Search Results (267)

Sustainable development is crucial worldwide. Under the Paris Agreement, countries commit to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) assessed every five years. China, a major contributor to global warming, has made significant efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, a key strategy for sustainable development. However, there is a lack of adequate attention to embodied emission reduction in rural residential construction, despite a surge in building to improve living standards. This paper evaluated the feasibility of applying a multi-ribbed composite wall structure (MRCWS) in rural China through a village service project. A full-scale shaking table test was conducted to study its seismic performance. Carbon emissions were analyzed using process-based life cycle assessment (P-LCA) and the emission-factor approach (EFA), while costs were estimated using life cycle costing (LCC) and the direct cost method (DCM). These analyses focused on sub-projects and specific structural members to validate the superiority of this prefabricated structure over common brick masonry. MRCWS blocks were prefabricated by mixing wheat straw with aerocrete, utilizing agricultural by-products from local farmlands, thus reducing both construction-related carbon emissions and agricultural waste treatment costs. Results show that this novel precast masonry structure exhibits strong seismic resistance, complying with fortification limitations. Its application can reduce embodied carbon emissions and costs by approximately 6% and 10%, respectively, during materialization phases compared to common brick masonry. This new prefabricated building product has significant potential for reducing carbon emissions and costs in rural housing construction while meeting seismic requirements. The recycling of agricultural waste highlights its adaptability, especially in rural areas. Full article

The widespread use of antibiotics has led to the persistence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in drinking water systems, posing potential public health risks at the point of use. In this study, a residential secondary water supply system (SWSS) in eastern China was investigated over one year to characterize microbial communities, ARB and ARG occurrence, and their associations with water quality in bulk water and biofilms. Culture-based methods, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR, and high-throughput 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing were applied. Although conventional treatment removed 94.8% of total bacteria, significant microbial regrowth occurred during secondary distribution, with the highest heterotrophic plate counts observed in rooftop storage tanks (up to 4718 CFU/mL). ARG concentrations increased along the distribution line, and the class 1 integron intI1 was enriched in downstream locations, indicating enhanced horizontal gene transfer potential. Sulfonamide resistance genes dominated the resistome, accounting for more than 60% of total ARG abundance in water samples. Seasonally, ARG levels were higher in autumn and winter, coinciding with elevated disinfectant residuals and lower temperatures. Chlorine was negatively associated with total bacterial abundance, while positive correlations were observed with the relative abundance of several ARGs when normalized to bacterial biomass, suggesting selective pressure under oxidative stress. Turbidity and bacterial abundance were positively correlated with ARB, particularly sulfonamide-resistant bacteria. Biofilms exhibited more stable microbial communities and provided microhabitats that facilitated microbial persistence. Notably, fungal abundance showed strong positive correlations with multiple ARGs, implying that microbial interactions may indirectly contribute to ARG persistence in SWSSs. These findings highlight the role of secondary distribution conditions, disinfectant pressure, and microbial interactions in shaping resistance risks in residential water supply systems, and provide insights for improving microbial risk management at the point of consumption. Full article

Rising quantities of a broad spectrum of contaminants due to high industrial and residential wastewater effluent loads have further raised the stakes with respect to environmental and health concerns. These demands, coupled with limitations in existing wastewater treatment solutions, have culminated in innovative supplementary solutions in the form of alternative wastewater treatments that, in general, encompass physical, chemical, or biological methods. By quantifying the resource consumption, pollution emissions, and ecological effects across the life-cycle in wastewater treatments, Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) has proven valuable as a fundamental methodology for assessing and quantifying environment-related sustainability in wastewater treatments. Although valuable in its current applications, LCA is limited in its assessment of the relevant data related to the impacts of construction activities, novel contaminants emerging in wastewater treatment plants, and sludge disposal options. By considering pollutant type, wastewater treatment options, and important LCA methodological considerations, all encompassed within a structured framework including synthesis tables and comparative figures, our hope is that this study will prove valuable to rigorous decision-making processes based on related notions underpinning sustainability concerns in this domain. Full article

Lignocellulosic biomass wastes are renewable carbon resources that can be available for conversion into biofuels. There is a growing interest in utilizing a broader range of alternative biomass feedstocks such as agri-crop residues aside from the traditional forest-origin wood residues for fuel pellet production. However, crop residues typically have low and inconsistent fuel quality. This paper investigated the effectiveness of the combined steam explosion and water leaching pretreatment techniques to upgrade the fuel properties of wheat straw. The experimental treatments involved auto-catalyzed steam explosion and acid-catalyzed steam with and without subsequent water leaching. Using steam explosion catalyzed by dilute H₂SO₄ at a low concentration of 0.5 wt%, results showed the highest ash, Si, and Ca removal efficiencies of 82.2%, 91.1%, and 74.3%, respectively. Moreover, there was significant improvement in fuel quality in terms of fuel ratio (0.34) and calorific value HHV (21.9 MJ/kg), as well as a pronounced increase in the comprehensive combustibility index at the devolatization stage, indicating better combustion characteristics. Overall, the results demonstrate that with adequate pretreatment, the quality of agri-pellets derived from wheat straw could potentially be on par with wood pellets that are utilized for heat and power generation and residential heating. To mitigate the dry matter loss due to steam explosion, future studies shall consider using the process effluent to produce biofuel. Full article

Aim: This study investigated the association between frailty levels as determined by the Edmonton Frail Scale and the prevalence of perception of the risk of adverse falls in the domestic and outdoor environment among those older adults who fell so hard that they required hospital treatment (H.) and those older adults who had never encountered such a problem related to falls (C.). Predisposing and triggering factors for falls can be controlled, which is of interest from a public health perspective and, therefore, studied here. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 400 pensioners over 65 years of age from Zagreb region (1.2 million inhabitants, and more than 20% are aged 65+), which involved dividing the population into two subgroups: those who had fallen so hard that they had required hospital treatment (here marked “from Hospital”, or H.) and those who had never encountered such a problem related to falls and are registered as a pensioners in the region (here marked “from Community” or C.). The Edmonton Frail Scale and an additional questionnaire were used to assess the impact of frailty on perceptions of the risk of adverse falls in specific areas of their living environment. Data were collected by nurses using a structured questionnaire face-to-face, and a Chi-square test was used to analyze the dependency, while the z + 4 test evaluated the differences in percentage of those who are aware of a fall risk in case of moderate frailty or severe frailty among these two subgroups. Results: A statistically significant dependency was found between the degree of frailty and the prevalence of the perception of fall risk at least in one of the subgroups H. or C., especially in their homes, moving around their home, climbing up and down stairs, and in the kitchen. Comparing the prevalence of perception of the risk between C. and H., the difference in recognition of risk hazard has been significant for climbing up and down stairs. Among the major problems of non-adapted buildings are slippery floors (for C.), poorly installed or no fence at all (for H.), and inadequate or poor lighting (for H.). The perception of external obstacles (sidewalks, distance from institutions, public lighting) also increases with the deterioration of the functional state. Conclusions: The results confirm the importance of individualized adaptation of residential and public spaces in accordance with the degree of frailty. It is necessary to warn older adults about the risks of falling, both those who have not yet had this experience, as well as those who have suffered the consequences that have led to hospitalization, to reduce the frequency and consequences of falls. Full article

Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD) and associated overdose deaths have reached epidemic proportions worldwide over the past two decades, with death rates for men consistently reported at twice the rate for women. We have recently reported sex-specific differences in electrocortical activity in persons with OUD in a visual object recognition task. The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system is implicated in OUD but also plays a critical role in some disorders of visual attention and a modulatory role in the processing of visual stimuli in the blue cone pathway of the retina. We hypothesized that electrocortical responses to color stimuli would be affected differentially in men and women with OUD. Methods: Using a controlled, cross-sectional, age-matched (18–56 years) design, we evaluated color processing in male and female subjects recruited from a community-based, high-intensity residential substance abuse and detoxification treatment program. We evaluated electroencephalogram (EEG) event-related potentials (ERPs) and reaction time (RT), in male and female participants with OUD (n = 38) vs. sex- and age-matched non-OUD control participants (n = 37) in a simple color recognition Go/No-Go task, as well as perceptual and behavioral responses in physiological and neuropsychological tests. Results: N200, P300, and late potential (LP) Relevant stimulus-induced ERPs were evoked by the task and were well-differentiated from Irrelevant distractor stimuli. P300 amplitudes were significantly greater and N200 and LP latencies were significantly shorter in male vs. female non-OUD controls in this task. There were significant sex differences in N200, P300, and LP amplitudes and latencies between male vs. female non-OUD subjects and OUD differences with blue color as the Relevant stimulus. In the Binocular Rivalry Test, there were shorter dwell times for perceiving a blue stimulus in male OUD subjects and there were significant sex and OUD differences in neuropsychological tests including Finger Tapping, Trails A/B, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there are significant sex-related physiological, perceptual, and cognitive differences in color processing that may result from deficits in DA production in the retina that mirror deficits in mesolimbic DA transmission correlating with OUD, suggesting that blue color processing has the potential to be an effective biomarker for brain DA and for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy in substance use disorders. Full article

Drinking water contamination during the treatment process remains a major problem for decision-makers responsible for the collection and supply of water to recipients. This article presents measurements of 33 parameters of drinking water quality in the years 2009–2023, taken from the Dobromierz reservoir in Poland, with particular emphasis on the stages of raw water, water undergoing treatment, and utility water. The results showed that the raw water tested is contaminated microbiologically (presence of coliform bacteria), organoleptically (worse turbidity, odor, color), and chemically (increased PAHs, nitrites, benzo(α)pyrene). This indicates improper maintenance of the areas around the reservoir, i.e., agricultural areas (the existing nutrient runoff), residential areas (the lack of stringent records of cesspools and septic tanks), and roadside (improper maintenance of ditch slopes). In most cases, water at the treatment stage and at the end recipients was effectively purified (in most cases, the analyzed parameters achieved a degree of compliance with drinking water standards of at least 95%). Only for the turbidity in the network, the standards did not reach the adopted minimum level. This suggests the need to conduct systematic investment activities in order to reduce failures in the network (average system failure rate of 34%). Moreover, the statistical analysis of the results showed significant changes in the parameters between raw water and water in the water supply network and at end recipients (p < 0.05). Therefore, it is necessary to focus on protecting the quality of raw water resources for more effective treatment and ensuring human health safety. Full article

This paper presents a review of current trends and challenges in greywater use in buildings, with particular emphasis on toilet = flushing applications. It discusses the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of greywater, including its generation sources, share in total domestic wastewater volume (50–89%), and flow variability depending on residents, building type, and user habits. Implementation of greywater recycling technologies faces several challenges, such as parameter variability, stringent sanitary and epidemiological standards, and the presence of micropollutants, including pharmaceuticals. Technological barriers include the integration of multi-stage treatment systems (physical, biological, and chemical) and ensuring effective disinfection for indoor use. The paper also highlights the lack of uniform international regulations and the significant variation in recovered water quality requirements. Key physicochemical and microbiological indicators that determine treatment system requirements are presented, with particular emphasis on the removal of organic pollutants and indicator bacteria. Various physical, chemical, and biological treatment technologies are described, with hybrid systems offering high efficiency and user safety. The implementation of greywater recycling systems encounters technical, regulatory, and social barriers. Social acceptance and transparent monitoring are identified as key challenges for widespread adoption. This critical literature review summarises current knowledge on effective greywater management in buildings, representing an increasingly important issue for sustainable water resource management. Full article

Background: Elderly individuals living in Romanian long-term care facilities encounter substantial challenges in accessing oral healthcare, despite the high prevalence of dental disease and prosthetic needs. This study aimed to evaluate the oral health status, treatment needs, and access barriers among elderly residents in a long-term care facility in Timișoara, Romania, while also analyzing the current legislative framework and public funding mechanisms for geriatric dental care. Methods: A cross-sectional clinical and interview-based study was conducted among 70 residents aged 65–89 years from a residential center. Data collection included intraoral examinations, caregiver-assisted surveys, and individual interviews. Outcomes included oral health status (edentulism, caries, prosthetic use), service utilization, perceived barriers, and quality of life impact. The results were compared to existing literature and analyzed within the framework of Romanian and European healthcare legislation. Results: Total edentulism was found in 66.6% of participants, with only 28% having functional dentures. Caries and periodontal disease were prevalent, and 84% of residents lacked financial resources for dental care. Only 17% had accessed any dental services in the past year. Structural limitations, including the absence of mobile dental services and the lack of institutional protocols, further restricted access. Romanian Law no. 17/2000 guarantees healthcare in residential settings, but oral health is not explicitly included. Conclusions: The study highlights a critical gap in the provision of oral healthcare to institutionalized elderly in Romania. Neglect compromises nutrition, autonomy, and psychosocial well-being, underscoring the urgent need for legislative clarity, dedicated funding, mobile dental services, and integration into geriatric care. Full article

The soil of abandoned rural residential land is often deficient in organic matter and low in nutrient content, which limits agricultural productivity. Organic carbon input (OCI) is recognized as an effective strategy to enhance soil quality, yet it remains unclear which active carbon and nitrogen fractions drive yield enhancement and how their cycles are coupled. A three-year field experiment included five treatments: an unfertilized control (CK) and four OCI levels applied at an equal total N rate of 270 kg N ha⁻¹: 0.51 t ha⁻¹ (T1), 0.77 t ha⁻¹ (T2), 1.02 t ha⁻¹ (T3), and 2.56 t ha⁻¹ (T4). Compared with CK, T1–T4 treatments significantly increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 56.04–137.25%, readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC) by 56.46–85.29%, particulate organic carbon (POC) by 35.26–50.17%, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 33.87–49.90%, acid-hydrolyzable ammonium nitrogen (AN) by 21.54–30.66%, acid-hydrolyzable amino sugar nitrogen (ASN) by 11.05–24.21%, acid-hydrolyzable amino acid nitrogen (AAN) by 23.56–31.92%, and rice yield by 44.50–69.56%. Overall, among T1–T4 treatments, T2 and T3 treatments performed best in improving soil fertility and rice yield in the current study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that ROC significantly influenced total hydrolyzable nitrogen (THN), which in turn was the main direct determinant of rice yield. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that a medium OCI rate (0.77–1.02 t ha⁻¹ in the current study) at 270 kg N ha⁻¹ delivers the most balanced improvement in soil C-N cycling and yield formation, providing a sound theoretical and practical basis for optimizing organic fertilization strategies in abandoned rural residential land soil. Full article

Background/Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health threat, requiring comprehensive investigations into the occurrence, distribution, and diversity of antibiotics across environmental systems. This study aimed to examine the distribution and prevalence of commonly used antibiotics in various wastewater sources across the United Arab Emirates (UAE), providing insights into potential environmental reservoirs contributing to antimicrobial resistance dissemination. Methods: Wastewater samples were collected from the outlets of three hospitals, three residential communities, and the influent and return activated sludge of two wastewater treatment plants. Samples were prepared using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed via liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to quantify antibiotic concentrations and compare their distribution among sources. Results: Significant variations were observed in antibiotic concentrations across the different wastewater sources. Ciprofloxacin concentrations were highest in hospital wastewater, reaching up to 247.9 ng/mL, while cefuroxime and vancomycin ranged between 0.2 and 10.9 ng/mL across samples. Clindamycin was notably prevalent in wastewater treatment plant samples (up to 10.9 ng/mL), whereas vancomycin and cefuroxime were dominant in residential community samples, reflecting diverse antibiotic usage patterns and persistence in treatment systems. Conclusions: The findings reveal substantial antibiotic contamination in United Arab Emirates wastewater systems, underscoring the need for ongoing surveillance and regulatory measures. Continuous monitoring, coupled with effective wastewater treatment and antibiotic stewardship strategies, is critical to mitigating the environmental spread of antimicrobial resistance and safeguarding public and environmental health. Full article

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) such as Escherichia coli and Enterococcus released into surface waters have strong potential to impact human health. We assessed the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in undisinfected wastewater effluent in a tropical estuary that receives the discharge from a major wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Costa Rica. Methods: We quantified culturable ampicillin-resistant (ampR) and (MDR) E. coli and Enterococcus in wastewater influent from hospital and residential sources, effluent, and estuarine receiving waters of the secondary-treated effluent of a WWTP. AmpR isolates confirmed to species or genus were tested for resistance against six additional antibiotic classes. Results: The proportion of ampR E. coli (18%) was significantly greater than that of ampR enterococci (4%) but neither differed among sites. AmpR E. coli concentrations were significantly different by site (estuary, 3.9 log₁₀ CFU/100 mL vs. untreated residential wastewater, 6.4 log₁₀ CFU/100 mL), but ampR enterococci concentrations were consistent among sites. MDR E. coli and Enterococcus were most prevalent in hospital wastewater (57% and 45% of ampR isolates, respectively), but were found at all sites. MDR E. coli and Enterococcus isolates resistant to five antibiotics were isolated from the estuary, and gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus were isolated only from effluent. Conclusions: Undisinfected effluent is a source of ARB and MDR opportunistic pathogens in the tropical estuary and has the potential to impact the health of beachgoers. Our findings highlight the importance of rigorous treatment of wastewater effluent, including disinfection, as a contribution to efforts to achieve effective stewardship of antibiotics. Full article

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical determinant of health, comfort, and productivity, and is strongly connected to building energy demand due to the role of ventilation and air treatment in HVAC systems. This review examines recent applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for IAQ prediction across residential, educational, commercial, and public environments. Approaches are categorized by predicted parameters, forecasting horizons, facility types, and model architectures. Particular focus is given to pollutants such as CO₂, PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, and formaldehyde. Deep learning methods, especially the LSTM and GRU networks, achieve superior accuracy in short-term forecasting, while hybrid models integrating physical simulations or optimization algorithms enhance robustness and generalizability. Importantly, predictive IAQ frameworks are increasingly applied to support demand-controlled ventilation, adaptive HVAC strategies, and retrofit planning, contributing directly to reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions without compromising indoor environmental quality. Remaining challenges include data heterogeneity, sensor reliability, and limited interpretability of deep models. This review highlights the need for scalable, explainable, and energy-aware IAQ prediction systems that align health-oriented indoor management with energy efficiency and sustainability goals. Such approaches directly contribute to policy priorities, including the EU Green Deal and Fit for 55 package, advancing both occupant well-being and low-carbon smart building operation. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate short-term clinical outcomes in COVID-19 pneumonia patients using parameters derived from a commercial deep learning-based automatic detection algorithm (DLAD) applied to serial chest radiographs (CXRs). We analyzed 391 patients with COVID-19 who underwent serial CXRs during isolation at a residential treatment center (median interval: 3.57 days; range: 1.73–5.56 days). Patients were categorized into two groups: the improved group (n = 309), who completed the standard 7-day quarantine, and the deteriorated group (n = 82), who showed worsening symptoms, vital signs, or CXR findings. Using DLAD’s consolidation probability scores and gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM)-based localization maps, we quantified the consolidation area through heatmap segmentation. The weighted area was calculated as the sum of the consolidation regions’ areas, with each area weighted by its corresponding probability score. Change rates (Δ) were defined as per-day differences between consecutive measurements. Prediction models were developed using Cox proportional hazards regression and evaluated daily from day 1 to day 7 after the subsequent CXR acquisition. Among the imaging factors, baseline probability and ΔProbability, ΔArea, and ΔWeighted area were identified as prognostic indicators. The multivariate Cox model incorporating baseline probability and ΔWeighted area demonstrated optimal performance (C-index: 0.75, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.68–0.81; integrated calibration index: 0.03), with time-dependent AUROC (Area Under Receiver Operating Curve) values ranging from 0.74 to 0.78 across daily predictions. These findings suggest that the Δparameters of DLAD can aid in predicting short-term clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Full article

Against the backdrop of the global sustainable development agenda and deepening reforms of China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the restrictive effect of policy burdens on the long-term development capacity of SOEs has become increasingly prominent. How to break this constraint through policy reforms has become critical. This study takes China’s policy on the transfer of heating, power, water supply, and estate in the residential quarters of SOE employees (HPWET) as a quasi-natural experiment. Employing data from 2012 to 2024 on Chinese A-share SOEs listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, combined with the staggered difference-in-differences method, to explore the impact of removing policy burdens (RPB) on the ESG performance of SOEs and the underlying mechanisms. Results show that RPB significantly improves SOEs’ ESG performance, with an average increase of 14.2% in the ESG performance of SOEs in the treatment group. This effect is more pronounced in large SOEs, those in regions with higher levels of technology marketization, and SOEs in light-pollution industries. Mechanism tests indicate that the improvement of the green innovation level, the reduction in political connections, and the optimization of the corporate governance environment are the core paths of action. This study further broadens the research perspective on SOE policy burdens, enriches the understanding of macro-policy drivers of the ESG performance, and provides new empirical evidence for emerging economies to break through the bottleneck of ESG development in SOEs through institutional reforms. Full article