Review
Urban Studies
Ahmet Burak Kaya, Kubra Cihangir Camur, Hasan Murat Cetin, Saltuk Bugra Kaya, Fatma Erdoganaras
Summary: This article conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify urban asthma risk factors. The analysis reveals that the pace of urbanization, air pollution, transportation network components, housing situation, and the locations of industrial regions are the most often highlighted risk factors. However, it is suggested that some of the urban risk variables used to define the urban area are insufficient and should be varied or altered.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elmira Ramazanova, Seung Hwan Lee, Woojin Lee
Summary: The study reveals that Kazakhstan's soil is contaminated by heavy metals, with potential anthropogenic origins for lead and cadmium pollution. Some cities have hazardous levels of heavy metals, posing risks to residents' health. Urgent soil remediation is necessary for protecting citizens from heavy metal contamination.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zsolt Toth, Elisabeth Hornung, Katalin Szlavecz
Summary: Urbanization has a negative impact on soil arthropods, especially litter-dwelling detritivores, potentially altering plant residue processing and ultimately affecting soil biogeochemical cycles.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liting Hao, Baogang Zhang, Chuanping Feng, Zhenya Zhang, Zhongfang Lei, Kazuya Shimizu
Summary: This study assessed the contamination characteristics and associated human health risk of vanadium in surface farmland soils near various vanadium ore mining areas, and evaluated the bioremediation of vanadium contamination by indigenous microbes from them. The results showed that farmland soils near the stone coal area in Hunan province, China, had the highest mean vanadium concentration, posing high non-carcinogenic risks for children. The study also found that the removal efficiency of vanadium reached 98.4% with farmland soils near the uvanite area, suggesting the feasibility of vanadium bioremediation via indigenous microbes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chao Su, Danfeng Zheng, Hong Zhang, Ruoyu Liang
Summary: China has implemented environmental regulations since the 1990s to combat PAH contamination. This study focuses on the Bohai region, using a model to simulate BaP concentrations from 1980 to 2020. BaP emissions were highest in 1990, with urban emissions peaking in 2010. BaP concentrations were higher in urban areas, posing cancer risks primarily through air inhalation. The implementation of environmental regulations has shown significant health benefits, with the biggest decline in cancer risk observed between 2010 and 2020.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Vaclav Pecina, Martin Brtnicky, Tivadar Baltazar, David Juricka, Jindrich Kynicky, Michaela Vasinova Galiova
Summary: The study assessed urban soil pollution by trace elements in China and found that 11% of cities are heavily polluted. Some cities exceed the standardly accepted tolerable levels of risk, with urban green spaces being threatened. It is recommended to alter the policy of urbanization and develop green infrastructures adapted to high contamination levels.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Yesuel Kim, Youngchul Kim
Summary: The objective of this study was to propose an analytic framework for heat vulnerability based on the detailed spatial unit of a city. The framework was validated through data analysis, indicator synthesis, and model construction.
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
(2024)
Article
Geography, Physical
Baohui Chai, Peijun Li
Summary: This study proposes a new method, called the Ensemble of Bidirectional Time Series Analysis (EBTSA), for monitoring land cover change in urban areas using all available Landsat time series data. The method combines the bidi-rectional Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) and the Chow Test to improve robustness against data scarcity and reduce errors in break detection and classification refinement.
ISPRS JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Ana M. F. Pinto, Fernando A. F. Ferreira, Ronald W. Spahr, Mark A. Sunderman, Kannan Govindan, Ieva Meidute-Kavaliauskiene
Summary: This study conducts an economic, social, and environmental analysis regarding impacts, intermediation and eradication of blight. The findings were presented to and validated by a board member of the Institute of Housing and Urban Renewal of Portugal. Advantages and limitations of the approach utilized in the study are also discussed.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nai-Wen Hu, Hong-Wen Yu, Bo -Ling Deng, Bo Hu, Guo-Peng Zhu, Xiu-Tao Yang, Tian-Ye Wang, Ying Zeng, Quan-Ying Wang
Summary: Peri-urban vegetable fields in China are facing heavy metal pollution, posing health risks to residents who consume the vegetables. The main pollutants in the soil are cadmium and mercury, while the vegetables contain elevated concentrations of cadmium, mercury, arsenic, lead, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc. The regions of central, northwest, and northern China have higher levels of heavy metal accumulation. Strategies should be implemented to guide vegetable production and remediate soil pollution in peri-urban areas.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Whanhee Lee, Munjeong Choi, Michelle L. Bell, Cinoo Kang, Jeongju Jang, Insung Song, Yong-Ook Kim, Kristie Ebi, Ho Kim
Summary: This study examines the differential effects of urbanization on heat vulnerability in urban and rural areas using nationwide data. The findings reveal that the relationship between population density and heat-mortality risk differs between urban and rural areas, and district characteristics associated with heat-mortality risk also vary by urbanicity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Julia Oliveira Penteado, Rodrigo de Lima Brum, Paula Florencio Ramires, Edariane Menestrino Garcia, Marina dos Santos, Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Junior
Summary: The urban parks in Rio Grande city are contaminated both historically and presently, with high non-carcinogenic risks of Hg and Pb. The contamination is mainly linked to textile activities from the 18th century, urbanization, and industrialization, posing potential threats to the health of children who frequently use these public spaces.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Wen-Cheng Liu, Tien-Hsiang Hsieh, Hong-Ming Liu
Summary: The study conducted a flood risk assessment of urban areas in Kaohsiung city along the Dianbao River using HEC-HMS and FLO-2D models, and evaluated social vulnerability utilizing the fuzzy Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process, ultimately proposing flood mitigation strategies with both structural and nonstructural measures.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yann Forget, Michal Shimoni, Marius Gilbert, Catherine Linard
Summary: By 2050, half of the world's population increase is expected to be in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to high urbanization rates and land cover changes. Earth Observation offers an opportunity to gather spatial information in a data-scarce environment. A mapping approach using multi-sensor satellite imagery and volunteered geographic information has been proposed to address the challenges of urban remote sensing in sub-Saharan Africa, showing promising results in 17 case studies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhenrui Zhang, Xiaoxia Gao, Sibo Zhang, Hui Gao, Jing Huang, Siyue Sun, Xuefei Song, Ellen Fry, Hanqin Tian, Xinghui Xia
Summary: This study examines the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) in suburban and urban areas of highly urbanized cities in China. The results show that SOC decreases in suburban areas but increases in urban areas. The changes in SOC are positively correlated with changes in vegetation coverage and productivity. The topsoils in highly urbanized urban areas act as carbon sinks due to increased vegetation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Lei Shi, Zhaohui Guo, Shuaixia Liu, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng, Wenli Feng, Hongzhen Ran, Peng Zeng
Summary: The study investigated the reduction effects of combined soil amendments on Cd content and Cd/Zn ratio in rice grains in soils with different Cd contamination levels in three regions of Hunan province, China. The combined amendments, especially lime combined with organic fertilizer, proved to be effective in reducing Cd content in rice grains and Cd/Zn ratio, as well as decreasing soil available Cd and Zn concentration.
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Xin Huang, Hang Yin, Xin-Xing Wan, Bing Fu, Bei Tang, Jun Lei
Summary: The cumulative incidence of PPD at six weeks postpartum was 12.05%. Plasma 5-HT level at delivery was negatively correlated with EPDS scores at delivery and six weeks postpartum, but the changes in 5-HT were not associated with EPDS scores at six weeks postpartum. Plasma 5-HT is not a suitable biomarker for diagnosing PPD.
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhichao Jiang, Zhaohui Guo, Chi Peng, Richmond Anaman, Hongzhen Ran, Xiyuan Xiao
Summary: Soil particle size has a significant impact on the adsorption of Cd in soils, with larger particles having lower adsorption capacity. Cd adsorption is related to the exchange with Fe/Al in the soil, and -OH/C=O sites are the main adsorption sites. Miscellaneous fill in zinc smelting sites may pose a secondary pollution risk due to its low adsorption ability for Cd.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peng Zeng, Zhaohui Guo, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng, Bohan Liao, Hang Zhou, Jiaofeng Gu
Summary: This study investigated the potential of tree-herb intercropping for the ecological remediation of PTM-contaminated soil. The results showed that the intercropping system improved the growth of Morus alba L. and increased the uptake of PTMs. The intercropping also enhanced the biological quality of the contaminated soil and increased the relative abundance of microorganisms.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Y. He, C. Peng, Y. Zhang, Z. Guo, X. Xiao, L. Kong
Summary: By collecting heavy metal data from soil and dust samples in 34 cities in China, this study found that the concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn in urban street dust were generally higher than those in urban soil. The main reasons for the high metal concentrations in some cities were the development of metal processing and smelting industries, manufacturing, and the relocation of heavily polluting enterprises. The heavy metal concentrations in urban soil were not correlated with those in urban dust, indicating different long-term and short-term sources of pollution. In most cities, the non-carcinogenic risk of heavy metals in urban soil and dust for children was at a safe level, with lead being the major contributor to total health risk.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chi Peng, Kai Zhang, Meie Wang, Xinxing Wan, Weiping Chen
Summary: Heavy metal concentrations in urban soils are likely to increase due to urbanization and emissions. The accumulation rates of heavy metals in urban soils varied among cities and were influenced by soil parent material and anthropogenic sources. Cd and Cu accumulation rates were similar across the three cities, while Zn and Pb accumulation rates were higher in Shanghai. Although urbanization led to elevated concentrations of Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb in residential soils, the overall health risks for residents were negligible.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Richmond Anaman, Chi Peng, Zhichao Jiang, Xu Liu, Ziruo Zhou, Zhaohui Guo, Xiyuan Xiao
Summary: This study successfully identified the sources, transport routes, and apportionment of heavy metals in soil around a smelting site using principal component analysis, positive matrix factorization, and geographic information system mapping. The results showed that the soil was contaminated with various heavy metals, with smelter emissions and soil parent materials being the primary sources. GIS visualization revealed that surface runoff and atmospheric deposition were the main transport routes for the heavy metals, with different land uses receiving varying degrees of contamination.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhi Xu, Yulian Hu, Zhaohui Guo, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng, Peng Zeng
Summary: This study investigated the pyrolysis of rice straw at different temperatures for producing biochar to treat heavy metal(loid)-contaminated RS. It was found that increasing temperature volatilized the heavy metal(loid)s, with Cd being the most volatile metal. Furthermore, biochars produced at higher temperatures showed higher Pb adsorption capacity and reduced vertical Pb migration.
JOURNAL OF SAUDI CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eric Tindanzor, Zhaohui Guo, Tianshuang Li, Rui Xu, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng
Summary: This study compared the removal performance of oxalic acid, citric acid, and a copolymer of maleic and acrylic acid on heavy metals in polluted soil. The results showed that the sequential use of citric acid and oxalic acid was the best alternative to EDTA, with higher metal removal efficiency and successful support for crop germination.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Zi Guo, Xinxing Wan, Yufang Luo, Fang Liang, Siwei Jiang, Xiuhong Yuan, Zhaohui Mo
Summary: This study found that the expression levels of UHRF1 were significantly decreased in endothelial colony-forming cells derived from peripheral blood of participants with type 2 diabetes and in endothelial cells treated with high glucose, palmitate or hydrogen peroxide. Silencing of UHRF1 led to decreased migration ability and increased apoptosis and ROS production in endothelial cells, which might be related to impaired KEAP1/NRF2/haeme oxygenase-1 pathway. Mechanistically, UHRF1 is closely implicated in epigenetic regulation of chromatin modification status at KEAP1 genomic locus via histone acetylation. NRF2 down-regulation in turn inhibits UHRF1 protein level, which might be due to increased ROS generation. Conclusion: Diabetes-induced oxidative stress can mediate down-regulation of UHRF1, which enhances ROS production by regulating KEAP1/p-NRF2 pathway through histone acetylation and might also form a self-perpetuating feedback loop with KEAP1/p-NRF2 to further promote oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells in diabetes.
Article
Cell Biology
Yi-Fu He, Xi-Min Hu, Md. Asaduzzaman Khan, Bo-Yao Yu, Yi-Cun Sheng, Xian-Zhong Xiao, Xin-Xing Wan, Si-Pin Tan, Kun Xiong
Summary: Sepsis-induced brain injury increases the risk of mortality in septic patients. This study found that HSF1 alleviates sepsis-induced brain injury by inhibiting pyroptosis through the NLRP3-dependent pathway, suggesting HSF1 as a potential molecular target for treating brain injury in sepsis.
MEDIATORS OF INFLAMMATION
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xin-yu Chen, Ying-hong Dai, Xin-xing Wan, Xi-min Hu, Wen-juan Zhao, Xiao-xia Ban, Hao Wan, Kun Huang, Qi Zhang, Kun Xiong
Summary: Cell death is a fundamental process in human disease and the discovery of ZBP1's role in necroptosis provides important insights into the regulation of cell death and potential therapeutic options.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhaohui Guo, Yunxia Zhang, Rui Xu, Huimin Xie, Xiyuan Xiao, Chi Peng
Summary: This study developed a machine learning model to investigate the vertical distribution and prediction of metal(loid)s in a typical abandoned Pb/Zn smelter site. The results demonstrated that the model was effective in identifying key factors influencing contamination distribution and predicting metal(loid)s contents in subsurface soil. Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were found to be the primary pollutants with migration depths of 4-6 m.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Xiaoying Sun, Xinxing Wan, Md Asaduzzaman Khan, Keke Zhang, Xuan Yi, Zhouqi Wang, Ke Chen
Summary: This study analyzed the differential expression of circRNAs in human BAT and WAT, and identified new biomarkers for BAT.
DIABETES METABOLIC SYNDROME AND OBESITY
(2023)