Search Results (1,408)

Residential radon is an invisible radioactive gas produced during the uranium-238 decay series and is an established cause of lung cancer. In Canada, recent national surveillance suggests that about one in five residential buildings may exceed the national radon guidelines, yet household testing remains uncommon. This narrative clinical review translates international and Canadian evidence into practical primary-care and hospital-to-community actions. Evidence was prioritized from carcinogen classifications, World Health Organization guidance, pooled residential case–control analyses, Canadian surveillance and guidance, and the peer-reviewed literature on mechanisms, histology, and risk communication. Radon-222 can enter buildings from soil gas; its short-lived progeny deposits in the respiratory tract and emits high-linear-energy-transfer alpha particles that can damage bronchial epithelial DNA. Because elevated levels cannot be reliably predicted from symptoms, smoking status, house age, or community maps, clinicians should use a simple workflow: ask about prior testing and lower-level occupancy; test with a long-term, approved device in the lowest occupied level; act by interpreting the result, advising mitigation, and directing patients to certified radon professionals when needed; document the exposure assessment, result, advice, referral, and retesting plan; and follow up after mitigation or major building changes. This review clarifies Canadian residential and workplace guidance, contrasts global reference-level approaches, and distinguishes radon prevention from lung cancer screening. No individual patient information or human-subject data are reported. Full article

Quantifying water and soil resource (WSR) carrying capacity is crucial for sustainable regional development. However, humid hilly regions like Hunan Province remain understudied, facing ecological vulnerability despite abundant water resources. This study constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system based on the Production–Living–Ecological Space (PLES) framework and applies an improved entropy weight technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method; a coupling coordination model among production, living, and ecological space subsystems; and an obstacle degree model to annual-scale data from 2011 to 2022 for Hunan’s 14 prefecture-level cities. The results show the following: (1) The overall WSR carrying capacity index increased from 0.28 in 2011 to 0.52 in 2022, indicating a continuous improvement in carrying capacity during the study period. Spatially, the carrying capacity is higher in central and eastern regions and lower in western and southern areas, with most cities falling into low, relatively low, or medium categories. (2) The coupling coordination degree among the three PLES subsystems improved but remained in a transitional stage (0.30–0.45), indicating unbalanced development. (3) The top five obstacle factors are water yield modulus, length of water supply pipelines, ecological water use rate, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and per capita water resources—with the ecological water use rate exceeding 19% in every year of the study period. These findings highlight the need to coordinate production, living, and ecological subsystems to improve WSR carrying capacity. Targeted strategies, including efficient water use, optimized resource allocation, and ecological protection, are recommended for sustainable water–soil resource management in Hunan Province. Full article

The timing of microbial inoculant application may influence nutrient availability, plant nutrient acquisition, and grain quality in flooded rice systems. This study investigated the effects of the application timing of a ginger-fermented microbial inoculant (GFMI) on soil and floodwater nutrient dynamics, plant performance, grain yield, and grain quality of KDML105 rice under flooded cultivation. The GFMI significantly affected soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), ammonium (NH₄⁺-N), available phosphorus (P), soil MRS-culturable presumptive lactic acid bacteria (presumptive LAB) populations, and floodwater NH₄⁺-N concentrations. Although GFMI application before plowing (GFMI-PL) maintained the highest soil presumptive LAB populations throughout the growing season, GFMI application at transplanting (GFMI-TP) produced the strongest agronomic responses. Soil NH₄⁺-N concentrations were generally greater in GFMI-treated plots than in the non-inoculated control (CT) during the active growth period, with peak concentrations reaching 98.1 mg kg⁻¹ under GFMI-TP compared with 76.0 mg kg⁻¹ in the control at 69 days after transplanting. These responses were accompanied by greater shoot N, P, and K concentrations and the highest paddy rice yield (6.40 Mg ha⁻¹), representing a 15.5% increase over the CT (5.54 Mg ha⁻¹). GFMI-TP also produced the highest crude protein (7.62%) and crude fat (0.63%) concentrations and increased the abundance of several amino acids, particularly glutamic acid (0.61 g 100 g⁻¹ protein), aspartic acid (0.29 g 100 g⁻¹ protein), and proline (0.24 g 100 g⁻¹ protein). GFMI application also influenced grain mineral composition, although responses varied among individual elements. In contrast, cooking quality characteristics were not significantly affected by treatment. Sensory evaluation indicated greater consumer preference for GFMI-treated rice, with GFMI-TP receiving the highest scores for aroma, taste/flavor, and overall acceptance. Overall, these findings demonstrate that synchronizing GFMI application with transplanting maximized the benefits of the fermented microbial inoculant, resulting in improved nutrient availability, grain yield, and grain quality in KDML105 rice under flooded cultivation. These results highlight the potential of ginger-fermented microbial inoculants as a biologically based strategy for improving nutrient management and sustainable rice production. Full article

Nitrogen is integral to all living systems, but its diverse forms are interconverted dynamically through reductions and oxidations that constitute the nitrogen cycle. Ecosystems gain combined nitrogen by bacterial and archaeal reduction in atmospheric N₂, while combined nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as nitrogenous gases through denitrification. We sought to characterize the diversity and activity of free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria or diazotrophs in natural prairie grasslands and the activity of the other steps of the nitrogen cycle through metatranscriptomics. DNA and mRNA were obtained from prairie sites that did not contain any leguminous plants to avoid symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Both 16S rRNA gene and nifH amplicon pools were sequenced to characterize the diversity of diazotrophs, and the expression levels of N-cycle genes were quantified by RNAseq. Nitrogen fixation without and with added carbohydrates was quantified by measuring the incorporation of ¹⁵N₂. The soil samples contained a diversity of diazotrophs, as reflected both by 16S rRNA gene and nifH gene sequences. Carbohydrate amendment of soil samples led to substantial ¹⁵N₂ incorporation, showing that members of the resident microbiota were able to fix nitrogen. However, we did not detect ¹⁵N₂ incorporation in unamended soil samples, pointing to a lack of in situ fixation. The very low levels of nitrogenase gene transcripts supported this finding. In contrast, transcripts for nitrification and denitrification genes were expressed, pointing to a gap in the nitrogen cycle. The prevalence of diazotrophs with undetectable nitrogen fixing activity suggested the absence of available carbohydrates to provide the energy needed. The apparent imbalance in the nitrogen cycle would not be sustainable, so other possible mechanisms of acquiring combined nitrogen should be explored. Full article

Soil health practices are increasingly promoted through sustainable agricultural programs to improve environmental outcomes, yet little is known about how these practices impact the occupational health of farmers and ranchers who implement them. This qualitative study examined perceived occupational benefits and hazards of soil health practices among Colorado farmers and ranchers. Semi-structured interviews with 15 Colorado farmers and ranchers were conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 and then analyzed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: perceived physical benefits, psychosocial benefits, physical hazards, psychosocial hazards, and health and safety practices, and One Health perspectives of the impacts of soil health. Participants described reduced chemical exposure, increased physical activity, and improved mental health, creativity, connection to nature, and community as perceived benefits. Perceived physical hazards included heat stress, respiratory exposure to mold from organic mulching materials, and musculoskeletal strain. Perceived psychosocial hazards included social isolation, financial uncertainty, and a sense of insufficient collective action. Health and safety practices used were largely informal, and personal protective equipment use was limited. Participants described their health as intertwined with the health of the land and living systems around them, reflecting a One Health orientation. Findings suggest that soil health practices may alter occupational health risk in ways that warrant further investigation and tailored safety guidance and programmatic support. Full article

Rice intensification influences soil biodiversity and ecological functioning in paddy ecosystems; however, its effects on soil nematode communities across different rice production systems remain poorly understood in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (MD). This study evaluated the effects of rice cropping practices in the MD on nematode community composition, trophic structure, functional guilds, diversity, plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN), and soil chemical properties. A total of 91 soil samples were collected from double-rice intensive (RR), triple-rice intensive (RRR), and rice–upland–rice rotational (RUR) systems. Thirty nematode genera were identified, with a total abundance showing high variability, but no significant differences among cropping systems. Community composition differed considerably among systems, with Chronogaster dominating across all systems, particularly under RRR, whereas RUR supported more dominant genera with higher abundances of Tyleptus, Mesodorylaimus, Cephalobus, and Calolaimus. RUR exhibited significantly greater genus richness, and higher abundances of fungivores, omnivores, and higher colonizer–persister groups (cp4–cp5), indicating greater soil food-web complexity and ecological stability. In contrast, RRR was characterized by bacterivore-dominated communities, and increased abundance of cp3 nematodes, suggesting simplified community structures associated with agricultural intensification. Plant-parasitic nematodes remained relatively stable across management systems, despite taxon-specific responses. Soil pH, organic matter, and nitrogen availability were strongly associated with nematode community variation. Therefore, crop diversification through rotational practices enhanced belowground biodiversity, and promoted more sustainable soil ecological functioning in intensive rice production systems. Full article

Estimation of forest biomass and surface fuels is essential for wildfire risk assessment, carbon accounting, and ecosystem management in semi-arid forests. This study evaluated Sentinel-2 spectral indices and Gamma generalized linear models (GLMs) for estimating aboveground live biomass, forest floor biomass, and downed woody debris in oak–pine forests of Northern Mexico. Spectral predictors were grouped according to chlorophyll activity, vegetation vigor, physiological condition, and soil/background correction effects. Measurements of live biomass, forest floor biomass, and downed woody debris were linked to Sentinel-2 spectral information. Aboveground live biomass was most strongly associated with the chlorophyll-related index CIre8A (p < 0.0001), whereas both forest floor biomass and downed woody debris showed stronger relationships with indices associated with red–NIR reflectance gradients, vegetation senescence, and soil/background correction effects, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Alpha-weighted Red–NIR Vegetation Index (PVIα), the Normalized Pigment Chlorophyll Index (NPCI), and the Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (ARVI) (p < 0.05). Single-index Gamma GLMs showed significant predictive relationships (p < 0.05), supporting the use of individual Sentinel-2 indices as practical predictors of biomass and surface fuels. In contrast, multivariate models combining several spectral indices were affected by collinearity and parameter instability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) integrated four representative indices into a single orthogonal predictor. The first principal component (Prin1) explained 90.30%–95.25% of total spectral variance, eliminated collinearity effects (VIF = 1), and produced highly significant Gamma GLMs across all biomass components (p ≤ 0.0009). PCA-based models also yielded lower AIC and BIC values, providing the most parsimonious framework when multiple spectral predictors were combined. These results indicate that individual spectral indices offer practical alternatives for biomass estimation, whereas PCA provides a robust approach for integrating complementary spectral information while maintaining model stability. Full article

The article presents the results of long-term research on plant introduction and the establishment of plant collections at the E. Gareev Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic. The aim of the research was to preserve, expand, and comprehensively investigate the living plant collection of the E. Gareev Botanical Garden. Phenological, ontogenetic, and biological characteristics were examined, along with plant adaptation to the soil and climatic conditions of the Chui Valley. The living collection comprises 495 woody and shrub taxa (48 families, 121 genera), including 80 coniferous and 415 deciduous species. Notably, 63 native Kyrgyz taxa were identified, comprising 5 coniferous and 58 deciduous tree species, with 30 subendemics and 2 endemics. The herbaceous collection includes 57 native Kyrgyzstan species, of which 5 are endemic, 37 are subendemic, and 14 are listed in the Red Book of the Kyrgyz Republic. Additionally, 117 medicinal species and varieties were documented, with 48 species (41 genera, 15 families) representing the native flora. Species from the low-mountain valleys, foothills, and lower mountain belts exhibited the highest adaptation success, whereas high-mountain species showed comparatively lower establishment rates. These findings provide a scientific basis for optimizing ex situ conservation strategies and expanding the botanical garden’s collection through targeted introduction programs. Full article

Soil health refers to the combined physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils that allow them to function as a living system that sustains life. While numerous reviews summarize several methods to measure soil health, this review critically evaluates how the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) performs across diverse ecosystems, including croplands, agroforestry, coastal mangrove, and rangelands. We explore the evolutionary shift from single indicators to integrated assessment frameworks, tracing how targeted management practices, such as conservation tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping, organic amendments, and water management, alter physical, chemical, and biological indicator performance. The SMAF framework and scoring system are outlined using examples from around the world. This synthesis concludes that while SMAF provides an exceptionally rigorous, non-linear platform for quantitative Soil Quality Index (SQI), its practical execution remains deeply constrained by data-intensive requirements, selection of appropriate indicators, and adaptation to local contexts. To close this gap, we outline critical future directions, integrating the framework with AI and machine learning, real-time Internet of Things (IoT) field sensors, and dynamic digital twins. Ultimately, this work aims to shift soil monitoring from descriptive reporting to predictive, automated intelligence to provide the exact data needed for sustainable land management decisions. Full article

Forest aboveground live biomass carbon storage (hereafter referred to as “forest carbon storage”) is an important indicator of forest vegetation carbon sequestration, and its spatial patterns and associated factors are highly heterogeneous. Identifying these variations can improve the understanding of carbon accumulation in complex mountain forests and support fine-scale carbon assessment in similar ecosystems. The results showed the following. (1) The total forest carbon storage in the study area was 3.75 × 10⁶ t C, with a carbon density of 44.83 t C·hm⁻². Pinus massoniana and hard broad-leaved tree species were the main contributors, and carbon storage peaked at the mature forest stage. (2) Carbon storage exhibited significant spatial clustering (Moran’s I = 0.312), with high-value areas concentrated within the national nature reserve and low-value areas distributed in regions with frequent human activities. (3) The GWR model outperformed the ordinary least squares model, with R² increasing to 0.88 and residual spatial autocorrelation reduced by 42.22%. (4) The positive effect of stand volume increased from northeast to southwest, the effect of stand age differed between eastern and western areas, and shrub layer height, soil depth, and slope exhibited region-specific positive and negative effects, with significant interactions among factors. Full article

Selenium is a trace element of vital importance for ecosystem functioning and human health mainly due to its antioxidant and protective properties. Since both selenium deficiency and excess can have harmful effects on living organisms, monitoring its distribution in biological systems and the environment is of significant scientific and public health interest. This study systematically assessed selenium concentrations in biological (urine, serum, and hair) and environmental (soil and dandelion) samples in eastern Croatia. Selenium concentrations were determined using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method. In biological samples, median selenium concentrations were from 15.02 to 37.15 μg·L⁻¹ in urine, from 80.76 to 114.05 μg·L⁻¹ in serum, and from 0.21 to 0.46 µg·g⁻¹ in hair. In environmental samples, median selenium concentrations varied depending on location, ranging from 0.32 to 0.51 mg·kg⁻¹ in soil and from 6.55 to 84.41 µg·kg⁻¹ in dandelion. PCA was applied to identify overall patterns and groupings among biological and environmental samples, showing that dandelion samples from urban locations exhibited the highest selenium concentrations, indicating the influences of urban environmental conditions on selenium accumulation. Full article

Acute diarrheal disease (ADD) caused by parasites and Tuberculosis (TB) remain major public health concerns in vulnerable indigenous communities with limited access to sanitation, safe water, and healthcare, and where humans, animals and the environment interact closely. Using a One Health framework, this study investigated TB and Intestinal parasites in human, animal and environmental samples from 15 Wayuu indigenous communities in Manaure, La Guajira. A total of 190 samples, including human sputum and feces, animal milk and feces, soil and drinking water, were analyzed according to sample type, preservation suitability, and availability using parasitological concentration techniques, qPCR for helminth detection, metatranscriptomic sequencing, Xpert ^® MTB/RIF assay, and mycobacterial culture. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in 8.3% of human sputum samples, with no evidence of rifampicin resistance, whereas Mycobacterium bovis was not detected in animal milk. Human fecal samples analyzed by microscopy showed Blastocystis sp. and the Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar complex (38.8% each), followed by Giardia (19.4%), Hymenolepis nana and Trichuris trichiura (5.1% each) and Hymenolepis diminuta (1%). Commensal parasites were also identified, with Entamoeba coli (46.9%) being the most frequent species, indicating inadequate sanitary conditions and poor hygiene practices. Co-infections were common in humans (60.2%). In animal fecal samples, strongylids (66.7%), amoebas (16.7%) and Giardia (8.3%) were observed. Giardia sp. was detected in 2.38% of soil samples by microscopy, supporting environmental circulation, whereas no parasites were detected in water sediments. Multiplex qPCR detected Trichuris trichiura DNA in human feces and Trichuris spp. DNA in soil and sheep fecal samples. Metatranscriptomic analysis of 22 human fecal samples revealed a high diversity and frequency of parasitic protozoa (90.9%), with Blastocystis spp. being the most frequent (81.8%). Additionally, reads of free-living amoebae, including Acanthamoeba spp. (10%) and Naegleria spp. (5%) were detected in community drinking water sources. These findings suggest active transmission of TB and parasitic-associated ADD in Wayuu communities and highlight the need for integrated surveillance and culturally appropriate interventions focused on sanitation, hygiene, veterinary services and community health education to improve the living and health conditions of these vulnerable populations. Full article

Zoonotic diseases represent an increasing public health concern worldwide, particularly in endemic regions of northwestern Mexico. This study aimed to evaluate household-level environmental and behavioral risk factors associated with Ehrlichia spp. infection in dogs living in areas with documented human rickettsiosis cases in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 105 canine blood samples collected from urban and rural areas, with previous human rickettsiosis cases reported between 2021 and 2023. Microscopic examination and PCR amplification targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia spp. were performed. Morphological detection revealed a prevalence of 33.33%, while molecular analysis showed a prevalence of 43.83%. Risk factors significantly associated with infection included household waste, soil-type environments, free-roaming behavior identified through epidemiological analysis, and limited knowledge of tick-borne diseases among dog owners. These findings provide evidence of Ehrlichia spp. infection in dogs from areas with documented human rickettsiosis cases and highlight the value of dogs as indicators of household-level exposure to tick-borne pathogens in endemic communities. Full article

To address the limitations of traditional cast-in-place foundations, such as long construction cycles, high material consumption, and extensive on-site wet operations, this study develops a prestressed modular box-type foundation suitable for heavy load-bearing structures. A refined three-dimensional finite element model was established using Midas FEA NX 2025 software to systematically investigate the mechanical response of the structure under self-weight, concentrated live loads, pavement loads, and prestressing forces. The model comprehensively accounts for material nonlinearity, prestress effects, and foundation–soil contact nonlinearity. The results demonstrate a uniform stress distribution within the proposed foundation. Under combined load cases, the maximum tensile stress of the concrete is 0.97 MPa, which is significantly lower than the design tensile strength of C35 concrete. The application of prestressing forces effectively inhibits the initiation and propagation of cracks, with only negligible localized micro-cracks observed on the top surface of the foundation. Furthermore, the maximum vertical displacement is 1.17 mm, corresponding to a deflection ratio of 1/1709.4. These values are well within standard limit requirements, demonstrating adequate structural stiffness under the simulated conditions. This study provides a crucial numerical analysis basis and engineering design reference for the broader application of modular prestressed foundations in civil engineering and prefabricated industrial structures. Full article

Heavy metal-contaminated post-mining soils remain persistent sources of ecological degradation and contaminant dispersion. This study provides a quantitative field-based assessment of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) cultivated on heavy metal-affected mining soil from the Jiu Valley, Romania, within a Living Lab platform. Soil properties, pseudo-total metal concentrations, multi-year biomass production, growth indicators, vegetation cover and aboveground plant metal concentrations were evaluated. The soils showed slightly acidic to near-neutral pH, low organic matter and multi-metal contamination, with Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb ranging from 82 to 146, 51 to 92, 41 to 79, 156 to 287 and 64 to 121 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Total fresh biomass increased from 85 kg in the first cultivation year to 487 kg in the third cultivation year, with sorghum showing the highest final production (230 kg) and vegetation cover (55–86%). Aboveground Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb concentrations measured at species-specific levels of 6.21–8.06, 8.77–10.64, 7.48–12.92, 38.01–47.11 and 4.32–6.46 mg kg⁻¹ dry weight, respectively. Sorghum showed the highest preliminary phytomanagement suitability, mainly through stronger vegetation cover formation, higher fresh biomass production and lower visible stress under the investigated field conditions. Maize showed intermediate feasibility, whereas soybean appeared more sensitive to the degraded substrate. Biomass reuse should be considered only under controlled non-food pathways, such as pyrolysis or anaerobic digestion, and should only be considered after a dedicated assessment of dry biomass, conversion residues and metal fate. Full article