Heart rate is one of the most commonly used metrics for human health. Measuring human heart rate typically involves direct body contact, whether from wearable devices or manual measurement. However, such devices can cause discomfort in some patients, particularly in sensitive populations where such monitoring is more critical. Other past work for noncontact or remote heart rate measurement (e.g., camera- or radio-based methods) is often limited by line-of-sight and privacy requirements, which inhibit application in real-world environments. This article presents FloorPulse, an indirect heart rate monitoring system for human beings using heartbeat-induced floor vibrations. The key insight is that the human body generates a small wave of pressure and sound with each heartbeat. These waves are propagated as vibration through the structures the person is in contact with (e.g., a chair), then into and through the floor. FloorPulse detects and interprets these small floor vibrations to monitor the person’s heart rate. We developed a highly sensitive vibration sensing system and heartbeat pattern modeling to identify these tiny vibrations among other body motions and ambient noise. We evaluated FloorPulse in a real home environment, demonstrating an average heart rate error similar to medical device standards on the floor near the participants’ chair, and on the order of 10 beats per minute (bpm) on the floor 2 m away from the subject.

An ambitious global plastics treaty is urgently needed to decrease soil pollution from microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs), originating both from intentional uses of agricultural plastics and from composts and sludges applied to soils, contaminated due to the increasing plastic production and use. The current narrative, biased by vested interests, overemphasizes short-term benefits of agricultural plastics, while ignoring their adverse effects. MNPs disturb invertebrate and pollinator behavior, affect nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, decrease photosynthesis and plant growth, contribute to water and air pollution and may contaminate plants, crops and livestock. The thousands of chemicals contained in conventional and biodegradable or biobased plastics can leach into soil. By threatening ecosystem functioning and terrestrial food production, plastic pollution represents a challenge for food safety and human health and is a long-term threat to food security. To protect soils from plastic pollution, a strong global treaty is needed, with provisions on plastic production reduction, product design and regulation of plastic chemicals. Plastics’ essentiality, sustainability and safety criteria are needed in the agriculture sector – where plastics are used unsustainably and not all are essential – and in all sectors along the food production value chain (food processing, packaging).

Science shows mounting global health risks associated with plastics life cycle pollution. Leveraging evidence and streamlining research to inform policy is critical to safeguarding people and planet. We conducted an electronic survey questionnaire, between 16th April and 16th August 2024, amongst United Nations government delegates developing the Global Plastics Treaty. We explored (1) perceptions and prioritisation of human health evidence, (2) preferred plastic pollution mitigation strategies, and (3) priorities for health research. Responses were collected in Qualtrics and analysed using summary statistics, the Fisher’s Exact Test, and thematically mapped to the Policy Cycle Framework. We received 27 survey responses, balanced by gender and career stage, including 23 countries and all World Bank country income classifications and regions, but greater representation from high-income and European countries. Human health was the highest-ranking concern related to plastics risks (Sum of rank scores (SRS) = 54). Most delegates expressed strong conviction in evidence of risks associated with plastics chemicals, polymers, products, microplastics and broader life cycle emissions. Reducing plastics production (SRS = 53) and eliminating chemicals, polymers and products of concern (SRS = 53) were prioritised, even amongst those affiliated with waste management departments or less convinced of health risks. We found the least regard for recycling as a strategy to protect health (SRS = 4–5) and eliminating open burning was the most prioritised downstream measure (SRS = 15). Generating quantitative, causal data on risks across plastics life cycles, identifying emerging health hazards, defining criteria, safe lists and substitutes for chemicals, polymers and products were government delegate priorities for research, alongside tools to track policy impacts on health and greater bilateral communication between scientists and delegations. Health risks of all forms of plastic pollution were a concern for most delegates responding to our survey. We identified key priorities for policy-driven research to strengthen the science-policy interface and support evidence-based plastics policy that protects human health.

Plastic production has greatly increased in the past decades and has become central to modern human life. Realization is dawning that plastics break down into smaller pieces resulting in micro- or nanoplastics (MNP) that can enter humans directly via the environment. Indeed, MNP have been detected in every part of the human body, including the placenta, which is concerning for development. Early developmental stages are crucial for proper growth and genome programming. Environmental disruptors in MNP can have detrimental effects during this critical window as well and can increase the risk of developing disease and dysfunction. In addition, MNP may impact situations in which developmental pathways are reactivated after birth such as during organ repair. Currently, there is no overview of how MNP can impair (human) development and repair. Therefore, we provide an extensive overview of available evidence on MNP impacting developmental and regenerative processes in various organs in humans and rodent models. In addition, we have included the impact of some additives that can leach from these MNP. We conclude that MNP and their additives can have modulating effects on developing and regenerating organs.

The analysis of food using a perspective centred on nutrients seems inadequate for understanding the dietary transition and its impact on the growth of obesity and chronic diseases. Industrial food processing is now proposed as the key to explain the relationship between food and health. The NOVA food classification considers the degree and the purpose of food processing, which includes physical, biological and chemical processes used after foods are separated from nature, and before being consumed or prepared as dishes and meals. NOVA has four food groups: (1) unprocessed and minimally processed foods; (2) processed culinary ingredients; (3) processed foods and (4) ultra-processed foods, which are formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from group 1 foods and additives, with little if any intact group 1 food. Many investigations linking high ultra-processed food consumption with deterioration of diets and adverse health outcomes are reinforced by prospective studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. There are various plausible explanations of why diets high in ultra-processed foods are harmful. Their production and consumption continue to rise worldwide. Efficient and effective public policies and actions that reduce production and consumption of ultra-processed products are needed, to protect human health now and in future.

Urban community gardens promote human health, offer recreational space and support urban biodiversity. Urban gardens are situated in diverse landscape contexts and have diverse social contexts with gardeners of various horticultural experiences and backgrounds, both of which results in the wide plant species variety of urban garden habitats. These plants represent a range of traits, one of which may be the production of substances that are poisonous to humans. These plants may also be of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity conservation value, creating an ecosystem service trade-off of human health promotion. In this paper, we report on the occurrence of poisonous plant species in 30 urban community gardens in two German cities (Berlin, Munich) and discuss potential concerns around poisonous and highly poisonous plants in urban gardens. We conclude that, depending on the garden participants as well as the goals of the garden organization, poisonous plants should be carefully monitored and managed to dually mitigate health risks while supporting biodiversity conservation. We propose possible strategies to manage potential threats posed by these plants while simultaneously allowing them to reside alongside people in urban gardens.

The topic of sustainability is popular in mainstream media and a common discussion theme, particularly for the agriculture discipline that serves the entire world. Individuals and corporations often have a desire to be sustainable in their practices, but the commentary on “being sustainable” can be confusing in terms of realistic practices. To define whether weed science is sustainable one must first identify the resource or object to be sustained. From a historical perspective, weed control in the United States over the past 40 yr has revolved around no-tillage row crop acres. The implementation of no-till or reduced till has undeniable benefits in sustaining natural resources, especially two of our most valuable resources: soil and water. While the overall trend toward chemical weed control has been shown to decrease agriculture’s impact on the environment, depending solely on herbicides is not sustainable long term with the rise in herbicide-resistant weed species. We also consider the benefits and challenges associated with agronomic trends within the context of sustainability and expand consideration to include emerging technology aligned to human health and environmental stewardship. The key to improving farming is producing more and safer food, feed, and fiber on less land while reducing adverse environmental effects, and this must be accomplished with the backdrop of human population growth and the desire for an improved standard of living globally. Emerging technologies provide new starting points for sustainable weed management solutions, and the weed science community can initiate the conversation on sustainable practices and share advancements with our colleagues and community members. In addition to broadening the sustainability concept, targeted and relevant communication tools will support the weed science community to have successful and impactful discussions.

Early Holocene populations in southern China and Southeast Asia are generally considered to have continued practising hunting and gathering, while millet and rice cultivation developed to the north and east. Dingsishan, the oldest Holocene open-air site in South-east Asia, however, had yet to provide direct evidence for human health and subsistence strategies. The authors present isotopic and demographic analyses of Dingsishan individuals from 9000–7000 BP, indicating that the inhabitants relied on freshwater resources, particularly in the third period (c. 7000 BP). Comparison with contemporaneous farming populations also reveals a seemingly higher average life expectancy for the fisher-hunter-gatherers at Dingsishan.

The functional effects of folate within C1 metabolism involve interrelationships with vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, and related gene–nutrient interactions. These B vitamins have important roles throughout life, from pregnancy, through childhood, to middle and older age. Achieving optimal nutritional status for preventing folate-related disease is challenging, however, primarily as a result of the poor stability and incomplete bioavailability of folate from natural food sources when compared with the synthetic vitamin form, folic acid. Thus, in European countries, measures to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) have been largely ineffective because of the generally poor compliance of women with folic acid supplementation as recommended before and in early pregnancy. In contrast, countries worldwide with mandatory folic acid fortification policies have experienced marked reductions in NTD. Low vitamin B12 status is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, CVD and osteoporosis. Achieving optimal B12 status can be problematic for older people, however, primarily owing to food-bound B12 malabsorption which leads to sub-clinical deficiency even with high dietary B12 intakes. Optimising B-vitamin intake may be particularly important for sub-populations with impaired folate metabolism owing to genetic characteristics, most notably the 677C→T variant in the gene encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). This common folate polymorphism is linked with several adverse health outcomes, including stroke, however, recent evidence has identified its novel interaction with riboflavin (the MTHFR cofactor) in relation to blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. This review addresses why and how the optimal status of folate-related B vitamins should be achieved through the lifecycle.

We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCT) of increased intake of arachidonic acid (ARA) on fatty acid status and health outcomes in humans. We identified twenty-two articles from fourteen RCT. Most studies were conducted in adults. These used between 80 and 2000 mg ARA per d and were of 1–12 weeks duration. Supplementation with ARA doses as low as 80 mg/d increased the content of ARA in different blood fractions. Overall there seem to be few marked benefits for adults of increasing ARA intake from the typical usual intake of 100–200 mg/d to as much as 1000 mg/d; the few studies using higher doses (1500 or 2000 mg/d) also report little benefit. However, there may be an impact of ARA on cognitive and muscle function which could be particularly relevant in the ageing population. The studies reviewed here suggest no adverse effects in adults of increased ARA intake up to at least 1000–1500 mg/d on blood lipids, platelet aggregation and blood clotting, immune function, inflammation or urinary excretion of ARA metabolites. However, in many areas there are insufficient studies to make firm conclusions, and higher intakes of ARA are deserving of further study. Based on the RCT reviewed, there are not enough data to make any recommendations for specific health effects of ARA intake.

The current research paper addresses the hypothesis that management system (grazing vs. stabling) and/or stage of lactation (early- to late-lactation) can influence the lactation performance and milk fatty acid (MFA) profile in dromedary camels. The results obtained revealed that milk and protein yields of stabled camels were higher, while milk fat content was lower compared to grazing camels. In addition, stabled camels produced milk richer in short- and medium-chains fatty acids but lower in long-chain fatty acids and fatty acids linked with possible health benefits such as oleic acid, vaccenic acid (VA) and rumenic acid (RA), when compared to grazing camels. Moreover, atherogenicity index was higher, while overall Δ9-desaturase and health-promoting indices were lower in stabled camels. In a similar way, results demonstrated an increase in milk fat and protein contents as lactation advanced. In fact, camels at mid-lactation produced milk richer in short- and medium-chain fatty acids as well as total saturated fatty acids but poorer in oleic acid, VA, RA, long-chain fatty acids and total unsaturated fatty acids, when compared to milk samples collected at early stage of lactation. Moreover, compared to early- and late-lactations, atherogenicity index was higher while overall-Δ9-desaturase and health promoting indexes were lower at mid-lactation. In conclusion, the intensive stabling system and mid-lactation stage can alter lactation performance and MFA profile in dairy dromedary camels.

The European Union’s regulation for chemical safety (REACH) addresses the registration, evaluation, assessment, and consequent authorization (or restriction) of chemicals which are potentially harmful for both public health and the environment. The current study aims at ascertaining the costs and benefits of the REACH framework for the Austrian economy under major uncertainties, and draws on a wide range of databases on public and workplace health, chemical accidents in households, and the potential environmental impacts of harmful chemicals.

The uncertainties in the REACH system assessments of the effects of chemicals on health lie not only in the insufficiency of scientific evidence but also in the economic evaluation of effects on health, especially in regard to the value of statistical life (VSL), and the economic value of diseases attributed to chemicals.

This benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of the REACH system in Austria therefore takes into account these manifold uncertainties by designing a conservative baseline scenario and by varying all determinants in comprehensive sensitivity analyses. Projected over a period of about 30 years, this paper provides evidence that the REACH system most probably leads to net benefits for the Austrian economy (benefit-cost ratio of about 10.6) even though many benefits are still highly uncertain or unknown.

This Research Communication investigated the potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy to predict detailed mineral composition of bovine milk. A total of 153 bulk milk samples were analysed for contents of Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P and Zn. Also, soluble and colloidal fractions of Ca, Mg and P were quantified. For each milk sample the mid-infrared spectrum was captured and stored. Prediction models were developed using partial least squares regression and the accuracy of prediction was evaluated using both cross- and external validation. The proportion of variance explained by the prediction models in cross-validation ranged from 34% (Na) to 77% (total P), and it ranged from 13% (soluble Mg) to 54% (Cl−) in external validation. The ratio of the standard deviation of each trait to the standard error of prediction in external validation, which is an indicator of the practical utility of the prediction model, was low and never greater than 2. Results from the current study supported the limited usefulness of mid-infrared spectroscopy to predict minerals present in low concentration in bulk milk. For major mineral components, results from the present research did not match previous findings demonstrating the need for further studies using larger reference datasets.