Search Results (1,124)

Background: The Slovenian Nutrition Guidelines 2025 (SNG2025) provide a quantified, plant-forward framework aligned with the EAT–Lancet diet, whereas previous Slovenian FBDGs were qualitative. Objectives: (i) To compare SNG2025 with the EAT–Lancet diet and previous Slovenian FBDGs and (ii) to assess the alignment of food intake among Slovenian adults with the SNG2025. Methods: The SNG2025 food group targets were mapped to the EAT–Lancet diet and previous Slovenian FBDGs and evaluated against a nationally representative intake (Si. Menu 2017/18; 18–64 years; sex-specific). Sodium intake was corroborated by 24-h urinary sodium levels (2022). Results: The SNG2025 introduces numeric targets across more than 16 food groups, with national adaptations (e.g., potatoes, oils and fats from foods, and dairy being optional via milk-calcium equivalents and beverage specifications). The alignment reveals very low consumption of legumes; limited consumption of vegetables, whole grains, and nuts/seeds (and fruit in men); and excess consumption of total and red/processed meat, ultra-processed foods (UPFs), free sugars/sugar-sweetened beverages, sodium, and alcohol. Biomarkers indicate a mean salt intake approximately two times the <5 g/day limit. Trans fatty acid (TFA) levels ≥ 0.5% persist in a substantial percentage of adults, predominantly from ruminant-derived TFAs. Sex-specific patterns are more adverse for men (e.g., meat, SSBs, alcohol, and sodium), whereas women have a higher intake of sweet UPFs. Conclusions: Slovenian diets are misaligned with the SNG2025. Priorities include increasing the intake of legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and nuts/seeds, while shifting protein sources away from red and processed meat. Additional priorities include reducing the intake of alcohol, sodium, free sugars, and UPFs through reformulation, procurement, and pricing/marketing measures, alongside routine biomarker and UPF surveillance. The SNG2025 enable monitoring and targeted implementation. Considering the limitations of the Si. Menu 2017/18 dataset, which includes food-group aggregation and limited information on food preparation, the results should be interpreted with caution with respect to the magnitude of deviations from SNG2025 targets, while the overall direction of misalignment remains robust. Full article

Particulate Matter (PM) is a type of air pollution that poses risks to human health, the environment, and property. Among the various PM types, PM₁₀ is particularly significant, as it acts as a vector for numerous hazardous trace elements that can negatively impact human health and the ecosystem. Identifying potential sources of PM₁₀ and quantifying their impact on ambient concentrations is crucial for developing efficient control strategies to meet threshold values. Receptor modeling, which identifies sources using chemical species information derived from PM samples, has been widely used for source apportionment. In this study, PM₁₀ samples were collected over three periods (April, May, and June 2021), each lasting 16 days, using semi-automatic dust sampling systems at two sites in Biga, Canakkale, Turkiye. The relative contributions of different source types were quantified using EPA PMF (Positive Matrix Factorization) based on 35 elements comprising PM₁₀. As a result of the analysis, five source types were identified: crustal elements/limestone/calcite quarry (64.9%), coal-fired power plants (11.2%), metal industry (9%), sea salt and ship emissions (8.5%), and road traffic emissions and road dust (6.3%). The distribution of source contributions aligned with the locations of identified sources in the region. Full article

The archaeological terraces of Petra (southern Jordan) have long been recognized for their role in agriculture and flood mitigation. Despite the dominance of fine-grained sediments behind many terrace walls, these systems exhibit high infiltration capacity and remarkable resistance to erosion. This study investigates the hydrological behavior of terrace-trapped sediments through detailed soil texture, aggregate stability, salinity, and chemical analyses across eight representative sites in and around Petra. Grain-size distributions derived from dry and wet sieving, supplemented by laser diffraction, reveal that dry sieving substantially overestimates sand content due to aggregation of fine particles into unstable peds. Wet analyses demonstrate that many terrace soils are clay- or sandy-clay-dominated yet remain highly permeable. Chemical indicators (nitrate, phosphate, potassium, pH, and salinity) further suggest that terracing enhances downward water movement and salt leaching irrespective of clay content. The nature of the terrace settings and their sediment structure (especially the coarse-grained framework) exerts a stronger control on hydrological functioning than texture alone. The results have direct implications for understanding ancient land management in Petra and for informing sustainable terracing practices in modern arid and semi-arid landscapes, as they are effective both in harvesting water and reducing sediment mobilization. Full article

Tungsten is one of the critical materials with important applications in many areas. Electrolysis of Na₂WO₄-based salt is a short and green process for the production of tungsten metal and alloys. The conventional process for producing Na₂WO₄ is expensive and time-consuming. Scheelite (CaWO₄) is becoming the most important resource for the extraction of tungsten. Based on thermodynamic calculations and phase equilibrium studies, a novel process is proposed to prepare Na₂WO₄-based salt directly from scheelite through a high-temperature process. By reacting with silica and sodium oxide, immiscible layers of liquid salt and slag are formed from scheelite between 1200 and 1300 °C. High-density salt containing Na₂WO₄ is separated from the silicate slag, which is composed of impurities and fluxes. The effects of fluxing agents, smelting temperature, and reaction time on the direct yield of WO₃ and purity of sodium tungsten are investigated in combination with thermodynamic calculations and high-temperature experiments. The salt containing up to 99% Na₂WO₄ is obtained directly in a single process, which can be used for the production of other tungsten chemicals. This study provides a novel research method and detailed information to produce low-cost sodium tungstate directly from scheelite. Full article

Recently, the EU approved RENURE-criteria materials to be used as substitutes for synthetic N fertilisers. Several studies have been performed on the agronomic efficacy and potential environmental impacts of different bio-based fertilisers (BBFs) from biomass recovery, including the RENURE-criteria materials. But information is lacking about their effectiveness under abiotic stress conditions like salinity and drought. The predictions for climate change-induced increased drought and soil salinisation for the European soils have also increased, making it inevitable to understand BBF performance in these impending situations. Two RENURE-criteria top-priority materials (ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium sulphate (AS) and another commercially used BBF—an evaporator concentrate (CaE)) were evaluated in a pot trial growing spinach under salinity and drought stress with a reference ‘no stress’ condition to examine crop growth, nutrient uptake, and nitrogen fertiliser replacement value (NFRV). Agronomically, BBFs performed at par with the synthetic fertiliser (SF) under unstressed and salt-stressed conditions, whereas, under drought stress, BBFs outperformed the SF treatment. AS exhibited the highest yield and nutrient uptake, displaying an NFRV of 3.1 and 1.8 under no-stress and salt-stress conditions, respectively. Salt stress did not negatively impact the crops grown in this trial, potentially due to the higher potassium content in the system, which alleviated the possible negative impacts of high sodium. This study delves into the agronomic response, without evaluating crop physiological changes, and, hence, should be taken as a preliminary step into further investigation of observed elemental interactions (that could be potentially driving stress mitigation) while also examining the crop physiology during the duration of stress. Full article

Objective: In the context of an aging population, the prevention and control of cognitive impairment is a key public health priority. This study aims to investigate the association between proactive health behaviors and the risk of AD8 screening positivity in older adults in China, providing an empirical basis for developing targeted intervention strategies. Methods: Based on health behavior data from 1110 older adults in China, the chi-square test was used to analyze the differences in proactive health behaviors (such as limiting salt and alcohol intake, smoking cessation, and vaccination) between the low-risk and high-risk groups for AD8 screening. Factor analysis was used to extract the main factors of proactive health behaviors. Firth penalized logistic regression models were used to analyze the impact of the main factors and sociodemographic factors on the risk of cognitive impairment. Results: The chi-square test showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in salt restriction behavior (χ² = 18.063, p < 0.01) and vaccination (χ² = 29.674, p < 0.01), with a higher proportion of salt restriction (34.7%) and vaccination rates (80.4%) in the low-risk group. Factor analysis extracted four main factors (psychological–social support, information–behavior execution, technology–environment promotion, and addictive behavior control), with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 58.45%. Among them, psychological–social support (31.42% explained variance) and information–behavior execution (28.04%) had the strongest explanatory power. Firth penalized logistic regression showed that psychological–social support (Firth-corrected OR = 0.072, 95% CI: 0.035–0.148, p < 0.01) and information–behavior execution (Firth-corrected OR = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.003–0.021, p < 0.01) had significant protective effects on AD8 screening positivity (standardized OR values indicated that each one-standard-deviation increase in these two factors reduced screening-positive risk by 39% and 53%, respectively), and the risk increased by 21.7% for every 5-year increase in age (OR = 1.217, p = 0.001). Technology–environment promotion (OR = 0.417, 95% CI: 0.250–0.691, p = 0.001) and addictive behavior control (OR = 0.709, 95% CI: 0.490–1.026, p = 0.068) showed no significant protective effects. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the four-factor structure and core conclusions. Conclusions: Among proactive health behaviors, psychological–social support and information–behavior execution are key protective factors in reducing the risk of AD8 screening positivity in older adults, and age is an important influencing factor. Strengthening psychological support and optimizing access to health information and behavior execution can serve as core strategies for cognitive impairment prevention and control, providing empirical support for the formulation of health policies for older adults. Full article

Qarhan Salt Lake, located in the Qaidam Basin of northwestern China, is a highland lake characterized by diverse surface features, including salt lakes, salt crusts, and saline-alkali lands. Investigating the distribution and dynamic variations of salt crusts is essential for mineral resource development and regional ecological monitoring. To this end, the surface of the study area was categorized into several types according to micro-geomorphological characteristics. Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR), which provides rich scattering information, is well suited for distinguishing these surface categories. To achieve more accurate classification of salt crust types, the scattering differences among various types were comparatively analyzed. Stable samples were further selected using unsupervised Wishart clustering with reference to field survey results. Besides, to address the weak inter-class separability among different salt crust types, this paper proposes a PolSAR classification method tailored for salt crust discrimination by integrating unsupervised feature learning, attention-based feature optimization, and global context modeling. In this method, convolutional autoencoder (CAE) is first employed to learn discriminative local scattering representations from original polarimetric features, enabling effective characterization of subtle scattering differences among salt crust types. Vision Transformer (ViT) is introduced to model global scattering relationships and spatial context at the image-patch level, thereby improving the overall consistency of classification results. Meanwhile, the attention mechanism is used to bridge local scattering representations and global contextual information, enabling joint optimization of key scattering features. Experiments on fully polarimetric Gaofen-3 and dual-polarimetric Sentinel-1 data show that the proposed method outperforms the best competing method by $2.34\%$ and $1.17\%$ in classification accuracy, respectively. In addition, using multi-temporal Sentinel-1 data, recent temporal changes in salt crust distribution are identified and analyzed. Full article

This study quantitatively investigates the corrosion behavior of aluminum (Al1070) under salt water acetic acid test (SWAAT) conditions, focusing on the effects of chloride ions (Cl⁻) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) concentration on the pitting corrosion. Potentiodynamic polarization tests showed that increasing Cl⁻ concentration caused a negative shift in corrosion potential (E_corr) and an increase in corrosion current density (i_corr), indicating accelerated passive film breakdown and enhanced pitting susceptibility. Immersion tests and SEM analysis revealed intensified surface discoloration, oxide formation, and crack propagation at higher Cl⁻ levels, confirming localized dissolution. The effect of acetic acid was evaluated for concentrations ranging from 0 to 2000 µL L⁻¹. Higher acetic acid levels lowered solution pH and slightly increased E_corr and elevated i_corr while reducing ΔE(E_pit − E_corr), indicating increased localized corrosion susceptibility. SEM and 3D XCT analyses showed increased pit density, corrosion loss, and pitting showed temporary pit coalescence at intermediate concentrations. Mechanistically, the acidic SWAAT environment (pH 2.8–3.0) positions aluminum in the active corrosion region. Cl⁻ destabilizes the passive oxide layer, initiating pitting, while acetic acid promotes metal dissolution via hydrogen evolution reactions. Their combined action exerts a specific effect, accelerating localized corrosion through chemical oxide layer degradation. These results provide quantitative insights into aluminum corrosion under SWAAT conditions. They could inform the design of corrosion resistant materials and reliability assessments in industrial applications. Full article

Accumulation of salts in irrigated soils can be detrimental not only to growing crops but also to groundwater quality. Soil salinity should be regularly monitored, and appropriate irrigation at the required leaching rate should be applied to prevent excessive salt accumulation in the root zone, thereby improving soil fertility and crop production. We combined two frequency domain electromagnetic induction (FD-EMI) mono-channel sensors (EM31 and EM38) and operated them at different heights and with different coil orientations to monitor the vertical distribution of soil salinity in a salt-affected irrigated area in Kairouan (central Tunisia). Multiple measurement heights and coil orientations were used to enhance depth sensitivity and thereby improve salinity predictions from this type of proximal sensor. The resulting multi-configuration FD-EMI datasets were used to derive soil salinity information via inverse modeling with a recently developed in-house laterally constrained inversion (LCI) approach. The collected apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) data were inverted to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of soil salinity. The results highlight several findings about the distribution of salinity in relation to different irrigation systems using brackish water, both in the short and long term. The expected transfer of salinity from the surface to deeper layers was systematically observed by our FD-EMI surveys. However, the intensity and spatial distribution of soil salinity varied between different crops, depending on the frequency and amount of drip or sprinkler irrigation. Furthermore, our results show that vertical salinity transfer is also influenced by the wet or dry season. The study provides insights into the effectiveness of combining two different FD-EMI sensors, EM31 and EM38, for monitoring soil salinity in agricultural areas, thereby contributing to the sustainability of irrigated agricultural production. The inversion approach provides a more detailed representation of soil salinity distribution across spatial and temporal scales at different depths, and across irrigation systems, compared to the classical method based on soil samples and laboratory analysis, which is a point-scale measurement. It provides a more extensive assessment of soil conditions at depths up to 4 m with different irrigation systems. For example, the influence of local drip irrigation was imaged, and the history of a non-irrigated plot was evaluated, confirming the potential of this method. Full article

Background: The China Diet Balance Index 2022 (DBI-2022), released in 2024, is the latest dietary quality assessment tool developed in alignment with the updated Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022). However, its association with hypertension in the Lingnan region—a geographic area distinguished by a unique dietary culture—has not been fully examined. Objective: This study aimed to systematically evaluate the dietary quality of Lingnan residents using DBI-2022 and explore its association with hypertension. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2015 China Adults Chronic Diseases and Nutrition Surveillance, focusing on 2982 Lingnan residents aged 45 years and older. Dietary information was collected via 3 consecutive days of 24-h dietary recalls and food frequency questionnaires, supplemented by standardized anthropometric measurements. We assessed the contribution of specific dietary components to overall quality and investigated the association between DBI-2022 indices and hypertension using multivariable regression models. Results: Among the 2982 participants, 821 (27.5%) were identified with hypertension. The primary dietary imbalances in the Lingnan population were characterized by moderate insufficient consumption (Low Bound Score [LBS] = 40.48) and moderate excessive intake (High Bound Score [HBS] = 22.58), with insufficient intake being the more prominent concern. Cereals, cooking oils, and salt emerged as key contributors to poor dietary quality, whereas soybeans, fruits, adequate water consumption, and dietary diversity were associated with better dietary quality. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of Diet Quality Distance (DQD) had significantly higher odds of hypertension (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.05–2.35) compared to those in the lowest quartile. Similarly, the odds were elevated for those with high LBS (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.24–2.87). Conclusions: Dietary insufficiency appears to be a more critical issue than excessive consumption among the Lingnan population. Poor dietary quality, particularly insufficient intake of protective foods, is significantly associated with elevated odds of hypertension. These findings support the applicability of DBI-2022 for regional dietary surveillance and highlight key priorities for targeted nutritional intervention strategies. Full article

Adequate hydration is essential for health, yet the contribution of water from food (WFF) to total water intake (TWI) and its determinants remain unclear in China. This study quantified WFF and explored factors influencing its variation among young Chinese adults. A multicentre cross-sectional survey was conducted in May–June 2023 among 947 healthy adults aged 18–25 years from seven regions of China. WFF was measured using three-day duplicate food portions, and drinking fluid intake was recorded with a validated 24 h diary. Sociodemographic, dietary, behavioral, and psychological data were collected using standardized instruments. Multivariable linear regression, stratified by sex and age, examined associations with WFF and its proportion of TWI. On average, WFF accounted for 38.0% of TWI, with regional variation from 33.5% in southern China to 44.3% in eastern China. Higher daily intake of energy, salt, and carbohydrate intakes were each positively associated with greater WFF, while carbohydrate intake seemed to betas the strongest predictor of a higher proportion of WFF. Younger age and elevated anxiety showed modest independent associations. These findings indicate that WFF contributes substantially to hydration in Chinese young adults, primarily driven by dietary composition. Recognizing WFF in hydration guidelines could improve population assessments and inform evidence-based nutrition strategies in China and other high-moisture diet regions. Full article

Effective risk communication designed for risk management increases concern and motivates action by providing guidance and specific actions that can be taken. When exposures to environmental contaminants or stressors are ubiquitous or pollutant sources are not easily controlled, also decreasing sustainability, risk communication is focused on actions for risk reduction and avoidance. Three recommended practices (use of virtual exemplars, narrative, and social media) are discussed as tactics and platforms to inform public beliefs and behaviors and to encourage adoption of long-term planning goals that avoid the consequences of future risks. These risk communication strategies appeal broadly to lay audiences, are not limited to scientists and science-trained risk communicators, and are consistent with the US EPA’s SALT Framework, a research-based approach with recommended practices to guide risk communication. The overall strategy is to make risk communication more effective by using approaches that are dynamic, interactive, engaging, and relatable. Full article

Background/Objectives: Excessive sugar, fat, and salt intake heighten susceptibility to metabolic syndrome and other chronic metabolic conditions. Biofortification (i.e., enhancing the nutritional content of crops) emerges as a sustainable new approach to address dietary deficiencies. Methods: This study evaluated the impact of an acute nutritional intervention in a controlled, randomized, single-blind trial involving healthy adults aged 50–79 years, in late middle age and early older adulthood utilizing biofortified vegetables enriched with iodine and molybdenum, aimed to explore short-term biochemical responses to the consumption of iodine- and molybdenum-biofortified lettuce. The study was designed as a controlled dietary intervention including both a biofortified and a non-biofortified lettuce group, matched for handling and composition. It was powered to detect short-term biochemical responses, providing initial insights into the physiological impact of micronutrient biofortification. Dietary intake was carefully monitored throughout the 12-day period to control for confounding dietary effects. Results: The intervention was associated with decreased plasma levels of triglycerides, AST, and ALT, and increased plasma levels of HDL-cholesterol and the satiety hormone PYY, suggesting enhanced metabolic regulation. Conclusions: These biochemical markers reflect early metabolic adaptations that may inform future research on the metabolic impact of micronutrient biofortification. This study also highlights the potential of crop biofortification as a sustainable, strategy to enhance the nutrient density of vegetables within controlled dietary patterns. Full article

The Chiuchiu Pond (CCP) is an inland brackish water body in a pre-Andean scenery in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile. Presently unprotected, the CCP is attractive for tourism and a notable geosite for wildlife characterized by maintaining a fixed water level and chemical composition without surface inlets/outlets. This paper aims to characterize factors accounting for its perennial character by gathering climatic, hydrogeochemical, and morphometric information and microbiological and functional characterization. The CCP is an isolated U-shaped doline with a maximum depth of 17.5 m and vertical walls with more than 80% of soluble salts (halite and calcite) under arid conditions characterized by constant seasonal variation patterns. This is a unique case in that no similar conditions among reported wetlands or ponds have been found in the world. From our studies, it was characterized as an oligotrophic, lentic oligomictic, well-mixed water body, without thermal stratification, stable water level and hydrochemical composition, with water balance conditions from underground flows. Analysis of the microbial community revealed a core composition dominated by Proteobacteria (43.1%), Bacteroidetes (23.5%), and Cyanobacteria (10%). We provide a multidisciplinary contribution to justify urgent actions for the CCP’s conservation, representing a model for other unprotected coastal and inland wetlands in northern Chile and drylands elsewhere. Full article

Serpula lacrymans is considered the most aggressive and harmful brown-rot fungus for wooden buildings worldwide, and it has led to substantial economic losses due to the deterioration of wood and wooden-base structures. This study aims to connect the loss of parallel compressive strength and mass loss caused by the fungus Serpula lacrymans in different lignocellulosic materials commonly used in building envelopes in Chile. Samples suspected to contain the fungus Serpula lacrymans were gathered from four Chilean localities. From these samples, the fungus under investigation was isolated and identified in the laboratory. It was used to inoculate wood samples of radiata pine, impregnated radiata pine with chromated copper and arsenate (CCA) salts, raulí (Nothofagus alpina), oriented strand board (OSB), and plywood to evaluate compressive strength at 0, 30, 60, and 90 days. As expected, the best mass loss results were obtained in impregnated pine and plywood, with values of 0.8% and 2.5%, respectively. However, significant parallel compression strength losses of 42% and 28%, respectively, were observed. This study provides valuable information for the structural diagnosis of wood elements attacked by the fungus Serpula lacrymans. Full article