Manure fertilizer-derived soil emerging pollutants compromises its fertility benefits for vegetable quality: At the scale of soil aggregates.

Early childhood development is profoundly influenced by parent-child interaction yet the impact of parental knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding screen exposure and home environment on these dynamics remains underexplored. This study investigates the associations between parental KAP on screen exposure, home nurture environment and parent-child interaction quality in children aged 2-3 years, addressing a critical gap in understanding how digital media habits shape early developmental contexts. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 252 parents of children aged 2-3 years. Data were collected through validated questionnaires assessing parental KAP on screen exposure, parent-Child screen, home nurture environment and parent-child interaction quality. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyze direct and indirect pathways between variables. Parent-child screen exhibited a significant positive direct effect on parent-child interaction (β = 0.540, p < 0.01). The child home nurture environment had a significant positive direct effect on parent-child interaction (β = 0.366, p < 0.01) and also exerted an indirect positive effect on parent-child interaction through parent-child screen (β = 0.320, p < 0.01). Parental KAP regarding children's screen exposure exerted an indirect positive effect on parent-child interaction (β = 0.440, p < 0.01) through two pathways: one through the single mediating effect of child home nurture environment, and the other through the chain mediating effect from the child home nurture environment to parent-child screen. Supportive home environment and proactive parental engagement are pivotal in fostering positive parent-child interaction amidst rising screen exposure. Interventions targeting KAP improvement and balanced screen-use practices could enhance early childhood development. This study underscores the need for policy and educational programs to empower parents in creating nurturing, screen-smart home environment for early childhood.

Hormonal crosstalk in endophyte-mediated biotic stress resilience: from colonization to defence for sustainable agriculture.

BackgroundThe physical design of outpatient clinics plays a critical role in shaping staff satisfaction, workflow efficiency, and perceived performance. While evidence-based design is increasingly emphasized, limited research has systematically examined how spatial layout, environmental quality, and zoning influence staff experience and behavior across diverse clinical contexts.ObjectiveThis study examines the impact of outpatient clinic layout and environmental attributes on staff satisfaction, stress, task performance, and communication. The goal is to identify high-impact zones and design factors that improve staff outcomes and operational resilience.MethodsA mixed-methods design was used across four outpatient clinics within a unified health system. Data collection included behavioral mapping, Gemba walk-throughs, staff surveys, and multiple regression analyses. Quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated to evaluate spatial use patterns and environmental predictors of staff experience.ResultsKey operational areas-nurse stations, exam rooms, and team rooms-were identified as multifunctional hubs. Their effectiveness was shaped by adjacency, workspace size, visual access, and acoustic privacy. Regression analysis showed that travel distance, spatial clarity, and wayfinding were significant predictors of satisfaction, performance, and reduced stress. Qualitative data reinforced the importance of ergonomic furnishings, access to restorative areas, and flexibility in reconfiguring underutilized spaces.ConclusionOutpatient environments that integrate spatial clarity, environmental comfort, and intuitive flow are essential for supporting staff experience and performance. These findings offer practical guidance for designing adaptable, high-functioning ambulatory care settings.

Multi-objective projection pursuit approach for environmental quality evaluation of storage cabinets in a museum

Assessment of anthropogenic macro-litter and its impacts on the seagrass meadows of the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands, northern Indian Ocean.

Genicular nerve radiofrequency ablation (RFA) efficacy for knee osteoarthritis (OA) remains debated. This prospective pilot study evaluated the feasibility and outcomes of a novel 5-nerve ultrasound-guided protocol targeting: Superior-Medial (SMGN), Superior-Lateral (SLGN), Inferior-Medial (IMGN), Inferior-Lateral (ILGN) Genicular Nerves and Recurrent Fibular Nerve (RFN). Nineteen patients were enrolled. Feasibility was assessed through protocol adherence and safety (adverse events rate). Primary outcomes were pain (Numerical Rating Scale - NRS) and function (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index - WOMAC) defining responders as ≥50% improvement. Secondary assessments included Environmental Quality of Life Scale (EQoL-5), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), and Medical Research Council (MRC) scale at 1 and 3 months. Significant improvements occurred in NRS (p < 0.001), WOMAC (p < 0.001), and EQoL-Index (p = 0.003); responder rate was 63.2% (n = 12/19). One patient withdrew after T1 due to dissatisfaction; no study attrition or adverse events (notably motor deficits) occurred. Baseline 6MWT >200 m associated with treatment response (p = 0.048), though small sample size limits generalizability. This 5-nerve protocol demonstrated clinical plausibility and safety. Lack of a control group precludes definitive attribution of improvements to RFA over placebo. Robust RCTs comparing 3-nerve vs. 5-nerve protocols are mandatory before clinical implementation.

PFAS contaminants in surface waters, effluents, sediments and coastal food webs off the Solent coastline UK.

Soil amendment ameliorating health of degraded soils affected by heavy metals and acidification: New insights from highly active silicon.

From green to gold: Synergistic enhancement of residents' well-being and ecological quality under China's "two mountains" pilots zones.

This study examines residents’ perceptions of sustainable tourism and regional development in Great Rye Island, Slovakia, which is particularly well-suited for cross-border urban and rural tourism. The area’s development falls short of its potential, and we examined the reasons for this from the perspective of the attitudes of local residents. Drawing on social exchange theory, the research explores how local identity, satisfaction with services and infrastructure, and expectations for development shape attitudes toward sustainable tourism. A survey of 528 residents was conducted between January and March 2025. Participation in the research was voluntary and anonymous, and the respondents were selected randomly. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS, and the following analytical techniques were applied: descriptive statistics, ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA) and k-means cluster analysis. The research revealed moderate satisfaction with local conditions and that residents prioritize social, cultural, and educational development over commercial or tourism-related services. Besides, development initiatives are likely to gain stronger legitimacy and community support when they build on settlement or Great Rye Island identities rather than on more distant regional or national frames. Furthermore, the analysis identified five underlying factors and eight resident groups with distinct profiles. Results show that dissatisfaction with basic infrastructure - especially utilities, roads, and cleanliness - emerges as a common concern and a prerequisite for tourism development. Moreover, identity alone does not determine support for tourism; rather, attitudes are shaped by the interplay of satisfaction, expectations, and local identities. The findings highlight the heterogeneity of borderland communities and underline the need for tailored development strategies that combine infrastructural improvements with initiatives enhancing community cohesion, cultural vitality, and environmental quality.

OLZs support greater behavioral diversity and more positive emotional states in urban dogs compared to on-leash conditions.Agility equipment increases physical activity and intraspecific interactions but is often underutilized and poorly adapted to small dog breeds.Dog owners prioritize safety, environmental quality, and perceived dog enjoyment when selecting OLZs, over proximity alone.

ABSTRACT The presence of oil in water can have a devastating impact on the environment, harming wildlife, ecosystems, and water quality. The oil content in industrial wastewater typically varies from 100 to 1000 mg/L, necessitating a reduction to 5 mg/L before discharge. To address the treatment of these oil-water emulsions, tubular membranes were produced using a horizontal extrusion method. The membranes comprised fly ash, quartz, calcium carbonate, and α-alumina in a weight ratio of 70%, 20%, 5%, and 5%, respectively. A solution of 2 wt.% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) sodium salt in water is used as a binder for the ceramic precursors. The sintered membranes at 1100°C (FA_1100) and 1200°C (FA_1200) were found to have average pore diameters of 0.15 and 0.11 μm, porosity of 37.31 and 36.67%, and mechanical stability of 31.65 and 38.53 MPa, respectively. The pure water permeability of FA_1100 and FA_1200 was estimated to be 9.89 × 10−8 and 3.79 × 10−8 m3 /m2.kPa.s, respectively. The separation efficiency of these membranes was evaluated through cross-flow filtration at five different pressure levels, ranging from 69 kPa to 345 kPa for an oil-water emulsion of concentration 100 mg/L. The oil removal efficiency of the membranes increased progressively with increasing pressure, and complete oil removal was observed at a pressure of 345 kPa. The membrane FA_1100 showed the best permeate flux and rejection combination. The permeate produced from these ceramic membranes is fully reusable in the oil industry, which can contribute to addressing the current water scarcity issue. Research highlights A cost-effective tubular ceramic membrane for treating oil-water emulsions has been developed domestically. Increasing the sintering temperature reduces the porosity and pore size of the prepared membrane. Membranes displayed superior compressive strength compared to other clay-based membranes. Complete removal of oil was achieved using the membrane under crossflow mode.

Heavy metal pollution was surveyed in 2019 and 2021 in cultivated soils from suburban areas, industrial surroundings, and main agricultural lands on the south bank of Taihu Lake. Overall, based on the Chinese national soil environmental quality standard grade II criteria, 21.71, 6.98, 0.78, and 0.78% of suburban and industrial surrounding soils exceeded the standards for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu), while those of main agricultural soils were 4.40, 4.98, 13.60, 5.41%, respectively. The comprehensive pollution indices of soils in the suburban and industrial surrounding area were 0.696 and 0.660, respectively. In contrast, the comprehensive pollution index was 0.648 in soils that were far from the point pollution sites (CK). For locally produced rice grains, the proportions of samples exceeding the Chinese National Food Safety and Health Criteria standards were 12.06% for Hg, 10.64% for Cd, and 17.73% for Zn. Overall, heavy metal pollution was more severe in soils within the suburban areas than the other areas. The survey in 2021 showed that the comprehensive pollution indices of soils in vegetable base, grain function area, modern agricultural park, long-term application of organic manure were 0.748, 0.685, 0.618 and 0.662, respectively. Therefore, suburban area was a priority for preventing and remediating heavy metal pollution, and vegetable bases were the key areas of heavy metal pollution in farmland.

People spend much of their lives indoors, and the rise of hybrid working has increased the importance of indoor environmental quality in residential buildings. Homes have become both living and working environments. This study examines how thermal and acoustic comfort influence workspace preference during the transition to remote work. An online survey of 1513 participants across Türkiye assessed perceived comfort in home and office environments. Descriptive statistics and machine learning methods, including classification and regression trees and gradient boosting machine, were used to identify the main determinants of workspace preference. The results show that thermal and acoustic comfort jointly shape workspace choice, with thermal comfort generally having a stronger influence. Age, housing type and individual tolerance also affect preferences. Lower noise levels strengthen the influence of thermal comfort on working from home, whereas office preference is more common among apartment residents. Thermal comfort emerges as the primary factor governing workspace preference.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the factors shaping the cultural and social dimensions of urban parks, with a focus on Mohtasham Park, a historical public space in Rasht, Iran. This paper examines the roles of safety, security, environmental quality, landscape design, furniture, and management practices in enhancing the socio-cultural functions of parks. Results indicate that security, landscape design, and furniture significantly enhance socio-cultural interactions, while environmental factors, safety, and management practices show no direct impact. These findings highlight the critical role of security, aesthetically pleasing landscapes, and functional furniture in fostering social cohesion and cultural engagement. The study calls for integrative design and management strategies to maximise the socio-cultural potential of urban parks, particularly in rapidly urbanising contexts like Iran, where historical parks like Mohtasham can serve as hubs for community identity and interaction.

The terrestrial ecosystem is simultaneously facing multiple stresses, such as drought and microplastics (MPs), which are negatively affecting humans, crop productivity, and environmental quality. Biochar (BC) is a widely used soil amendment that enhances crop productivity and mitigates stress. In this study, we examined how BC alleviates the harmful effects of combined drought and MPs on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants. The study contained seven treatments: control, DS (60% water holding capacity: WHC), MPs (1%), DS + MPs, DS + BC (2%), MPs + BC (2%), and DS + MPs + BC (2%). Both individual stresses, and particularly their co-exposure, markedly reduced alfalfa growth and biomass yield (44.99%) by decreasing root growth, chlorophyll contents, relative water contents (RWC), and soil nutrient availability, and by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production. Biochar effectively mitigated the adverse effects of the individual stresses and their combined exposure. Notably, BC under co-exposure to DS and MPs enhanced biomass yield (39.38%) by increasing photosynthetic pigments, leaf photosynthetic rate (Pn: 21.41%), transpiration rate (Tr: 39.28%), stomatal conductance (gs: 41.10%), and soil nutrient availability (N: 37.17%, P: 34.42%, and K: 34.89%), while decreasing MDA (51.04%) and H₂O₂ (38.84%) production. Biochar also reduced H₂O₂ in alfalfa plants by increasing antioxidant activities (APX: 34.80%, CAT: 55.97%, POD: 59.82%, and SOD: 31.17%) and by increasing the expression of antioxidant genes such as MtAPX (24.27%), MtCAT (17.72%), MtPOD (12.80%), and MtSOD (27.46%). Collectively, these findings suggest that BC mitigates the toxic impacts of combined DS and MPs by modulating antioxidant activities, gene expression, and nutrient availability. Thus, BC appears to be an effective and eco-friendly soil amendment for enhancing crop productivity under combined abiotic stresses. These findings lay the foundation for developing sustainable solutions to counteract multi-stress conditions and enhance crop productivity.

Objectives This study develops and applies a Delphi-informed environmental audit framework to examine spatial responsiveness in community-based day centers for older adults. Background Daytime socialization spaces play an important role in supporting mobility, orientation, and psychosocial well-being in later life. Although international frameworks such as WHO Age-Friendly Cities, Universal Design, and NICE provide environmental guidance, structured evaluation tools for non-clinical community settings remain limited. Methods A three-round Delphi process involving experts in architecture, interior design, and gerontology refined an 18-item checklist organized into three macro domains and five subdomains addressing accessibility, environmental quality, safety, and supportive spatial features. The framework was applied to eight municipally operated day centers in Turkey. Group comparisons were conducted using non-parametric statistical tests, and visual-comparative synthesis incorporated photographic documentation. Results Item-level differences were identified in selected safety-critical and perceptual dimensions, including flooring safety, color contrast, and handrail provision ( p &lt; 0.05). No significant differences were observed in total checklist scores, suggesting comparable baseline performance across facility types. Configurational analysis indicated greater spatial compactness and clearer entrance articulation in Type 1 centers, whereas more fragmented layouts in Type 2 centers may increase orientation demands. Conclusions Findings suggest that spatial responsiveness in community day centers extends beyond basic accessibility compliance to the coherent integration of sensory, safety-related, and circulation cues. Given the limited sample size and single-city context, results should be interpreted as exploratory. The Delphi-informed framework demonstrates practical applicability; however, broader multi-site validation and integration of user-reported outcomes are needed to strengthen generalizability.

This study explores the relationships between environmental perceptions, attitudes toward community participation, and third place engagement among older adults, using survey data from 638 individuals aged 65 and older residing in Orlando, Florida. The analysis focuses on differences by living arrangement. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were used to examine third place engagement as a continuous outcome, with analyses stratified by whether individuals lived alone or with others. Findings show that physical accessibility – particularly proximity to third places and walkable reach – is a key factor in engagement for both the overall sample and the subgroups. Perceived walkability and neighborhood safety also contributed significantly, emphasizing the role of built environment quality in fostering social connection. Among those living alone, positive attitudes toward exercise and community interaction were associated with higher levels of engagement, suggesting that personal motivation interacts with environmental conditions. The results highlight the need for age-friendly urban design that supports both physical and social accessibility. Policies that enhance walkability, improve neighborhood safety, and locate third places within residential areas can strengthen social participation, particularly among older adults living alone.

The negative impact of pollutants on organisms is complex and still insufficiently investigated. This is caused by the diversity of organisms and by the high variability of the composition of foreign substances and their synergistic effects on each organism. The mechanisms by which living organisms are damaged differ depending on the type, intensity, and duration of the stress factor and interaction with biotic factors. The study focuses on the importance of bioindicators and the process of bioindication which evaluate the selected organisms homeostastis, observation of ecological processes, and the overall assessment of environmental changes. In addition to traditional matrices, such as air, water and soil, bioindicators of plant and animal origin are used to monitor the level of environmental contamination and to control pollution. It is known that bioindicators often contain significantly higher concentrations of certain pollutants than those detected in the matrices themselves. Bioindicators of animal origin allow assessment of environmental quality and its changes over time. They serve as suitable indicators for evaluating the impact of negative anthropogenic activities on ecosystems by studying the reactions of biota to the resulting stress. Bioindication is an important tool in ecotoxicological and veterinary studies, drawing on advances in human and veterinary medicine. As the negative impact of the human population grows on the environment, understanding the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem functions becomes increasingly important. Wildlife biomonitoring using selected wild game mammals has become a common and effective approach for assessing environmental health.