Specific Environmental Factors Research Articles

A Delphi study on identifying environmental risk factors in the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Abstract The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) represents a monumental initiative aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between China and Pakistan. However, the construction and operational phases of CPEC are fraught with numerous environmental risks that could impede its successful implementation. This study employs the Delphi method to systematically identify and evaluate the environmental risk factors associated with CPEC. A panel of experts from diverse fields, including environmental science, engineering, and regional planning, participated in multiple rounds of surveys to reach a consensus on the most critical environmental threats. Various studies have addressed general environmental impacts of large-scale projects, there is a gap in targeted research that systematically identifies and evaluates specific environmental risk factors associated with CPEC. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a detailed and consensus-based understanding. The findings highlight key risk areas such as carbon emission, climate change, air quality deterioration, and biodiversity loss. By providing a comprehensive risk assessment, this research offers valuable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and project managers to develop robust mitigation strategies, ensuring the sustainable development of CPEC. The study underscores the importance of proactive environmental management in large-scale infrastructure projects within ecologically sensitive regions.

Critical Evaluation of the Impact of Training and Development Programs on the Performance of Employees in the UK Food Retail Sector

This research is a quantitative evaluation of the impact of training and development programs on the performance of employees in the UK food retail industry. The study assesses the impact of various training programs in the UK food retail businesses on the performance of employees. In essence, the study evaluated the context of the training programs, the most effective training programs, the environmental specific factors that influence training, and the impact these training programs have on the performance of employees. The study utilized the simple random sampling method under probability sampling in order to give a chance to all persons in the target population. As such a questionnaire was designed with a five-point Likert scale and 384 participants responded to these questions which were administered online with Google forms. In analyzing the data, the descriptive analysis was done using the SPSS, and a PLS-SEM analysis was made using SmartPLS. The findings of the study revealed that coaching and mentoring have no statistically significant relationship with employee performance, contrary to initial hypotheses. However, E-training has a significant positive relationship with employee performance, aligning with existing literature. Conversely, on-the-job training showed a significant negative relationship with employee performance, suggesting potential issues with its effectiveness or perception among employees. The study also revealed that environmental specific factors like political stability, sustainability, technological advancement, legal compliance, social trends and economic fluctuations influences training programs which in turn affects performance of employees. The results of this study provide valuable knowledge to managements of food retail businesses in the United Kingdom, it also in practice identifies the various training programs effective for performance in the food retail sector.

C3 glomerulopathy is highly prevalent in French Polynesia

ObjectiveTo compare the natural history of C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) to acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis (APIGN) in a cohort of patients with a relative homogeneity of environment conditions and genetic background. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the characteristics of all patients with biopsy proven C3G or APIGN referred in 2013–2019 to the only renal unit in French Polynesia. ResultsPoint prevalence of C3G is ∼23 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. A recurrent variation of CFI (p.Arg406His) was identified at the heterozygous state in 4/8 (50 %) patients with C3G but its pathogenicity remain elusive. Characteristics at presentation and kidney outcomes were roughly similar between C3G (n = 16) and APIGN (n = 20), excepted for the presence of humps on kidney biopsy. ConclusionsC3G is highly prevalent in French Polynesia suggesting specific genetic or environmental susceptibility factors. Systematic diagnosis workflow should be proposed to all patients with C3 predominant glomerulonephritis.

Understanding Factors Affecting Inclusions of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: A Study among Non-Disabled University Students

Inclusive education for people with disabilities is gaining importance globally, with improving factors that support the inclusion of students with disabilities in higher education as a key objective. This study explores how societal and environmental factors shape perceptions of disability, rather than viewing it solely as an individual limitation. A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed, involving 279 university students from six different faculties. Data were analyzed through frequency distribution and SPSS to examine the attitudes of non-disabled students toward the inclusion of their disabled peers in higher education. The findings reveal that environmental barriers are strongly associated with the attitudes of non-disabled students toward their peers with disabilities (r = .693, p < .01), indicating that these barriers significantly impact how students perceive and interact with those who have impairments. The non-disabled students identified specific environmental factors that either support or hinder the inclusion of disabled students in university settings. This research highlights the need for addressing environmental obstacles to foster a more inclusive and supportive educational environment for all students.

12622 Molecular Physiology And Compensatory Response In Maladapted Pancreatic Islets Of Humanized Mice Model For Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Disclosure: A. Hussain: None. A. Aldasouqi: None. S. Rafiqi: None. S.S. Khan: None. R. Paparodis: None. J.C. Jaume: None. S. Imam: None. Genetic predisposition linked with specific HLA (DR and DQ) alleles, environmental factors, and other uncharacterized physiological aberrations triggers an autoimmune attack and depletion of β cells in pancreatic islets, leading to decreased insulin secretion and diabetes. Our laboratory has generated humanized mice carrying the antigen-presenting HLA-DQ8 diabetes-linked haplotype and expressing the human autoantigen GAD65 in pancreatic beta cells. These humanized mice spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes (T1D) and represent the full spectrum of pathophysiological conditions experienced in T1D. Using humanized mice as a model of study, we studied the molecular physiology and compensatory response in maladapted pancreas under normal physiological conditions and hyperglycemic stress of T1D. We studied the differential expression of some important genes by quantitative PCR in maladapted islets to identify the physiological processes affected during the initial oxidative stress exerted by autoimmune conditions. Our results confirmed that levels of cyclin B, cMyc, Cyc D, Cyc E, PDGFRA, and NOTCH are reduced during autoimmune insult, reflecting the poor regenerative capacity of islet cells. However, Cyc A has an elevated expression, reflecting that islet cells, particularly the β cells of Type 1 diabetic mice, may have regenerative potential that may be explored. The genes for Desmin and Survivin showed decreased expression, whereas genes for Smad and Synuclein displayed increased expression. The genes for insulin and somatostatin showed elevated expression, whereas the gene for glucagon displayed reduced expression. The results suggest that during autoimmune insults, the β cells moderately whip up the synthesis of insulin-specific RNA to maintain the requirements. Among the endoplasmic reticulum-specific molecular chaperones, Calnexin showed an elevated expression, whereas calreticulin displayed a reduced expression. Among the genes involved with the architecture of the islet, Lamin and Integrin both display increased expression, reflecting the dynamic change in islet architecture during the autoimmune depletion of β cells. We also investigated the expression of ER-specific stress genes both at RNA and protein levels. Our preliminary results have confirmed that ER-specific stress genes showed an elevated expression during oxidative stress mediated by autoimmune T1D conditions. Presentation: 6/3/2024

Recovery of Soil Microbial Metabolism After Rewetting Depends on Interacting Environmental Conditions and Changes in Functional Groups and Life History Strategies.

Climate change is causing an intensification of soil drying and rewetting events, altering microbial functioning and potentially destabilizing soil organic carbon. After rewetting, changes in microbial community carbon use efficiency (CUE), investment in life history strategies, and fungal to bacterial dominance co-occur. Still, we have yet to generalize what drives these dynamic responses. Here, we collated 123 time series of microbial community growth (G, sum of fungal and bacterial growth, evaluated by leucine and acetate incorporation, respectively) and respiration (R) after rewetting and calculated CUE = G/(G + R). First, we characterized CUE recovery by two metrics: maximum CUE and time to maximum CUE. Second, we translated microbial growth and respiration data into microbial investments in life history strategies (high yield (Y), resource acquisition (A), and stress tolerance (S)). Third, we characterized the temporal change in fungal to bacterial dominance. Finally, the metrics describing the CUE recovery, investment in life history strategies, and fungal to bacterial dominance after rewetting were explained by environmental factors and microbial properties. CUE increased after rewetting as fungal dominance declined, but the maximum CUE was explained by the CUE under moist conditions, rather than specific environmental factors. In contrast, higher soil pH and carbon availability accelerated the decline of microbial investment in stress tolerance and fungal dominance. We conclude that microbial CUE recovery is mostly driven by the shifting microbial community composition and the metabolic capacity of the community, whereas changes in microbial investment in life history strategies and fungal versus bacterial dominance depend on soil pH and carbon availability.

A Survey of Quantitative Techniques in Electricity Consumption—A Global Perspective

This study uses the Scopus and Web of Science databases to review quantitative methods to forecast electricity consumption from 2015 to 2024. Using the PRISMA approach, 175 relevant publications were identified from an initial set of 821 documents and subsequently subjected to bibliometric analysis. This analysis examined publication trends, citation metrics, and collaboration patterns across various countries and institutions. Over the period analyzed, the number of articles has steadily increased, with a more rapid rise observed after 2020. Although China dominates this research field, strong bibliographic coupling worldwide indicates significant international collaboration. The study suggests that no single method consistently outperforms others across all contexts and that forecasting methods should be adapted to regional contexts, considering specific economic, social, and environmental factors. Furthermore, we emphasize that review papers should compare methods and results regarding both time horizon and temporal resolution, as these aspects are crucial for the accuracy and applicability of the forecasts.

The theory of planned behavior explored in entrepreneurial intentions among university students in Shandong province, China

This study, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), aims to explore the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Shandong Province, China, and analyze the major factors influencing these intentions. Structural Equation Modeling was applied to data collected from 680 students across five universities in Shandong Province. The findings reveal that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly influence the students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, a positive attitude towards the outcomes of entrepreneurship emerged as the strongest factor influencing their intentions, indicating that positive perceptions and expectations of entrepreneurship significantly enhance students’ entrepreneurial inclinations. Perceived behavioral control also showed a strong influence, suggesting that enhancing students’ self-efficacy and awareness of accessible resources is crucial for fostering entrepreneurial intentions. However, the influence of subjective norms was weaker, which may relate to specific cultural and social environmental factors. This study not only provides an empirical basis for entrepreneurship education and policy-making in Shandong Province and beyond but also offers new insights into the application of TPB in the field of entrepreneurship research.

Association of environmental and behavioural factors with cardiovascular disease mortality.

Recognizing the rising concern of environmental impacts on health, the study aims to explore how specific environmental factors such as air pollution, humidity, and temperature variations contribute to the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, emphasizing the role of air quality, climate variables, and lifestyle factors in the disease mortality specifically. Analysis of province-level data on CVD mortality in Turkey from 2010 to 2019, assessing the correlations with environmental and lifestyle factors like particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, meteorological variables, and smoking and alcohol consumption. The study employs the SAS TRAJ procedure and Ordinal Logistic Regression for statistical analysis. The multiplicity correction was done through Benjamini-Hoechberg false discovery rate (FDR) approach. As expected, both smoking and alcohol consumption were found to be significantly associated with CVD mortality (odds ratio (OR): 1.10, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.11, P-value<0.0001). While median Air Pressure and Humidity were among the most significant markers with OR of 1.10 indicating an increasing CVD mortality, their variability metrics such as coefficient of variation (CV) showed significant protective effects with OR of 0.37 and 0.89, respectively. Temperature and its variability seemed to be protective overall. Our research highlights the significant influence of environmental factors on cardiovascular health, especially air pressure and humidity, beyond the known factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. These findings suggest the need for comprehensive public health strategies that address both environmental and lifestyle risk factors to effectively reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases.

Microbial communities in rural and urban homes and their relationship to surrounding land use, household characteristics, and asthma status

The relationships between the microbial communities that develop within homes and local outdoor features, household conditions and respiratory health outcomes are not well understood. In this study, high-throughput bacterial 16S and fungal ITS rDNA sequencing were coupled with a quantitative, GIS-based land use approach in a sample of 95 homes in adjacent urban and rural areas to investigate how local land use features surrounding homes relate to the home microbiome. Bacterial richness was higher in homes surrounded by less development while fungal richness was higher in homes surrounded by more development. Home mycobiomes in less developed areas were enriched with crop-associated taxa whereas in more developed areas human-associated bacterial taxa and wood decaying fungal taxa predominated. Not all vegetation had the same effect on the home microbiome and distinct differences were observed between bacterial and fungal communities, and the distance between home and vegetation. Crops and tree coverage were strongly related to indoor mycobiomes due to the abundance of crop-related taxa and wood decaying taxa, respectively. Regarding asthma, the microbiomes in homes with asthmatic children had greater bacterial diversity and lower fungal diversity compared to homes without asthmatic children. In addition, ‘protective’ taxa were enriched in non-asthmatic homes. The buffer-based approach used for quantitatively categorizing land use and development levels around homes identified specific outdoor environmental factors that affect the indoor microbiomes in urban and rural homes. The study also supports the growing body of scientific evidence that the indoor microbiome can affect health outcomes such as childhood asthma.

Use of an Adaptive-Vegetation Model to Restore Degraded Tropical Peat Swamp Forest to Support Climate Resilience

Climate change poses significant challenges to ecosystems globally, demanding innovative methods for environmental conservation and restoration. Restoration initiatives require significant amounts of appropriate vegetation that is both adaptive and tolerant to the specific environmental factors. This study introduces an adaptive-vegetation model designed to support ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. Traditional restoration methods often neglect dynamic environmental conditions and ecosystem interactions, but the model employs real-time data and predictive analytics to adapt strategies to evolving climate variables. The model takes a comprehensive approach, incorporating climate projections, soil health metrics, species adaptability, and hydrological patterns to inform restoration practices. By using a mix of adaptable native species, the model promotes biodiversity. In conclusion, according to the findings of our review, paludiculture and agroforestry could be implemented as models for improving climate resilience, particularly in tropical degraded peat swamp forests. These two models could improve the environment, the economy, and social functions. Finally, improving all three of these factors improves ecological stability. This adaptive-vegetation model represents a significant shift from static, uniform restoration approaches to dynamic, data-driven strategies tailored to specific environments. The future research directions underscore the need for ongoing innovation in conservation practices to safeguard ecosystems amid unprecedented environmental changes. Future efforts will focus on enhancing the model with advanced machine learning techniques and expanding its application to additional ecological contexts.

Impact of Earthquakes on Lung Health.

Earthquakes are catastrophic natural disasters that cause extensive damage to infrastructure and disrupt the lives of millions worldwide. Beyond the immediate physical and psychological damage caused by earthquakes, these events can significantly impact respiratory health. The inhalation of dust, smoke, particulates, toxic gases, and asbestos exposure can lead to various respiratory health pathologies. These include respiratory infections, exacerbations of pre-existing respiratory diseases, chest traumas, and pulmonary and venous thromboembolism. Longitudinal studies are necessary to assess the long-term respiratory health effects in affected populations. By addressing these knowledge gaps, future mitigation strategies and preparedness measures can be developed to minimize the respiratory health impacts of earthquakes and improve the well-being of affected communities. Robust building infrastructure and comprehensive earthquake preparedness are emerging as the most important determinants for not only mitigating building collapse but also significantly reducing the potential health impacts that follow. This comprehensive review aims to provide a systematic overview of the lung health impacts of earthquakes. It highlights the need for further research to identify specific pollutants, air contaminants, and environmental factors contributing to respiratory health issues following earthquakes.

Genetic and environmental considerations for the utilization of Pinus pinaster Ait. provenances across a region lacking proper local genetic materials

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) covers vast areas and is of economic importance in southwestern Europe, particularly in Galicia (NW Spain). Galicia is a heterogeneous region with an Atlantic climate in the coast and a Mediterranean-like climate in the inland, where forest reproductive materials (FRM) with proper adaptation, productivity and timber quality are not available. Thus, there is a need for tailored FRM recommendations for reforestation in this region. P. pinaster is particularly sensitive to environmental variation and shows significant intraspecific genetic variability in this sensitivity, so understanding population responses to environmental variation becomes crucial for proper selection of FRM. Taking advantage of volume growth and stem straightness 13 years after planting, assessed on c. 7500 trees from 25 P. pinaster populations established in seven common gardens across inland Galicia, we analyzed intraspecific variation in sensitivity to climate, geographic, edaphic and site quality factors. We used Mantel correlations and factorial regression models to distinguish the environmental parameters explaining the observed population × site interaction. We also estimated population phenotypic plasticity across sites and the existing genetic relationship between growth and stem straightness to define the optimal selection strategy for productivity purposes. Results showed a quantitatively significant population × site interaction for growth whereas it was almost negligible for stem straightness. In the case of growth, no specific environmental factor was able to explain the population relative performance across test sites, being site quality the only significant factor but with low power to describe the patterns found. Population differences were maximized in higher site quality conditions, where the largest gains from planting selected populations would be expected. Tree growth and straightness were not genetically correlated. Based on these results, subdividing inland Galicia for deployment of P. pinaster FRM throughout specific selections for each subregion is not recommended. Selecting FRM based on average growth and its phenotypic stability should be also avoided, as both properties were negatively correlated. We recommend selecting FRM based on the results from high quality sites, where Atlantic origin populations with high levels of genetic improvement showed the fastest growth. The inclusion of selection criteria based on stem straightness did not alter recommendations given that fast growing FRM showed intermediate or slightly above-average straightness. The limited explanatory power of climate factors for the population × site interaction prevents adjusting recommendations in light of the projected climate change.

Healing strategies of women who experienced sexual assault: A mixed method analysis.

The primary objective of this study was to identify healing strategies directly from women who experienced sexual assault and sexual exploitation. The second objective was to explore secondary themes related to healing from sexual assault. This study included two quantitative objectives. The first was to examine if the frequency of reported sexual assault experienced predicted greater coping strategies and if rape that occurred in juvenile years and during college uniquely predicted reported use of more coping strategies. Using a mix-method design of college women who endorsed experiencing unwanted sexual contact as part of a survey, 283 provided details about healthy healing strategies. Qualitative responses were transcribed verbatim, and thematic classification followed an iterative process. Linear regressions were used to examine the relationships between sexual assault frequency and use of coping strategies. The most frequently endorsed categories as being helpful to one's healing were social support, proactive behavioral strategies, forgetting/ignoring/shifting focus, positive cognitive strategies, and counseling. Other themes related to healing included long-term effects, unsuccessful strategies, and posttraumatic growth. Secondary themes include validation, denial of/modified recognition of sexual assault, and specific campus environmental factors. Individuals who reported more sexual assault reported using more healing strategies. This study underscores the benefits of social support and specific strategies. Results suggest a positive relationship between the number of unwanted sexual experiences and coping strategies utilized. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

ACL Injury Etiology in Its Context: A Systems Thinking, Group Model Building Approach.

Background/Objectives: Given the complex nature of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, it is important to analyze its etiology with suitable approaches in order to formulate intervention strategies for effective prevention. The present study employs system thinking techniques to develop a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) Model for investigating the risk factors for ACL Injury (CLD-ACLI), through a Group Model Building approach. Methods: A two-stage procedure was applied involving a comprehensive literature review followed by several systems thinking group-modeling co-creation workshops with stakeholders. Results: Based on input from experts and stakeholders, combined with the latest scientific findings, the derived CLD-ACLI model revealed a series of interesting complex nonlinear interrelationships causal loops between the likelihood of ACL injury and the number of risk factors. Particularly, the interaction among institutional, psychological, neurocognitive, neuromuscular, malalignment factors, and trauma history seem to affect neuromuscular control, which subsequently may alter the biomechanics of landing, predisposing the ACL to injury. Further, according to the proposed CLD-ACLI model, the risk for injury may increase further if specific environmental and anatomical factors affect the shear forces imposed on the ACL. Conclusions: The proposed CLD-ACLI model constitutes a rigorous useful conceptual presentation agreed upon among experts on the dynamic interactions among potential intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for ACL injury. The presented causal loop model constitutes a vital step for developing a validated quantitative system dynamics simulation model for evaluating ACL injury-prevention strategies prior to implementation.

Review on antibiotic pollution dynamics: insights to occurrence, environmental behaviour, ecotoxicity, and management strategies.

Antibiotic contamination poses a significant global concern due to its far-reaching impact on public health and the environment. This comprehensive review delves into the prevalence of various antibiotic classes in environmental pollution and their interactions with natural ecosystems. Fluoroquinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines, and sulphonamides have emerged as prevalent contaminants in environmental matrices worldwide. The concentrations of these antibiotics vary across diverse environments, influenced by production practices, consumer behaviours, and socio-economic factors. Low- and low-middle-income countries face unique challenges in managing antibiotic contamination, with dominant mechanisms like hydrolysis, sorption, and biodegradation leading to the formation of toxic byproducts. Ecotoxicity reports reveal the detrimental effects of these byproducts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, further emphasizing the gravity of the issue. Notably, monitoring the antibiotic parent compound alone may be inadequate for framing effective control and management strategies for antibiotic pollution. This review underscores the imperative of a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to address environmental antibiotic contamination and combat antimicrobial resistance. It also advocates for the development and implementation of tailored national action plans that consider specific environmental conditions and factors. Thus, an approach is crucial for safeguarding both public health and the delicate balance of our natural ecosystems.

Impact of Outdoor Air Pollutants Exposure on the Severity and Outcomes of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Gabes Region, Tunisia.

Background Acute community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is considered the leading cause of infectious death worldwide. Air pollution and prolonged exposure to airborne contaminants have been implicated in various respiratory conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the specific impact of air pollution on pneumonia, particularly CAP, remains underexplored. Given the rising levels of urban air pollution and its potential health ramifications, our study aimed to examine the association between exposure to outdoor air pollution and severity as well as the outcomes of pneumonia cases requiring hospitalization. Methodology A cohort analytical study with retrospective data collection was carried out in the pulmonology department of the Gabès University Hospital between January and October 2022. We compared levels of particulate matter less than or equal to 10µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10),sulfur dioxide (SO2),ozone (O3), moisture and ambient temperature with severity and outcomes ofpneumonia requiring hospitalization. The choice of these specific pollutants and environmental factors was based on their established impact on respiratory health and their prevalence in the study region. Results Increased sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels were associated with increased use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) (r = 0.400). Higher levels of particulate matter (PM10) were significantly associated with the development of lung abscesses. Similarly, increased humidity and ambient temperature were strongly correlated with the development of lung abscesses. Increased air SO2 levels were correlated with a higher CURB65 score (r = 0.299). High outdoor SO2 levels and increasing moisture content were associated with increased Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) score (r = 0.303 and = 0.310, respectively). Higher levels of PM10 were associated with an increased risk of pleural effusion, a serious complication of pneumonia. Finally, higher ambient temperatures were correlated with more extensive opacities on chest X-rays (r = 0.706), suggesting the severity of pneumonia. Conclusion This study highlights the significant associations between environmental factors and various clinical parameters in pneumonia patients. The findings underscore the importance of considering environmental exposures, such as air quality and weather conditions, in understanding and managing the severity of pneumonia.

Risk analysis and assessment method for infectious diseases based on information entropy theory

Infectious diseases risk is directly related to human life safety. After the COVID-19 pandemic, people have paid unprecedented attention to the risk of infectious diseases. Compared with treatment after the outbreak of the epidemic, identifying the influencing factors of infectious disease risk and quantitatively analyzing and assessing infectious disease risk before the outbreak of the epidemic plays an equally important role. This article focuses on the risk of irregular outbreaks of infectious diseases. On the one hand, a method based on information gain is proposed to calculate the weight of environmental factors directly related to infectious disease risk, to clarify the correlation between environmental factors and infectious disease risk. On the other hand, the risk calculation method based on risk weight number is proposed to calculate the risk level of different infectious diseases under the influence of specific environmental factors. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method are verified through case analysis and discussion. By comparing it with other risk assessment methods, the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed method are demonstrated.

Molecular identification of Halomonas AZ07 and its multifunctional enzymatic activities to degrade Pyropia yezoensis under high-temperature condition.

Pyropia yezoensis a commercially important red seaweed species, is susceptible to various microorganisms infections, among which bacterial infections are the most prominent ones. Pyropia yezoensis is often affected by harmful bacterial communities under high temperatures that can lead to its degradation and economic losses. The current study aimed to explore Pyropia yezoensis-associated microbiota and further identify potential isolates, which can degrade Pyropia yezoensis under high-temperature conditions. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify the agarolytic bacterial species. The results showed that Chromohalobacter sp. strain AZ6, Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain AZ, Psychrobacter sp. strain AZ3, Vibrio sp. strain AZ, and Halomonas sp. strain AZ07 exhibited algicidal properties as these strains were more abundant at high temperature (25°C). Among the five isolated strains, the potential isolate Halomonas sp. strain AZ07 showed high production of agarolytic enzymes, including lipase, protease, cellulase, and amylase. This study confirmed that the isolated strain could produce these four different enzymes. The strain Halomonas AZ07 was co-treated with Pyropia yezoensis cells under two different temperature environments, including 13°C and 25°C. The degradation of Pyropia yezoensis occurred at the optimum temperature of 25°C and effectively degraded their cell wall, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. The successful cultivation of Pyropia yezoensis in coastal farm environments is dependent on specific temperature and environmental factors, and lower temperatures have been observed to be particularly beneficial for the survival and growth of Pyropia yezoensis. The temperature below 13°C was confirmed to be the best niche for the symbiotic relationship of microbiota associated with Pyropia yezoensis for its growth, development, and production.

Environmental factors affecting female fertility.

Over the recent years, scientific community has increased its interest on solving problems of female fertility pathology. Many factors acting separately or in combination affect significantly the reproductive life of a woman. This review summarizes current evidence regarding the direct and/or indirect action of environmental factors and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs; i.e. heavy metals, plasticizers, parabens, industrial chemicals, pesticides, or medications, by-products, anti-bacterial agents, perfluorochemicals) upon assisted and non-assisted female fertility, extracted from in vivo and in vitro animal and human published data. Transgenerational effects which could have been caused epigenetically by the action of EDCs have been raised. This narrative review englobes and describes data from in vitro and in vivo animal and human studies with regard to the action of environmental factors, which include EDCs, on female fertility following the questions for narrative reviews of the SANRA (a scale for the quality assessment of narrative review articles). The identification of the studies was done: through the PubMed Central and the PubMed of the MEDLINE, the Google Scholar database and the Cochrane Library database until December 2023 combining appropriate keywords ("specific environmental factors" including "EDCs" AND "specific negative fertility outcomes"); by manual scanning of references from selected articles and reviews focusing on these subjects. It includes references to EDCs-induced transgenerational effects. From the reported evidence emerge negative or positive associations between specific environmental factors or EDCs and infertility outcomes such as infertility indices, disrupted maturation of the oocytes, anovulation, deranged transportation of the embryo and failure of implantation. The revealed adverse outcomes related to female fertility could be attributed to exposure to specific environmental factors such as temperature, climate, radiation, air pollutants, nutrition, toxic substances and EDCs. The recognition of fertility hazards related to the environment will permit the limitation of exposure to them, will improve female fertility and protect the health potential of future generations.