Ecology

News section with updates from clinics, science, health care, and society, explained clearly with practical context.

Heat and Meat: Why Pork and Chicken Steaks Are Poor in Protein, Omega-3, and Vitamins — and What to Do About It

A review published in Nutrients brings together disparate data on how heat stress in animals (heat and heat waves) changes the nutritional value and organoleptic properties of meat from monogastric animals - primarily pigs and poultry.

Most air purifying devices have not been tested on humans, and little is known about their potential harm.

The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a large scoping review of engineering measures against airborne infections - from ventilation and filters to UV irradiation, ionizers and "plasma" purifiers.

Industrial Pollution's Impact on Cognitive Health May Last for Generations

Using Utah's uniquely deep databases, the authors showed that the higher the density of potentially polluting industrial facilities around the home of a pregnant maternal grandmother, the higher the chances of a child in the next generation being diagnosed.

Tiger mosquito storms France: warming opens 'corridor' for dengue in Western Europe

A paper was published in Global Change Biology, where scientists showed, using real observations and mechanistic climate-ecological modeling, that the invasive “tiger” mosquito Aedes albopictus is rapidly filling its climate niche in France, which means an increase in the “biting” nuisance and a greater threat of importation/local transmission of arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, zika) throughout Western Europe.

Wildfire smoke hits Europe harder than thought: 93% underestimated risk

The largest European study of the short-term impact of wildfire smoke on mortality was published in The Lancet Planetary Health. According to data from 654 regions in 32 countries (2004-2022), each +1 μg/m³ of smoke-specific PM2.5 is associated with an increase in overall mortality by 0.7%, respiratory mortality by 1.0%, and cardiovascular mortality by 0.9%.

Microplastics with a "crown" of whey proteins disrupt the work of neurons and microglia

In the experiment, “crowned” microplastic particles caused significant restructuring of the proteome in neurons and microglia: protein synthesis, RNA processing, lipid metabolism, and transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm suffered; at the same time, inflammatory signals were activated

Humid heat and cardiovascular disease: What a new study shows

A new study from Tulane University shows that when extreme heat is combined with high humidity, the risk of emergency room visits for cardiovascular problems increases dramatically.

53dB threshold: Road noise increases risk of depression and anxiety in teens and young adults

A large Finnish registry study published in Environmental Research found that in 114,353 residents of the Finnish Capital Region followed from childhood to young adulthood (mean 8.7 years), long-term exposure to road noise above ~53 dB (Lden) was associated with a higher risk of newly diagnosed depression and anxiety disorders.

"The Heart Under the Pressure of the City": Noise, Smog, Heat and "Eternal Chemicals" Hit the Vessels Not One by One, but Together

A large expert review was published in Cardiovascular Research: scientists put together how urban noise, fine dust (PM₂.₅/ultrafine particles), heat waves and persistent pollutants (pesticides, heavy metals, PFAS) simultaneously increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Microplastics found in every popular drink in Britain, with hot drinks having the most

Scientists from Birmingham measured microplastics (MP) in 31 types of hot and cold drinks bought by UK residents in coffee shops and supermarkets.

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