Search Results (329)

Slaughterhouse wastewater introduces potentially toxic elements into aquatic ecosystems, yet bioaccumulation patterns in commercial fish species and associated human health risks remain underexplored in West Africa. This study quantified zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), chromium (Cr), and cadmium (Cd) in three ecologically distinct fish species—Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia), Clarias gariepinus (African sharptooth catfish), and Mugil cephalus (Flathead grey mullet)—from two slaughterhouse-impacted rivers (Transamadi and Mgbuosimini) and a control site (Iwofe) in Rivers State, Nigeria. Metal concentrations were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Two-way ANOVA assessed species and location effects. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed, with Mg used as a potential geogenic tracer, as its loading pattern was independent of Pb and Cd and consistent with the natural background. A Water Quality Index (WQI) classified Mgboshimini and Iwofe as having poor water quality (WQI > 75), while Transamadi had medium quality. Health risks were evaluated using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQ), and hazard indices (HI) following USEPA guidelines. Metal levels varied significantly by species and location (p < 0.001). Flathead grey mullet from Mgbuosimini had the highest Pb (1.50 ± 0.05 mg/kg) and Cd (0.41 ± 0.02 mg/kg), exceeding EU maximum levels for fish muscle (Pb 0.30 mg/kg, Cd 0.05 mg/kg) by 500% and 800%, respectively. PCA explained 77.5% of the variance, with Pb and Cd clustering as anthropogenic sources, while Mg loaded independently. THQ for Pb approached unity in Flathead grey mullet (0.88), and THQ for Cd reached 0.97. HI exceeded 1.0 in all species from Mgbuosimini, peaking at 2.07 in Flathead grey mullet. Uncertainty analysis (using ±SD) gave a HI range of 1.89–2.25 for this species, all above the safety threshold. Carcinogenic risk for Flathead grey mullet (3.97 × 10⁻⁴) approached the upper acceptable limit. Slaughterhouse effluent appears to elevate Pb and Cd burdens in fish, with detritivorous Flathead grey mullet posing the highest health risk. Exceedance of safety thresholds and HI > 1.0 indicate potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. We recommend improved wastewater treatment and species-specific consumption advisories. Full article

Landfill tire fires are complex environmental disasters generating toxic pollutants with severe health risks. This study quantified emission dynamics and toxicological consequences of a large-scale tire fire in an urban ecosystem. A comprehensive source-to-receptor approach was applied, integrating Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) atmospheric dispersion modeling with comparison against air quality monitoring data. Soil samples collected from the fireground and surrounding urban allotment gardens were analyzed for tire-specific tracers (Zn) and 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Human health risks were assessed using Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR), Toxic Equivalency Quotient (TEQ), and Mutagenic Equivalency Quotient (MEQ) metrics. Fire emissions were dominated by particulate matter (PM₁₀: 1.34 t) and PAHs (17.7 kg). Soil at the fire site showed severe contamination (Σ PAHs: 148.9 mg/kg), with benzo[a]pyrene as the primary carcinogen. The cumulative ILCR for children reached 9.7 × 10⁻⁴, exceeding the commonly used upper regulatory benchmark of 10⁻⁴. Dermal contact was identified as the dominant exposure pathway for pyrogenic PAHs. Elevated risk levels persisted at distal residential sites (ILCR: 10⁻⁵–10⁻⁴), indicating long-term environmental contamination Ecological risk quotients (RQ) exceeded unity for PAHs across all fire-impacted locations and for Zn and Cu in the immediate vicinity of the fire scene. These findings demonstrate that acute tire fire events can evolve into persistent terrestrial health hazards, highlighting the critical role of dermal exposure in PAH uptake and the need for long-term environmental monitoring and adaptive land-use management strategies to mitigate chronic health risks in urban populations. Full article

Microplastic (MP) contamination is an emerging threat to aquatic ecosystems. However, species-specific bioaccumulation patterns across trophic guilds in tropical river ecosystems remain scarcely understood. This study assessed the occurrence, organ-level distribution, polymer composition, and ecological risk of MPs in 220 fish representing 12 species, spanning across multiple trophic guilds, sampled from four sites along a pollution gradient of the river Yamuna, India. MPs were detected in all examined species, confirming extensive distribution across the river ecosystem. A total 1678 MPs were recovered, with significantly higher abundance in fish from the highly urban Delhi stretch than in those from upstream regions (Kruskal–Wallis, H = 11.03, p = 0.011). The highest species-specific MP load was recorded in omnivorous Oreochromis niloticus from Sonia Vihar (436 MPs), whereas the carnivorous species Xenentodon cancila exhibited the lowest accumulation (37 MPs). Surface- and mid-water herbivores and omnivores accumulated more MPs than benthic carnivores and detritivores. Nonetheless, spatial pollution gradients exerted a stronger influence on MP accumulation, compared to trophic guilds. The gastrointestinal tract exhibited the highest MP abundance (751 MP particles), followed by gills (605) and muscle tissues (322), confirming ingestion as primary uptake route, and suggesting possible tissue translocation. Fibers dominated in the assemblage (77.8%), while transparent (44%) and blue (19.5%) were most abundant colors. ATR–FTIR analysis confirmed 10 diverse polymers, with polyethylene (≈24%) and polypropylene (≈21%) together accounting for nearly half of the identified particles. The Polymer Hazard Index analysis classified the recovered MP mix as Category IV (high ecological hazard). These findings identify the Delhi stretch of the Yamuna as a high MP contamination zone and highlight the combined influence of urban pollution and fish ecology on MP bioaccumulation. Full article

Earthquake-induced landslides represent a critical threat to transportation infrastructure in tectonically active mountainous regions, particularly in tropical volcanic settings where weak, highly weathered geomaterials dominate. This study develops an integrated framework that directly links physically based seismic threshold modelling with real-time landslide monitoring and operational early warning. The approach is demonstrated in the Cugenang area of Cianjur Regency, West Java, Indonesia, which was severely impacted by the moment magnitude (Mw) 5.6 earthquake in 2022. Slopes composed of highly weathered pyroclastic deposits [Plasticity Index (PI) = 54–68%; porosity > 60%] exhibit low shear strength and high sensitivity to seismic loading. Limit equilibrium analysis using the Morgenstern–Price method that combines the influence of seismic loading and groundwater conditions suggests that a horizontal seismic coefficient (kh) of approximately 0.06, corresponding to a Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) of about 0.12 gravitational acceleration (g), is a critical threshold for initial landsliding. This comparatively low threshold challenges commonly reported values and demonstrates that slope failure in tropical volcanic terrains can occur under moderate ground shaking, reinforcing the need for site-specific hazard characterisation. The derived thresholds are operationalised within a multi-sensor early warning system integrating Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers and inclinometer measurements. Three hazard levels—Normal (<0.06 g), Alert (0.06–0.12 g), and Emergency (≥0.12 g)are combined with deformation thresholds [<10 milimeter (mm), 10–30 mm, >30 mm] to capture progressive failure processes and minimise false alarms. By coupling geotechnical modelling and real-time monitoring, this study provides a transferable and scalable framework for enhancing infrastructure resilience in landslide-prone regions. Full article

With the increasing adoption of unattended power distribution substations, accurate foreign object detection has become critical to ensure safe system operation. This study proposes a detection model tailored for substation monitoring, targeting hazards such as fire, water accumulation, and small animal intrusion, while accounting for varying on-site illumination conditions. First, an adaptive illumination normalization module is introduced to accommodate diverse lighting conditions, thereby enhancing its capability to capture foreign objects under complex illumination environments. Second, a multi-scale feature extraction and attention-based refinement structure is developed to effectively capture foreign objects with diverse sizes and textures, aligning with the specific detection requirements of substation scenarios. Third, a task-oriented loss function is constructed by incorporating illumination-adaptive weighting into the objectness component, thereby enhancing robustness under uneven illumination conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms representative detection approaches, validating its effectiveness for foreign object detection in substation monitoring applications. Full article

Ground deformation monitoring is critical for safety and environmental management in modern mining. Active mining sites are highly exposed to terrain instabilities and subsidence, risking infrastructure integrity, disrupting operations, and posing hazards to communities. In this context, Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) techniques provide an effective and non-invasive tool capable of detecting millimetric surface displacements. This study implements the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) technique through an open-source workflow based on the Python package hyp3_sbas, enabling semi-automated and reproducible interferometric processing by combining HyP3 with MintPy. The workflow is applied to the Björkdal gold mine (Sweden), a pilot site of the Horizon Europe XTRACT project focused on enhancing resilience in critical raw material supply chains. Integrating Sentinel-1 viewing geometries resolves the true vertical deformation field, yielding an overall mean velocity of −3.99 mm/year across the mining complex, with significant displacement rates concentrated below the 25th percentile (Q1) at −11.07 mm/year. Sector-specific analysis reveals localised subsidence accelerating over underground footprints and tailings storage facilities (mean velocities of −6.56 and −3.98 mm/year; Q1 thresholds near −13.00 mm/year), contrasting with the geomechanical stability observed at the open-pit area (mean: −0.45 mm/year). The proposed open-source framework shows strong potential for operational satellite-based monitoring, supporting predictive maintenance and early-warning strategies for risk management in mining environments while simplifying and standardising the interferometric processing workflow. Full article

Background: As survival after colorectal cancer (CRC) has improved, an increasing proportion of patients live beyond five years, making long-term outcomes increasingly relevant. In addition to cancer-related mortality, survivors remain at risk of death from other causes influenced by clinical and psychosocial vulnerabilities. Methods: We conducted a 10-year prospective cohort study including 838 patients with stage I–IV CRC treated in public hospitals in the Basque Country (Spain). Patients were recruited between November 2010 and December 2012 and followed for up to 10 years after surgery. Clinical, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and patient-reported outcomes were collected. Competing risk regression models (Fine-Gray) were used to estimate sub-distribution hazard ratios (sHRs) for CRC-specific and non-CRC mortality, stratified by tumor site and sex. Results: After 10 years, 40% of patients had died, with 66% of deaths attributable to CRC and 34% to other causes. CRC-specific mortality was mainly driven by tumor-related factors, including advanced stage (stage IV: sHR 7.18, p < 0.001) and residual disease after surgery (R1/R2: sHR 2.68; p < 0.001), with larger effect sizes observed in rectal cancer. In contrast, non-CRC mortality was associated with patient vulnerability, including age ≥75 years (sHR 3.57, p < 0.001), absence of adjuvant chemotherapy (sHR 5.59, p < 0.001), anemia, alcohol consumption, and poor functional status. Patients with rectal cancer and women reported poorer baseline quality of life. Sex-stratified analyses suggested differential patterns of vulnerability, with psychosocial and quality-of-life-related factors appearing more relevant in women, whereas lifestyle and clinical factors appeared more prominent in men. Conclusions: Long-term mortality in CRC reflects the interplay between tumor-related factors and patient vulnerability. Competing risk models allow a more accurate characterization of cause-specific outcomes and may help identify high-risk subgroups for tailored follow-up and management strategies. Full article

Chromium-related hazard in mine wastes depends strongly on oxidation state, with hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] representing the most mobile and toxicologically relevant chromium form. Abandoned tailings dumps can develop sharp pH and redox gradients that favour either Cr(VI) persistence or attenuation, yet field-based evidence from Eastern European post-mining sites remains limited. This study evaluates the Defor Petrila tailings dump, Jiu Valley, Romania, as a first-tier environmental hazard-screening case study based on repeated monitoring performed during 2022–2024 at twelve permanent sampling points and two local operational control samples. Field pH and redox potential (Eh), moisture, organic matter, acid-extractable Mn and Fe, pseudo-total Cr, and method-defined extractable Cr(VI) were determined. Here, pseudo-total Cr refers to chromium released by microwave-assisted acid digestion and does not represent complete decomposition of the silicate matrix, while extractable Cr(VI) refers to the operationally defined fraction obtained by alkaline extraction. In addition, a conservative redox-based prioritisation score (R_redox) was applied only as an internal ranking layer to identify sectors where Cr(VI) is more likely to persist. The upper dump sector (P1–P4) was alkaline (pH 7.5–8.2), strongly oxidising (+280 to +412 mV), and enriched in Mn and Fe, whereas the lower sector (P9–P12) was wetter, slightly acidic to near-neutral, and reducing (−59 to −10 mV). Extractable Cr(VI) reached 18.7 mg kg⁻¹ at P2 in 2024, while both control samples remained below the quantification limit. Exploratory repeated-site statistics, sector-based comparison, and correlation analysis supported a coherent association between Eh, Mn enrichment, and extractable Cr(VI), but these relationships are interpreted as spatially structured screening evidence rather than proof of a single mineralogical oxidation pathway. No direct exposure, leachability, bioaccessibility, ecotoxicity, airborne dust, water, vegetation, or biomonitoring measurements were included; therefore, the results identify priority zones for confirmatory toxicological and exposure-based assessment, not receptor-specific risk estimates. This study demonstrates that combining chromium speciation with field redox zonation can support conservative monitoring prioritisation at abandoned mine-waste sites where the toxic form of chromium may remain environmentally active. Full article

Dysregulated microRNA (miR) expression has emerged as a potential prognostic tool in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), but the clinical value of miR-34a remains unclear. This systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) evaluated the association between tumor tissue miR-34a expression and survival outcomes in HNSCC. Following a protocol registered in PROSPERO (n. CRD420251238772), PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL, Google Scholar, and grey literature sources were searched for studies reporting overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS) stratified by miR-34a expression in HNSCC or its subsites. Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted directly or reconstructed from Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves using the Tierney method, supported by a dedicated Python application (KM2HR). Four retrospective studies, corresponding to six study/site-specific cohorts and 318 patients, met the inclusion criteria. For OS (four cohorts), the fixed-effects model yielded a pooled HR of 2.25 (95% CI 1.48–3.41) for low versus high miR-34a expression, indicating worse survival in the low-expression group. However, the random-effects model attenuated the association (HR 1.32, 95% CI 0.32–5.54), with substantial heterogeneity (I² ≈ 77%). For DFS (two studies), the fixed-effects model suggested poorer outcomes with low miR-34a (HR 2.92, 95% CI 1.24–6.88), whereas the random-effects model reversed the direction of effect with extremely wide confidence intervals (HR 0.19, 95% CI ≈ 0.00–129.34; I² = 91%). TSA for OS (accrued information size 225 patients; estimated power ≈66%) crossed the monitoring boundary but did not reach the a priori information size, supporting only a tentative signal. A bioinformatic exploration of the TCGA HNSCC cohort (n = 522) showed a non-significant trend towards worse OS with low miR-34a (HR 1.24, 95% CI 0.93–1.65) and was excluded from pooling. Overall, low tumor miR-34a expression appears to be associated with poorer OS, but the evidence is limited by retrospective design, small sample size, and marked heterogeneity. miR-34a is a promising biomarker for prognostic stratification in HNSCC, yet larger, prospective, site-specific studies with standardized assays, pre-defined cut-offs, and appropriate adjustment for HPV status and clinical covariates are required before clinical implementation can be recommended. Full article

The UNESCO World Heritage coastal zone of Cinque Terre (Liguria, northern Italy) is increasingly threatened by ongoing sea-level rise. To assess expected sea levels up to 2150 CE under the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), we carried out a first evaluation of potential coastal flooding for Monterosso and Vernazza under different Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), integrating high-resolution topography and bathymetry, geodetic data, historical tide-gauge evidence, and storm-surge modeling. The historical sea-level analysis indicates a non-stationary rising trend for the Ligurian sector. Relative sea-level rise (RSLR) projections were computed for SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5, including local land subsidence, and were used to map the potential inundated areas for 2030, 2050, 2100, and 2150 CE. In 2150, projected RSLR is expected to range from 0.60 m to 1.17 m, corresponding to flooded surfaces of 9931 m² and 22,079 m² in the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. Because site-specific long-term run-up observations are not available for formal calibration at the two study sites, the storm-surge simulations are interpreted as scenario-based hazard envelopes. Even within this framework, storm surges with return times of 1 and 100 years in the SSP5-8.5 scenario cause maximum wave run-up in the range of 5.12 m and 13.36 m. The results show that narrow pocket beaches and low-elevation harbor areas are the most critical receptors and that adaptation measures should focus on quay elevation, drainage/backwater management, and the protection of transport and tourism infrastructures. Full article

Surface faulting poses an earthquake-related hazard with direct consequences for infrastructure and high-risk facilities. Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis (PFDHA) is widely used to estimate the annual frequency of exceedance (AFOE) of specific displacement values at sites on or near active faults. This approach requires numerous input parameters related to fault characterization and coseismic displacement distribution, yet few studies have examined how these parameter choices affect hazard results. Thus, we conduct an analysis following a One-At-a-Time (OAT) strategy, in which a single parameter is varied with respect to three kinematic-specific baselines. We explored the PFDHA outputs obtained allied to the broadly adopted regression models and scaling laws available in the literature up to 2023. We compared the hazard curves obtained for principal faulting from each calculation to a baseline parametrization, and we computed the percentage difference in AFOE, given a displacement amount, with respect to such a baseline. We obtained values in the interval −100% to +200%, computed within the displacement interval adopted for the hazard calculation, attesting that empirical regressions contribute significantly to hazard curve variations. Our sensitivity study could inform operative choices by practitioners and provides insights for optimizing data acquisition efforts in fault displacement hazard assessments. Full article

Recyclers worldwide face a common bottleneck: incoming mixed plastic bales are chemically opaque, yet the choice between mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and energy recovery hinges on contaminant levels that cannot be judged by visual inspection alone. This study develops and validates a tiered analytical decision-support framework that translates standard laboratory measurements into explicit, actionable go/no-go routing criteria for any mixed polyolefin waste stream. The framework is organized into three successive analytical tiers of increasing specificity: Tier 1 uses FTIR and DSC for rapid polymer identification and thermal subclass confirmation; Tier 2 applies TGA/DTG for thermal stability assessment and filler quantification; and Tier 3 deploys ICP-OES, WD-XRF, CIC, and TG–MS for targeted heavy metal, halogen, and evolved gas profiling, triggered only when Tier 1/2 flags are raised. This staged logic minimizes unnecessary testing while ensuring that contaminant-relevant information is captured where it matters. The framework is demonstrated on nine blind mixed plastic waste streams (P1–P9) supplied by an industrial recycling facility without prior disclosure of polymer identity, filler content, or additive history—conditions that replicate the uncertainty encountered at any sorting plant globally. Application of the tiered protocol identified dominant polymers (HDPE, LDPE, PP), quantified inorganic fillers (CaCO₃ up to ~38 wt%), and detected hazardous contaminants, including chlorine (up to ~1900 ppm), lead, chromium, and titanium, enabling each stream to be assigned to a specific recycling route with defined contaminant thresholds. Because the method relies exclusively on commercially available, vendor-independent instrumentation and follows a reproducible, rule-based decision logic, it is directly transferable to recycling facilities in any geographic context without site-specific calibration. The proposed framework thus provides a practical, scalable decision-support tool for feedstock-level quality control under emerging regulations such as the UNEP Global Plastics Treaty. Full article

Background/Objectives: The triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, a reliable marker for insulin resistance, is strongly associated with T2DM, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Less well known is its relationship with cancer risk. The aim of this study was to quantify the association between the TyG index and risk of different types of cancer. Methods: Publications were searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using appropriate keywords. The PICOS framework was used to select the studies, and their quality was evaluated according to the “Newcastle–Ottawa Scale” (NOS). Meta-analysis was performed through a random-effects model using cancer risk parameters (RR: relative risk, OR: odds ratio and HR: hazard ratio) extracted from 26 selected studies associated with TyG index values. The weighted mean difference (WMD) was used to compare the mean of the TyG index in cancer patients to that of the control group. Heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran’s Q and I² statistics, while publication bias was evidenced using the Egger test and the Begg test, and funnel plot asymmetry. Results: A higher TyG index value was observed in cancer subjects (9483) compared to healthy controls (978,675) (WMD: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.16–0.31, p < 0.0001, n = 15). A statistically significant increase in cancer risk was associated with the TyG index level, expressed as both a categorical (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22–1.45, p < 0.0001, n = 29) and continuous (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.10–1.19, p < 0.0001, n = 27) variable. The effect was more evident in case–control/cross-sectional studies compared to cohort studies (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.51–2.09 vs. OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10–1.29 TyG categorical; OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.21–1.76 vs. OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05–1.12 TyG continuous). Stratified analysis showed an increased risk of cancer occurrence for gastrointestinal, gynecological, colorectal, breast, and gastric sites, while no association was observed for endometrial, ovarian, prostate, lung or esophageal cancers. Conclusions: Our results evidence an increase in cancer risk associated with higher TyG index values. However, due to the low number of studies, the effect on specific tumor sites was not statistically significant. Additional epidemiological studies with a cohort design are necessary to confirm these associations. Full article

Baguio City, a highly populated city in the mountainous portion of the Cordillera, is vulnerable to earthquake hazards due to its proximity to earthquake generators. For this reason, identifying its threats by generating seismic hazard assessments such as peak ground acceleration (PGA) is one of the important necessities to be considered in order to mitigate damages and reduce casualties. Further, the effects of topography, aside from the site conditions, play an important role in the amplification of ground motions. In this study, a peak ground acceleration (PGA) is generated with the influence of topographic effects. Data gathered from geophysical surveys were utilized as inputs in generating the site amplification for Baguio City. The amplification values are then incorporated into the composite peak ground acceleration (PGA) generated by simulating each individual fault source surrounding Baguio City, thereby generating the final PGA for Baguio City. Results revealed that 39% of Baguio City may experience a ground acceleration value of 0.71 g to 0.8 g. Specific places, such as the Pinsao Proper area, may experience higher acceleration. Full article

Industrial sites pose numerous hazards where unexpected accidents can occur at any time, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is a primary safeguard for worker safety. In this study, PPE specifically refers to safety helmets, safety shoes, and safety gloves. Manual verification of PPE usage is infeasible in environments with many workers, motivating automated detection. This study proposes a method that integrates the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) exclusively into the training-only auxiliary reversible branch of YOLOv9’s Programmable Gradient Information (PGI) architecture. The proposed CBAMLinear module enhances gradient information during training while introducing zero additional computational overhead at inference, as the entire auxiliary branch is removed. The proposed YOLOv9 with CBAMLinear achieved consistent mAP@0.5:0.95 gains of 0.005–0.007 over the baseline for the three larger model variants, while maintaining identical inference-time parameters and FLOPs. In industrial safety, even modest performance gains can directly contribute to accident prevention by reducing false positives and false negatives, making this approach well suited for real-time safety management systems in industrial settings. Full article