Film-based pedagogy, especially cinemeducation as a teaching methodology, has become more visible as an arts and humanities teaching format. However, many existing cinemeducation courses at medical schools use films that, while valuable in their time, may no longer reflect current societal or medical discourses. This study aimed to identify contemporary films that resonate with present-day issues in medicine, assess students' motivation to engage with cinemeducation, and explore interest in transdisciplinary learning. For the first time, three medical students participated in BaseCamp at the Locarno Film Festival, a young talents program that fosters transdisciplinary exchange. They screened festival films with medical themes and organised a 75-minute workshop with students from film, natural sciences, arts, and medicine. The workshop focused on how students from these fields can collaborate to create transdisciplinary learning environments. The students identified seven films with medical topics in the Locarno Film Festival program. Evaluations showed that the students were highly motivated to further engage with cinemeducation and promote transdisciplinary education. The exchange generated innovative approaches, including the use of video essays for cinemeducation and producing films together with art and film students. Medical students like to exchange ideas with other cinemeducation projects worldwide, which is supported by a mean Likert score of 1.3 (n=3). A transdisciplinary medical film festival and a cinemeducation symposium could be a first step. Film-basierte Pädagogik, insbesondere Cinemeducation als Lehrmethode, hat als Lehrformat der Arts und Humanities zunehmend an Sichtbarkeit gewonnen. Viele bestehende Cinemeducation-Kurse an medizinischen Fakultäten greifen jedoch auf Filme zurück, die zwar zu ihrer Zeit bedeutsam waren, aber heutige gesellschaftliche oder medizinische Diskurse nicht mehr angemessen widerspiegeln. Ziel dieser Studie war es, zeitgenössische Filme zu identifizieren, die mit aktuellen Fragestellungen in der Medizin resonieren, die Motivation von Studierenden zur Auseinandersetzung mit Cinemeducation zu untersuchen sowie das Interesse an transdisziplinärem Lernen zu explorieren. Erstmals nahmen drei Medizinstudierende am BaseCamp des Locarno Film Festivals teil, einem Nachwuchsprogramm, das transdisziplinären Austausch fördert. Sie sichteten Festivalfilme mit medizinischen Themen und organisierten einen 75-minütigen Workshop mit Film-, Naturwissenschafts-, Kunst- und Medizinstudierenden. Der Workshop konzentrierte sich darauf, wie Studierende dieser Disziplinen gemeinsam transdisziplinäre Lernumgebungen gestalten können. Die Studierenden identifizierten sieben Filme mit medizinischem Bezug im Programm des Locarno Film Festivals. Die Evaluation zeigte, dass die Studierenden hoch motiviert waren, sich weiter mit Cinemeducation auseinanderzusetzen und transdisziplinäre Lehre zu fördern. Der Austausch brachte innovative Ansätze hervor, darunter den Einsatz von Videoessays für Cinemeducation sowie die gemeinsame Filmproduktion mit Kunst- und Filmstudierenden. Medizinstudierende wünschen sich zudem einen Austausch mit anderen Cinemeducation-Projekten weltweit, was durch einen mittleren Likert-Wert von 1,3 (n=3) bestätigt wurde. Ein transdisziplinäres medizinisches Filmfestival sowie ein Cinemeducation-Symposium könnten hierfür einen ersten Schritt darstellen.
The Chaoshan region in Lingnan, South China, is known for its dense festival calendars and household-based ritual practices in which plants serve both practical and symbolic roles. Plant-centered documentation of ritual practices in this Han Chinese setting remains limited. This study documents ritual plants used in Chaoshan festival practices and examines their cultural meanings and the transmission of knowledge. We conducted ethnobotanical fieldwork between October 2023 and October 2025 across three Chaoshan cities, using semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. A total of 100 key informants were interviewed. Ritual plant importance and cultural salience were assessed using the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and the Cultural Importance Index (CII), and knowledge differences across demographic groups were tested statistically. We documented 25 traditional festivals spanning 11 months and recorded 60 ritual plant species (52 genera, 31 families), with cultivated taxa dominating (58 species, 96.67%). Fabaceae and Poaceae were the most represented families (6 species each, 10%). Punica granatum and Citrus reticulata ranked highest in both RFC and CII. Six cultural connotations were identified, with prayer for well-being and prosperity being the most prevalent (41 species, 68.33%). Plant selection was primarily associated with biological characteristics (39 species, 65%) and homophony (27 species, 45%). Knowledge transmission was reported mainly through oblique pathways, and women were the principal practitioners and knowledge holders. Reported knowledge differed significantly across age groups. Ritual plant selection in Chaoshan follows shared local logics, especially homophony and salient plant traits. Transmission is closely tied to household participation and kinship roles, and the combination of low stated intention to pass knowledge to the next generation with clear-age differences suggests that continuity is under pressure.
Urban festive lighting, represented by light shows, can boost nighttime economy, but the threat of high-intensity light interference to ecological spaces cannot be overlooked. With the Guangzhou International Light Festival as a case, we constructed a high-resolution ground-based observation network covering up to 16 km from the light source center, to accurately quantify the light disturbance within ecological spaces and its impact distance. The results showed that, compared with normal nights without light shows, during the light festival period, the average night sky brightness within 16 km of the Canton Tower (light show center) increased by more than 0.26 mag·arcsec-2(increase >1.6%), with a maximum increase at a single point for a single observation reaching 0.65 mag·arcsec-2(increase 4.2%). The dynamic high-frequency fluctuations of light exhibited significant nonlinear characteristics. At a distance of 6 km from the light source, both the standard deviation of zenith brightness (0.19) and the instantaneous fluctuation amplitude (3.5%) exceeded those at the source center, forming a dynamic peak zone where far-field intensity was stronger than near-field intensity. This study found the significant impact distance of light shows was 6-7 km. Based on the finding, we proposed planning and management strategies such as delineating a 6 km light-ecological buffer zone and avoiding peak bird migration periods, providing a scientific basis for coordinating the development of the nighttime economy and the protection of nocturnal ecosystems. 以灯光秀为代表的城市节庆照明能够促进夜间经济发展,但其对生态空间产生的高强度光干扰威胁不容忽视。本研究以广州国际灯光节为例,构建了覆盖光源中心16 km的高分辨率地面观测网络,精准量化了灯光节在生态空间内产生的光干扰及其显著影响距离。结果表明:与无灯光秀的正常夜晚相比,灯光节期间,广州塔(灯光秀中心)16 km范围内的夜空平均亮度超过0.26 mag·arcsec-2(增幅>1.6%),单点单次亮度最大增加0.65 mag·arcsec-2(增幅4.2%)。灯光的动态高频波动呈现显著非线性特征:距光源6 km处的天顶亮度标准差(0.19)和瞬时波动幅值(3.5%)均超过光源中心,形成了一个远场强于近场的动态光强峰值区。本研究界定灯光秀的显著影响距离为6～7 km,并据此提出划定6 km光生态缓冲区、避让鸟类迁徙高峰期等规划管控策略,以期为协调城市夜间经济发展和夜间生态系统保护提供科学依据。.
This article explores why individuals in China undertake numerous tasks for souls and spirits whether or not they believe that these beings exist. We shift away from Eurocentric approaches to studying religion which have been centered around conceptualizing belief as cognitive assent to a theological or cosmological statement. Instead, we outline a multiplex structure of beliefs sustaining religious and spiritual action. Using the case of the Hungry Ghost festival, which approximately 378 million people in mainland China engage in annually, we present field observations of a village in China as well as 59 interviews with its residents. Participants offer items to the souls of their deceased parents and grandparents, along with non-family spirits, propelled by four types of beliefs: acceptance of cosmological postulates on existence, relational commitments to certain family ties, experiential knowledge derived from personal encounters, and the expectation that particular actions are instrumental in bringing about a desired end. Participants weave their own multiplex structures of belief as composites of habits and knowledge validated by experience. When the ontology of a spiritual practice acknowledges the social reality of the family line as much as the material actuality of a corpse, family members can behave toward the deceased as social entities without endorsing the existence of spirits and souls. Our findings situate spiritual activities in their relational settings and hold insights for why people engage in their practices of spirituality in China.
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This Medical News article discusses a World Health Organization report on marketing tactics used to increase global nicotine pouch uptake.
Background: Civilian mass-trauma events can produce heterogeneous outcomes, ranging from resilience to adverse symptom trajectories that may develop into chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Key factors associated with adverse PTSD symptom trajectories include female sex, childhood adversity, and sleep disturbances.Objectives: To characterize PTSD symptom trajectories in a large civilian cohort during the first year following the 7 October 2023 Nova music-festival mass-trauma event.Method: 392 survivors completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) at T1 (1-5 months post-event) and T2 (8-12 months post-event). Symptom trajectories were classified using k-means clustering with three standardized features: intercept, rate of change, and time since the event. Within-class changes over time were tested with paired t-tests. Multinomial logistic regression examined associations with pre-specified factors with 10-fold cross-validation and false-discovery-rate (FDR) correction.Results: Among survivors, four symptom classes emerged: Resilient (25.3%), Partially Improved (20.2%), Consistently High (28.8%), and Worsening (25.8%). Overall, 54.6% of survivors exhibited adverse symptom trajectories (Consistently High or Worsening) one year following trauma. Female sex, childhood adversity, and post-trauma sleep disturbances were each associated with lower odds of Resilient class membership.Conclusions: Adverse PTSD symptom trajectories were unusually high one year following a civilian mass-trauma event, indicating a sustained mental-health burden among survivors. These findings support extended follow-up and may help inform future research on intervention strategies in civilians exposed to complex and prolonged trauma. One year after the Nova music-festival attack, the majority of survivors followed adverse symptom trajectories (consistently high or worsening of PTSD symptoms), indicating a sustained mental-health burden.The unusually high rates of adverse PTSD symptom trajectories likely reflect the extreme nature of the Nova attack, combined with the ongoing armed conflict, highlighting the need to adapt trauma models to complex, prolonged exposure contexts.Subjective reports of post-trauma sleep disturbance, as well as adverse childhood experiences and female sex, were all associated with reduced likelihood of resilience. Introducción: Los eventos de trauma masivo en población civil pueden producir resultados heterogéneos, que van desde la resiliencia hasta trayectorias sintomáticas adversas que pueden evolucionar hacia un trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT) crónico. Entre los principales factores asociados con trayectorias adversas de síntomas de TEPT se encuentran el sexo femenino, la adversidad en la infancia y las alteraciones del sueño. Objetivo: Caracterizar las trayectorias de los síntomas de TEPT en una gran cohorte civil durante el primer año posterior al evento de trauma masivo ocurrido en el festival de música Nova del 7 de octubre de 2023. Método: Un total de 392 sobrevivientes completaron la Lista de Verificación para TEPT según el DSM-5 (PCL-5) en T1 (1–5 meses después del evento) y T2 (8–12 meses después del evento). Las trayectorias sintomáticas se clasificaron mediante agrupación en clústeres k-medias utilizando tres características estandarizadas: intercepto, tasa de cambio y tiempo transcurrido desde el evento. Los cambios intraclases a lo largo del tiempo se evaluaron mediante pruebas t pareadas. Las asociaciones con factores preespecificados se examinaron mediante regresión logística multinomial con validación cruzada de 10 pliegues y corrección por tasa de falsos descubrimientos (FDR por sus siglas en ingles). Resultados: Se identificaron cuatro clases sintomáticas entre los sobrevivientes: Resiliente (25,3%), Mejoría parcial (20,2%), Persistentemente elevada (28,8%) y Empeoramiento (25,8%). En conjunto, el 54,6% de los sobrevivientes presentó trayectorias sintomáticas adversas (Persistentemente elevada o empeoramiento) al año del trauma. El sexo femenino, la adversidad en la infancia y las alteraciones del sueño posteriores al trauma se asociaron con una menor probabilidad de pertenecer a la clase Resiliente. Conclusiones: Las trayectorias adversas de síntomas de TEPT fueron inusualmente elevadas un año después de un evento de trauma masivo en población civil, lo que indica una carga persistente para la salud mental entre los sobrevivientes. Estos hallazgos respaldan la necesidad de un seguimiento prolongado y pueden ayudar a orientar futuras investigaciones sobre estrategias de intervención en civiles expuestos a traumas complejos y prolongados.
Anthropogenic aerosols significantly affect Earth's energy balance, yet large uncertainties remain in quantifying the impacts of anthropogenic emission changes on aerosol optical properties and radiative effects. This study leveraged the unique natural field experiment of the 2025 Spring Festival in the Sichuan Basin to investigate the aerosol optical properties and their radiative effects response to abrupt, phased changes in human emissions activities at a regional background site from 1 January to 12 February, covering three distinct periods: before (P1, 1 - 25 Jan), during (P2, 26 - 30 Jan), and after (P3, 31 Jan - 12 Feb) the festival. Results show that the scattering coefficient decreased significantly from 278.46 ± 145.28 Mm-1 during P1 to 157.23 ± 79.57 Mm-1 during P2 and 112.70 ± 40.54 Mm-1 during P3, driven primarily by the sharp reduction in industrial and vehicular emissions. In contrast, the absorption coefficient remained relatively stable from P1 (21.16 ± 9.89 Mm-1) to P2 (20.27 ± 10.34 Mm-1) due to sustained residential combustion, before declining to 12.24 ± 4.45 Mm-1 during P3. Consequently, the estimated Direct Aerosol Radiative Effect weakened progressively from -78.26 ± 40.51 W/m2 during P1, to -40.19 ± 20.24 W/m2 during P2, and to -31.45 ± 10.02 W/m2 during P3. This study provides the first observational quantification linking abrupt anthropogenic emission changes to the evolution of aerosol optical properties and their resultant radiative effect in the Sichuan Basin, offering critical evidence for refining climate assessments and understanding rapid atmospheric adjustments to short-term emission controls.
To explore the evolution trends and sentiment characteristics of public's attention toward express services following the comprehensive adjustment of COVID-19 prevention policies in China, and to provide empirical evidence for service quality improvement and regulatory policy optimization, this paper uses Weibo data from December 10, 2022, to January 10, 2023 as research samples. This paper employs the Entropy Weight Method (EWM) to quantify post popularity and identify high-attention content, applies the Dynamic Topic Modeling (DTM) to uncover temporal patterns of public attention themes, and constructs a CNN-LSTM model for sentiment analysis to reveal cognitive differences between official certification bloggers and personal certification bloggers. The findings include: (1) Public sentiment toward express services was predominantly negative, and sentiment fluctuations were highly correlated with logistics pressure events such as the "Double 12" shopping festival, pandemic infection peaks, and the New Year's Day holiday; (2) Six core topics were identified, with "goods safety" and "after-sales service" representing persistent traditional attention, while "courier rights" and "governments' requirements for enterprises" emerged as two new trends in the post-pandemic era; (3) Official certification bloggers adopted a macro perspective focusing on enterprise service quality and logistics economy, whereas personal certification bloggers emphasized micro-level experiences regarding last-mile delivery conflicts and labor rights, with both groups converging on the issue of "courier rights." In the post-COVID-19 era, public's attention to express services has extended beyond efficiency and quality demands to encompass deeper dimensions such as labor rights protection and corporate social responsibility. Express enterprises should strengthen courier team building and optimize service processes, while governments need to improve industry standard-setting and regulatory incentive mechanisms to promote sustainable industry development.
Triage is critical during mass casualty incidents (MCIs). Under-triage during MCIs using existing triage tools may lead to errors in making critical treatment decisions. The point-of-care ultrasound has been used during MCIs to diagnose hemoperitoneum, pneumothorax, long bone fractures, cardiac tamponade, and inferior vena cava (IVC), with good sensitivity and specificity. We explored the impact of nurse-led sono-triage in identifying the under-triage rate among yellow triage patients and inter-rater agreement among nurse performers during MCIs. This was a retrospective observational study of four MCIs during Holi festivals encountered at the emergency department of a level one trauma centre in India. After undergoing training, 10 nurses performed extended focused assessment by sonography in trauma (E-FAST) of yellow triaged patients. The findings were recorded and analyzed. Sono triage was done in 438 patients. Eight patients were E-FAST positive, and 430 E-FAST negative patients. These eight patients (1.8%) were then triaged as red and categorized as under-triaged. The interrater agreement between the nurse performers and the radiologist was 100%. Sono-triage was able to estimate the under-triage rate among yellow triage patients during MCIs. The nurses who performed sono-triage had a good inter-rater agreement with the radiologist. Nurses may be utilized as a task-sharing model to do sono-triage during MCIs.
Mass gatherings (MGs) are associated with increased healthcare demand and may pose a risk for mass casualty incidents if medical services are not adequately planned. Trauma presentations constitute an important component of medical encounters during MGs; however, evidence regarding trauma patterns and preparedness requirements remains fragmented. The primary aim of this study was to examine rates of trauma-related presentations to in-event health care areas during MGs. Secondary aims were to identify trauma patterns across different event types, support planning of in-event health services and develop a practical checklist to assist trauma preparedness and response planning. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Articles were screened based on the PICOS framework, focusing on observational studies of MG participants exposed to trauma. Inclusion required the reporting of in-event healthcare data, while studies solely using hospital-based records or lacking trauma-specific metrics were excluded. Data were extracted using a standardized form to identify event characteristics, patient presentation rate (PPR), and transport to hospital rates (TTHR). The primary outcome was the incidence of trauma, while secondary outcomes included the identification of trauma subtypes (e.g., musculoskeletal, soft tissue). The initial search yielded 382 articles. After removal of duplicates and exclusions, 18 relevant studies were included in the final synthesis. The proportion of trauma-related visits relative to all patients treated at in-event medical stations ranged from 11.7 to 81.7%. The highest trauma rate was reported at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival (81.7%), whereas the Guadalajara International Book Fair reported the lowest (11.7%). Soft tissue injuries (13-42.3%) were the most prevalent across music and sporting events, followed by musculoskeletal injuries (3-35.7%). Events involving mosh pit behavior showed a distinct clustering of head and facial injuries (65%). This review demonstrates that trauma-related presentations in MGs are highly heterogeneous and influenced by event type and participant behavior. Soft-tissue injuries constitute the majority of reported trauma cases, while endurance/open-course sports and high-energy music events show higher trauma burdens. These findings support event-specific medical planning and trauma preparedness for in-event healthcare services.
Hormonal synchronization of oestrous has been an available technology to improve the efficiency of field artificial insemination (AI) in the dairy sector. This study was aimed at investigating the breeding practices, status of AI and effectiveness of oestrus synchronization (ES) on small-scale dairy farming in selected districts of the Wolaita Zone. Cross-sectional survey and retrospective data on the oestrus synchronization were collected and analysed. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and indexed ranking procedures were applied to summarize the study data. The predominant mating system practiced by dairy farmers was AI (55.6%), and 73.5% of farmers apply controlled mating. The highest response rate to PGF2α administration was obtained for cattle of Sodo town (89.5%), followed by Boloso Sore (78.8%). A 30%-45.2% pregnancy rate was obtained across the study districts. Crossbred cattle have shown significantly (p > 0.001) higher response (87.1%) and pregnancy rates (47.9%) than the local animals. Likewise, 9.6%-18.5% of the birth rate was obtained from this study. Farmers' overall perceptions and desire to continue using oestrus synchronization were improving as a result of their application experiences over time. Moreover, shortage of AI inputs and AI technicians, heat detection skills, and inconsistency of the AI service during festivals, holidays, and weekends were reported as the major challenges prevailing in the study districts. The study provided insights on improving input supply, accurate heat detection and intensified cattle management are necessities to enhance field AI services and increase pregnancy rates in synchronized animals.
The rapid emergence of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) poses a significant challenge for forensic toxicology and public health. While blood and urine enable rapid detection for early warning systems, long-term monitoring is essential for retrospective exposure assessment and temporal trend analysis. In this context, hair represents a valuable biological matrix; however, multi-class NPS determination remains difficult due to their chemical diversity and typically low concentrations. In this work, we targeted 12 synthetic opioids, 8 synthetic cathinones, 3 dissociatives, 3 designer benzodiazepines, 3 hallucinogens, and 2 synthetic cannabinoids. Sample preparation included a three-step wash procedure (water, methanol, and ethyl acetate), followed by simultaneous pulverization and methanolic extraction of 20 mg of hair, using an Omni Ruptor bead-mill homogenizer (10 cycles, 40 s at 4.5 m/s with dwell periods; total time ∼43 min). After centrifugation (5000 rpm, 10 min), extracts were evaporated under nitrogen stream at 40°C (20 psi) and reconstituted in 100 µl of 90:10 (v/v) water/acetonitrile, both containing 0.1% formic acid, followed by filtration. Chromatographic separation was achieved by liquid chromatography on a Kinetex C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) using gradient elution with a total runtime of 10 min. Identification and quantitation were performed by tandem mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionization using multiple reaction monitoring with quantifier and qualifier transitions. The method was validated according to ANSI/ASB Standard 036. Linearity was demonstrated from 5 to 500 pg/mg. Intra- and inter-day precision were <20% and bias within ±20% for most analytes, with no significant carryover or interferences observed. Matrix effects were observed but consistent across analytes, allowing reliable quantitation. Application to authentic hair samples from electronic music festival attendees in Europe and Brazil confirmed the presence of emerging NPS. This integrated pulverization-extraction approach enables rapid, robust multi-class NPS detection in hair for biomonitoring and forensic applications.
Firecracker emissions during Diwali are known to elevate air pollution in Indian cities; however, their short-term impacts in rural regions remain poorly characterized. This study evaluates the influence of Diwali celebrations on PM2.5 mass and elemental composition at a rural monitoring site in Baghpat District, Uttar Pradesh. Continuous sampling was carried out over a 20-day period (October-November 2024) using a day-night split protocol, covering the pre-Diwali, Diwali, and post-Diwali phases. PM2.5 concentrations showed a sharp nocturnal escalation during Diwali night, peaking at 632 µg/m3, approximately 2.5 times higher than Diwali daytime levels and 3.3 times higher than normal days, substantially exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Elemental analysis revealed clear firecracker signatures, with Pb, Ba, Ca, and Fe increasing by 3-20 times, and Al, Mg, Na, K, and Sb rising by 1.5-3 times relative to Diwali daytime. A Diwali-Induced Enrichment (DIE) factor was developed to quantify short-duration metal spikes, revealing a clear enhancement associated with firecracker activity. Multivariate analysis (PCA and Pearson correlations) confirmed pyrotechnics as the dominant pollution source, with PCA explaining 35% (night) and 25% (day) of the variance associated with firecracker-related elements. Although the pollution event was transient, acute exposure to metal-rich PM2.5 poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly. This rural-based analysis reveals distinct Diwali-related pollution patterns and underscores the need for stronger control measures during festival periods.
The growing diffusion of dealcoholized wines calls for a deeper understanding of how information and sensory evaluation jointly shape consumer acceptance, particularly in traditional wine markets. This study investigates the effects of different combinations of information and tasting on sensory evaluation and willingness-to-pay for a partially dealcoholized red wine. A between-subjects experiment was conducted during a scientific festival in Apulia (Italy), where participants were assigned to three conditions (INFO-SENS, SENS, INFO) and evaluated a non-commercialized Apulian Primitivo (1.5% ABV), produced through low-temperature vacuum evaporation and not pasteurized. Sensory attributes (visual, olfactory, gustatory, overall) were rated on 9-point hedonic scales, and WTP for a 125 mL glass was elicited using a payment card. The results show that the information-only group (INFO) reported the highest WTP, compared to the tasting-only group (SENS). Information exposure increased visual and olfactory evaluations, but not gustatory ratings. Prior knowledge of NoLo wines was associated with negative expectations, though this effect was attenuated by information. Overall, within this experimental setting, information emerged as a key driver of perceived value outweighing sensory liking, although the two remained positively correlated. These findings highlight the importance of transparent communication in fostering acceptance and repositioning dealcoholized wine as a credible category within traditional markets.
This study examines the impact of Diwali festivities on air quality and public health across 14 cities in the Indo-Gangetic Basin (IGB), integrating ground-based monitoring, satellite data, and meteorological analysis. PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ levels exceeded national standards by 3-10 times during Diwali relative to CPCB and WHO 24-hour guidelines, respectively. Delhi witnessing a 19% rise in PM₂.₅ during the festival and post-Diwali biomass burning driving PM₂.₅ spikes exceeding 250 µg m⁻³ in Hisar. Gaseous pollutants, including SO₂ and NO₂, surged sharply due to firecracker emissions, while satellite observations revealed pronounced aerosol plumes, particularly over urban and agricultural zones. Meteorological stagnation, marked by low wind speeds, temperature inversions, and high humidity, trapped pollutants, amplifying exposure risks. Health risks escalated significantly, with 80% of cities shifting to 'severe' or 'hazardous' Health Air Quality Index (HAQI) categories. Cities like Chandigarh demonstrated rapid post-Diwali PM₂.₅ recovery in contrast to cities with persistent elevated concentrations, where unregulated biomass burning and continued firecracker use extended the pollution episode.. Transitioning to sustainable urban practices, such as regionally coordinated bans on biomass burning, promoting "green crackers", and integrating real-time pollution alerts with public health advisories, is critical. Strengthening green infrastructure, adopting renewable energy, and fostering community-led awareness campaigns can balance cultural traditions with environmental resilience. Aligning these strategies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 3 (health) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities) will ensure equitable air quality management, reduce health disparities, and build climate-resilient urban systems in the IGB. This holistic approach underscores the need for policies that prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term gains, safeguarding both public health and ecological balance in one of South Asia's most vulnerable regions.
Recruitment of underrepresented populations, including Black and Hispanic populations, for Food is Medicine (FIM) and cardiovascular trials, may pose significant challenges. We implemented a multi-component recruitment approach for the THRIVE (AdapTive personalized dietitian coacHing and messaging with pRoduce prescrIptions to improVE healthy dietary behaviors) pilot trial to engage primarily Black and Hispanic adults in a Food is Medicine for hypertension intervention. The recruitment approaches included community engagement at approximately 40 community events (cultural festivals and neighborhood gatherings); partnerships with 8 community and faith-based service hubs and food distribution sites; recruitment through safety net primary care clinics, digital outreach via the study website, and social media campaigns; and direct recruitment at places of worship. We report lessons learned from the community engagement process, recruitment efficiency, representativeness, and retention outcomes. Within 6 months, the enrollment target was exceeded by 40%, with an accrual index of 1.04. Over 1,000 individuals were reached through the direct-to-community engagement process, while faith-based partnerships engaged about 900 adults. There were 2,673 visits to the study webpage, and social media achieved 12,259 impressions with 399 clicks. About 95% of participants resided within 10 miles of the faith-based recruitment sites. Face-to-face engagement at the food distribution sites within faith-based organizations or community service hubs outperformed digital methods. Faith leader endorsements and follow-up in-person meetings (following unsuccessful email outreach) dramatically increased recruitment. Regarding retention, pre-randomization attrition was 6%, and 82% of participants completed the study. Culturally tailored, community-engaged recruitment grounded in faith-based and local community partnerships, was highly effective in engaging Black and Hispanic populations in this FIM cardiovascular trial. This provides a replicable model for implementing equitable and sustainable cardiovascular health interventions.
School time represents a significant component of overall glycaemia for children with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and glucose levels during instructional time may be important for optimising academic progress. There is, however, limited literature regarding glycaemia during school hours. This study aimed to evaluate glucose levels during school in primary school-aged children with T1D in Western Australia (WA) and to compare these with non-school days. A 12-week cross-sectional cohort study was performed comprising a WA school term and subsequent school holidays, utilising demographic, clinical and continuous glucose monitor data from the WA Children's Diabetes Database for primary school children with > 1 year of diagnosis of T1D. A total of 235 children, mean age 9.54 ± 1.67 years and duration of T1D of 4.08 ± 2.31 years met inclusion criteria. Children had higher mean ± standard deviation time in range (3.9-10.0 mmol/L) during school (58.0% ± 15.8%) than equivalent hours during school holidays (53.5% ± 18.8%, p < 0.001) and weekends (56.6% ± 17.3%, p = 0.006). Children had lower mean sensor glucose, SD sensor glucose and time above range (> 10.0 and > 13.9 mmol/L) during school compared to school holidays and weekends. Time below 3.9 mmol/L was higher during school time compared with weekdays during school holidays (p = 0.024), but lower than on school term weekends (p = 0.009), and < 4% in all periods. There was no significant difference in time below 3.0 mmol/L. Primary school-aged children in WA had modestly improved glycaemia during school compared with weekends, with more pronounced improvements compared with school holidays.
Firework festivities are widely associated with transient atmospheric pollution, yet postcombustion firecracker residues remain an overlooked source of environmental contamination. These residues, accumulated in riparian and lakeshore zones due to fire safety regulations, can continuously release pollutants into adjacent waters via leaching. However, their effects on dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic systems remain poorly understood. Here, we examined DOM responses to leaching of firecracker residues in river, lake, and ultrapure waters using optical and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analyses. Firecracker residues released DOM enriched in low-molecular-weight, sulfur-containing, and aliphatic compounds, resulting in decreased molecular weight, oxidation state, and unsaturation in natural waters. In parallel, aromatic and highly unsaturated DOM was selectively removed, indicating coupled release-adsorption processes. The extent of DOM changes induced by firecracker residues strongly depended on the initial water chemistry, with higher conductivity suppressing DOM release, whereas humic-rich waters promoted greater molecular redistribution. Our findings reveal that these solid-phase residues transform episodic festive celebrations into extended postevent perturbations in aquatic biogeochemistry. Recognizing firecracker residues not merely as physical litter, but as geochemically active drivers of DOM dynamics, is essential for managing aquatic systems affected by intensive festive activities.
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Very preterm neonates born between 23 + 0 and 31 + 6 weeks of gestational age are at particularly high risk due to complications requiring immediate intervention. Whether the differential organization of healthcare services during working hours (full staffing) versus off-hours (on-call) affects neonatal outcomes remains debated. This study aims to evaluate the effect of in-hours versus off-hours birth timing on early morbidity and mortality in very preterm neonates. This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2021. A total of 326 very preterm neonates born between 23 + 0 and 31 + 6 weeks of gestational age were included. Neonates were divided into two groups according to birth timing: Group 1 (In-hours: 08:00-17:00 on weekdays) and Group 2 (Off-hours: 17:01-07:59 on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays). Demographic data and neonatal outcomes were compared between groups, and risk factors for mortality were examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. No statistically significant difference was found between groups regarding gestational age, birth weight, or in-hospital mortality (Group 1: 25.3% vs. Group 2: 23.2%, p = 0.658). However, maternal risk factors such as gestational hypertension (p = 0.005) and placental insufficiency (p = 0.001) were significantly higher in the in-hours group. In multivariate analysis, low 5-minute Apgar scores and advanced-stage NEC (stage ≥ 3 A) were identified as independent risk factors for mortality in both groups. Advanced-stage NEC showed a high odds ratio in both cohorts, though accompanied by wide confidence intervals due to small event sizes. Birth timing (in-hours versus off-hours) had no significant effect on overall mortality or major morbidity in very preterm neonates, reflecting the continuity of care standards at our center. Advanced-stage NEC remained a critical predictor of mortality across both groups, independent of birth timing.