Background Metal mining and waste discharge lead to regional heavy metal contamination and attract major concern because of the potential risk to local residents. Methods This research was conducted to determine lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), manganese (Mn), and antimony (Sb) concentrations in soil and brown rice samples from three heavy metal mining areas in Hunan Province, central China, and to assess the potential health risks to local inhabitants. Results Local soil contamination was observed, with mean concentrations of Cd, Pb, Sb, and As of 0.472, 193.133, 36.793, and 89.029 mg/kg, respectively. Mean concentrations of Cd, Pb, Sb, Mn, and As in brown rice were 0.103, 0.131, 5.175, 6.007, and 0.524 mg/kg, respectively. Daily intakes of Cd, As, Sb, Pb, and Mn through brown rice consumption were estimated to be 0.011, 0.0002, 0.004, 0.0001, and 0.0003 mg/(kg/day), respectively. The combined hazard index for the five heavy metals was 22.5917, and the total cancer risk was 0.1773. Cd contributed most significantly to cancer risk, accounting for approximately 99.77% of this risk. Conclusions The results show that potential noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks exist for local inhabitants and that regular monitoring of pollution to protect human health is urgently required.

No abstract

No abstract

The researchers of this study designed a new virtual reality (VR)-assisted training system, IFOREAL, for gynecology students at their university and introduced it to potential trainees. Two versions of IFOREAL, each employing different devices, were developed. The consumer version uses a traditional LCD display and computer mouse, whereas the professional version utilizes a head-mounted display (HMD) and joystick controller for the virtual learning. Trainees watched simulated videos and interacted with the system to accomplish tasks. IFOREAL consists of several major learning modules of gynecology. This study used the normal spontaneous delivery module to research user experience and perceptions of the IFOREAL VR training system. The results suggested that most of the trainees' user experiences and perceptions of IFOREAL, using both the types of VR-assisted technology, were positively reported. Trainees who used the consumer version of IFOREAL perceived a stronger internal control, whereas trainees using the professional version perceived a better sense of virtual presence. Overall, trainees perceived the usefulness of the IFOREAL system which predicted their future intention to use the system and other similar VR-assisted training systems for learning. Furthermore, whether the virtual content of IFOREAL grabbed the trainees' attention predicted their future intenon to use professional devices of HMD/joysck for learning other subjects. The gender difference was also explored in the study. Generally speaking, female trainees gave better evaluations of IFOREAL compared to their male counterparts. They perceived a better internal control while using the consumer version than the professional version. Male trainees believed that the gadgets used in the professional version provided a better virtual presence and met their expectation of a virtual experience better. This study suggested that different versions of IFOREAL could serve trainees' different needs. Technology developers and trainers should tailor the application of different VR devices to assist with the training/learning in accordance with different conditions/trainees. INDEX TERMSVirtual reality, training/learning system, immersive and interactive design, user experience, acceptance and adoption of systems.

No abstract

No abstract

Background Pulmonary infections caused by non-diphtheriae corynebacteria are increasing. However, rapid identification of Corynebacterium species poses a challenge due to the low genetic variation within the genus. Methods Three reference strains and 99 clinical isolates were used in this study. A qPCR followed by high-resolution melting (HRM) targeting ssrA was performed to simultaneously identify C. striatum, C. propinquum and C. simulans. To further evaluate this assay’s performance, 88 clinical sputum samples were tested by HRM and the detection results were compared with those of the traditional culture method and multiple cross-displacement amplification (MCDA) assay. Results The melting curve produced by a pair of universal primers generated species-specific HRM curve profiles and could distinguish the three target species from other related bacteria. The limit of detection of HRM assay for DNA from the three purified Corynebacterium species was 100 fg. Compared with the culture method, HRM detected 22 additional positive specimens, representing a 23.9% relative increase in detection rate. The HRM assay had 98.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.5–99.9%) sensitivity and 100% (95% CI, 82.8–100%) specificity. Additionally, 95.5% concordance between HRM and MCDA (κ = 0.89 [95% CI, 0.79–0.99]) was noted. Conclusions The HRM assay was a simple, rapid, sensitive, and specific diagnostic tool for detecting C. striatum, C. propinquum, and C. simulans, with the potential to contribute to early diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, and rapid response to outbreak.

Neuropsychological assessments are often surprisingly inaccurate in mapping clinically-reported attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, presumably due to their low ecological validity. Virtual reality (VR) might offer a potential solution for this problem, given its capability to generate standardized and yet highly realistic virtual environments. As the first adaptation of existing virtual classroom scenarios to an adult population, we developed a Virtual Seminar Room (VSR) for multimodal characterization of ADHD symptoms. To test its feasibility, N = 35 healthy participants were immersed into the VSR via a head-mounted display and carried out a VR-embedded continuous performance task (CPT) under varying levels of distractions in two experimental blocks (24 min each). CPT performance, electroencephalography (EEG) measures, and head movements (actigraphy) were simultaneously recorded and analyzed offline. Although CPT performance remained constant throughout the task, head movements increased significantly from Block 1 to Block 2. In addition, EEG theta (4–7 Hz) and beta (13–30 Hz) power was higher during Block 1 than Block 2, and during distractor-present than distractor-absent phases. Moreover, P300 amplitudes were higher during Block 1 than Block 2, and P300 latencies were prolonged in distractor-absent compared with distractor-present phases. Although the paradigm awaits further improvements, this study confirms the general feasibility of the VSR and provides a first step toward a multimodal, ecologically valid, and reliable VR-based adult ADHD assessment.