.0 to 18.0 years. Optometric evaluations were carried out in a school environment and consisted of the evaluation of distance visual acuity, assessed using a logarithmic visual acuity chart (ETDRS charts 1 and 2) at 4 m, and measured by refractive error with a pediatric autorefractometer (Plusoptix), by non-cycloplegic. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent (SE ≤ -0.50 diopter (D)) and uncorrected visual acuity (UVA ≤ 95VAR). Adjusted logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate risk factors. RESULTS: We found a myopia rate of 21.5% and a high myopia rate of 1.4%. Higher school level and attendance at urban schools were associated with myopia, but no association was found with age or sex. Only 34.6% of myopic adolescents use the best optical correction and 26.4% do not use any type of optical correction. CONCLUSIONS: Data on the prevalence of refractive problems in Portugal are scarce and heterogeneous. This study, although regional, provides a valuable contribution with a clear and reproducible methodology, following international guidelines and filling gaps in the existing literature. The results show that the rate of myopia in this age group is similar to reports from other European studies. The high rate of adolescents with uncorrected or under-corrected myopia in Portugal is a problem that deserves attention.

May Measurement Month 2021: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from a suburban community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hypertension remains the most powerful contributor to the global morbidity and mortality. May Measurement Month (MMM), a worldwide screening campaign initiated by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH), is organized annually to increase awareness of high blood pressure (BP). We screened 20 913 adult (≥18 years) residents of suburb hamlets of Mbujimayi (mean age 35.1 ± 15.1 years; Black ethnicity: 98.8%; women: 29.6%; diabetes: 1.6%; alcohol drinkers: 16.8% and smokers: 6.7%, previous myocardial infarction: 1.4%; stroke: 0.8%; taking aspirin: 3.2%; taking statins: 1.9%). Three sitting BP readings were taken, and hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg or being on antihypertensive medication. Half of the participants had never had their BP checked, whilst 4.2% of respondents had participated in the MMM19 campaign. 0.9% and 1.7% reported COVID-19 vaccination and positive test, respectively. After multiple imputation of missing BP readings, 14.0% of respondents had hypertension of which 35.8% were aware, 28.0% were on antihypertensive medication and 14.1% had controlled BP. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 40.4% were on monotherapy, 37.2% adhered to taking their medication regularly, and 50.4% had controlled BP (<140/90 mmHg). In regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and antihypertensive treatment, smoking was associated with lower systolic BP, having more years of education was associated with higher systolic and diastolic BP, and physical activity was associated with lower systolic and diastolic BP. This campaign contributes somewhat to reducing the 'black hole' on the prevalence of hypertension in DRC pending systematic countrywide BP screening.

Trying to understand the illness: A qualitative investigation of health literacy of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Limited health literacy is high among patients with chronic kidney disease, which can pose challenges in health care. Evidence of health literacy in Indonesia, particularly regarding patients undergoing hemodialysis, is lacking. In this study, we aimed to explore health literacy in adult patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. An inductive qualitative study was conducted. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 adult patients undergoing hemodialysis, four family caregivers, and four healthcare professionals. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. Three themes emerged from the data: "Trying to understand the illness," "searching and obtaining health information," and "applying health information." Understanding and accepting the illness included raising awareness of the changes in their lives and accepting these changes. Participants actively sought information from healthcare professionals and other sources and used it carefully. Behavioral changes included patients' adherence to therapy, although participants often felt bored during the illness trajectory. Understanding the illness and being willing to seek and critically evaluate health information before implementing it are important. These aspects may affect patient outcomes and require further intervention and research.

Mapping the risk of respiratory infections using suburban district areas in a large city in Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Cúcuta -Colombia, have a comparatively high burden of disease associated with high public health costs. However, little is known about the epidemiology of these diseases in the city and its distribution within suburban areas. This study addresses this gap by estimating and mapping the risk of ARI in Cúcuta and identifying the most relevant risk factors. METHODS: A spatial epidemiological analysis was designed to investigate the association of sociodemographic and environmental risk factors with the rate of ambulatory consultations of ARI in urban sections of Cúcuta, 2018. The ARI rate was calculated using a method for spatial estimation of disease rates. A Bayesian spatial model was implemented using the Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation approach and the Besag-York-Mollié specification. The risk of ARI per urban section and the hotspots of higher risk were also estimated and mapped. RESULTS: A higher risk of IRA was found in central, south, north and west areas of Cúcuta after adjusting for sociodemographic and environmental factors, and taking into consideration the spatial distribution of the city's urban sections. An increase of one unit in the percentage of population younger than 15 years; the Index of Multidimensional Poverty and the rate of ARI in the migrant population was associated with a 1.08 (1.06-1.1); 1.04 (1.01-1.08) and 1.25 (1.22-1.27) increase of the ARI rate, respectively. Twenty-four urban sections were identified as hotspots of risk in central, south, north and west areas in Cucuta. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic factors and their spatial patterns are determinants of acute respiratory infections in Cúcuta. Bayesian spatial hierarchical models can be used to estimate and map the risk of these infections in suburban areas of large cities in Colombia. The methods of this study can be used globally to identify suburban areas and or specific communities at risk to support the implementation of prevention strategies and decision-making in the public and private health sectors.

Comparison of anaphylaxis epidemiology between urban and suburban pediatric emergency departments.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. To date, there are no published data on epidemiology of pediatric anaphylaxis in Michigan. Our objective was to describe and compare the time trends in incidence of anaphylaxis in urban and suburban populations of Metro Detroit. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of Pediatric Emergency Department (ED) anaphylaxis visits from January 1, 2010, to December 1, 2017. The study was conducted at 1 suburban ED (SED) and 1 urban ED (UED). We identified cases using an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 and 10 query of the electronic medical record. Patients were included if they aged 0-17 years and met the 2006 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis. The anaphylaxis rate was calculated as the number of detected cases divided by the total number of pediatric emergency room visits for that month. Anaphylaxis rates were compared between the two EDs using Poisson regression. RESULTS: A total of 8,627 patient encounters had ICD codes for anaphylaxis, of which 703 visits fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were used in subsequent analyses. Overall, the incidence of anaphylaxis was more common in males and in children < 4 years of age in both centers. Although the total number of anaphylaxis related visits was higher at UED over the eight-year time frame for this study, the anaphylaxis rate (cases per 100,000 ED visits) throughout the study was higher at the SED. While the observed anaphylaxis rate at UED was 10.47 - 162.05 cases per 100,000 ED visits, the observed anaphylaxis rate at SED was 0 - 556.24 cases per 100,000 ED visits. CONCLUSION: Pediatric anaphylaxis rates differ significantly between urban and suburban populations in metro Detroit EDs. The rate of anaphylaxis related visits to the ED has significantly increased over the past 8 years in the metro Detroit area, with significantly higher rise in suburban compared to urban ED. More studies are needed to explore the reasons for this observed difference in increase rates.

High willingness to use overdose prevention sites among suburban people who use drugs who do not inject.

INTRODUCTION: Overdose prevention sites (OPS) are evidence-based interventions to improve public health, yet implementation has been limited in the USA due to a variety of legal impediments. Studies in various US settings have shown a high willingness to use OPS among urban and rural people who inject drugs, but data among people who use drugs (PWUD) via non-injection routes of administration in suburban areas are lacking. METHODS: We utilized cross-sectional data from a sample of suburban PWUD who have not injected drugs in the past 3 months (N = 126) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. We assessed PWUDs' likelihood of using a hypothetical OPS and perceived potential barriers to accessing OPS. We tested for associations between sociodemographic characteristics, drug use, service access, and overdose experiences with willingness to utilize OPS. FINDINGS: Participants' median age was 42, and the majority were men (67%) and non-Hispanic Black (79%). Sixty-six percent reported willingness to use an OPS. Concerns about confidentiality (29%), arrest (20%), and transportation costs (22%) were the most anticipated barriers to using OPS. Men (75% vs 55%, p = 0.015), participants who used heroin (53% vs 32%, p = 0.017), and participants who used multiple overdose prevention behaviors (e.g., using fentanyl test strips) (36% vs 19%, p = 0.006) were more likely to report willingness to use OPS. CONCLUSION: Most suburban non-injecting PWUD in the sample were willing to use an OPS. OPS implementation strategies in suburban settings should be tailored to reach PWUD via non-injection routes of administration while meeting the unique needs of suburban contexts.

Designing a Low-Cost System to Monitor the Structural Behavior of Street Lighting Poles in Smart Cities.

The structural collapse of a street lighting pole represents an aspect that is often underestimated and unpredictable, but of relevant importance for the safety of people and things. These events are complex to evaluate since several sources of damage are involved. In addition, traditional inspection methods are ineffective, do not correctly quantify the residual life of poles, and are inefficient, requiring enormous costs associated with the vastness of elements to be investigated. An advantageous alternative is to adopt a distributed type of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technique based on the Internet of Things (IoT). This paper proposes the design of a low-cost system, which is also easy to integrate in current infrastructures, for monitoring the structural behavior of street lighting poles in Smart Cities. At the same time, this device collects previous structural information and offers some secondary functionalities related to its application, such as meteorological information. Furthermore, this paper intends to lay the foundations for the development of a method that is able to avoid the collapse of the poles. Specifically, the implementation phase is described in the aspects concerning low-cost devices and sensors for data acquisition and transmission and the strategies of information technologies (ITs), such as Cloud/Edge approaches, for storing, processing and presenting the achieved measurements. Finally, an experimental evaluation of the metrological performance of the sensing features of this system is reported. The main results highlight that the employment of low-cost equipment and open-source software has a double implication. On one hand, they entail advantages such as limited costs and flexibility to accommodate the specific necessities of the interested user. On the other hand, the used sensors require an indispensable metrological evaluation of their performance due to encountered issues relating to calibration, reliability and uncertainty.

Balancing the management of powerline right-of-way corridors for humans and nature.

Green space in electric powerline rights of way (ROWs) can be a source of both ecosystem services and disservices in developed landscapes. Vegetation management within the ROW may influence tradeoffs that maximize potential services or disservices. Frequently mowed ROWs managed as lawn harbor less biodiversity than ROWs with taller vegetation, but may be preferred by people for aesthetic reasons and because they provide space for recreational activities. We conducted a survey of residents living by ROWs in the Chicago, Illinois USA metropolitan area to determine if residents prefer ROWs managed as lawn over those managed as native prairies or allowed to grow freely with only woody vegetation removed ("old-field ROWs"). We found that respondents did not prefer mowed over prairie or old-field ROWs. Furthermore, respondents living near mowed ROWs were least likely to think that the ROW is attractive, while those living near prairie ROWs were most likely to. Survey respondents tended to believe it was important for ROWs to provide habitat for wildlife, and wildlife observation was the most frequently reported activity conducted in the ROW. Finally, we found that a respondent's perception of biodiversity in the ROW was more closely correlated with positive feelings about the ROW than measured biodiversity levels. Our results suggest that managing ROWs for wildlife habitat is fully compatible with managing them for human enjoyment. We therefore recommend that where possible, ROW vegetation is managed in a more "natural" way than lawn because it has the potential to benefit both wildlife and people.

Long-Range Atmospheric Mercury Transport from Across East Asia to a Suburban Coastal Area in Southern Vietnam.

Exports of atmospheric mercury (Hg) from continental East Asia, a major Hg emitter in the globe, have been reported by several studies in neighboring countries such as Japan and Korea. Nonetheless, studies concerning this topic in Southeast Asia (SEA) countries are still limited. Accordingly, gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) has been measured from Can Thanh High School (CTHS), a suburban coastal site in southern Vietnam to study its characterization and discover the evidence of Hg trans-boundary transport from regional sources (e.g., East Asia). Data collected in July, August, and October 2022 were used in this study, and the overall GEM concentration was 1.61 ± 0.32 ng m-3. The GEM levels were higher in October than in July and August, potentially due to the discrepancy in air mass transport patterns induced by tropical monsoon and source origins of Hg. MERRA-2, backward trajectories, and CALIPSO images revealed the trans-boundary air pollution from continental East Asia to southern Vietnam, evidenced by significantly elevated (> 30%) atmospheric Hg concentrations as well as other air pollutants when the plume arrived at CTHS. Furthermore, our results also imply that atmospheric Hg exported from East Asia could influence large areas in SEA, suggesting the need for more studies in various SEA countries in the upcoming future. This study illustrated the influence of regional Hg emissions on local atmospheric Hg pollution and provided data to improve knowledge of the Hg biogeochemical cycle in SEA.

Effect of Different Combustion Processes on Atmospheric Nitrous Acid Formation Mechanisms: A Winter Comparative Observation in Urban, Suburban and Rural Areas of the North China Plain.

Atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) is a dominant precursor of hydroxyl (OH) radicals, and its formation mechanisms are still controversial. Few studies have simultaneously explored effects of different combustion processes on HONO sources. Hereby, synchronous HONO measurement in urban (BJ), suburban (XH) and rural (DBT) areas with different combustion processes is performed in the North China Plain in winter. A box model is utilized to analyze HONO formation mechanisms. HONO concentration is the highest at the DBT site (2.51 ± 1.90 ppb), followed by the XH (2.18 ± 1.95 ppb) and BJ (1.17 ± 1.20 ppb) sites. Vehicle exhaust and coal combustion significantly contribute to nocturnal HONO at urban and rural sites, respectively. During a stagnant pollution period, the NO+OH reaction and combustion emissions are more crucial to HONO in urban and rural areas; meanwhile, the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 is more significant in suburban areas. Moreover, the production rate of OH from HONO photolysis is about 2 orders of magnitude higher than that from ozone photolysis. Consequently, vehicle exhaust and coal combustion can effectively emit HONO, further causing environmental pollution and health risks. It is necessary to expand the implementation of the clean energy transition policy in China, especially in areas with substantial coal combustion.

Conceptualizing the Socio-Built Environment: An Expanded Theoretical Framework to Promote a Better Understanding of Risk for Nonmedical Opioid Overdose Outcomes in Urban and Non-Urban Settings.

Nonmedical opioid (NMO) use has been linked to significant increases in rates of NMO morbidity and mortality in non-urban areas. While there has been a great deal of empirical evidence suggesting that physical features of built environments represent strong predictors of drug use and mental health outcomes in urban settings, there is a dearth of research assessing the physical, built environment features of non-urban settings in order to predict risk for NMO overdose outcomes. Likewise, there is strong extant literature suggesting that social characteristics of environments also predict NMO overdoses and other NMO use outcomes, but limited research that considers the combined effects of both physical and social characteristics of environments on NMO outcomes. As a result, important gaps in the scientific literature currently limit our understanding of how both physical and social features of environments shape risk for NMO overdose in rural and suburban settings and therefore limit our ability to intervene effectively. In order to foster a more holistic understanding of environmental features predicting the emerging epidemic of NMO overdose, this article presents a novel, expanded theoretical framework that conceptualizes "socio-built environments" as comprised of (a) environmental characteristics that are applicable to both non-urban and urban settings and (b) not only traditional features of environments as conceptualized by the extant built environment framework, but also social features of environments. This novel framework can help improve our ability to identify settings at highest risk for high rates of NMO overdose, in order to improve resource allocation, targeting, and implementation for interventions such as opioid treatment services, mental health services, and care and harm reduction services for people who use drugs.

Urban and sub-urban disparities in health outcomes among patients with COVID-19; a cross-sectional study of 234 418 patients in Iran.

BACKGROUND: It remains crucial to understand socio-demographic determinants of COVID-19 infection to improve access to care and recovery rates from the disease. This study aimed to investigate the urban and sub-urban disparities associated with COVID-19 in patients visiting healthcare facilities in the province of Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Data from 234 418 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection from March 2020 to March 2021 in the province of Tehran were used in this analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the characteristics of the study population. Chi-Squared test was applied to examine the association of study variables with residing area. Independent samples t-test was performed to compare mean age of patients in urban and sub-urban areas. Multiple Logistic Regression model was applied to examine the association of study variables with disease outcome. RESULTS: Overall, most patients resided in the urban settings (73%). Mean age of patients was significantly lower in sub-urban areas compared to their counterparts in urban settings (49 ± 23.1 years versus 53 ± 21.1 years, P < 0.001). Positive PCR test results were more common in urban areas (48.5% versus 41.3%, P < 0.001). Yet, sub-urban settings had higher rates of positive chest CT scan reports (62.8% versus 53.4%, P < 0.001). After accounting for age and sex covariates, residing in urban areas was associated with higher likelihood of being admitted to an ICU (OR = 1.27, CI: 1.240-1.305). Yet, a greater vulnerability to fatal outcome of COVID-19 infection was shown in patients living in sub-urban areas (OR = 1.13, CI: 1.105-1.175). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a clear disparity in the health outcome of patients infected with COVID-19 between urban and sub-urban areas.

Association between ambient temperature and cardiovascular disease hospitalisations among farmers in suburban northwest China.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has become a severe public health and social issue in China. However, in northwest China, evidence on the association between ambient temperature and CVD hospitalisations in suburban farmers is somewhat limited. We collected CVD hospitalisations and meteorological data (2012-2015) in Zhangye suburbs and assessed the temperature-related risk and burden of admission by fitting a distributed lag nonlinear model to probe the relationship between ambient temperature and CVD hospitalisations among farmers in suburban northwest China. The results show that 23,921 cases of CVD admissions were recorded from 2012 to 2015. There was a "U-shaped" association between temperature and hospitalisations. Compared with the minimum admissions temperature (MAT) at 15.3 °C, the cumulative relative risk (RR) over lag 0-21 days was 1.369 (95% CI 0.980-1.911) for extreme cold temperature (1st percentile, -15 °C), 1.353 (95% CI 1.063-1.720) for moderate cold (5th percentile, -11 °C), 1.415 (95% CI 1.117-1.792) for extreme heat (99th percentile, 26 °C), and 1.241 (95% CI 1.053-1.464) for moderate heat (95th percentile, 24 °C). Female farmers were more susceptible to low and high temperatures than male farmers. Farmers aged ≥ 65 years old were more sensitive to low temperatures, while farmers aged < 65 years old were more sensitive to high temperatures. A total of 13.4% (3,208 cases) of the hospitalisation burden for CVD were attributed to temperature exposure, with the moderate range of temperatures accounting for the most significant proportion (12.2%). Ambient temperature, primarily moderate temperatures, might be an essential factor for cardiovascular-related hospitalisations among farmers in suburban northwest China.

Impact of temperature changes between neighboring days on cardiovascular disease hospital admissions among suburban farmers in Qingyang, Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: No studies focused on impact of temperature changes between neighboring days (TCN) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospital admissions among suburban farmers although CVD has been the main cause to global mortality and disability especially in undeveloped and developing countries/areas. METHOD: Daily data of CVD hospital admissions on suburban farmers and daily data of meteorology in Qingyang (China) were collected during 2011-2015. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was applied to explore the exposure-response relations and lagged effects between TCN and CVD hospital admissions with stratified analyses by age and gender. Extreme low TCN effects and burden analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Based on 25,984 cases in Qingyang (China) during 2011-2015 among suburban farmers, we found that, first, nonlinear relationship was observed between TCN and CVD hospital admissions and adverse impact in negative TCN (temperature dropping between neighboring days) while protective effect in positive TCN (temperature rising between neighboring days) were discovered; third, during lag0-27, the cumulative relative risk (RR) for extreme low TCN (5th percentile, - 3.5 °C) and extreme high TCN (95th percentile, 3 °C) was 29.55 (95% CI 4.709-185.436) and 0.040 (95% CI 0.009-0.169), respectively; fourth, the age < 65 and females were more vulnerable to negative TCN than the age ≥ 65 and males among suburban farmers, respectively; last, moderate low TCN contributed the most fractions and numbers on CVD hospital admissions. CONCLUSIONS: Among Qingyang suburban farmers in Northwest China, negative TCN should be paid more attention.

Models help set ecosystem service baselines for restoration assessment.

Coastal suburban watersheds are under heavy pressure from human activity. This pressure has yielded an extensive effort to protect, mitigate, and restore watershed ecosystem services. Assessment of restoration investments would be greatly improved by a standard approach for estimating change in ecosystem service production combined with a well-defined baseline for assessment of restoration effects. Here we take a model-based approach to both objectives by applying two established ecosystem service models in a representative coastal watershed. This watershed has undergone extensive suburbanization resulting in a loss of ecosystem services, which has resulted in heavy restoration investments. We used models to estimate loss of the ecosystem services; clean air, clean water, stable climate, and water storage resulting from suburbanization. We then applied these model-based estimates as a baseline for assessment of restoration focusing on the appropriate restoration scale and considering downstream watershed impacts. The results suggest that losses of ecosystem services, such as flood water storage, from suburbanization have been extensive since 2001, but a comparison of restoration value suggests that restoration has been effective in recouping ecosystem services in some but not all local regions suggesting there are trade-offs to be made in these efforts. These benefits were most evident for the services of clean water and water storage. Models can inform decisions by clarifying what has been lost and estimating what can be regained through restoration action. The former sets a baseline for the latter and allows for a functional equivalency approach to assessment.

Accumulations and temporal trends of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in olive tree components.

In this study, ambient air samples, olive tree branches (1- and 2-year-old) and their leaves (particulate and dissolved phase) were collected simultaneously between January and December months at a suburban site of Bursa-Turkey. Total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations, sampled by employing passive air samplers, ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 ng/m3 in the atmosphere. The average annual total PCB concentrations belonging to the tree components were 1.14 ± 0.32 ng/g DM in dissolved phase in leaves, 0.71 ± 0.32 ng/g DM in particle phase on leaves, 1.06 ± 0.25 ng/g DM in 1-year-old branches, and 0.93 ± 0.23 ng/g DM in 2-year-old branches. It was determined that the correlation between PCB concentrations in olive tree components and the air was low. This result indicated that besides the tree-air exchange, other possible factors (such as soil-to-tree transitions, wind effect, etc.) affect the levels of PCB concentrations in the tree components. Total PCB concentrations decreased from summer to winter in all samples. The percentage ratio of PCB in the dissolved phase in the leaves was generally higher than other tree components in seasons. PCB homologous distributions indicated 5-CBs were dominant in the tree components and 3-CBs were dominant in the air samples. Highly chlorinated PCB congeners (8-CBs and 9-CBs) were found at low concentrations in both air and tree components samples. The samples indicated that the ratio of PCBs in tree components to the total (tree component+ambient air) PCBs slightly increased with increasing the chlorine number.

Spatial distribution and quantitative source identification of nutrients and beneficial elements in the soil of a typical suburban area, Beijing.

Source identification and quality monitoring of soil nutrients and beneficial elements (NBEs) are crucial for agricultural production and environmental protection. In this study, grid sampling (223 topsoil samples and 223 subsoil samples) was carried out in the Tongzhou District of Beijing. The concentration level of representative NBEs (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Se, V, Ge, Mn, Zn) and some typical soil properties representing indicators (total organic carbon, TFe2O3, Al2O3/SiO2, and pH) in soils and their spatial distribution were analyzed. The major sources contributing to these NBEs were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA), redundancy analysis (RDA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis. The results suggested that the soil parent material contributed 40.09-69.84% to Zn, V, Ge, Mn, F, and K in soils; the local external source contributed 54.89-75.04% to N, Se, and TOC; and the hydrous system contributed 40.67-77.31% to Ca and Mg. The enrichment degree of each NBE was calculated using the standardized concentration ratio method. These indices exhibited the influence and mixing process of different sources on the target NBEs in topsoils. The individual concentrations of the target NBEs and the combined concentrations of N, P, and K were used to evaluate the soil quality. Our study estimated the relative contributions from dominant sources to NBEs in soils from a typical suburban area, providing a basis for agricultural activities and environmental protection.

Knowledge of Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors for Cleft Lip and Palate among Dwellers of a Suburban Community in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CLP) is a prevalent condition with a multifactorial etiology. An understanding of its etiologic factors discourages harmful habits and promotes societal acceptability. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge of environmental and genetic risk factors of CLP and determine its effect on predisposing social habits in a suburban community in Nigeria. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Ifo Local Government Area (LGA), Ogun state, Nigeria. Participants were adult residents of Ifo L.G.A. Knowledge of CLP categorized into description, environmental risk factors and genetic factors were assessed using a well structured interviewer administered questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 300 adults (104 males; 196 females) aged 44.3 + 13.17 years with predominantly secondary level education participated in the study. Majority of participants (89.7%) had low overall knowledge of CLP including low knowledge on description of CLP (81.7%), environmental factors of CLP (81.3%), and genetic factors of CLP (93.7%). High level of education was significantly associated with increased knowledge on description of CLP (P < 0.05). No other significant association was noted between sociodemographic factors and knowledge of CLP. Decreased smoking history was associated with high knowledge on description of CLP (P = 0.043). CONCLUSION: Majority of the population had low knowledge of CLP which was to an extent influenced by their lack of high level of education. This low knowledge was significantly associated with increased practices of social habits such as cigarette smoking that predispose unborn children to CLP. The low knowledge of CLP shown in this study highlights the need for increased community education and health promotion to encourage avoidance of risk factors that predispose to the condition and promote societal acceptability and quest for treatment of the condition.

CONTEXTE: La fente labiale et/ou la fente palatine (CLP) sont répandues condition avec une étiologie multifactorielle. Une compréhension de son les facteurs étiologiques découragent les habitudes néfastes et favorisent la société acceptabilité. OBJECTIFS: Évaluer la connaissance de l'environnement et de la génétique facteurs de risque de CLP et déterminer son effet sur les réseaux sociaux prédisposants habitudes dans une communauté de banlieue au Nigeria. MÉTHODES: Il s'agissait d'une étude transversale descriptive menée à Ifo Local Government Area (LGA), État d'Ogun, Nigéria. Participants étaient des résidents adultes d'Ifo L.G.A. Connaissance du CLP catégorisée dans la description, les facteurs de risque environnement aux et les facteurs génétiques étaient évalué à l'aide d'un intervieweur bien structuré administré questionnaire. RÉSULTATS: Un total de 300 adultes (104 hommes; 196 femmes) âgés de 44,3 ans+ 13,17 ans avec un enseignement principalement secondaire ont participé à l'étude. La majorité des participants (89,7%) avaient un faible taux connaissance globale du CLP, y compris faible connaissance de la description de CLP (81,7%), facteurs environnement aux de CLP (81,3%) et génétique(93,7 %). Le niveau d'éducation élevé était significatif associé à une connaissance accrue de la description du CLP (P <0.05). Aucune autre association significative n'a été notée entre les facteurs sociodémographiques et la connaissance de la CLP. Diminution du tabagisme l'histoire était associée à une grande connaissance de la description du CLP (P = 0,043). CONCLUSION: La majorité de la population avait une faible connaissance du CLP qui a été dans une certaine mesure influencée par leur manque de niveau élevé de éducation. Cette faible connaissance était significativement associée àdes pratiques accrues d'habitudes sociales telles que le tabagisme qui prédisposer les enfants à naître à la CLP. La faible connaissance du CLP montrée dans cette étude souligne la nécessité d'une éducation communautaire accrue et la promotion de la santé pour encourager l'évitement des facteurs de risque qui prédisposer à la condition et promouvoir l'acceptabilité sociétale et quête de traitement de la maladie. Mots-clés: Connaissances, facteurs de risque, fente labiale et palatine, suburbaineNigéria.

Effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on city-center and suburban housing markets: Evidence from Hangzhou, China.

In 2020, governments worldwide enforced lockdowns to contain the spread of COVID-19, severely impeding aspects of daily life such as work, school, and tourism. Consequently, numerous economic activities were affected. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, city-center housing markets in areas surrounding popular tourist attractions performed better than did suburban housing markets because of the output of the tourism industry. This study examines the changes in the performance of city-center and suburban housing markets in regions with popular tourist attractions after the lockdown. Specifically, the dynamics of city-center and suburban housing markets in Hangzhou, where West Lake is located, and the changes in the information transfer between these housing markets after the lockdown are explored. Transaction data from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020 are used to perform analysis, in which adjusted housing prices and asking prices are employed to measure market performance and sellers' pricing strategies, and transaction volume and time on the market are used to measure market liquidity and transaction frequency. The results reveal that the effects of lockdowns differ between city-center and suburban housing markets. After the lockdown, a substantial structural change is observed in the suburban housing market; the volatility risk of housing prices decreases substantially, causing an increase in transaction premiums. Housing prices and transaction volume increase in the city-center housing market after the lockdown; this is possibly because of the influence from the overall housing market booms. In addition, because sellers raise their asking prices and the transaction time is extended, the sellers in the city-center housing market are particularly influenced by the disposition effect. This leads to a reversal in the lead-lag relationship between the city center and suburban housing markets in terms of informativeness. Specifically, before the lockdown, the city-center market transfers information to the suburban market, but after the lockdown, the suburban market transfers information to the city-center market. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world in many aspects; this paper finds that it will also change the development pattern of the real estate market in different locations.