Thursday, August 22, 2024

The Lancet Public Health: Climate change and ageing populations to drive greater disparities in deaths from hot and cold temperatures across Europe, modelling study suggests

Modelling study using data on 854 European cities is the first to estimate current and future deaths from hot and cold temperatures at this level of regional detail for the entire continent.
Study suggests existing regional disparities in death risk from hot and cold temperatures among adults will widen in the future due to climate change and ageing populations.

A slight decline in cold-related deaths is projected by 2100, while deaths from heat will increase in all parts of Europe, most significantly in southern regions. Areas worst affected will include Spain, Italy, Greece and parts of France.

Currently, around eight times more people in Europe die from cold than heat, but the ratio is projected to decrease greatly by the end of the century.

Authors say findings could inform the development of policies to protect the most vulnerable areas and people from the effects of hot and cold temperatures.

Deaths from heat could triple in Europe by 2100 under current climate policies, mostly among people living in southern parts of the continent, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal.

The findings highlight the need to strengthen policies to limit global warming to protect vulnerable regions and members of society from the effects of higher temperatures.

In recent years, Europe has experienced some of its hottest summers, which have coincided with high mortality rates. Elderly people are at heightened risk of death from extreme temperatures, and the number of people reaching old age is projected to increase over time.

Most previous studies projecting deaths from hot and cold temperatures in Europe have contained little local-level detail or have been in-depth assessments for individual countries, mostly in Western Europe. This study is the first in-depth analysis of the current and future health risks from hot and cold temperatures across Europe to look at the predicted impact on regions within countries.

Overall, with 3°C global warming – an upper estimate based on current climate policies – the number of heat-related deaths in Europe could increase from 43,729 to 128,809 by the end of the century. In the same scenario, deaths attributed to cold – currently much higher than from heat – would remain high with a slight decrease from 363,809 to 333,703 by 2100.

Dr Juan-Carlos Ciscar, of the Joint Research Centre at the European Commission, said: “Our analysis reveals that the ratio of cold-heat deaths will shift dramatically over the course of this century, with those attributed to heat increasing in all parts of Europe and surging in some areas. At the same time, cold-related deaths will decline slightly overall. Our study looks at more than 1,000 regions across 30 countries, enabling the identification of hotspots where people will be worst affected in the future.”

The authors of the new study used data on 1,368 regions in 30 European countries to model present disparities in deaths from hot and cold temperatures and estimate how risks could change by 2100. The dataset – generated by analysing the epidemiological and socioeconomic characteristics of 854 European cities with populations over 50,000 – was used to model regional mortality risk for different age groups (from 20 to over 85 years). Estimates of current and future temperature-related deaths were produced for four levels of global warming (1.5°C, 2°C, 3°C and 4°C) using a combination of 11 different climate models.

The study estimates that hot and cold temperatures currently lead to 407,538 deaths across Europe each year, with 363,809 related to cold and 43,729 to heat:

Deaths from cold are highest in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states and lowest in Central and parts of Southern Europe, with rates ranging from 25 to 300 deaths per 100,000 people.

Heat-related deaths range from 0.6 to 47 deaths per 100,000 people, with lowest rates in the UK and Scandinavian countries and highest in Croatia and the southernmost parts of the continent.

With 3°C warming, temperature-related deaths are projected to rise by 13.5%, leading to 55,000 more deaths each year, driven by an increase in deaths from heat. Most deaths will be among people aged over 85 years.

Around eight times more people in Europe currently die from cold than heat (8.3:1 ratio), but the ratio is projected to decrease greatly by the end of the century. With 3°C global warming, it is estimated to fall to 2.6:1 by 2100. In contrast, under a scenario based on the Paris Agreement target of 1.5°C warming, the ratio would fall to 6.7:1.

By 2100, cold-related deaths under a scenario of 3°C warming, are projected to have negligible decreases on average across Europe and to range from 29 and 225 deaths per 100,000 people across European countries. There is predicted to be moderate reductions in cold-related deaths in Eastern Europe and slight falls in parts of Germany, France, Italy and Portugal, however cold-related deaths are estimated to increase in Ireland (where they will almost double), Norway and Sweden, all of which are predicted to see large increases in citizens aged 85 years and older.

Heat-related deaths are estimated to increase across all regions of Europe under 3°C warming, with mortality rates rising sharply with a three-fold increase in mean rate across Europe to between 2 and 117 deaths per 100,000 people across European countries. Hotspots that will be particularly affected by greater warming and increasingly elderly populations include Spain, Italy, Greece and parts of France.

Country	Current cold-related deaths	Current heat-related deaths	Projected cold-related deaths	Projected heat-related deaths
United Kingdom	64,195 (123.7 per 100,000)	1,258 (2.4 per 100,000)	64,952 (120.9 per 100,000)	7,931 (10.5 per 100,000)
France	31,316 (62.9 per 100,000)	3,061 (6.1 per 100,000)	36,018 (69.7 per 100,000)	13,564 (21.6 per 100,000)
Spain	22,508 (61.7 per 100,000)	4,414 (12.1 per 100,000)	23,272 (65.1 per 100,000)	20,194 (47.8 per 100,000)
Ireland	3,974 (107.3 per 100,000)	30 (0.8 per 100,000)	7,696 (146.8 per 100,000)	563 (8.2 per 100,000)
Norway	4,118 (108.5 per 100,000)	94 (2.5 per 100,000)	6,544 (126.0 per 100,000)	682 (11.2 per 100,000)

Dr David García-León, also of the Joint Research Centre at the European Commission, said: “We find that deaths in Europe from hot and cold temperatures will rise substantially as many more heat-related deaths are expected to occur as the climate warms and populations age, while deaths from cold decline only slightly in comparison. Our study also identifies hotspots where the risk of death from high temperatures is set to drastically increase over the next decade. There is a critical need for the development of more targeted policies to protect these areas and members of society most at risk from temperature extremes.”

The authors acknowledge some limitations. Their results are based on data for people living in urban areas (who typically face higher levels of temperature stress, particularly heat, than those in rural areas), meaning the estimates may be slightly overstated. The results also do not account for gender, ethnicity or effects on infants (another vulnerable group).

Writing in a linked Comment, Dr Matteo Pinna Pintor, of the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), said: “[...] while increases in heat-related mortality are largely attributable to greater heat exposure, an ageing and thus more susceptible population will substantially inhibit reductions in cold-related mortality. Cold-related mortality is expected to increase in approximately half of the countries assessed, especially at northern latitudes but also in some areas of southern, central, and eastern Europe. These results reinforce previously expressed scepticism about large, unconditional reductions in cold-related mortality as temperate regions become warmer. This scepticism is, in turn, consistent with age-dependent vulnerability to cold and with the persistence of a degree of excess mortality risk, notably due to respiratory tract infections and associated complications, over an extended range of so-called mild cold temperatures (approximately 9–18°C). This means that the mortality burden of exposure to cold in an ageing population will respond slowly to shifts in the temperature distribution.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

This study, part of the JRC PESETA V project, was funded by the European Commission. It was conducted by researchers from the European Commission, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Arcadia SIT.

Quotes from Authors cannot be found in the text of the Article but have been supplied for the press release. The Comment quote is taken directly from the linked Comment.

The labels have been added to this press release as part of a project run by the Academy of Medical Sciences seeking to improve the communication of evidence. For more information, please see: http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMS-press-release-labelling-system-GUIDANCE.pdf if you have any questions or feedback, please contact The Lancet press office pressoffice@lancet.com

Journal

The Lancet Public Health

DOI

10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00179-8

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Temperature-related mortality burden and projected change in 1368 European regions: a modelling study

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024

COI Statement

DG-L, LF, and J-CC are staff members of the European Commission. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed here and these do not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the European Commission. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Occupational exposure to particles may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease

University of Gothenburg

Kilbo Edlund and Stockfelt — image:
Karl Kilbo Edlund and Leo Stockfelt, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg.
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Credit: Photo: Amanda Wykman, Cecilia Groglopo

Exposure to dust and particles at work may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, a University of Gothenburg study shows. Among Swedish construction workers, followed since the 1970s, the risk was 15% higher among exposed.

Chronic kidney disease is the most common form of kidney disease and involves a slow and progressive deterioration of the kidneys' ability to cleanse the body. Harmful substances and fluids that would otherwise have been excreted from the body with the urine are instead retained.

Research in recent years shows that outdoor air pollution particles from sources such as industry, vehicle exhaust and heating may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease. The current study shows that this is also likely to be the case for occupational exposure to particles in the construction industry.

The first author of the study is Karl Kilbo Edlund, a PhD student in occupational and environmental medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg:

“We see a clear link between having worked in construction environments with high dust levels and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease before the age of 65. But further studies are required to show whether there is a causal link and to identify the biological mechanisms,” he says.

The importance of prevention

The study, published in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, is based on data from more than 280,000 construction workers who participated in health surveys between 1971 and 1993. The surveys were organized by Bygghälsan, a former occupational health service for the construction industry.

The results reveal that construction workers exposed to dust and particles were about 15% more likely to be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and receive medical treatment to replace lost kidney function. However, the increased risk did not persist beyond retirement age.

The study is part of a research project about particles and kidney disease, funded by the Swedish Research Council Forte, which focuses on health, working life and welfare. The project leader is Leo Stockfelt, Associate Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg:

“Chronic kidney disease is a serious disease that has a major impact on an individual's quality of life, increasing the risk of secondary diseases and leading to high healthcare costs. Primary prevention is therefore of great importance,” he says.

More to do on occupational health and safety

Improvements in workplace emissions and the use of personal protective equipment have reduced the occupational exposure of construction workers to particulate matter over the period studied, from the 1970s to the 1990s. This is believed to have contributed to a reduction in kidney disease, but according to the researchers, more needs to be done to improve the occupational environment within the construction industry.

The study is the first to investigate the risk of kidney disease in construction workers, using registry data from Bygghälsan as a basis. The material, managed by Umeå University, has been used in several previous studies on occupational environment and health within the construction industry.

The next step for the research team will be to study the link between dust and particle exposure and kidney disease in further groups, to see if the results can be confirmed and to better identify the mechanisms.

Journal

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

DOI

10.1136/oemed-2023-109371

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Occupational particle exposure and chronic kidney disease: a cohort study in Swedish construction workers

How does organic farming benefit honeybees?

New study sheds light on impact of agri-environment measures on bee health

Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Organic farming and flower strips promote the health of honey bees. In their vicinity, colonies grow stronger and are generally healthier. This is most likely because the insects have a diverse and continuous food supply there and are less exposed to pesticides. These are the findings of a new study by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the University of Göttingen, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The team analysed data from 32 bee colonies at 16 locations in Germany with different proportions of organic fields, flower strips and semi-natural habitats.

According to the German Environment Agency (UBA), around half of Germany’s land is used for agriculture. "The way that farmers cultivate their land has a major impact on nature. Intensively farmed fields, pesticides and monocultures pose a threat to many animal and plant species. This is particularly true for pollinators, which include honey bees," says Professor Robert Paxton, a bee researcher at MLU.

Prominent measures counteracting this development include increasing the proportion of organic farming, planting more flower strips, and creating perennial semi-natural areas near crop fields. "In theory, these measures all make sense. However, we know little about how each of these affect insects, especially honey bees," continues Paxton.

Therefore, the team from Halle and Göttingen carried out a study at 16 locations in Lower Saxony, Germany. Each of these locations differed in their proportion of organic fields, flower strips and perennial semi-natural habitats. The researchers placed honey bee colonies at each of the sites and observed these for around a year. They analysed, for example, colony growth and parasite infestation. Special attention was paid to the varroa mite - a particularly dangerous pest of honey bees which can transmit viruses that are fatal to them.

The data gathered about the bee colonies was then compared. "Organic farming had the greatest impact - the larger the proportion of these areas, the lower the parasite infestation of a colony. This improved colony growth," explains lead author Patrycja Pluta from MLU. One reason for this could be that organic farming uses fewer pesticides and, instead, other plant protection measures. Flower strips were also advantageous to honey bees: the number of Varroa mites was lower in areas with a lot of flower strips. "This could be due to the fact that a diverse and rich food supply strengthens the honey bees’ immune system," reasons Pluta.

Perennial semi-natural habitats, on the other hand, tended to be disadvantageous, at least for honey bees. Larger areas generally meant a greater infestation of varroa mites. And, unlike flower strips, the areas are not designed to provide an abundant supply of food for honey bees and other pollinators. "Perennial semi-natural landscapes are an important tool for promoting biodiversity and they serve as a habitat for many animals. Honey bees, that are managed by humans, are the exception," says Paxton. The findings of the study could help to improve agricultural landscape management for bees and other pollinators.

The study was funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture on the basis of a decision by the German Bundestag as part of the Federal Organic Farming Programme and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation).

Study: Pluta P. et al. Organic farming and annual flower strips reduce parasite prevalence in honey bees and boost colony growth in agricultural landscapes. Journal of Applied Ecology (2024). doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14723

Journal

Journal of Applied Ecology

DOI

10.1111/1365-2664.14723

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Organic farming and annual flower strips reduce parasite prevalence in honey bees and boost colony growth in agricultural landscapes

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024

Honey bees may play key role in spreading viruses to wild bumble bees

Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers at Penn State who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.

The study — published in the journal Ecosphere — found that honey bees consistently had higher levels of viruses than bumble bees. Additionally, while both types of bees had lower virus prevalence in the winter, only bumble bees experienced negligible levels by spring.

Heather Hines, associate professor of biology and entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and corresponding author on the study, said this suggests that honey bees may be reinfecting bumble bees that otherwise would have very low virus prevalence each spring.

She added that the findings help improve the understanding of how pathogens may be transmitted between wild and managed bees, as well as why pathogens in bees are changing and what can be done to reduce them.

“Our data suggests that healthy wild bee communities require healthy honey bee colony management,” she said. “Practices that help reduce disease loads in honey bees include ensuring cross-season high-quality nutrition, reducing pesticides and mitigating Varroa mites, which are known to be responsible for higher late-season viral loads.”

Hines explained that while the study points to honey bees as spring viral reservoirs, this doesn’t mean that honey bees are bad, but rather that good honey bee colony management is important for healthy pollinator communities.

Around the globe, the majority of food crops and wild plants rely on pollinators for reproduction. Agriculture benefits greatly from managed honey bee colonies to pollinate plants, while native bee species like bumble bees and solitary bees provide natural pollination services, can enhance fruitset — when a flower turns into fruit — and are necessary for the pollination of many plant species.

Bumble bees, unlike honey bees, are native to the United States and are the dominant ancestral pollinators of crops native to the region, such as blueberries and cranberries. Meanwhile, honey bees, which originated in Asia, are superior pollinators of most orchard crops given their abilities to mass recruit members to these resources.

Hines said that while these different types of bees have many traits in common, they also have differences that can affect dynamics like the spread of parasites and viruses.

“Honey bees are managed bees that are perennial, while bumble bees are annual — overwintering as new queens and starting and growing their colonies in the following spring,” she said. “These differing colony dynamics likely impact how diseases are spread between managed and native bees.”

Many different pests and diseases can wreak havoc on bee populations, with several capable of spreading across multiple bee species. For example, deformed wing virus (DWV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV) are both harmful to and can be spread between honey and bumble bees. Additionally, harmful parasites such as nematodes and parasitic flies can also spread amongst bee populations.

For this study, the researchers aimed to examine if and how seasonal trends affected both virus and parasite spread. They collected both bumble and honey bees at multiple time periods across four years at six different sites in Centre County.

Then, the researchers screened for DWV and BQCV in bee abdomens using molecular biomarkers and for protozoan pathogens and parasites using a microscope. Finally, they compared the prevalence of these viruses and pests in the different bee species across different times of the years.

The researchers found that DWV and BQCV were common in both bumble and honey bees, with both species experiencing higher levels of DWV in the fall and higher levels of BQCV in mid-season. However, honey bees harbored higher levels of both viruses year-round.

Hines said the most noticeable seasonal difference occurred in the spring.

“Bumble bees had negligible levels of viruses in the spring, suggesting queens are either resistant or die during overwintering if infected,” she said. “Honey bee colonies tend to have lower viral prevalence by spring as well, however, they still retain fairly high viral levels compared to bumble bees. This means that honey bees serve as a viral reservoir that can reinfect native bee communities that would naturally purge these viruses in the spring.”

Hines said the study adds to a growing amount of research on the role of managed honey bees on disease loads in bee communities. The Hines Lab, specifically, has been involved in research examining the role of landscapes in the eastern United States on bumble bee pathogen loads, seeking to better understand which factors can be managed to most impact disease in these bees.

The researchers said that in the future, further studies on queen immunity and vulnerability to pathogens will better inform the understanding of these patterns.

Briana Wham, who earned her doctorate degree in entomology from Penn State and is currently a Penn State research data librarian, is first author on the paper. Elyse McCormick, who was a research technician at Penn State and is now a doctoral candidate at the University of Massachusetts; and several Penn State alumni who contributed to the research as undergraduate students, including Casey Carr, Nicole Bracci, Ashley Heimann, Timothy Egner and M. Jesse Schneider co-authored the study.

A Northeast Sustainable Agriculture and Research Graduate Student Research Grant helped support this research.

Journal

Ecosphere

DOI

10.1002/ecs2.4883

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Comparison of seasonal viral prevalence supports honey bees as potential spring pathogen reservoirs for bumble bees

“Students’ Toxin Research Shows Public Health Benefits of Citizen Science”

New research: School-based data collection improves risk awareness and environmental equity

MDI Biological Laboratory

Long-term exposure to arsenic, a hidden danger in many New England drinking water supplies, poses serious health risks, including cancer and cognitive challenges. A groundbreaking citizen science initiative called "All About Arsenic" has emerged in response, empowering students and communities to tackle such health threats head-on.

The benefits are detailed in a peer-reviewed article published today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. An accompanying commentary by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health calls the effort a blueprint for federal investments that can leverage youth engagement to advance “water justice”.

Launched in 2016 by Jane Disney. Ph.D., and her team at MDI Biological Laboratory’s Community Environmental Health Laboratory, the “All About Arsenic" program works with secondary school teachers, students, and scientist partners in Maine and New Hampshire to address drinking water issues related to private water sources.

The initiative turns students into citizen scientists who collect well water samples for analysis of arsenic and other toxic metals. Funded initially with an EPA Environmental Education grant and a National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), the project not only boosts awareness but also drives action to protect public health.

The program grew to include 27 schools over the study period, with students analyzing more than 3,000 water samples. The findings are concerning: 752 (nearly 25% of samples) revealed arsenic levels exceeding five parts per billion, the maximum contaminant level set by New Hampshire. In one extreme case, a sample collected by a Maine student registered a staggering 718 ppb, far above the U.S. standard for municipal water.

"Our research highlighted that many residents are unaware of the risks or haven't tested their water supplies," says Dr. Disney. "By involving students, we not only increase awareness but also empower them to drive policy changes that safeguard their communities."

The program’s impact is multi-faceted, leading to increased water-testing rates, improved data literacy, direct risk mitigation, and more robust toxins databases. In a significant public health victory, students’ testimonies contributed to the passage of legislation in Maine that enables the state housing authority to provide remediation grants for low-income households with contaminated wells.

"The power of citizen science in schools is clear," Disney adds. "Students and teachers can be catalysts for change, driving policy and contributing to improved public health outcomes."

Funded initially with an EPA Environmental Education grant and a National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), the project not only boosts awareness but also drives action to protect public health.

The "All About Arsenic" project continues to grow, with a second NIH SEPA grant funded through the National Institute of Nursing Research, focusing on science communication and intergenerational learning.

For more information, visit www.allaboutsarsenic.org, or contact:

Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health and other federal grantors. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the grantors.

Journal

Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI

10.1289/EHP13421

Article Title

A Mixed Method Approach to Understanding the Public Health Impact of a School- Based Citizen Science Program to Reduce Arsenic in Private Well Water.

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024

How can new community parks enhance human health in marginalized communities?

Higher Education Press

image:
Number of days participated in physical activities before and after park construction.
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Credit: Musab Wedyan, Angle Cruz, Fatemeh Saeidi-Rizi, Jun-Hyun Kim

Community parks are part of urban ecosystem services which help improve urban sustainability and human well-being. The relationship between people’s perceptions of their overall physical health and the availability of green areas has been the subject of recent research. However, numerous issues related to green spaces accessibility have affected the marginalized communities. The residents in low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods often have more quality and safety concerns, which limit their willingness to access park facilities. Therefore, the contribution of this study lies in exploring how a newly developed community park can influence the physical and mental health, safety, and overall quality of life of individuals residing in marginalized communities, which was published on the journal of Landscape Architecture Frontiers and entitled “The Prospective Role of New Community Parks in Enhancing Human Health in Marginalized Communities: A Case of Kellogg Park in Ventura, California, USA”

Kellogg Park is located in the heart of the west side of Ventura (officially named San Buenaventura), on the coast of Southern California, USA. According to statistics from the platform of City-Data, the mean household income for the lowest quintile in Ventura County is significantly lower than the county’s median household income, indicating a substantial income disparity within the region. Meanwhile, Kellogg Park is newly built and has not been extensively researched. Thus, it was selected as the study object to demonstrate how a newly developed urban park can influence the health of community members in marginalized areas.

The researchers collected the data by conducting an in-person survey, which covered questions related to environmental and safety perceptions, overall satisfaction, changes in physical activity changes and mental health with respondents’ pre- and post-occupancy experiences. For analyzing data, bivariate analyses using a t-test and a correlation analysis were conducted to examine if there was a relationship between the overall satisfaction and visiting experience.

The primary finding showed that improved health was closely related to the availability of urban green spaces. s. It also indicated a marked increase in physical activities, like biking and walking, after the construction of this park, aligning with previous studies evaluating park elements’ influence on visit frequency. Besides the physical health, many respondents reported feeling better mentally, echoing the Attention Restoration Theory and suggesting that new parks were vital for mental rejuvenation, especially in underserved areas.

These results underscore the need for policy-makers and urban planners to prioritize the development of new green spaces in marginalized areas. The significance of this research lies in its ability to highlight the transformative potential of new parks, offering a roadmap for inclusive, equitable, and health-promoting urban development in the future.

However, there were limitations of this study. The main one was that the study was conducted only on one site in California. Including multiple sites would have provided stronger research results. Also, data collection was limited to a period in summer, offering only a snapshot of the communities’ park usage. Future research could benefit from incorporating a broader range of mental health measures to provide a more comprehensive assessment.

Journal

Landscape Architecture Frontiers

DOI

10.15302/J-LAF-0-020021

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

The Prospective Role of New Community Parks in Enhancing Human Health in Marginalized Communities: A Case of Kellogg Park in Ventura, California, USA

Do gender, ethnicity, and education affect people’s ability to get jobs that fit their interests?

Wiley

In a study published in Applied Psychology, researchers investigated the degree to which people can obtain jobs that fit their interests (called vocational interest fit), with the goal of identifying any differences in fit across race/ethnicity, gender, and education.

The study included a diverse sample of more than 250,000 American employees. Overall, employees showed moderate positive vocational interest fit with their jobs. There were small gender differences in vocational interest fit favoring men, especially white and Hispanic men, with minimal differences across other race/ethnicity groups.

Considerable differences were observed regarding education, however. Employees with higher educational attainment showed greater vocational interest fit, particularly among women.

“This research is an important catalyst for better understanding whether all people can obtain jobs they find interesting,” said corresponding author Alexis Hanna, PhD, MS, of the University of Nevada, Reno. “Vocational interest fit is an under-studied avenue of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, particularly with respect to intersectional aspects of people’s identities, so more research should continue to investigate barriers that hinder people from obtaining their most desired jobs.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apps.12567

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Applied Psychology seeks to publish work that rigorously develops, tests, or advances psychological theory, research, and practice in work, organizational, and other applied settings. Articles submitted should possess well-articulated and strong theoretical foundations. Although the journal has recently focused mainly on work and organizational psychology, it upholds a broad and inclusive scope. We welcome research published in all domains of applied psychology.

About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Journal

Applied Psychology

DOI

10.1111/apps.12567

Article Title

Can Everyone Get Interesting Jobs? Estimating Vocational Interest Fit Across Gender, Ethnicity, and Education

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024

What’s the best method for extracting edible protein from insects?

Wiley

Edible insects are emerging as an alternative protein source that has various benefits compared with conventional animal sources. New research published in the Journal of Food Science compared four different methods for extracting protein from mealworms, which were designated by the European Union as the first insect to be used as a novel food source in 2015.

For the research, investigators compared alkali, salt, enzyme, and screw press methods for extracting mealworm protein. Alkali extraction enhanced protein content, enzyme treatment improved nutritional value and antioxidant capacity, and salt-assisted extraction exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. Enzyme and salt treatments produced protein concentrates with significant anti-hyperglycemic (or anti-diabetic) properties.

“Although the study primarily focused on mealworms, the results suggest that these extraction methods could be applicable to other types of edible insects as well. This broadens the potential for using non-conventional procedures like enzyme and screw press extractions,” said corresponding author Yookyung Kim, PhD, of Korea University, in Seoul. “These methods not only preserve a greater amount of bioactive compounds but also offer environmental and health benefits, making them suitable for sustainable protein production despite their lower level of refinement.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1750-3841.17291

About the Journal
As the flagship journal of the Institute of Food Technologists, the Journal of Food Science provides a platform for researchers, scientists, and food industry professionals to share knowledge of advancements in food science and technology. The journal offers scientists an international forum in which to publishing research across all aspects of food science, including the interface between production agriculture and food, as well as how food science influences health and nutrition.

Journal

Journal of Food Science

DOI

10.1111/1750-3841.17291

Article Title

Anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycemia effects of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larvae) protein extracted by four methods: alkali, salt, enzyme, and screw press

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024

Research shows reducing future global flooding hinges on cutting greenhouse gas emissions

University of Bristol

Pioneering research forecasts worldwide flooding is likely to be significantly worse in future decades if countries fail to meet official pledges to cut carbon emissions.

The study, published today and led by experts from the University of Bristol and global water risk intelligence firm Fathom, reveals projections of different types of flooding in various climate change scenarios with unprecedented precision.

Through deploying the most comprehensive mapping framework, findings indicate overall global flooding could increase by around half between 2020 and the turn of the century in the event of high climate sensitivity and multilateral promises to reduce carbon emissions being broken.

Lead author Dr Oliver Wing, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol Cabot Institute for the Environment and Chief Research Officer at Fathom, said: “This research represents the culmination of years of research on our quest to help future-proof communities around the world from the evolving risk of flooding. The findings underscore the vital importance of all countries keeping their promise to cut carbon emissions.”

In the best-case lower emissions scenario, where all global carbon pledges are fulfilled, the average flood hazard level is projected to rise by 9% between 2020 and 2100. The more pessimistic prospect of higher carbon emissions showed flooding could increase 49% by the end of the century.

In the next few decades, the projected increases in flood hazard were more modest. Between 2020 and 2050, in a low carbon emissions scenario flood risk is anticipated to grow 7% with this doubling to more than 15% in a high carbon emissions model.

Dr Wing said: “It is important to note that these global averages result from predicted changes in hazard that have large geographical variations. Some places will see their flood risk fall, whilst for others the increases will be many times larger than the global average even under a lower emissions scenario.”

The report highlighted that coastal flooding remains a hotspot regardless of whether all global carbon emissions are met or not. Even in a low emissions scenario, coastal flooding is forecast to almost double, increasing by 99% by 2100, due to the lagged response of ocean sea level rise to existing warming.

Flooding caused by rainfall was found to be especially vulnerable to human-induced climate change. Whereas this type of flooding was shown to increase by 6% by 2100 in a low emissions scenario, this increase grows to 44% in a high emissions model.

The largest future increases in flooding are projected to be around global coastlines and in tropical Africa and Asia, as well as significant changes to arid North Africa. The likelihood of flood increases was most pronounced along the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts, as well as for southeastern Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Recently developed global flood models estimate the national or global population exposed to floods; potential value of assets at risk; cost and benefits of flood defences, and the impact of climate and socio-economic change on future losses. Most only represent river flooding, but this study factors in the significant impact of coastal flooding, and has undergone the most rigorous validation of any global flood model to date.

Countries signed up to ambitious pledges to lower carbon emissions at COP27 and the study clearly indicates that if these aren’t all achieved on time and in full, flooding levels look set to be heavily impacted.

Co-author Professor Paul Bates CBE, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Bristol Cabot Institute for the Environment and Chairman and Co-founder of Fathom, said: “Undertaking this research project involved subjecting our findings to the most comprehensive benchmarking of global flood modelling yet published.

“With the highest resolution results produced to date, we hope industries will derive value from our model for a range of additional use cases, such as protecting critical infrastructure from future flooding, helping insurers price premiums and meeting the requirements of climate regulations.”

Additional contributors to the research paper from the University of Bristol include Prof Jeff Neal, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Bristol Cabot Institute for the Environment and Chief Scientific Advisor at Fathom; and two Fathom scientists soon to embark on PhDs at the University.

Journal

Water Resources Research

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

‘A 30 m global flood inundation model for any climate scenario’

Article Publication Date

21-Aug-2024