Search Results (233)

Food safety concerns related to pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables have increased globally, particularly in regions where monitoring programs are scarce or inconsistent. This study provides the first multi-year evaluation of pesticide contamination and associated dietary risks in Cape Verde, an African island nation increasingly reliant on imported produce. A total of 570 samples of fruits and vegetables—both locally produced and imported—were collected from major markets across the country between 2017 and 2020 and analyzed using validated multiresidue methods based on gas chromatography coupled to Ion Trap mass spectrometry (GC-IT-MS/MS), and both gas and liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS/MS and LC-QqQ-MS/MS). Residues were detected in 63.9% of fruits and 13.2% of vegetables, with imported fruits showing the highest contamination levels and diversity of compounds. Although only one sample exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs) set by the European Union, 80 different active substances were quantified—many of them not authorized under the current EU pesticide residue legislation. Dietary exposure was estimated using median residue levels and real consumption data from the national nutrition survey (ENCAVE 2019), enabling a refined risk assessment based on actual consumption patterns. The cumulative hazard index for the adult population was 0.416, below the toxicological threshold of concern. However, when adjusted for children aged 6–11 years—taking into account body weight and relative consumption—the cumulative index approached 1.0, suggesting a potential health risk for this vulnerable group. A limited number of compounds, including omethoate, oxamyl, imazalil, and dithiocarbamates, accounted for most of the risk. Many are banned or heavily restricted in the EU, highlighting regulatory asymmetries in global food trade. These findings underscore the urgent need for strengthened residue monitoring in Cape Verde, particularly for imported products, and support the adoption of risk-based food safety policies that consider population-specific vulnerabilities and mixture effects. The methodological framework used here can serve as a model for other low-resource countries seeking to integrate analytical data with dietary exposure in a One Health context. Full article

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan is a barrier to optimal vaccine uptake and has been situated within a context of hesitancy towards other vaccines. A mixed-methods study was conducted during the initial COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in 2021 in four union councils in Peshawar, consisting of a cross-sectional survey, eight focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members and eight in-depth interviews with healthcare workers (HCWs) to assess perceptions toward vaccines. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Of 400 survey participants, 57.3% were vaccine acceptant and 42.8% vaccine hesitant. Just over half (56.8%) perceived COVID-19 vaccines to be safe. Most (88%) reported trust in HCWs to provide accurate vaccine information. FGDs revealed that women received less information about the vaccine compared to men and cultural restrictions were barriers even for those willing to be vaccinated. Correlates of vaccine acceptance included male sex (aOR 2.25; 95% CI 1.29–3.91), age 50 years or greater (aOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.19–6.31), social network support (e.g., vaccine acceptance among an individual’s social network) in receiving COVID-19 vaccines (aOR 2.38; 95% CI 1.45–3.89), community concern about COVID-19 spread (aOR 2.84; 95% CI 1.73–4.66), and trust in HCWs to provide vaccine information (aOR 3.47; 95% CI 1.62–7.42). Future vaccine promotion should prioritize engaging community leaders, sharing transparent information, combatting misinformation and rumors, and implementing household-based interventions especially targeting the importance of vaccination among women and young people to increase uptake. Full article

Against the backdrop of ecological civilization construction and regional coordinated development strategies, functional zone (MFOZ) planning guides national spatial development through differentiated policies. However, a prominent conflict exists between the ecological protection responsibilities and regional development rights in restricted and prohibited development zones, leading to a vicious cycle of “ecological protection → restricted development → poverty exacerbation”. This paper focuses on the synergistic mechanisms between ecological compensation and targeted poverty alleviation. Based on the capability approach and sustainable development goals (SDGs), it analyzes the dialectical relationship between the two in terms of goal coupling, institutional design, and practical pathways. The study finds that ecological compensation can break the “ecological poverty trap” through the internalization of externalities and the enhancement of livelihood capabilities. Nevertheless, challenges remain, including low compensation standards, unbalanced benefit distribution, and insufficient legalization. Through case studies of the compensation reform in the water source area of Southern Shaanxi, China, and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union, this paper proposes the construction of a long-term mechanism integrating differentiated compensation standards, market-based fund integration, legal guarantees, and capability enhancement. The research emphasizes the need for institutional innovation to balance ecological protection and livelihood improvement, promoting a transition from “blood transfusion” compensation to “hematopoietic” development, thereby offering a Chinese solution for global sustainable development. Full article

Baculoviruses represent a promising group of microbial insecticides for the biological control of agricultural pests, particularly those within the order Lepidoptera. Their high host specificity and environmental safety make them ideal candidates for inclusion in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This review presents a comprehensive overview of baculovirus biology, highlighting their infection mechanisms, selectivity, and ecological compatibility. Special attention is given to advances in mass production systems—both in vivo and in vitro—and formulation technologies that improve field efficacy and environmental persistence, including UV protectants and microencapsulation. Regulatory aspects are also discussed, comparing international approval pathways and highlighting the disparity between regions with supportive policies (e.g., Latin America, Asia) and those with more restrictive frameworks (e.g., the European Union). Additionally, the current global market landscape for baculovirus-based products is examined, with emphasis on recent growth, commercialized formulations, and challenges such as host resistance and the limited spectrum of action. By synthesizing findings from the scientific literature and industry reports, this review underscores the role of baculoviruses as effective, sustainable alternatives or complements to chemical insecticides in modern agriculture, contributing to the reduction in pesticide residues and environmental impact. Full article

Tree-width and path-width are well-known graph parameters. Many NP-hard graph problems admit polynomial-time solutions when restricted to graphs of bounded tree-width or bounded path-width. In this work, we study the behavior of tree-width and path-width under various unary and binary graph transformations. For considered transformations, we provide upper and lower bounds for the tree-width and path-width of the resulting graph in terms of those of the initial graphs or argue why such bounds are impossible to specify. Among the studied unary transformations are vertex addition, vertex deletion, edge addition, edge deletion, subgraphs, vertex identification, edge contraction, edge subdivision, minors, powers of graphs, line graphs, edge complements, local complements, Seidel switching, and Seidel complementation. Among the studied binary transformations, we consider the disjoint union, join, union, substitution, graph product, 1-sum, and corona of two graphs. Full article

The article explores the capacity of zero-emission urban public transport (PT) and proposes a standardised method for calculating it across different PT corridors (bus, tram, metro and urban railway). As the European Union (EU) tightens regulations on emissions, targeting also PT, cities are increasingly shifting to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. A significant challenge was the lack of a unified methodology to calculate the capacity of zero-emission vehicles, e.g., battery-powered buses carry fewer passengers than diesel ones due to weight restrictions. The article addresses this gap by creating capacity matrices for various vehicle types based on standardised assumptions. Vehicle capacity is calculated based on seating and standing space, with standing passenger space standardised to 0.2 m²/person (E Level of Service). A detailed rolling stock analysis shows how modern designs and floor layouts impact passenger space. Matrices were developed for each mode of transport, showing the number of transported passengers per hour depending on vehicle type and service frequency. The highest capacity is achieved by metro and urban railway systems (up to 95,000+ passengers/hour/direction), while buses offer the lowest (up to 7800 passengers/hour/direction). The authors recommend standardising calculation methods and integrating matrices into planning tools for urban PT corridors. Full article

This paper presents a unique multi-Q valued bipolar picture fuzzy set (MQVBPFS) methodology to tackle issues in cybersecurity risk assessment under conditions of ambiguity and contradicting data. The MQVBPFS framework enhances classical fuzzy theory through three key innovations: (1) multi-granular Q-valued membership, (2) integrated bipolarity for representing conflicting evidence, and (3) refined algebraic operations, encompassing union, intersection, and complement. Contemporary fuzzy set methodologies, such as intuitionistic and image fuzzy sets, inadequately encapsulate positive, negative, and neutral membership degrees while maintaining bipolar information. Conversely, our MQVBPFS architecture effectively resolves this restriction. Utilizing this framework for threat assessment and risk ranking, we create a tailored cybersecurity algorithm that exhibits 91.7% accuracy (in contrast to 78.2–83.5% for baseline methods) and attains 94.6% contradiction tolerance in empirical evaluations, alongside an 18% decrease in false negatives relative to conventional approaches. This study offers theoretical progress in fuzzy set algebra and practical enhancements in security analytics, improving the handling of ambiguous and conflicting threat data while facilitating new research avenues in uncertainty-aware cybersecurity systems. Full article

Road infrastructure is a critical component of modern society, with its maintenance directly influencing traffic safety and logistical efficiency. In this context, automated crack detection technology plays a vital role in reducing maintenance costs and enhancing operational efficiency. However, previous studies are limited by the fact that they provide only bounding box or segmentation mask annotations for a restricted number of crack classes and use a relatively small size of datasets. To address these limitations and advance deep learning-based crack segmentation, this study introduces a novel crack segmentation dataset that reflects real-world road conditions. The proposed dataset includes various types of cracks and defects—such as slippage, rutting, and construction-related cracks—and provides polygon-based segmentation masks captured from an egocentric, vehicle-mounted perspective. Using this dataset, we evaluated the performance of semantic and instance segmentation models. Notably, SegFormer achieved the highest Pixel Accuracy (PA) and mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) for semantic segmentation, while YOLOv7 exhibited outstanding detection performance for alligator crack class, recording an ${AP}_{50}$ of 87.2% and $AP$ of 57.5%. In contrast, all models struggled with the reflection crack type, indicating the inherent segmentation challenges. Overall, this study provides a practical and robust foundation for future research in automated road crack segmentation. Additional resources including the dataset and annotation details can be found at our GitHub repository. Full article

Food waste containing meat and fish presents a considerable environmental challenge due to regulatory constraints preventing its use in industrial insect farming. Although substrates derived from meat and fish are not currently approved for industrial insect feed production due to regulatory constraints, this study explores their potential in bioconversion through Hermetia illucens larvae. In this study, five different former foodstuffs containing meat and/or fish were tested to evaluate their suitability for BSFL rearing. The substrates included pizza with salami (PIZZA), cheeseburger (CHB), pasta Bolognese with meat (PASTA), chicken salad (CHISA), and fish salad (FISA). Results showed that BSFL successfully developed on all tested substrates. The highest performance was observed for FISA, with a total larval weight of 35.21 ± 3.91 g, dry matter yield of 11.21 ± 0.45 g, survival rate of 96.63 ± 0.40%, and the most efficient feed conversion ratio (FCR, 4.11 ± 0.59). Heavy metal analysis revealed substantial bioaccumulation of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in larvae. In particular, larvae reared on PIZZA showed a Pb concentration of 4.68 μg/100 g, with a corresponding bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of approximately 1.5. Cadmium accumulation was most notable in larvae fed CHB, with a Cd concentration of 0.41 ± 0.33 μg/100 g and a BAF of about 2.1. Despite this bioaccumulation, all detected concentrations remained well below the regulatory limits set by the European Union for animal feed, indicating not only the feasibility of H. illucens larvae in sustainable waste management but also its use as a safe protein source in animal feed. This research highlights the viability of integrating such food waste into insect bioconversion systems. With appropriate risk management, this practice could significantly improve nutrient recycling, waste management, and the circular economy, urging a regulatory review to allow broader substrate utilization. These positive outcomes underscore the potential of integrating currently restricted animal-derived food waste streams into H. illucens-based bioconversion systems, unlocking additional value for the circular economy and contributing to more efficient waste management practices. Full article

Small waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as waste mobile phones are rich in plastic components. Recycling mobile phones is particularly challenging, since the main interest for recyclers is printed circuit boards, rich in valuable metals, while the plastic components are usually destined for thermal recovery. This study is dedicated to the assessment of the recyclability potential of the plastic fractions of end-of-life (EoL) mobile phones according to the European Union’s (EU) Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) directives. A total of 275 plastic items (inventoried as casings, frames, and screens) were dismantled from 100 EoL mobile phones and analyzed to identify the type and abundance of polymers via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the presence of hazardous elements such as Br, Cl, Pb, and Cd via X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Polycarbonate (PC) (57% of samples) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) (27% of the items) were identified as the most common prevalent polymers. In total, 67% of the items contained Cl (0.84–40,700 mg/kg), and 26% contained Br (0.08–2020 mg/kg). Hg was detected only in one item (17 mg/kg). Cr was found in 17% of the items, with concentrations between 0.37 mg/kg and 915 mg/kg, while Pb was found in 15% of the items in low concentrations (1–90 mg/kg). In conclusion, while hazardous elements are present in the plastic fractions of EoL mobile phones (with higher values in smartphones), their concentrations were below the regulatory limits, suggesting compliance with recycling regulations in the EU. Full article

In recent years, maximum residue limit (MRL) standards regulated by governments have become increasingly stringent. MRL standards aim to protect human health and environmental sustainability by setting maximum allowable residue concentrations for chemical substances in imported products. In November 2020, the European Union published EU Regulation 2020/1085, imposing stricter MRL standards on imported agricultural products. As standard-setting leaders implement more restrictive MRLs and export-oriented countries adjust their chemical practices to align with these standards, it is essential to examine the emerging trade patterns associated with MRLs and exports. This paper investigates the impact of maximum residue limits (MRLs) on China’s agricultural exports, using disaggregated product-level data (HS eight-digit) for 237 products across 43 importing countries from 2006 to 2021. The results show that a 10% more stringent MRL at the mean in the previous year leads to a 6.6% decrease in the current-year export values of China’s agricultural products. Stricter MRLs for insecticides significantly reduce China’s agricultural exports, while MRLs for fungicides and herbicides have no significant effect. Additionally, I analyze the top 10 most frequently notified chemical substances in goods from China, as reported by the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) over 2020–2024. More stringent MRLs for Chlorpyrifos, Diafenthiuron, and Carbendazim significantly impede China’s agricultural exports to the European Union. Conversely, China’s agricultural exports to USMCA, ASEAN, and BRI member countries are sensitive to more restrictive MRLs for Diafenthiuron, while benefiting from tougher MRLs for Tolfenpyrad, Dinotefuran, and Imidacloprid. The impacts of MRLs on the extensive and intensive margins of exports suggest that more restrictive MRLs do not significantly affect the probability of exporting, but they reduce export values conditional on the export decisions. The findings suggest that tightening MRL standards by importing countries do not necessarily impede agricultural trade; in some cases, they facilitate China’s agricultural exports to these markets. This study provides policymakers with a comprehensive analysis to formulate strategies for enhancing agricultural exports and highlights the role of food safety standards in sustainable development. Full article

To address the limitations in the efficiency of modality feature fusion in existing RGB-T semantic segmentation methods, which restrict segmentation performance, this paper proposes an edge-supervised attention-aware algorithm to enhance segmentation capabilities. Firstly, we design a feature fusion module incorporating channel and spatial attention mechanisms to achieve effective complementation and enhancement of RGB-T features. Secondly, we introduce an edge-aware refinement module that processes low-level modality features using global and local attention mechanisms, obtaining fine-grained feature information through element-wise multiplication. Building on this, we design a parallel structure of dilated convolutions to extract multi-scale detail information. Additionally, an EdgeHead is introduced after the edge-aware refinement module, with edge supervision applied to further enhance edge detail capture. Finally, the optimized fused features are fed into a decoder to complete the RGB-T semantic segmentation task. Experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm achieves mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) scores of 58.52% and 85.38% on the MFNet and PST900 datasets, respectively, significantly improving the accuracy of RGB-T semantic segmentation. Full article

In Europe, renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic panels and wind power plants are developing dynamically. The growth of renewable energy is driven by rising energy prices, greenhouse gas emission restrictions, the European Union’s Green Deal policy, and decarbonization efforts. Photovoltaic farms generate energy intermittently, depending on weather conditions. Given the increasing number of new installations, ensuring the power balance and transmission capacity of the electrical grid has become a major challenge. To address this issue, the authors propose a technical solution that allows the energy generated by photovoltaic systems to be stored in the form of heat. Thermal energy from solar power and wind energy offers significant potential for energy storage. It can be accumulated during summer in specially designed sand-based heat storage systems and then used for heating purposes in winter. This approach not only reduces heating costs but also decreases greenhouse gas emissions and helps balance the power grid during sunny periods. Post-industrial areas, often located near city centers, are suitable locations for large-scale heat storage facilities supplying, among others, public utility buildings. Therefore, this article presents a concept for utilizing high-temperature sand-based heat storage systems built in decommissioned underground mining excavations. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), while possessing desirable properties for human society, have increasingly raised concerns due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicity. One of the major challenges with PFASs is the inconsistent adoption of regulatory strategies by authorities across different countries and regions, making it difficult to address the issue on a global scale. To obtain a global overview of PFAS regulatory patterns, this study utilized the most recent PFAS regulatory databases across different jurisdictions, both local and global. Among all geographic regions, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and European Union (EU) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) encompass the most jurisdictions for PFASs. However, most PFASs are without regulation under the current regulatory status. We also assessed the regulatory ecotoxicity status of PFASs under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of the USEPA. The results showed that 36.3% of PFASs are of Unknown or Variable composition, Complex reaction products, or Biological materials (UVCB) and classified as E;P (persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic), followed by 31.3% as P (persistent) and 13.2% as P;S (persistent and toxic). We highlight the regulatory patterns, industrial applications, and categorization of PFASs under different regulatory frameworks. The need for international cooperation and harmonized regulatory standards to mitigate PFAS pollution is also addressed. A coordinated effort involving regulatory agencies, industry, researchers, and the public will be essential to facilitate harmonized regulations of PFASs and ensure a sustainable and healthy environment. Full article

Electrification is a key priority of the European Union, focusing on saving energy resources and mitigating carbon emissions through enhancing restrictions on relative policies and initiatives. For such goals to be achieved, investing in renewable energy technologies on large- and small-scale projects is promoted. These efforts were implemented in the building sector too, highlighting the importance of optimal decisions in improving the energy performance of buildings, from an economic, energy and environmental perspective. In this context, this paper aims to elaborate a decision-making methodology for building thermal design, considering the optimal selection and operation of multi-energy systems focused on renewable technologies. Solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic systems and heat pumps were included in an Energy Hub for meeting the heating, cooling and domestic hot water energy demand. Optimal decisions were achieved by formulating Mathematical Programming models in GAMS, for minimizing economic, energy and environmental parameters of the systems under a life cycle perspective. The proposed methodology was implemented in a residential building case study. Results show that combining heat pumps with photovoltaics is preferable for all of the examined criteria, while a sensitivity analysis of the economic, energy and environmental parameters, influencing the energy mixture, leads to optimal solutions with the participation of different energy systems. Full article