This study uses data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to examine the association between internet use and residents' private-sphere pro-environmental behavior. Understanding the potential role of internet use in private-sphere pro-environmental behavior is crucial for designing effective environmental measures, protecting residents' health, and advancing China's ecological civilization construction in the digital age. Using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis of a sample of 2,231 respondents, this study examined the association between internet use and private-sphere pro-environmental behavior. Further analyses were conducted to test the possible indirect associations of environmental self-efficacy and environmental risk perception between the two, while controlling for a series of sociodemographic variables. Internet use was significantly and positively associated with private-sphere pro-environmental behavior, and robustness checks supported this finding. The indirect association of environmental risk perception between the two was significant, while no significant indirect association of environmental self-efficacy was found. However, environmental self-efficacy remained significantly and positively associated with private-sphere pro-environmental behavior. This study shows that environmental risk perception is an important variable for understanding the association between internet use and private-sphere pro-environmental behavior. At the same time, the findings suggest that internet use may not necessarily relate to environmental self-efficacy. Therefore, we recommend focusing on residents' environmental risk perception, optimizing the content and format of environmental risk information online, and cultivating environmental self-efficacy through offline channels. These findings further deepen the understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying the association between internet use and private-sphere pro-environmental behavior.
Traffic crashes are the leading cause of injury and death among U.S. teenagers. While research has mainly focused on teen driver-related factors, the influence of road design and visual environments on risky driving behaviors like speeding remains understudied. This study examined associations of road and visual environment characteristics with speeding behavior among teen drivers aged 16 and 17 who received a traffic citation. We collected driving data via GPS-based vehicle telematics devices. We merged the driving data, recorded at 2-minute intervals for two months, for each driver, with Google Street View images. We applied semantic segmentation to characterize the visual environment of roads driven by teens. We used zero-inflated negative binomial regressions to identify the road and visual environment characteristics associated with increased risks of speeding events and rates per 1000 miles driven. Of 18,679 roads observed, 1,705 (9%) encountered one or more speeding events. The odds of speeding events were higher on interstates (Odds Ratio [OR] = 436, 95% CI: 289.77, 656.75) and freeways (OR = 750, 95% CI: 452.37, 1243.77) than on local roads. Regarding visual environments, the odds of speeding events were 1.69, 3.04, and 2.60 times higher in open-road, open residential, and leafy residential environments, respectively, than in built-up urban spaces. Despite higher odds, the speeding rates on interstates, freeways, open-road, and residential environments were lower compared to local roads and built-up urban spaces, partly because approximately half of all driving occurred on these types of roads and visual environments. Conclusion and Practical Application: Among teens with a history of traffic citations, driving on high-speed roads and in open, low- to moderately dense environments is associated with an increased risk of speeding events. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating awareness of different road designs into future driver training programs to mitigate speeding behaviors among teens.
As environmental pollution intensifies and ecological challenges become more pronounced, fostering pro-environmental behavior (PEB) is increasingly important for sustainable urban development. Although prior studies have linked environmental perception to environmental behavior, the emotional mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently explored, especially the joint roles of multiple pathways. This study examines how landscape perception is associated with pro-environmental behavior through empathy and place attachment. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 478 users across three comprehensive urban parks in Chengdu, China. Structural equation modeling was applied to estimate direct and indirect relationships among landscape perception, emotional responses, and PEB. Results indicate that positive landscape perceptions significantly promote PEB both directly and indirectly. Empathy and place attachment serve as key mediators, with empathy exerting a stronger mediating effect. Clarifying these differentiated emotional pathways advances understanding of environment and behavior relationships and informs the design and management of urban green spaces to support broader urban environmental governance.
Aggressive riding behavior is a key contributing factor to road accidents, particularly in motorcycling, where rider dynamics directly influence vehicle stability and control. Despite growing interest in objective behavioral assessment, validated classification frameworks specific to motorcycles remain scarce in the literature. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of a standard deviation-based method for classifying aggressive riding behavior in a single experienced motorcyclist navigating two distinct environments: an urban route (UR) and a suburban national route (SNR). The participant completed two 20 min rides under real-world conditions. The UR was characterized by frequent accelerations, braking, speed bumps, and traffic lights, whereas the SNR features low traffic density and minimal interruptions. Longitudinal acceleration data were continuously recorded using a Vicon Blue Trident measurement unit mounted on the motorcycle seat. Drawing on the threshold principles established in automotive research, an environment-specific classification framework was developed to categorize riding events into normal, aggressive, and dangerous levels for both acceleration and deceleration maneuvers. The derived thresholds revealed pronounced environmental differences: UR thresholds (acceleration: 2.122 m/s2; deceleration: -2.134 m/s2) were approximately three times lower than those observed in the SNR (acceleration: 6.16 m/s2; deceleration: -7.09 m/s2). From more than four million recorded data points, approximately 88% of the riding behavior was classified as normal in both routes. In the UR, 9.27% of events were identified as aggressive and 4.37% as dangerous, compared with 7.27% aggressive and 5.35% dangerous events in the SNR. These preliminary findings suggest that environment-specific thresholds may be essential for accurately characterizing motorcycle riding behavior, and caution against the direct application of fixed automotive criteria to motorcycle safety analyses. All findings are specific to one rider on two routes and must not be extrapolated to other motorcyclists, vehicle types, or road contexts without replication.
Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience a disproportionately high burden of emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs), shaped by early adversities, limited psychosocial support, and structural disadvantages. In Bangladesh, mental health concerns among adolescents remain under-recognized, with limited data on how mental health symptoms cluster and which subgroups are at elevated risk. Identifying distinct risk profiles is essential for informing targeted interventions. Using data from a cross-sectional school-based survey (N = 1040), we applied latent class analysis (LCA) to identify mental health risk profiles based on emotional symptoms, conduct problems, insomnia, suicidal behavior, truancy, physical fights, bullying, and peer/social isolation. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between latent class membership and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), family/peer relational factors, and sociodemographic characteristics. Three distinct mental health and behavioral risk classes were identified: low risk (36.3%), moderate risk (36.1%), and high risk (27.6%). The high-risk class showed elevated internalizing symptoms, externalizing behaviors, and psychosocial adversities, including conduct problems, loneliness, truancy, bullying, and physical fighting. In the fully adjusted model, sexual abuse (aOR = 2.64) and witnessing violence aganist the mother (aOR = 3.56) were the strongest predictors of high-risk membership. Lack of peer support was significantly associated with both moderate-risk (aOR = 2.13) and high-risk (aOR = 2.25) membership, whereas poor parental understanding increased the odds of moderate-risk classification (aOR = 1.70). In the interaction model, females exposed to household mental illness had disproportionately higher odds of belonging to the high-risk class. Adolescent mental health in Bangladesh is shaped by a complex interplay of trauma, family functioning, and gender. Trauma-informed, gender-sensitive interventions are urgently needed to address these disparities.
Syringa oblata Lindl. emits a variety of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) during full bloom, which forms the key chemical basis for its characteristic floral scent. Species of the genus Syringa have a background of use in traditional medicine and Mongolian medicine, and aromatic plant-derived BVOCs are also relevant to studies on forest bathing, horticultural health, and non-invasive inhalation exposure. However, experimental evidence remains limited regarding the effects of naturally emitted BVOCs from S. oblata flowers and their representative terpene monomers on animal behavior, spatial working memory-related performance, and peripheral hematological parameters. This study aimed to preliminarily evaluate the effects of inhalation exposure to S. oblata flower-derived BVOCs and representative terpene monomers on locomotor behavior, exploratory behavior, spatial working memory-related performance, and routine hematological parameters in male mice, thereby providing exploratory experimental evidence for the biological assessment of S. oblata flower-derived BVOCs. BVOCs emitted from S. oblata flowers at full bloom were collected and identified using dynamic headspace sampling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Mice were randomly assigned to five groups: a blank control group, an outdoor S. oblata garden exposure group, an indoor α-farnesene exposure group, an indoor limonene exposure group, and an indoor linalool exposure group. The outdoor group was exposed continuously to the S. oblata garden environment for 7 days, whereas the indoor monomer groups received controlled inhalation exposure for 1 h per day for 7 consecutive days. After exposure, body weight change, spontaneous locomotor activity, rearing frequency, defecation output, Y-maze spontaneous alternation, and routine hematological parameters were assessed. BVOCs emitted from S. oblata flowers mainly included aldehydes, terpenoids, and aromatic compounds. Limonene, α-farnesene, and linalool represented monoterpene hydrocarbons, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated monoterpene alcohols, respectively. Behavioral assessments showed that S. oblata-related exposure was associated with changes in locomotor and exploratory behaviors. In the indoor α-farnesene, limonene, and linalool exposure groups, spontaneous locomotor activity and rearing behavior decreased to varying degrees. In contrast, Y-maze spontaneous alternation did not show an obvious decrease in any exposure group compared with the control group. Hematological analysis indicated compound-specific changes in peripheral blood parameters. In particular, the limonene exposure group showed a significant decrease in WBC, while RBC, HGB, and HCT showed numerical increases. The α-farnesene group was mainly characterized by reduced spontaneous locomotor activity and rearing behavior, together with a decrease in WBC and a tendency toward increased PLT. The linalool group also exhibited partial behavioral and hematological changes. Short-term inhalation exposure to S. oblata flower-derived BVOCs and their representative terpene monomers affected locomotor and exploratory behaviors in male mice, while no evident impairment of spatial working memory-related performance was observed. The limonene exposure group showed a significant decrease in WBC, while RBC, HGB, and HCT showed numerical increases without being interpreted as evidence of erythropoiesis. α-farnesene, a relatively less-studied sesquiterpene monomer, may serve as an exploratory candidate for subsequent dose-response and mechanistic studies.
Background/Objectives: Enterobacterales are widely distributed in animals and environmental matrices and represent important reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance within a One Health framework. Gulls are particularly relevant because of their synanthropic behavior and frequent contact with anthropogenic waste, which may facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of resistant bacteria. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the diversity, genomic backgrounds, and resistance determinants of Enterobacterales recovered from gulls and coastal environments in Portugal. Methods: A total of 265 samples, including seagull feces, saltwater, stagnant water, and sand, were collected from four coastal locations. Enterobacterales isolates were recovered and characterized by whole-genome sequencing, and comparative genomic analyses were performed for selected chromosomal beta-lactamase regions. Results:Enterobacterales were recovered from 41 samples and comprised 11 Klebsiella spp., 11 Leclercia spp., 9 Enterobacter spp., and 3 Citrobacter spp. isolates. Isolates were recovered mainly from seagull feces, followed by sand, and Berlenga Grande and Miramar showed the highest diversity. Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp. concentrated most clinically relevant resistance determinants, including chromosomal blaSHV-like, blaOXY-like, and blaACT-like genes. By contrast, Leclercia pneumoniae was mainly associated with sand and showed a limited resistome, whereas Citrobacter braakii carried relevant genes such as blaCMY and qnrB10. Comparative genomic analysis showed conserved chromosomal contexts surrounding blaSHV-like, blaOXY-like, and blaACT-like regions. Conclusions: These findings indicate that gull-associated fecal contamination may play an important role in the introduction and dissemination of resistant Enterobacterales in coastal ecosystems, with subsequent spread to sand and water. Coastal gulls and beach-associated matrices may therefore act as relevant reservoirs and indicators of antimicrobial resistance circulation at the human-environment interface.
While family income and neighborhood disadvantage have been associated with adolescent mental health, less is known about their independent associations with distinct, group-based patterns of change. Moreover, little is known about how school environments are associated with such mental health trajectory patterns, and if they serve as independent promotive factors or are protective factors that mitigate risk. Data come from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development StudySM(ABCD study®; n = 9769; baseline through year 2; ages 9-13). Internalizing and externalizing behaviors were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist. Growth mixture modeling was utilized to identify subgroups with distinct mental health trajectories, and logistic regression was used to examine the association between family income, neighborhood environment and trajectory group membership, and moderation by baseline school and school district characteristics, controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and parental education. Two trajectory classes were identified for internalizing (91%; low-decreasing, 9%; high-increasing) and externalizing behaviors (92%; low-decreasing, 8%; high-stable). Lower family income was associated with a high-increasing trajectory pattern of internalizing and a high-stable pattern of externalizing behaviors. A more positive school climate predicted belonging to the low-decreasing trajectory group for internalizing and externalizing behaviors, though there was no evidence of moderation. Low family income, but not neighborhood disadvantage, was a risk factor for trajectories of internalizing and externalizing behavior elevated within a clinical range that persisted from age 9 through early adolescence. However, a positive school climate was a promotive, rather than a protective, factor for internalizing and externalizing trajectories. Supporting families with resources and enhancing the school context may improve adolescent mental health.
Near-miss reporting intention is essential for patient safety; however, reporting rates among nurses remain low. Nurses' silence behavior-the intentional withholding of work-related concerns-is a key barrier to reporting. While authentic leadership is known to promote nurses' voice behavior, research examining the relationships between authentic leadership, nurses' silence behavior, and near-miss reporting intention remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the abovementioned relationships and to test the mediating role of nurses' silence behavior. A predictive correlation design was used. Data were collected from 171 nurses at three general and tertiary hospitals in South Korea between August 20 and September 15, 2022. The mediating effect of silence behavior on the relationship between authentic leadership and near-miss reporting intention was tested using the PROCESS macro (Model 4). Authentic leadership was negatively associated with nurses' silence behavior (B = -0.27, p  < 0.001), and silence behavior was negatively associated with near-miss reporting intention (B = -0.65, p = 0.008). Authentic leadership did not have a significant direct effect on near-miss reporting intention (B = 0.36, p = 0.142) but had a significant indirect effect through the mediator (B = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.03-0.37). Authentic leadership is indirectly linked to higher near-miss reporting intentions through lower individual silence behavior among nurses. To enhance reporting intentions, it is necessary to mitigate situational constraints associated with silence and foster an environment conducive to open communication. Nurse managers should consistently practice authentic leadership to dismantle rigid hierarchical atmospheres and cultivate an open communication climate. This targeted strategy may help reduce nurses' silence behavior and encourage active participation in patient safety-strengthening behaviors, thereby creating a secure healthcare setting.
On-site sanitation systems (OSS) are the primary sanitation technology used to manage household fecal sludge in the Global South, including Kigali City. Poor quality OSS can lead to the spread of fecal-oral diseases and water resource pollution. Previous studies have demonstrated that OSS in Kigali are ineffective. In 2018, the Rwanda Standards Board adopted ISO 24521 to guide the design, construction, and management of domestic OSS. However, limited evidence exists on the compliance of OSS with the established guidelines, and no established tools are currently available to assess such compliance. This study developed and tested an assessment tool to evaluate the compliance of households' pit latrines and cesspits against RS ISO 24521 and identify factors associated with compliance. The study further proposes recommendations for enhanced compliance coverage and safe sanitation services in Kigali. The tool was tested through a survey of 903 households in five sectors of Gasabo District in Kigali, through facility inspection, questions, and observations. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Generalized Linear Mixed Model, and Rao-Scott chi-squares. Within RS ISO 24521, four standard objectives were covered: (i) Protection of Public Health, (ii) Meeting Needs and Expectations of Users, (iii) Sustainability, and (iv) Protection of Environment. The results show that full compliance with the four standard objectives was 0.5, 4.8, 0.4 and 3.4% for pit latrines, and 79.2, 11, 0.4 and 2% for cesspits. Technical awareness and hygiene behavioral factors were found to be associated with low compliance. Both pit latrines and cesspits showed very low full compliance with the Sustainability objective, which in turn precluded examination of any associations to full compliance for this objective. For characteristics included in Protection of Public Health, factors such as wealth, house tenure, and residence type showed significant associations. To address the low compliance with selected objectives of RS ISO24521, recommendations emphasize increased enforcement of regulations, sanitary inspections, promotion of hygiene behavior change, and sustainable water supply. By evaluating the assessment tool, an improved version is proposed to support the management of OSS in Kigali, as well as in other cities with rapid urban growth and high reliance on OSS.
Behavior guidance is recommended as a core component of pediatric dentistry, yet the effectiveness of specific non-pharmacological techniques for autistic patients has not been systematically quantified. The researchers systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, and AMED for randomized controlled trials of non-pharmacological behavior guidance techniques in autistic children undergoing dental procedures. Eligible studies enrolled children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and compared a structured behavior guidance strategy with routine behavior management or another guidance technique, and reported anxiety and/or cooperation outcomes using validated measures. Electronic searches identified 1,242 records; after deduplication, 487 titles and abstracts were screened, 9 full texts were assessed, and 5 trials (n = 445; sample size 19-162) were included. All were conducted in specialist pediatric dental services and focused on non- or minimally invasive procedures, including examination, prophylaxis, and fluoride application. Interventions comprised a multisensory sensory-adapted dental environment, visual pedagogy, electronic media-based guidance (video modeling and video goggles), and immersive virtual reality. Owing to heterogeneity, quantitative synthesis was feasible for only two VR trials that reported Frankl Behavior Rating Scale scores. In the larger parallel-group RCT, VR improved cooperation versus conventional care (mean difference [MD] 0.55, 95% CI 0.23-0.88); the smaller crossover study showed a similar direction (MD 0.39, 95% CI -0.35 to 1.13). Pooled in a fixed-effect model, VR was associated with a moderate improvement of about half a Frankl point (pooled MD 0.52, 95% CI 0.22-0.82). Non-pharmacological behavior guidance techniques may improve clinically relevant outcomes in autistic children during routine dental care. However, pooled quantitative evidence in the present review was available only for virtual reality-related improvements in cooperation, whereas evidence for other techniques, including sensory-adapted environments, remained limited and was based primarily on narrative synthesis.
To examine the types of addictive disorders and the prevalence of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior (NSIB) among individuals of military age, while identifying clinical and psychological predictors of non-suicidal self-injuries. In total, 138 young individuals of military age (18-30 years, median age 25.5 years) diagnosed with addictive disorders were assessed. Several clinical, psychopathological, and psychometric assessment tools were utilized, including the Five Factor Personality Questionnaire (5PFQ), the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (Beck-A), the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck-D), and the Self-Injurious Behavior Questionnaire. The statistical analysis included χ2 tests, the Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of NSIB in the clinical group was 37.7%. The types of addictive disorders included F10.2 (26%), F19.2 (21%), F11.2 (13.7%), F12.1 (12.4%), F19.1 (8.7%), and F10.1 (5.8%). Individuals with NSIB demonstrated an earlier onset of substance use, elevated scores on anxiety and depression scales, increased aggression, low self-esteem, and a distinct personality profile characterized by high neuroticism and low conscientiousness. The logistic regression model identified several clinical and psychological predictors of NSIB: neuroticism (odds ratio [OR]=1.63), suicidal ideation (OR=4.00), anxiety levels (OR=1.11), early onset of substance use (OR=0.83), dysfunctional family relationships (OR=2.64), and the specific nature of the addiction (polydrug addiction; OR=2.44). This model explains 49.6% of the variability (Nagelkerke R2). Self-destructive behavior among individuals of military age with addictive disorders serves as an indicator of a severe comorbid course and is associated with a specific personality profile, elevated affective tension, and a negative family environment. The identified predictors highlight the need for proactive screening for NSIB and the development of targeted programs to address emotional regulation and impulsivity in this clinical population. Изучение структуры аддиктивных расстройств и распространенности несуицидального самоповреждающего поведения (НССП) у лиц призывного возраста с выявлением клинико-психологических предикторов несуицидальных самоповреждений. Обследованы 138 молодых людей призывного возраста (18—30 лет, медиана 25,5 года) с аддиктивными расстройствами. Использовались клинико-психопатологический и психометрические методы: 5-факторный опросник личности (5PFQ), опросник агрессии Басса—Перри (BPAQ), шкала тревоги Бека (Back-A), шкала депрессии Бека (Back-D), шкала самоповреждающего поведения. Статистический анализ включал критерии χ2, U-критерий Манна—Уитни и множественную логистическую регрессию. Распространенность НССП в клинической группе составила 37,7%. Структура аддиктивных расстройств представлена: F10.2 — 26%, F19.2 — 21%, F11.2 — 13,7%, F12.1 — 12,4%, F19.1 — 8,7%, F10.1 — 5,8%. Лица с НССП характеризовались более ранним дебютом употребления ПАВ, высокими показателями по шкалам тревоги и депрессии, агрессии, низкой самооценкой, а также специфическим личностным профилем с высоким невротизмом и низкой сознательностью. Модель логистической регрессии выявила клинико-психологические предикторы НССП: невротизм (OR=1,63), суицидальные мысли (OR=4,00), уровень тревоги (OR=1,11), ранний возраст начала наркотизации (OR=0,83), дисгармоничные семейные отношения (OR=2,64) и нозологическую специфику (полинаркомания; OR=2,44). Модель объясняет 49,6% дисперсии (R2 Найджелкерка). Самоповреждающее поведение у лиц призывного возраста с аддиктивными расстройствами является маркером тяжелого коморбидного течения и ассоциировано со специфическим личностным профилем, аффективной напряженностью и неблагоприятным семейным фоном. Выявленные предикторы обосновывают необходимость активного скрининга НССП и разработки целевых программ коррекции эмоциональной регуляции и импульсивности в данной клинической группе.
Plant-based dietary patterns like the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) reduce cardiovascular risk, which is a leading cause of mortality globally and in Spain. Diet is also a major environmental determinant, highlighting the need to evaluate public health alongside environmental sustainability. The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of adherence to the DASH dietary pattern in Spain between 2006 and 2023 and evaluate its relationship with environmental sustainability indicators. This was an ecological epidemiological study. Food consumption data were harmonized into daily servings to calculate annual DASH scores using a standard 80-point methodology. Environmental impact was assessed by calculating the comprehensive Ecological Footprint (EF) using the Agribalyse® 3.2 database. The study utilized open data from the Spanish Household Budget Surveys, capturing the consumption habits of approximately 24,000 randomly selected Spanish households annually from 2006 to 2023. The primary measures evaluated were the annual DASH adherence index score and the overall environmental Ecological Footprint. Temporal trends were evaluated using segmented regression models selected via the Akaike Information Criterion and Davies test. Pareto analysis determined individual food group environmental contributions, and correlations assessed the relationship between DASH scores and the EF. DASH adherence increased by 8.26% over the study period, peaking in 2020. The EF demonstrated an overall decrease over time, largely driven by reduced consumption of meat, fish, and eggs. A strong inverse correlation was found between the DASH score and the EF (r = -0.8237 (95% CI: -0.932 to -0.580; p < 0.001)). A shift toward the DASH dietary pattern in Spain demonstrates potentially convergent health and environmental associations, promoting population cardiovascular health potential while simultaneously mitigating environmental impacts.
The safety risks associated with cyclists at signalized intersections are often analyzed within isolated units, an approach that fails to account for the inherent behavioral dependencies across consecutive intersections. Ignoring such cross-intersection persistence results in a fragmented understanding of cyclist decision-making and hinders the early identification of risky behaviors. This study investigates cyclists' behavioral persistence across consecutive signalized intersections using high-resolution trajectory data collected from unmanned aerial vehicles and roadside cameras. A re-identification (Re-ID) method is applied to match cyclists across intersections, enabling the analysis of individual-level behavioral persistence. Based on this, a downstream intention prediction framework is developed, incorporating upstream behavioral information as behavioral priors. The results show that cyclists' behaviors are not independent across intersections. While aggregate-level analysis reveals moderate associations, individual-level analysis demonstrates clear persistence in behavior, especially for decision-related variables such as crossing decision and rolling behavior. Incorporating upstream behavioral information significantly improves downstream intention prediction, with the largest improvement observed when individual-level behavioral priors are utilized via Re-ID. The findings highlight the importance of modeling cyclist behavior from a corridor-level perspective. By leveraging cross-intersection behavioral persistence, the proposed framework enables earlier and more reliable identification of risky behaviors, providing practical support for proactive traffic safety management at signalized intersections.
Bisphenol A is a synthetic compound widely used as a monomer in plastic and epoxy resins, whilst sucralose is an artificial sweetener frequently added to foods and beverages. Both substances can be detected in the environment and in food, making the assessment of their combined effects relevant from a food safety and public health perspective. The aim of this study is to investigate the biological and neurobehavioural implications of simultaneous exposure to BPA and sucralose in Drosophila melanogaster in vivo. The flies were distributed into two independent experiments: (BPA at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mM with a fixed sucralose molarity of 1.25 mM) and (sucralose at 6.3, 12.6, 25.1, and 50.3 mM with a fixed BPA molarity of 0.5 mM) compared to the control group (standard medium). Prolificacy, body weight, longevity, and negative geotaxis were evaluated in adults, whereas locomotor behavior and DNA integrity (Comet assay) were analyzed in L3 larvae neuroblasts. The results revealed that the co-exposure to BPA and sucralose induces a significant reduction in prolificity at 0.5 mM BPA (50% at the highest concentrations), as well as in body weight and lifespan (54 days vs. 89 days in the control group); neurobehavioral tests revealed impaired locomotion, with a decrease in movement from 60 s in the control group to 0.67 s in treated larvae. DNA damage confirmed that exposure increases DNA strand breaks. This study provides pioneering in vivo evidence that BPA and sucralose together suggest combined toxicity leading to significant physiological homeostasis disruption. Future research should utilize genetic models with varying antioxidant defense capabilities to further define the metabolic variations in these combined exposures.
Background: Population ageing increases the burden of chronic diseases, multimorbidity, and functional limitations, making nutrition and lifestyle important modifiable determinants of healthy ageing. Universities of the Third Age (U3A) provide an educational and social environment for older adults, but multidimensional relationships between nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and health status in this population remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to assess these associations among older adults attending U3A in Poland. Methodology: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between January and April 2026 among community-dwelling older adults participating in U3A programs. Of 700 distributed invitations and 520 returned questionnaires, 450 complete and eligible responses were included. The questionnaire was based on the KomPAN® framework and expanded with items on health, lifestyle, psychosocial resources, barriers to healthy eating, and sources of health information. Diet quality was assessed using the pro-Healthy Diet Index, non-Healthy Diet Index, and overall Diet Quality Index (DQI). Nutrition knowledge was measured using a 24-item scale. Analyses included distributional diagnostics, non-parametric group comparisons, FDR-corrected Spearman correlations, psychometric assessment, principal component analysis, multivariable regression with model diagnostics, and profile segmentation. Results: The mean age was 73.63 ± 5.73 years, and most participants were women. The median DQI was 15.59 [3.93-24.86], with a predominance of neutral diet quality. Nutrition knowledge was moderate, with a median score of 12.00 [9.00-15.00], and the scale showed very good internal consistency. PCA identified three dietary patterns: convenience/ultra-processed, prudent/health-promoting, and traditional meat-and-fat. Higher DQI was associated with better nutrition knowledge, greater physical activity, a more favorable sleep profile, regular meal timing, and lower disease burden. Participants with multimorbidity had significantly lower DQI. Segmentation distinguished a health-engaged/higher-resource profile and a lower-resource/nutritionally vulnerable profile. Conclusions: U3A participants in Poland are educationally and socially active but nutritionally heterogeneous. The predominance of neutral diet quality, moderate nutrition knowledge, and identifiable knowledge gaps indicates the need for targeted, practical, and behavior-oriented nutrition education supporting healthy ageing.
IntroductionThe diagnosis of adult hematologic malignancies primarily originating in the bone marrow (BM) requires comprehensive evaluation. In many cases, a definitive diagnosis necessitates referring patients from peripheral healthcare centers to tertiary hospitals. This study aimed to analyze incidence patterns and age-specific trends of such malignancies over a decade at one national tertiary hospital in Indonesia.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using bone marrow aspiration (BMA) results from patients suspected of having primary BM hematologic malignancies. Procedures were performed in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, and analyses were conducted in the Department of Clinical Pathology at Sardjito Hospital between 2012 and 2022. Sex and age data were collected to calculate crude incidence rates (CIR), age-specific incidence rates (ASR), and age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR).ResultA total of 3,144 cases were analyzed and the results showed that the incidence of myeloid lineage malignancies was higher than lymphoid, predominantly in males. ASR showed that Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) and Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) increased with age. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remained stable in younger age groups but increased significantly in older adults. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) was more common in younger individuals, particularly in the 20-24 age group. Meanwhile, the incidences of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Multiple Myeloma (MM) increased with age. A linear regression analysis of incidence trends over the years showed no statistically significant trend.ConclusionThis study provides essential epidemiological evidence on hematological malignancies of primary BM origin in Indonesia, showing the predominance of myeloid lineage malignancies and distinct age-related patterns. These findings may support age-targeted awareness, early detection strategies, and coordinated national efforts to address the growing burden of hematologic malignancies in adults. The diagnosis of adult hematologic malignancies primarily originating in the bone marrow (BM) requires comprehensive evaluation. In many cases, a definitive diagnosis necessitates referring patients from peripheral healthcare centers to tertiary hospitals. This study aimed to analyze incidence patterns and age-specific trends of the malignancies over a decade at one national tertiary hospital in Indonesia. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using bone marrow aspiration (BMA) results from patients suspected of having primary BM hematologic malignancies. Procedures were performed in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, and analyses were conducted in the Department of Clinical Pathology at Sardjito Hospital between 2012 and 2022. Sex and age data were collected to calculate crude incidence rates (CIR), age-specific incidence rates (ASR), and age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR). As a result, a total of 3,144 cases were analyzed and the results showed that the incidence of myeloid lineage malignancies was higher than lymphoid, predominantly in males. ASR showed that Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) and Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) increased with age. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remained stable in younger age groups but increased significantly in older adults. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) was more common in younger individuals, particularly in the 20–24 age group. Meanwhile, the incidences of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and Multiple Myeloma (MM) increased with age. In conclusion, this study filled a major gap in the literature on primary bone marrow hematologic malignancies by providing essential epidemiological data on disease burden. Myeloid malignancies predominated and demonstrated distinct age-related incidence patterns.
Extreme heat is a significant and growing health hazard in urban locations around the world, particularly in the Southeastern United States (U.S.). While most extreme heat research and interventions are focused on ambient outdoor conditions and the neighborhood environment, the indoor residential environment is where the most severe heat-health consequences occur. The aim of this study was to characterize the indoor thermal environments and identify predictors of high indoor temperatures for residents of heat-vulnerable neighborhoods within New Orleans, Louisiana, within the context of current heat adaptation measures and issues of energy insecurity. We conducted surveys with both open- and closed-ended questions and measured indoor temperature over 2-week sampling periods in 114 households across two heat vulnerable New Orleans wards during the warm seasons of 2023 and 2024. Our study found that a combination of AC type and use, along with outdoor daily maximum temperature, were significant predictors of indoor maximum overnight temperature. Our results indicate that households without AC, using window AC units, or those not running central AC all or most of the time struggled to maintain 80 degrees Fahrenheit overnight (a threshold deemed appropriate by a recent healthy homes ordinance) once outdoor daily maximum temperatures exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Homeownership, compared to renting, was associated with higher overnight indoor temperatures, greater variability in typical AC use patterns, and greater sensitivity of summer monthly energy expenditures to differences in AC use patterns, potentially indicating that this group is practicing energy limiting behavior. This paper contributes to limited literature on indoor thermal environments, particularly in the Southeastern U.S., and underscores the importance of housing and energy burden in heat adaptation.
Across ecosystems, autotroph growth and susceptibility to disease are strongly constrained by the availability of essential nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Understanding how nutrient availability influences disease transmission is important for predicting disease persistence, outbreak risk, and long-term ecosystem dynamics under changing environmental conditions. At the same time, infectious diseases in autotrophs can reshape ecosystem processes by altering elemental recycling and the nutrient supply available to hosts. Here, we formulate a five-dimensional deterministic system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations within a disease-mediated nutrient dynamic framework. We incorporate novel nutrient-driven transmission and nonlinear resource uptake kinetics to capture the bidirectional relationships linking elemental cycles with infectious disease in a natural forest ecosystem. Using a combination of qualitative mathematical analysis, including proofs of solutions boundedness and derivations of basic reproductive number, and numerical bifurcation analyses, we evaluate the system's long-term behavior. Our results show that nutrient-disease feedbacks strongly regulate the distribution of host densities and nutrients between autotrophs and the abiotic environment. Incorporating nutrient-driven transmission reveals bifurcation structures distinct from frameworks with constant transmission, highlighting high sensitivity to nutrient availability and stronger nonlinear feedbacks. Bifurcation analyses indicate that nutrient enrichment lowers the transmission threshold for disease persistence and accelerates the onset of oscillatory dynamics with greater amplitude under high nutrient levels. Similarly, higher transmission rates reduce the nutrient threshold for disease persistence and shift oscillatory dynamics to emerge at lower nutrient levels. We further show that even small differences in infected host uptake rates strongly influence dynamics: lower uptake dampens oscillations and weakens feedbacks, whereas higher uptake amplifies bottom-up nutrient effects on disease and reinforces top-down effects on nutrient cycling, producing pronounced limit cycles in hosts, nutrients, and prevalence. Overall, nutrient-driven transmission alters thresholds and oscillatory regimes in ecosystem disease models, leading to dynamics that are not captured under constant transmission assumptions. This work advances applied ecosystem and ecological disease sciences by improving our understanding of disease transmission processes in plant communities.
Despite significant advancements in motor-vehicle safety, the number of pedestrian fatalities from road crashes has increased in recent years. In addition, these crashes are disproportionately distributed across sociodemographic and economic categories. Further, the emergence of COVID-19 added a layer of complexity through its direct and indirect influence on user behavior, traffic patterns, and socio-economy. A Bayesian spatiotemporal model incorporating Conditional Autoregressive (CAR) spatial and Autoregressive (AR) temporal components are used to analyze crash patterns across merged census tracts in Connecticut. Models are estimated sequentially to study the crash risk disparity based on ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics: first using ethnicity variables, then socioeconomic variables, and finally temporal interactions to assess evolution of disparity over time. Global Moran's I indicates significant spatial correlation in pedestrian crashes. The Ethnicity Models show that higher proportions of minority populations are associated with increased pedestrian crash rates; However, these ethnic effects diminish and become statistically insignificant when socioeconomic variables are introduced, suggesting that observed ethnic disparities are largely mediated by correlated socioeconomic disadvantages rather than ethnicity per se. The Temporal Interaction Model reveals moderate spatial and temporal correlations that align with the identified clustering patterns. The findings reveal that pedestrian crashes disproportionately affect analysis units with higher proportions of Hispanic and Black residents, who are concentrated in areas with greater poverty, unemployment, and lower educational attainment. The relative risks of pedestrian crashes in the most socioeconomically vulnerable areas decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but resurged to levels exceeding pre-pandemic disparities, indicating that disproportionate risks persist and can rapidly re-emerge without sustained, targeted interventions. Pedestrian crashes disproportionately affect socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods, reflecting differences in infrastructure. These findings underscore the need to prioritize these communities when allocating safety investments in pedestrian infrastructure, speed management, and education.