Average Annual Increase Research Articles

Climate-Affected Australian Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Plants: Metabolomic Profiles, Isolated Phytochemicals, and Bioactivities.

The Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA) in northeast Queensland is home to approximately 18 percent of the nation's total vascular plant species. Over the past century, human activity and industrial development have caused global climate changes, posing a severe and irreversible danger to the entire land-based ecosystem, and the WTWHA is no exception. The current average annual temperature of WTWHA in northeast Queensland is 24 °C. However, in the coming years (by 2030), the average annual temperature increase is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 °C compared to the climate observed between 1986 and 2005. Looking further ahead to 2070, the anticipated temperature rise is projected to be between 1.0 and 3.2 °C, with the exact range depending on future emissions. We identified 84 plant species, endemic to tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) within the WTWHA, which are already experiencing climate change threats. Some of these plants are used in herbal medicines. This study comprehensively reviewed the metabolomics studies conducted on these 84 plant species until now toward understanding their physiological and metabolomics responses to global climate change. This review also discusses the following: (i) recent developments in plant metabolomics studies that can be applied to study and better understand the interactions of wet tropics plants with climatic stress, (ii) medicinal plants and isolated phytochemicals with structural diversity, and (iii) reported biological activities of crude extracts and isolated compounds.

Sociodemographic and Temporal Differences in Menthol Cigarette Use Among US Adults Who Smoke, 1999-2018.

Monitoring menthol cigarette use allows for identification of potential health disparities. We examined sociodemographic and temporal differences in menthol cigarette use among US adults who smoke. We analyzed data from the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for adults aged 20 years or older who smoke (N = 11,431) using binary logistic regression. Among US adults who smoke, 28.8% used menthol cigarettes. After adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, income-to-poverty ratio, and health status, the prevalence of menthol use among adults who smoke increased on average by 3.8% (95% CI, 2.7%-4.9%) annually. Non-Hispanic Black adults had the highest average prevalence of menthol cigarette use, 73.0% (95% CI, 70.9%-75.2%), and Mexican American adults had higher average annual increase in menthol cigarette use, 7.1% (95% CI, 4.0%-10.3%). Adults with fair or poor health status had a 4.3% annual increase in menthol cigarette use (95% CI, 2.5%-6.1%). The adjusted prevalence ratios of menthol cigarette use were 1.61 (95% CI, 1.39-1.83) for adults aged 20-29 years compared with those aged 65 years or older, 1.41 (95% CI, 1.32-1.49) for female adults compared with male adults, and 1.17 (95% CI, 1.07-1.27) for high school graduates or higher compared with those with no high school diploma. Non-Hispanic Black adults who smoke had the highest prevalence of menthol cigarette use among all racial and ethnic groups; the prevalence of menthol cigarette use among adults who smoke increased especially among Mexican American adults, younger adults, and adults who reported fair to poor health status.

Sustainable Logistic Management Plan as an alternative to minimize budget difficulties of Higher Education Institutions

Brazil has increased its scientific production in the past four decades, with public universities playing a major role in scientific and technological research in the country. Recent cuts in governmental budgets to these institutions put them at risk of closing down, impacting not only education, but also research and development in the country, thus threatening the future of the national science and technology system. Sustainable actions may help universities to overcome this crisis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of the implementation, in 2008, of a Sustainable Logistic Management Plan (SLP) at the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA). Indicators were collected by UFCSPA Environmental Management Commission (EMC) and were publicly available. The study analyzed indicators such as water and energy consumption and special waste production to assess trends in environmental aspects and their respective impacts. The number of graduate and undergraduate courses at UFCSPA increased during the period, therefore most indicators showed an increase in resource consumption in absolute values. However, a decrease was observed when consumption was analyzed per capita. Accordingly, overall consumption of electricity increased 143% from 2008 to 2020, whereas a reduction per capita was observed. Special waste production increased 46% from 2013 to 2020, but per capita production remained stable and water consumption, despite having an average annual increase of 8%, also had a per capita reduction. This study shows how sustainable actions implemented by UFCSPA affected the use of resources, reducing the consumption of water, electricity, disposable materials, and waste per capita. Therefore, we can conclude that the actions implemented by the university in 2008 and monitored by the EMC in the SLP contributed significantly to achieving financial balance in the institution.

Productivity and quality of paulownia wood in the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Purpose. To determine the effect of application of fertilizer, cryoprotectant and foliar feeding on the formation of yield and quality of paulownia. Methods. The research was conducted in 2021–2023 at the experimental plot of the Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University located in the forest plantations in the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine (Kyiv region). Design of the experiment: factor A – fertilization: 1) without fertilizers, 2) application of organic fertilizer Vermykompost before planting (400 kg/ha); factor B – application of cryoprotectant: 1) without cryoprotectant, 2) cryoprotectant Mars-EL (0.5 l/ha) applied at the beginning of leaf growth; factor B – foliar application of fertilizers: 1) no treatment, 2) Quantum-AmiNoFrost (1.5 l/ha), 3) SmartGrow Recovery (2.0 l/ha). Results. At the end of the first, second and third years of paulownia cultivation, the average diameter of the trunk was 8.8; 12.2 and 17.3 cm, respectively. The application of organic fertilizer contributed to the average annual increase in this indicator by 3.0, 1.5, and 1.7 cm, and application of cryoprotector – by 0.3, 0.3, and 0.4 cm per year, respectively. The highest values of the trunk diameter in the experiment were obtained under combined application of Vermykompost, cryoprotectant and foliar fertilizer Quantum-AmiNoFrost or SmartGrow Recovery: in the first year – 10.5–10.6 cm, in the second – 13.1–13.2 cm, and in the third year – 18.4 cm. During the first, second and third years of vegetation, dry matter content of paulownia biomass per plant averaged to 3.0, 12.9, and 26.7 kg, respectively. At the same time, the application of fertilizer provided an increase in the dry matter content of 0.7, 1.7, and 3.8 kg per plant, while application of cryoprotectant provided 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 kg per plant, respectively. Similarly to the diameter of the trunk, dry matter accumulation per plant was the highest under combined action of all factors of the experiment: in the first year – 3.58–3.60 kg, in the second – 14.1–14.2 kg, and in the third – 29.4 kg. Conclusions. The yield of dry matter of paulownia in the first year of cultivation averaged 1.88 t/ha. Application of fertilizer provided dry matter increase of 0.45 t/ha, and cryoprotectant – 0.19 t/ha in the first year; 8.04 t/ha in the second year, with increases by factors of 0.45 and 0.19 t/ha, respectively, and in the third year – 16.68 t/ha, with increases by factors of 2.40 and 0.73 t/ha, respectively. In all years of the experiment, the highest dry matter yield was recorded in the combined treatment with the use of organic fertilizer, cryoprotectant and foliar fertilization: in the first year, dry matter yield was 2.24–2.25 t/ha, in the second 8.80–8.90 t/ha, and in the third year 18.40 t/ha. The average content of cellulose in paulownia biomass over the years of research was 43.8% and lignin – 20.3%. The use of organic fertilizer provided an increase in these indicators by 1.05 and 0.29%, respectively, and cryoprotectant – by 0.41 and 0.24%. The highest content of cellulose (44.5%) and lignin (20.7%) were noted for the combined action of all three factors of the experiment. As to the ash content, the average indicator for the experiment was 1.1%, and the deviations of his parameter did not depend on the influence of the experimental factors (the difference was within the experimental error).

Energy markets restructure beyond 2022 and its implications on Qatar LNG sales strategy: Business forecasting and trend analysis

The emergence of new suppliers and energy resources has reshaped the energy market in terms of contractual structures and pricing systems. The market shifts were accelerated in response to the latest Russian-Ukraine crisis, impacting natural gas supply chains from financing projects to contracting volumes. The increased demand for liquified natural gas volumes intensified the need to switch from long-term oil-indexed contracts to short-term gas-indexed contracts. Those shifts were anticipated to influence the selling strategies for the expected added 49 MTPA of Qatari LNG, wherein increasing the share of spot selling would be reflected in higher economic performance. This study used forecasted prices to investigate potential Qatari LNG selling strategies. Initially, projections of the most dominant pricing systems used for pricing Qatari LNG (i.e., brent, Henry Hub, Title Transfer Facility, and Japan Korea Marker) were estimated between 2023 and 2040. While Qatar has been relying on long-term oil-indexed contracts, the second step estimated annual LNG revenues under different combinations of selling strategies (i.e., long-term and spot sales). Finally, the influence of varying brent slopes on the estimated revenues was measured. Due to data limitations and non-stationarity, the double exponential smoothing model was selected among the different tested models. Considering current market dynamics, forecasts of the double exponential smoothing model showed an upward price trend until 2040. An annual average increase of 1.24% for the studied pricing systems was reported. Reducing the share of long-term brent-indexed contracts to 70% and dedicating the remaining 30% of volumes to spot sales yielded the highest premiums for revenue estimates. An average annual revenue of $62 bn was reported for the 70/30 strategy, around 6% higher than the 100% brent-indexed contracts strategy. The findings revealed that diversifying the selling approach and introducing spot sales can enhance revenues. From the buyers’ perspective, the outcomes support policymakers in understanding the implications of escalated prices driven by a lack of liquidity investments.

Radiation therapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma: practice patterns in North America

BackgroundThe addition of radiation therapy (RT) to surgery in retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) remains controversial. We examined practice patterns in the use of RT for patients with RPS over time in a large, national cohort.MethodsPatients in the National Cancer Database (2004–2017) who underwent resection of RPS were included. Trends over time for proportions were calculated using contingency tables with Cochran-Armitage Trend test.ResultsOf 7,485 patients who underwent resection, 1,821 (24.3%) received RT (adjuvant: 59.9%, neoadjuvant: 40.1%). The use of RT decreased annually by < 1% (p = 0.0178). There was an average annual increase of neoadjuvant RT by 13% compared to an average annual decrease of adjuvant RT by 6% (p < 0.0001). Treatment at high-volume centers (OR 14.795, p < 0.0001) and tumor > 10 cm (OR 2.009, p = 0.001) were associated with neoadjuvant RT. In contrast liposarcomas (OR 0.574, p = 0.001) were associated with adjuvant RT. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival between patients treated with surgery alone versus surgery and RT (p = 0.07).ConclusionIn the United States, the use of RT for RPS has decreased over time, with a shift towards neoadjuvant RT. However, a large percentage of patients are still receiving adjuvant RT and this mostly occurs at low-volume hospitals.

Incidence of invasive infections with Group B streptococcus in adults in Norway 1996–2019: a nationwide registry-based case–control study

PurposeGroup B streptococcus (GBS) colonizes the gastrointestinal and vaginal mucosa in healthy adults, but has also become an increasing cause of invasive infection. The aims of this study were to describe the incidence and factors associated with the occurrence of invasive GBS disease in adults in Norway.MethodsWe performed a nationwide retrospective case–control study of invasive GBS infections during 1996–2019, with two control groups; invasive Group A streptococcal disease (GAS) to control for changes in surveillance and diagnostics, and a second representing the general population.ResultsA total of 3710 GBS episodes were identified. The age-standardized incidence rate increased steadily from 1.10 (95% CI 0.80–1.50) in 1996 to 6.70 (95% CI 5.90–7.50) per 100,000 person-years in 2019. The incidence rate had an average annual increase of 6.44% (95% CI 5.12–7.78). Incidence rates of GAS varied considerably, and there was no evidence of a consistent change over the study period. GBS incidence was highest among adults > 60 years of age. Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes were the most common comorbid conditions. There was a shift in the distribution of capsular serotypes from three dominant types to more equal distribution among the six most common serotypes.ConclusionsThe incidence of invasive GBS disease in adults increased significantly from 1996 to 2019. The increasing age of the population with accompanying underlying comorbid conditions might contribute to the increasing burden of invasive GBS disease. Interestingly, type 1 diabetes was also associated with the occurrence of invasive GBS disease.

25 year trends in cancer incidence and mortality among adults aged 35-69 years in the UK, 1993-2018: retrospective secondary analysis

ObjectiveTo examine and interpret trends in UK cancer incidence and mortality for all cancers combined and for the most common cancer sites in adults aged 35-69 years.DesignRetrospective secondary data analysis.Data...

Exploring the effects of a warmer climate on power and energy demand in multi-family buildings in a Nordic climate

The need to understand how a warmer climate affects the power and energy demand in cold countries is important for urban planners and policymakers. By using data from utility bills that are commonly available today, together with outdoor temperatures, it is possible to analyze historical and future power and energy demand. The scientific value of this research includes the development of a methodology to explore effects on future heat demand in the Nordic region based on a combination of historical data, building properties, and predictions of future climate. This is achieved by using an energy signature model and regression analysis. Seventy multi-family buildings in Linköping, Sweden, are investigated from 1980 to 2050. The results show that the effects from historical variations in internal heat gains (average annual increase of 1 %) on the specific energy use for space heating (SPH) is minor for the district, i.e., less than 2 % when comparing 2020 and 1980. The opposite is found for variations in outdoor temperatures, where the average specific energy use is predicted to decrease by about 25 % in 2050 compared to 1980, with the used forecast of future climate. This corresponds to a decrease from 127 kWh/(m2·year) to 93–96 kWh/(m2·year). Additionally, the maximum heating power demand of the district is predicted to decrease by about 30 %, from 4,855 kW in 1980 to 3,468 kW in 2050. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a strong effect of decreased SPH and heating power demand in residential districts due to a warmer climate.

Exploring spatiotemporal dynamics of NDVI and climate-driven responses in ecosystems: Insights for sustainable management and climate resilience

Understanding the intricate relationship between climate variables and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is essential for effective ecosystem management. This study focuses on the spatiotemporal dynamics of NDVI and its interaction with climate variables in the ecologically diverse Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province, Pakistan, from 2000 to 2022. The research methodology involves analyzing satellite images and meteorological datasets to examine NDVI and surface latent heat flux (SHF), total precipitation (TPP), temperature (T), soil temperature (ST), and total pressure (TP). KPK Province's ecological significance and complex climate-vegetation interactions drive the selection of this study area. The study uses multiple linear regression analysis to investigate how T, TPP, SHF, and TP influence NDVI. The Mann-Kendall test detects trends, with Sen's slope estimator quantifying trend magnitudes. Additionally, correlation coefficients provide insights into long-term changes and association strengths. The findings highlight a consistent upward trend in mean NDVI over the 23 years, revealing an overall increase in NDVI, particularly in vegetation-dense areas where it rose from 0.27 to 0.32. The research showed an annual growth rate of 0.84% in the entire area, with specific vegetated zones exhibiting a slightly lower rate of 0.80%. However, the average yearly increase in NDVI is higher in vegetation-specific zones (0.00237) compared to the whole area (0.00151). This increase in NDVI occurs alongside a statistically significant decrease in SHF and PPT, suggesting a complex adaptation of vegetation to changing climate conditions in the KPK Province. In contrast, SHF exhibits a statistically significant negative slope of −5.952e-06 (p < 0.05), indicating a pronounced downward trend. Similarly, Sen's slope estimate for precipitation demonstrates a significant negative trend of −0.0001 (p < 0.05), showing diminishing precipitation. The study uncovers intricate linkages between climate variables and vegetation dynamics within KPK Province. These insights have far-reaching implications, guiding decision-making in land management, conservation efforts, and global climate resilience strategies. Ultimately, the research underscores the critical role of data-driven approaches in shaping a greener and more sustainable future.

Assessment of the Effect of the Main Grain-Producing Areas Policy on China's Food Security.

Food provided a material foundation for the development of human society and was an important cornerstone for ensuring national security. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to food security, which is not only related to economic development and social stability but also to national security and self-reliance. As the core region for grain production and the supply of staple food in China, the major grain-producing areas account for 78.25% of the total national grain output, truly earning the title of China's "granary". Considering the establishment of 13 major grain-producing regions across the country in 2004 as a quasi-natural experiment, the impact of policies in major grain-producing regions on ensuring national food security is examined using a difference-in-differences method based on inter-provincial panel data for 30 provinces across the country from 1997 to 2020, and the mechanisms of their effects are further analyzed. The findings show that (1) the main producing-areas policy has a significant driving effect on China's food security, with an average annual increase of 0.0351 units in the food-security index, and the impact is expanding year by year. (2) The policy of the main grain-producing provinces mainly plays a role in guaranteeing food security by expanding the scale of grain cultivation and the scale of family land management in the main grain-producing provinces, and the scale effect of grain cultivation has a more significant impact. Further adjusting and improving the policy of the main grain-producing areas and expanding the scale-driven effect of this policy are of great significance for transforming agricultural production methods and realizing a strong agricultural country.

The impact of biomass power plants on Brazilian workers’ income: a synthetic difference-in-differences approach

PurposeThis research assesses the economic impact of biomass plant installations on Brazilian municipalities, focusing on (1) labor income, (2) sectoral labor income and (3) income inequality.Design/methodology/approachMunicipal data from the Annual Social Information Report, the National Electric Energy Agency and the National Institute of Meteorology spanning 2002 to 2020 are utilized. The Synthetic Difference-in-Differences methodology is employed for empirical analysis, and robustness checks are conducted using the Doubly Robust Difference in Differences and the Double/Debiased Machine Learning methods.FindingsThe findings reveal that biomass plant installations lead to an average annual increase of approximately R$688.00 in formal workers' wages and reduce formal income inequality, with notable benefits observed for workers in the industry and agriculture sectors. The robustness tests support and validate the primary results, highlighting the positive implications of renewable energy integration on economic development in the studied municipalities.Originality/valueThis article represents a groundbreaking contribution to the existing literature as it pioneers the identification of the impact of biomass plant installation on formal employment income and local economic development in Brazil. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to uncover such effects. Moreover, the authors comprehensively examine sectoral implications and formal income inequality.

Characteristics, toxicology and major organ pathology of deaths due to acute alcohol toxicity in Australia, 2011-2022.

Acute alcohol toxicity is a significant component of alcohol-related mortality. The study aimed to: (i) determine the circumstances of death and characteristics of fatal alcohol toxicity cases, 2011-2022; (ii) determine their toxicological profile and major autopsy findings; and (iii) determine trends in population mortality rates. Retrospective study of acute alcohol toxicity deaths in Australia, 2011-2022, retrieved from the National Coronial Information System. A total of 891 cases were identified, with a mean age of 49.2 years, 71.0% being male. Alcohol use problems were noted in 71.3%. In 57.5% death was attributed solely to acute alcohol toxicity, and combined acute alcohol toxicity/disease in 42.5%. There was evidence of sudden collapse in 24.9% of cases. The mean BAC was 0.331 g/100 mL (range 0.107-0.936), and spirits were the most commonly reported beverages (35.8%). Cases of combined toxicity/disease had significantly lower BACs than those attributed solely to alcohol toxicity (0.296 vs. 0.358 g/100 mL). Cardiomegaly was diagnosed in 32.5%, and severe coronary artery disease in 22.1%. Aspiration of vomitus was noted in 18.0%, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 19.6%. Severe liver steatosis was present in 33.4% and 13.6% had cirrhosis. There was an average annual percentage increase in deaths of 7.90. The 'typical' case was a long-standing, heavy spirits drinker. BACs showed enormous variation and no arbitrary concentration may be deemed lethal. Clinically significant disease was associated with death at a lower BAC and people with such disease may be at increased risk of alcohol poisoning.

A simulation model to analyze the behavior of a faculty retirement plan: a case study in Mexico

AbstractThe main goal in this study was to determine confidence intervals for average age, average seniority, and average money-savings, for faculty members in a university retirement system using a simulation model. The simulation—built-in Arena—considers age, seniority, and the probability of continuing in the institution as the main input random variables in the model. An annual interest rate of 7% and an average annual salary increase of 3% were considered. The scenario simulated consisted of the teacher and the university making contributions, the faculty 5% of his salary, and the university 5% of the teacher’s salary. Since the base salaries with which teachers join to university are variable, we considered a monthly salary of MXN 23 181.2, corresponding to full-time teachers with middle salaries. The results obtained by a simulation of 30 replicates showed that the confidence intervals for the average age at retirement were (55.0, 55.2) years, for the average seniority (22.1, 22.3) years, and for the average savings amount (329 795.2, 341 287.0) MXN. Moreover, the risk that a retiree of 62 years of age and more of 25 years of work, is alive after his savings runs out is approximately 98% and this happens at 64 years of age.

Assault-related traumatic brain injury hospitalizations in Canada from 2010 to 2021: rates, trends and comorbidity

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. TBI is often associated with other physical or psychological issues resulting in high hospitalization costs. TBI incidence and recovery can vary with the external cause being intentional or unintentional. It is important to monitor the rates of TBI hospitalizations related to different external causes. This study examined the annual rate, comorbidity and length of stay associated with assault-related TBI hospitalizations and compare it with other external causes, by age and sex in Canada from 2010 to 2021.MethodsDischarge Database was used to extract cases of TBI (2010–2021). ICD-10-CA codes were used to classify all cases with TBI as per assault and other external causes (falls; transport; sport, physical activity and recreation; struck by). Additional variables, including age, sex, comorbidity and length of stay, were examined. Time trends were quantified using Joinpoint regression.ResultsThe average annual percent increase for all TBI hospitalizations from 2010 to 2021 was not significant at 0.1%. Females accounted for 35.8% of these TBI hospitalizations. From 2010 to 2021, assault-related TBI hospitalizations showed a significant annual decline of 4.1% for males and a significant increase of 1.2% for females. Increase in TBI hospitalizations related to falls showed an average annual percent increase of 1.4% for males and 2.2% for females. A significant decrease was observed for TBI hospitalizations related to the other three (transport, SPAR and struck by) external causes for both sexes from 2010 to 2021. Infants and children under 10 years of age had higher percentages of cases with comorbidities and higher length of stay for assault-related TBI hospitalizations.ConclusionsAssault-related TBI hospitalization rates decreased overall and among males, rates among females increased from 2010 to 2021. These results underscore the importance of targeted prevention efforts for TBI related to different external causes, age and sex, and continued surveillance to monitor the epidemiology of assault-related TBI.

Long-term monthly 0.05° terrestrial evapotranspiration dataset (1982–2018) for the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract. Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role in the water balance of the Tibetan Plateau (TP), often referred to as the “Asian water tower” region. However, accurately monitoring and comprehending the spatial and temporal variations of ET components (including soil evaporation Es, canopy transpiration Ec, and intercepted water evaporation Ew) in this remote area remains a significant challenge due to the limited availability of observational data. This study generates a 37-year dataset (1982–2018) of monthly ET components for the TP using the MOD16-STM (MOD16 soil texture model). This model utilizes up-to-date soil properties, meteorological data, and remote sensing datasets. The estimated ET results strongly correlate with measurements from nine flux towers, demonstrating a low root mean square error of 13.48 mm per month, a mean bias of 2.85 mm per month, a coefficient of determination of 0.83, and an index of agreement of 0.92. The annual average ET for the entire TP, defined as elevations higher than 2500 m, is approximately 0.93(± 0.037) × 103 Gt yr−1. The predominant contributor to ET on the TP is Es, accounting for 84 % of the total ET. Our findings reveal a noteworthy upward trend in ET in most central and eastern parts of the TP, with a rate of approximately 1–4 mm yr−1 (p&lt;0.05) and a significant downward trend with rates between −3 and 1 mm yr−1 in the northwestern part of TP during the period from 1982 to 2018. The average annual increase in ET for the entire TP over the past 37 years is approximately 0.96 mm yr−1. This upward trend can be attributed to the TP's warming and wetting climate conditions. The MOD16-STM ET dataset demonstrates a reliable performance across the TP compared to previous research outcomes. This dataset is valuable for research on water resource management, drought monitoring, and ecological studies. The entire dataset is freely accessible through the Science Data Bank (https://doi.org/10.11922/sciencedb.00020, Ma et al., 2021) and the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center (TPDC) (https://doi.org/10.11888/Terre.tpdc.271913, Yuan, 2021).

Coarse Particulate Matter and Markers of Inflammation and Coagulation in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Population: A Repeat Measures Analysis.

In contrast to fine particles, less is known of the inflammatory and coagulation impacts of coarse particulate matter (, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ). Toxicological research suggests that these pathways might be important processes by which impacts health, but there are relatively few epidemiological studies due to a lack of a national monitoring network. We used new spatiotemporal exposure models to examine associations of both 1-y and 1-month average concentrations with markers of inflammation and coagulation. We leveraged data from 7,071 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and ancillary study participants 45-84 y of age who had repeated plasma measures of inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers. We estimated at participant addresses 1 y and 1 month before each of up to four exams (2000-2012) using spatiotemporal models that incorporated satellite, regulatory monitoring, and local geographic data and accounted for spatial correlation. We used random effects models to estimate associations with interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and D-dimer, controlling for potential confounders. Increases in were not associated with greater levels of inflammation or coagulation. A increase in annual average was associated with a 2.5% decrease in CRP [95% confidence interval (CI): , 0.6]. We saw no association between annual average and the other markers (IL-6: , 95% CI: , 1.2; fibrinogen: , 95% CI: , 0.3; D-dimer: , 95% CI: , 2.4). Associations consistently showed that a increase in 1-month average was associated with reduced inflammation and coagulation, though none were distinguishable from no association (IL-6: , 95% CI: , 0.5; CRP: , 95% CI: , 0.4; fibrinogen: , 95% CI: , 0.1; D-dimer: , 95% CI: , 0.3). We found no evidence that is associated with higher inflammation or coagulation levels. More research is needed to determine whether the inflammation and coagulation pathways are as important in explaining observed health impacts in humans as they have been shown to be in toxicology studies or whether might impact human health through alternative biological mechanisms. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12972.

Changes in Body Mass Index Over Time in People With and Without HIV Infection.

Excess weight gain is an important health concern among people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The extent to which ART contributes to body mass index (BMI) changes is incompletely understood. We conducted a retrospective study of PWH initiating ART and demographically matched people without HIV (PWoH). Data on baseline BMI (kg/m2; categorized as underweight/normal, overweight, or obese) and ART class (integrase strand transfer inhibitor [INSTI], non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI], protease inhibitor [PI]) were obtained from electronic health records. BMI was evaluated longitudinally using piecewise linear splines in mixed effects models by HIV status, baseline BMI, and ART class. Models were adjusted for sociodemographics, comorbidities, and substance use. The study included 8256 PWH and 129 966 PWoH (mean baseline age, 40.9 and 42.2 years, respectively; 88% men). In adjusted models, the average annual change in BMI in the first 2 years after ART initiation was 0.53 for PWH and 0.12 for PWoH (P < .001). BMI increases among PWH were observed for all ART classes: 0.69 for INSTIs, 0.69 for PIs, and 0.40 for NNRTIs vs 0.12 among PWoH. For PWH initiating INSTIs, BMI increases were observed regardless of baseline BMI. Overall BMI changes >2 years after ART initiation were similar by HIV status (0.02 average annual increase for PWH and PWoH). PWH initiating ART gained excess weight in the first 2 years, emphasizing the importance of monitoring weight and cardiometabolic health among ART-treated PWH.

Evaluation of personal protective equipment to protect health and safety in pesticide use

IntroductionAgriculture emerges as one of the most dangerous industries in the world, considering injury and illness rates. After the service sector in Turkey, the next large-scale sector is the agricultural sector, which constitutes 20% of the general employment. The exposure of farmers to pesticides, used to increase the quality and productivity of agricultural products, causes health risks via the mouth, respiration, skin, and eyes. Pesticide use in Turkey is increasing; the annual average increase is estimated at 1.2%. Exposure to pesticides can be reduced by wearing personal protective equipment to protect against health and safety hazards.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the importance of personal protective equipment using the multi-criteria decision-making method to prevent the risk of injury and disease resulting from pesticide use.Materials and methodsThe Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to find the weights of the criteria determined by expert opinion and a literature review. The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) was used to rank personal protective equipment.ResultsPersonal protective equipment includes masks, gloves, overalls, safety shoes, glasses, and hats. The use of multi-criteria decision-making methods in health and safety in the agricultural sector will contribute to the literature.ConclusionEmphasizing the use of personal protective equipment, especially when using pesticides, will increase the rate of use of protective measures.

Growth rate of adult obesity prevalence in China and target population for prevention and control from 2013 to 2018

Objective: To investigate the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence of residents aged 18 and above in China and prevention keypoints for target populations from 2013 to 2018. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance project in 2013 and 2018 were included. The prevalence of obesity and growth rate in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China were collected through survey questionnaires and on-site measurements. Other demographic data such as the proportion of obesity control measures, diet, exercise and drug use was also analyzed. Obesity among adults was defined as body mass index≥28.0 kg/m². Results: A total of 174 736 residents, aged (51.5±14.2) years, which included 74 704 (42.8%) males were recruited in 2013, and 179 125 residents, aged (55.1±13.8) years, which included 79 337 (44.3%) males were included in 2018. The average annual increase rate of adult obesity prevalence in China from 2013 to 2018 was 3.2% (uncertainty interval (UI) 2.7%-3.6%), and the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among men (5.2% (UI 4.6%-5.9%)) was higher than that of women (0.9% (UI 0.5%-1.3%)). For subgroups analysis, the average increase rate of obesity prevalence among residents aged 18 to 29 (7.4% (UI 6.9%-7.9%)), education level beyond college degree (6.3% (UI 5.5%-7.1%)), and unmarried population (11.2% (UI 10.2%-12.1%)) were higher than that of other subgroups between 2013 and 2018. The residents in Hainan province showed the highest average annual growth rate of obesity. With the exception of Shanxi, Hunan, Gansu and Ningxia province, the annual growth rate of obesity prevalence among adults increased in all other provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from 2013 to 2018. For the obese population, the proportion of people who took weight control measures increased from 22.6% in 2013 to 32.7% in 2018. Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity growth characteristics in subpopulations and regions in China are obviously different. Accordingly the focus points of obesity prevention and control in different regions should have their own emphasis.