Particle size is a significant parameter which determines the environmental fate and the behavior of dust particles and, implicitly, the exposure risk of humans to particle-bound contaminants. ...Currently, the influence of dust particle size on the occurrence and seasonal variation of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) remains unclear. While HBCDs are now restricted by the Stockholm Convention, information regarding HBCD contamination in indoor dust in China is still limited. We analyzed composite dust samples from offices (n = 22), hotels (n = 3), kindergartens (n = 2), dormitories (n = 40), and main roads (n = 10). Each composite dust sample (one per type of microenvironment) was fractionated into 9 fractions (F1–F9: 2000–900, 900–500, 500–400, 400–300, 300–200, 200–100, 100–74, 74–50, and <50 μm). Total HBCD concentrations ranged from 5.3 (road dust, F4) to 2580 ng g–1 (dormitory dust, F4) in the 45 size-segregated samples. The seasonality of HBCDs in indoor dust was investigated in 40 samples from two offices. A consistent seasonal trend of HBCD levels was evident with dust collected in the winter being more contaminated with HBCDs than dust from the summer. Particle size-selection strategy for dust analysis has been found to be influential on the HBCD concentrations, while overestimation or underestimation would occur with improper strategies.
This study focuses on the integration of System Dynamics (SD), Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, and 3D Urban Information Modeling (CityGML) in the field of urban planning. It aims to optimize ...urban layout to cope with rapid urban growth, emphasizing resource allocation through a combination of greedy strategies and AI methods. The core contribution of this paper is to provide spatial allocation of feedback from simulation techniques i.e. SD using the application of genetic algorithms (GA) based on a greedy strategy. The methodology was implemented using a fictitious case study in Berlin, where new students’ dorms are required according to the growth in the number of students. The SD tool is used to simulate the growth over 5 years and determine the number of new dorms required. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize the planning objectives of allocating 16 new dorms in 186 possible locations. The algorithm effectively handles the feedback from SD and applies complex multi-objective optimization problems, addressing the challenge of accommodating a growing student population. It proposes strategic dormitory allocations that balance factors such as cost efficiency, campus accessibility, and proximity to public transportation systems. We use CityGML data to simulate and predict future urban transformation, providing dynamic and realistic representations for urban planning decisions and updating the original city models.
Decades of studies have focused on the antecedents of leadership emergence, especially the impact of traits on it. Based on the importance of affect in organizations, scholars recently proposed a ...novel emotion-related trait—trait affective presence—which enables individuals to generally lead others to experience the same affective feelings. We adopted this construct and examined the association between trait affective presence and leadership emergence in small groups by using social relations analyses with TripleR, a package of R, to analyze data from 179 undergraduates from 44 dormitories in China. The results showed that positive rather than negative trait affective presence was significant in explaining peoples' emotions. Regression analysis revealed that positive trait affective presence was positively related to leadership emergence when trait affect and the Big Five personality traits were controlled. The implications of these findings and future research directions were also discussed.
Abstract
Background
Water pipe smoking has become a global public health problem as its popularity increased over time, especially among youth. The objective of our study was to estimate water pipe ...tobacco smoking prevalence and to assess socioeconomic factors associated with ever water pipe smoking by public and private university students in Ankara, Turkey.
Methods
This descriptive study was based on a survey conducted among public (
n
=2685) and private (
n
=2485) university students via an online questionnaire on demographics and water pipe consumption patterns. For every student in the sample, a socioeconomic status index was calculated using principal component analysis. Binary logistic regressions for the outcome variable of ever-using water pipe yielded estimates of adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for the associated factors such as the respondent’s age, gender, university type, and socioeconomic status.
Results
The prevalence of ever use of water pipe was 69.1% (95% CI: 67.2-70.9%) among private and 59.1% (95% CI: 57.2-60.9%) among public university students. A substantial share of ever users were current users (25.5% in private versus 21.6% in public,
p
=0.008). On average, private university students had higher socioeconomic status than public university students (for example, access to a car (51.7% versus 35.8%,
p
=0.008), financial support from family (71.5% versus 65.1%,
p
<0.001)), also demonstrated by a higher socioeconomic status index. Being a private university student (aOR 1.57, 95% CI: 1.38-1.79), older (aORs 1.50 to 2.39,
p
<0.001), male (aOR 2.36, 95% CI:2.06-2.70), as well as having greater financial resources, such as having access to a car (aOR 1.24, 95% CI:1.07-1.42), or having income support from family (aOR 1.32, 95% CI:1.13-1.54), were associated with ever-using water pipe. A higher SES index was significantly associated with higher odds of ever using water pipe among both private (aOR 1.13, 95% CI:1.06,1.20) and public university (aOR 1.12, 95% CI:1.06,1.19) students.
Conclusions
Water pipe smoking was common in both public and private universities; however, private university students had higher odds of ever using water pipe. There is an urgent need to implement evidence-based interventions, taking into account the socioeconomic status of young adults, to prevent them from water pipe smoking.
The aim of this study was to formatively evaluate a health communication campaign on body image targeting undergraduate female students.
A total of 331 students at a large public Midwestern ...university participated in the study.
Researchers used central intercept procedures to recruit students from residence halls. After viewing the campaign materials, students completed an online survey assessing their message endorsement and level of eating disorder symptomology and provided open-ended comments.
Students appreciated the message and thought it was effective, though students with greater body image concerns were less receptive to the message. Thematic analysis indicated students perceive body image to be a relevant issue, yet they want the university to provide more attention to, and information on, the topic.
Overall, students understood the message and found it helpful. Nevertheless, students with body image issues responded less favorably, warranting the need for secondary and tertiary prevention.
Neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but these associations are rarely studied across large, diverse ...populations.
We used Ward's Hierarchical clustering to define eight neighborhood clusters across North Carolina using 11 census-based indicators of SES, race, housing, and urbanicity and assigned 6992 cardiac catheterization patients at Duke University Hospital from 2001 to 2010 to clusters. We examined associations between clusters and coronary artery disease index > 23 (CAD), history of myocardial infarction, hypertension, and diabetes using logistic regression adjusted for age, race, sex, body mass index, region of North Carolina, distance to Duke University Hospital, and smoking status.
Four clusters were urban, three rural, and one suburban higher-middle-SES (referent). We observed greater odds of myocardial infarction in all six clusters with lower or middle-SES. Odds of CAD were elevated in the rural cluster that was low-SES and plurality Black (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.94-1.43) and in the rural cluster that was majority American Indian (OR 1.31, 95% CI 0.91-1.90). Odds of diabetes and hypertension were elevated in two urban and one rural low- and lower-middle SES clusters with large Black populations.
We observed higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in neighborhoods that were predominantly rural, low-SES, and non-White, highlighting the importance of public health and healthcare system outreach into these communities to promote cardiometabolic health and prevent and manage hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease.
Background An outbreak of respiratory disease associated with adenovirus type 7 occurred in a boot camp in China and was characterized by many cases, severe symptoms, and intrapulmonary infection in ...many patients. Methods We implemented a series of comprehensive preventive and control measures. We analyzed the incubation period and generation time by using the maximum likelihood method, assessed the symptom period and hospitalization duration using the Kaplan-Meier method, and estimated the basic reproductive number and dormitory transmission rate by using established methods. Results The epidemic lasted for 30 days, and 375 individuals were affected. Overall, 109 patients were hospitalized, and 266 individuals were isolated and treated. The median incubation period was 5.2 days (95% confidence interval CI: 5.0 to 5.4 days). The median generation time was 7.3 days (95% CI: 7.1 to 7.6 days). The median symptom period was 6 days (95% CI: 6 to 7 days). The median hospitalization duration was 9 days (95% CI: 9 to 11 days). The basic reproductive number was 5.1 (95% CI: 4.6 to 5.6), and the dormitory transmission rate was 0.15 (95% CI: 0.12 to 0.18). Conclusion Patients in the early stage of the epidemic were treated as having a regular cold and were not isolated; therefore, the virus continued to be transmitted to other susceptible individuals.
Skipping breakfast has become more common, and it can significantly affect a person's health, performance, mood, and other physiological and psychological factors. In Bangladesh, university students ...often encounter unhealthy dietary habits, which raises questions about why many university students choose to skip breakfast. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of skipping breakfast among university students in Bangladesh and explore the contributing factors.
Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh was the location of this cross-sectional study. Breakfast consumption was measured with the single-question item, "How often do you eat breakfast?" (Almost every day, sometimes, rarely, or never). Skipping breakfast was classified as respondents selecting sometimes, rarely, or never having breakfast. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and sleep-related data were collected as key predictor variables. Multiple logistic regression models identified factors associated with skipping breakfast.
The prevalence of skipping breakfast among study participants (N = 502, 51.6% female and mean age 21.31 years) was 63.5%. Female students were more likely to skip breakfast compared to male students (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.06-2.55). Smoker participants had a higher likelihood of skipping breakfast compared to non-smokers (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.57-9.78). Students with night eating syndrome had a higher likelihood of skipping breakfast compared to their counterparts (AOR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.06-3.22). Students with poor sleep quality were three times more likely to skip breakfast than their counterparts (AOR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.93-4.51). Overweight/obese students were less likely to skip breakfast compared to their counterparts (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20-0.82).
This study highlights a high prevalence of skipping breakfast among university students in Bangladesh. Specifically, students who are females, smokers, poor sleepers and who have night eating syndrome are more likely to skip breakfast compared to their counterparts. These findings underscore a need for targeted interventions and educational programs to promote healthy breakfast habits. Addressing these modifiable risk factors can have a positive impact on students' nutritional practices and their health and wellbeing.
Because of segregation in neighborhoods and schools, college may provide the first opportunity for many young adults to interact closely with members of different racial and ethnic groups. Little ...research has examined how interracial friendships form during this period. This article investigates changes in the racial composition of friendship networks in the transition from high school to college and how aspects of the college environment are related to such changes. Interracial friendships increase for whites, decrease for blacks, and show little change for Latinos and Asians. The habits of friendship formation that are acquired during adolescence and features of residential and extracurricular college contexts influence the formation of interracial friendships. The race of one's roommate, the degree of interracial contact in residence halls, and participation in various types of extracurricular activities are most strongly related to the formation of interracial friendships.
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